- This article is about the episode. For the DVD volume, see Volume 12: The Truth Behind Truths.
Synopsis
Ed and Al's quest to restore their lives takes a devastating turn when they discover the gruesome secret ingredient required to create a Philosopher's Stone.
Full Synopsis
The Elric brothers are upset that live human beings are used as the key ingredient in creating a Philosopher's Stone while 2nd Lt. Ross overhears the two. To help the Elrics relax, Ross convinces Major Armstrong that the Elrics are sleeping to prevent him from intruding and creating more tension.
In the Elrics' room, Ed is having doubts, believing they may have to remain this way for the rest of their lives since their search for the Philosopher's Stone had become more complicated due to the complication of sacrificing people. Al protests and encourages Ed that they will get their bodies back to normal even if they have to find another way. Ross overhears this and attempts to open the door their room with some food for them, but she refrains, allowing the Elrics some more time by themselves.
Later on, as he is looking over the notes, Al believes they may have misread something. He attempts to convince Ed. Too stubborn to care and listen, Ed accidentally knocks over the notes to the ground and attracting both Lt. Ross and Sergeant Brosh. As she picks up the notes, Ross admits she overheard them earlier and believes Ed might be scared of the possibility that all their searching will be in vain. Ross then points out that they can keep trying for having accomplished something. Ed agrees to keep pressing forward to the end. Talking it over at the table with both Ross and Brosh, Ed believes that Marcoh's research so far had only resulted in an incomplete stone and recalling Marcoh's hint and confirming the tip "Truth Behind Truths" from the paper, Ed believes something else is involved. Taking out a map, Ed believes that a large facility is required to make a Philosopher's Stone, and the only suspicious laboratory is the closed down fifth one that was ran by the late Basque Grand. Since it was located next to Central 2nd Prison, Ed believes the military could secretly use the lives of the condemned criminals as Philosopher Stone ingredients. Ross refuses for the Elrics to head to the fifth laboratory since Scar is still on the loose, stating she and Brosh will go in their place. Ed pretends to agree with this, but he and Al slip out later that night.
While Lt. Colonel Hughes continues to search for Scar's body and working as a slave driver towards Sheska, the Elrics arrive at the fifth laboratory. Noticing trip wire alarms on the other side of the gate, the Elrics are even more suspicious due to the tight security in an abandoned facility, unaware of them being monitored on video camera. Al throws Ed up the wall so he can use barbed wire as a rope to get Al past the gate. The two find the entrance is barricaded too and a small vent, which Ed decides to go on alone.
Back at the National Library, Ross tries to contact Armstrong, only for Scar to appear and attack the guards while looking for the Elrics. Despite not having fully recovered from his fight with the homunculi, Scar overcomes the guards and heads to the Elrics’ room, with Ross, Brosh and the other guards in pursuit. Scar discovers the notes the Elrics used and uses his alchemy to confirm the Elrics now know the stone's secret. Noticing the map that confirms the Elrics are heading to the fifth laboratory, Scar escapes as Ross, Brosh and the other guards arrive. Ross and Brosh then notice the rope, confirming the Elrics snuck out to the fifth laboratory.
Elsewhere, Envy meets with Lust and Gluttony, verifying his mission in Reole is over and things will go smoothly. While Envy suggests they should kill Ed now that he knows about the lab, Lust doesn't want to rush until Ed fulfilled his purpose. However, Envy knows Ed can't get there easily due to the guards they're using are idiots against Lust's direct orders not to harm the Elrics. Lust and Envy both agree that if things get out of hand, then everyone involved would have to be killed.
While complaining about his size as it is helping him through the vent, Ed finds a exit only to find more traps. Upon barely dodging a huge boulder due to his small size, Ed uses alchemy to disable the traps, unknowingly damaging the seal of Greed, another homunculus who is stored below the lab. Deep within the recesses of the empty lab, two armor-clad, shadowy figures calling each other 48 and 66 sense the intruders and stir despite under orders not to kill neither of the Elric brothers. Ed reaches a room, but the door to it closes and he finds himself alone when responded in the affirmative by Number 48, who emerges from the shadows. The other guard, Number 66, attacks Al outside, explaining that once Al hears his real name, he'll wet his pants.
Back inside, Ed prepares himself for a fight by transmuting the outer plating on his automail arm into a blade and 48, impressed with the boy's alchemical skill, attacks in earnest with his sword. Number 48's sword is able to overpower Ed's automail sword, as Winry, in Resembool, realizes she forgot to install an A-08 screw in Ed's automail arm. Nonetheless, Edward defends himself deftly, but when he manages to land a blow on his armor-clad opponent, he recognizes the blood rune on 48's armor, confirming he is hollow much like Al, just as Number 66 moves in to attack Al.
Trivia and See Also
- The English language DVD and Blu-Ray release of this episode featured a commentary track with the voice actors. Mike McFarland stated that the technique for recording Alphonse's lines was to have Aaron Dismuke speak into a steel bowl in order to capture the sound of a metal echo. This same strategy was also used for Barry the Chopper and the Slicer brothers. It's unknown if the same method was used in the Japanese version.
- This episode is adapted from content in Chapter 11: The Two Guardians.
- Episode 7: Hidden Truths (2009 series)
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