Episode 41: Holy Mother (2003 series)

Holy Mother
Series	Fullmetal Alchemist (anime)
Episode number	41
Japan airdate	July 24th, 2004
U.S.A. airdate	January 7th, 2006
Language	English/Japanese
Subtitles	English
Navigation
Preceded by	The Scar
Followed by	His Name Is Unknown

This article is about the episode. For the character known as Holy Mother, see Rosé.

Synopsis

Wrath and Sloth confront Ed as he tries to save the people of Liore. In the heart of the city, Scar, Kimblee and Al fight a battle that none of them may survive.

Full Synopsis

Scar shows Edward the graves of the people of Reole who died due to the State Military's intervention, which Scar knows that Ed was partly at fault for what happened. As Ed collapses in grief, Scar also brings up that the people of Reole are ethnically similar to the Ishvalans which the military did not consider and that is the reason why he must complete the Philosopher's Stone to end this tyranny. Back at the Military Outpost, Martel's corpse had been removed from Al's armored body by the Mustang Unit. Lts. Havoc and Hawkeye question Major Armstrong about his knowledge on the Chimeras, which he can't say anything. Al admits he secretly harbored Martel and that he learned something that he can't say at the moment. Mustang believes that Armstrong is trying to root out the corruption which Hughes was doing, which is something the Major denies. Flashing back, Al recalls Martel telling him that the Führer plans to destroy Reole like he did to Ishval and that he is a Homunculus (Pride), and, just as Bradley killed Martel, Al saw his Ouroboros tattoo.

Later to the people of Reole, Scar orders them not to put up a resistance against the military since they are looking for the excuse the people attacked first to massacre Reole. Ed learns from the people guarding him that despite being mute, Rosé is the Holy Mother due to her convincing the people to stand up and not follow Leto or the military. After Lyra dismisses the guards, Ed notices that he can smell some strange new perfume from her. Ignoring his comment, once Lyra learns Ed won't allow the military to be sacrificed, he has Lyra send a boy with a message to Al secretly. Once the Mustang Unit pulls Al into the room where the letter is, they learn that Scar has turned the city into a giant transmutation array and asks they do not approach the city. Al correctly surmises that the military soldiers are going to be used as the sacrifices. As the Mustang Unit is surprised by the revelation that this was likely the secret behind Laboratory 5 where the top brass was using human sacrifices to complete the Stone, Al is dispatched to back up Ed and is given Ed's pocket watch to return to him, unaware that Tucker had put some Red Stones in it.

Meanwhile in Reole, Kimblee and Tucker's new chimeras begin to attack. Upon learning of this, Scar reveals to the resistance that this is a diversion and the main forces will come afterward. Scar tells them to stick to the plan, and he'll face the diversion alone. Releasing Ed from his confinement, Scar wants him to help get the people out of there. Ed agrees, and after Scar leaves, Ed admits to Rosé and Lyra that his letter should delay things for a while and that they should flee someplace safe from the military, admitting they should blame him for the towns' destruction. As the 7,000 troops arrive at the outpost, a happy Colonel Archer is disappointed that Bradley decided to delay the attack due to Ed's letter. In a secret meeting with Lust and Gluttony, Pride admits the reason is due to their master's orders. Against Pride's wishes, Lust decides to return to Reole to assist Scar. As the people flee from Kimblee, Scar arrives and kills all the chimeras. Kimblee recognizes the scar as his handiwork and notices Scar's new right arm as they begin their battle along with Scar painfully absorbing the Red Stone that Kimblee had.

Meanwhile as they are heading through the underground tunnels, Ed and Lyra talk, where Lyra points out that if Scar fails, then Reole's people can scatter to the winds and expose the truth about the military's tyranny. Ed knows it's pointless since the military will cover up the truth by stating that the city tried and failed to create a Philosopher's Stone. Their group then comes under attack from Sloth and Wrath. Ed and Wrath fight, and just before Wrath can kill Ed, Rosé's baby cries. Just before Wrath can kill it, Ed stops him and orders Rosé to flee. Ed then tells Wrath that Greed told him about the Homunculi's weakness, but Wrath admits he has no weaknesses since he was a stillborn when he was sent to The Gate and no remains should be around. Back aboveground, as Al heads into the city with the messenger boy, Al sees Scar and Kimblee fighting and sends the boy away. Their fight is evenly matched and Scar admits that he will kill Kimblee to avenge what happened to his brother because of him. Kimblee admits he isn't fighting for anything except blowing people up and is caught in a transmutation circle created by Al. Denying Kimblee's statement that he is a State Alchemist which Al points out that he is a murderer, Al demands that Scar stop his mad quest since there has been too much sacrifice.

Kimblee uses this distraction to break free from the stone hand Al created and pushes him forward to transmute Scar's left arm. To Kimblee's surprise, Scar forcibly removes the arm and though wounded, Scar attacks Kimblee as he is fleeing and uses his destructive alchemy right through Kimblee's chest, mortally wounding him. Aware of the Red Stones in Ed's pocket watch, the wounded Kimblee throws it at Scar to hold him back so he can transmute Al's armored body in his last act to fulfill his promise against Al to turn him into a bomb. Back in the sewers, Sloth appears, and once she admits that Ed didn't make her right, Ed realizes that Sloth truly was created from his and Al's attempt at Human Transmutation. Hearing Ed's screams, Rosé, who is beginning to regain her voice, turns back and Ed cannot move due to this revelation. Before Wrath can use Ed's own transmuted spear to finish him off, Rosé's baby cries, and Rosé states that Ed should get up and move forward, just as Wrath prepares to move in to kill her and her baby.