Episode 50: Death (2003 series)

Death
Series	Fullmetal Alchemist (anime)
Episode number	50
Japan airdate	September 25th, 2004
U.S.A. airdate	March 11th, 2006
Language	English/Japanese
Subtitles	English
Navigation
Preceded by	The Other Side of the Gate
Followed by	Laws and Promises

Synopsis

Ed returns from beyond the Gate, leaping into battle against Envy. In the Fuhrer's mansion, the very future of the state depends on the outcome of a vicious clash between Pride and Mustang.

Full Synopsis

As he and his father run from the Zeppelins in the parallel world, Ed hears a voice in his head and realizes he is in someone else's body. Hohenheim reveals this world is on the other side of The Gate and is different from theirs as it has advanced in science instead of Alchemy. At Drachma, Falman reports the message on the airwaves about the attack at Central Command which Lt. Colonel Armstrong knows is of no significance, since they can hold out against Major General Hakuro's troops. Fuery returns and reveals that Hakuro's backup troops have arrived and Havoc goes to deal with the tanks using a machine gun. At the Führer's mansion, noticing Selim is depressed, Bradley asks what it is. Selim admits he saw his father hide a secret treasure in a hidden safe, so Bradley gives Selim a key to protect it. He is then informed by his wife that there is a report of a suspicious figure on the grounds, which is Hawkeye. However, she is actually a distraction to keep the defense forces busy, so Mustang can slip into the mansion unnoticed. At Central Command, Archer continues to kill the soldiers attacking him, while Ross and Izumi talk at a safe area, with Ross mentioning her friends' planned uprising to Izumi. When a soldier arrives bearing terrible news, Archer grabs him and learns the Führer's mansion is under attack, so Archer decides to head there to save the Führer.

At London in the parallel world, Hohenheim reveals that the huge amount of death in this world is the source of all Alchemy in their world, since the energy from the souls passing through The Gate is what makes transmutation possible and each person from their world has a connection to The Gate that gives them access this power. Ed reveals to him that he knows his father has lived on for centuries and learned everything else from Dante, and asks why he married his mother. Hohenheim reveals that he truly did love her, and only left so he wouldn't expose his decaying skin which was the side-effect of his multiple soul transfers. At Dante's hideout, with Gluttony unable to follow Envy's orders of digesting Al to create the Philosopher's Stone within his body out of grief due to Lust's death, Dante alchemically erases his tattoo, turning him into a mindless eating machine.

Hohenheim reveals that he remained in hiding since Dante can't create the stone by herself, and only appeared before them due to her interest in Ed and Al. He also reveals that while he passed through the Gate, Ed's body is still there and only his soul and mind passed through to this body, which is his counterpart in this world. As he is called away on General Churchill's orders, Hohenheim reveals to Ed to find his inner gate and return to their world, since only he can pass through and that Hohenheim intends to remain and die in this world. As his car leaves, Hohenheim watches as a Zeppelin balloon crashes where Ed is, by which he can't use alchemy to escape. At the Führer's mansion, Hawkeye gives an explanation that Mustang plans to eliminate the Führer, and hearing a noise in the cellar, Bradley decides he'll deal with it while the guards protect his family. As soon as Bradley enters the room, Mustang has a hidden transmutation circle seal the entrance to the cellar door. Knowing that they are now alone, Bradley takes off his eye patch, revealing his identity as Pride. Mustang is furious with him, not because of his secret identity, but rather the genocide he has committed against other nations to expand Amestris' territory and force desperate people to create a Philosopher's Stone before the Homunculi steal it from them. Pride admits it is to protect humans from themselves, and that while there isn't a god, there are devils who are the alchemists.

Before Pride begins the fight, he uses the Ultimate Eye to be able to see the air currents Mustang uses for his flame alchemy and stabs a hole in the wall with his swords, splitting the air flow so the flame won't ignite where Mustang wants it to. A close stab from Pride, Mustang uses a well-timed shot to blow up the room, but only to find that Pride survived the attack. At Dante's hideout, before Gluttony can digest Al, Wrath shows up, forcing Envy to restrain him so Dante can use Rosé's baby to summon The Gate and dismember Ed's original arm and leg from him so that he can't use alchemy with the stone to resurrect Sloth. However, it also allows Ed to return to their world. Assuming Dr. Marcoh's form and then transforming into Hughes, Envy reveals that Gluttony ate the real Marcoh after Ed turned him over to the Führer, and that he was responsible for Marcoh's death, as well as Hughes'. Although Envy attacks with Hughes' push knives, Ed is able to restrain him, pointing out that he can take care of any form he uses. Envy then turns into Sloth to distract Ed so that he could break free from his grasp. Dante then warns Ed not to use a transmutation, as the Philosopher's Stone within Al's body is activated and that there's no telling what could happen.

Ed and Envy continue to fight and with Wrath's help, Ed is able to pin down Envy, knowing whichever face won't work on him. When Ed demands to see his true face, Envy obliges, causing him to stop, as it resembles his own father. Dante reveals that Envy was the first Homunculus created when Hohenheim tried to resurrect the son that he conceived with her. As Envy admits this is the reason he hates the Elric brothers due to Hohenheim abandoning him to start a new family, the shape-shifting homunculus transforms his arm into a blade and pierces Edward through the heart, killing him instantly. However, his death causes Rosé to break out of the trance that Dante placed upon her as she began calling out Edward's name in despair.