Episode 17: House of the Waiting Family (2003 series)

House of the Waiting Family
Series	Fullmetal Alchemist (anime)
Episode number	17
Japan airdate	January 31th, 2004
U.S.A. airdate	March 5th, 2005
Language	English/Japanese
Subtitles	English
Navigation
Preceded by	That Which Is Lost
Followed by	Marcoh's Notes

This article is about the episode from the original Fullmetal Alchemist anime series. For the similarly titled manga chapter, see Chapter 9: A Home with a Family Waiting. For the similarly titled episode of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, see Episode 6: Road of Hope (2009 series).

Synopsis

In Resembool for the first time in years, Edward and Alphonse sift through the ashes of their childhood. With memories fading and graves long grown-over, both must redefine their view of family and home.

Full Synopsis

The hobbled Elric brothers return to their childhood village of Resembool for the first time in over four years. Hearing Den, Pinako informs Winry they have guests. Edward argues with Pinako for being smaller than before, along with Armstrong getting in the way and introducing himself formally. Winry suddenly throws a wrench, hitting Ed in the face.

Winry angrily laments the ruins of her masterwork automail arm and Al's armor. Pinako states that Ed grew a bit so the automail leg will need re-adjustments in addition to the new automail arm and will take three days to build. Ed then has to talk his way out of Winry's suspicion about him and his brother doing something dangerous once they return to Central City. Ed heads out to observe the town with Al, having a spare leg to replace his automail version, while Pinako asks Armstrong about what the two brothers have been up to since they hardly ever write any letters to her and Winry since the day the brothers left Resembool. Armstrong responds that while the brothers are drawn into danger due to Edward's reputation, the two are strong enough to overcome it, something Pinako recalls from when they visited her and Winry on the day of their human transmutation and Ed's automail operation. Ed soon leaves with Den to visit his mother's grave at Al's suggestion, while Armstrong uses his abilities to chop wood despite Pinako's advice of taking time to relax. Al comes to the fearful realization that his memories are fading when failing to recognize a girl he knew from the past.

That night, Winry becomes obsessed with Ed's state alchemist pocket watch, something that neither Edward or Armstrong are too keen with due to her habit of disassembling things. While in their room, Al asks Ed about his past due to his fear about losing their memories. Ed mentions something that he was afraid to tell Al for a long time. Just as Ed is hesitant to say what it is, Major Armstrong interrupts and encourages them to look at the nighttime starry sky, something that Central City does not have which Ed recalls having done from a long time ago.

The next day, Winry and Pinako set themselves to the task of machining and adjusting Edward's limbs. Once they are complete, they begin the quick but painful task of connecting them to Edward's nervous system and adjusting them for use, all the while listening to him gripe and dream about the day he will no longer require automail repairs. Winry explains to Edward that the new automail is designed to be lighter, allowing easier movement, but is also now more fragile so Edward needs to avoid being reckless. Edward then heads off to repair Alphonse's armor. Having collected all the broken pieces, Armstrong watches as Edward carefully transmutes them back into their proper shape, while being careful not to affect the area on which his brother's blood rune is drawn, as the rune itself is what keeps Alphonse's soul transfixed to the steel. Once the repair is done, the Elrics playfully spar to test their skills as their teacher recommended. Armstrong decides to join in Ed and Al's sparring session. Meanwhile, Winry notices Ed left his pocket watch by the chair. When she takes it out to examine it, Winry realizes that Ed has sealed it alchemically. She pries it open with her handy tools, expecting to see something Ed consider embarrassing, but instead sees a message hand-etched into the inside of the cover: "Don't forget" a small note engraved inside the watch. Back outside, Armstrong forces Al to the ground, but Ed and Al use a teamwork play to take down Armstrong.

Later, after taking a shower outside, Ed is confronted by a heartbroken Winry. She confesses that she broke open his watch and saw what was inside. Only slightly upset, Edward reveals that he hasn't even shown it to Alphonse and that the note is his own private memento of his resolve, of the day he burned down his family home so that there would be no turning back and that staying at Resembool feels wasted. Hearing this, tears stream down Winry's face, as she reminds Ed that he and Al still have her and Pinako, while lamenting that since neither Ed nor Al ever cry for themselves, her tears are for them. That night, the Elrics and Armstrong survey the area where the Elrics used to live, with Al remembering what those days were like. Armstrong happily states the brothers still have a home to return to and the group returns to the Rockbell house with Winry using a flashlight in the same manner that that the brothers' mother used to do.

The next day, the Elrics and Armstrong bid Winry and Pinako farewell and depart for Central. Watching the trio leave, Winry mentions to her grandmother what she saw in Ed's pocket watch.

Trivia

• This episode is adapted from content in Chapter 9: A Home with a Family Waiting and Chapter 19: I'll Do It for You Guys!