Episode 8: The Philosopher's Stone (2003 series)

The Philosopher's Stone
Series	Fullmetal Alchemist (anime)
Episode number	8
Japan airdate	October 22th, 2003
U.S.A. airdate	January 1st, 2005
Language	English/Japanese
Subtitles	English
Navigation
Preceded by	Night of the Chimera's Cry
Followed by	Be Thou for the People

This article is about the episode. For other uses, see Philosopher's Stone (disambiguation).

Synopsis

Disgusted by the Military's handling of the Shou Tucker case, Edward Elric gives up his State Alchemist's licence and begins to investigate a string of murders in Central City, which he believes are connected to Nina Tucker's death. But things take a turn for the worst when the killer sets his sights on a childhood friend of the Elrics.

Full Synopsis

Watching Ed in his anguish by the horrific consequences of Tucker’s alchemic research (still in Ed's flashback), Roy Mustang tells Edward that hopeless causes like this is to be expected for him to face on their chosen path and encourages Ed to move on with his life just as Maes Hughes arrives with his team to examine the crime scene. The next day Ed's next assignment is to organize and analyze Tucker's research as the military had executed him to cover up his crimes. However, Ed goes straight to Mustang demanding he be involved in bringing in the serial killer that has been killing women, believing that he had killed Nina Tucker, but when Mustang refuses Ed resigns from his post as a State Alchemist. While wandering the streets Ed encounters the same scarred man he saw at the library, who surmises that Ed must be a State Alchemist for being able to enter the library, which Ed responds by stating he gave up his position, which the man states to himself that he believes Ed is better off so he doesn't have to kill him. Meanwhile Winry Rockbell arrives in Central to pay a surprise visit on Ed and Al. Ed meets with Hughes in the mess hall at Central Command to talk about the serial killer. Hughes mentions that with all their resources they haven't been able to confirm anything even with inspecting cars that could hide bodies, but Ed believes a larger car might be a perfect blindspot.

However, a girl delivering meat from a butcher shop learns from one of the cooks of Eds ability to transmute without a circle. When informed that he has a visitor Ed goes outside but Winry saw the refrigerated truck from the butcher shop and is tricked by the girl into entering it. Figuring out that his visitor is Winry from a small screw he saw on the street which fits perfectly in his automail arm, Ed realizes that a refrigerated truck is a perfect blindspot to hide a body and follows the watery trail left by the truck, realizing that Winry is in danger. Arriving at the Butcher shop location Ed finds the girl who knocks him out. The girl is actually the serial killer Barry the Chopper who has removed Ed's Automail arm to avoid taking any risks since he is now aware of Eds transmutation abilities. While Barry is talking about his joy of killing, Ed uses the screw he found earlier to carve a transmutation circle on the chain holding him to break free and then faces Barry. Barry still has the upper hand, even after Ed reattaches his automail arm and just as Barry is knocked over by the pig meat that Winry inadvertently bumped into, Ed almost kills Barry out of fear, but luckily Al arrives to stop him thanks to Hughes figuring out that the trucks from Barry's shop had bypassed every inspection point.

After talking it out with Al, Ed meets with Mustang who makes a deal of allowing him to search for the Philosopher's Stone when not on an assignment in exchange for him keeping the details of their Human Transmutation secret as he receives his Fullmetal Alchemist title. Ed later confirms to Al that Barry did not kill Nina since the circumstances of her death did not match his profile and he had an alibi that night, though the Elrics are unaware that the scarred man is observing them and sees Ed's State Alchemist pocket watch.

Notes

• A mistake at the beginning of the episode in the English dub had Al identify Roy Mustang as a Major when he is actually a Lieutenant Colonel.
• Barry says that during the war in Ishval, he "saw a State Alchemist just like [Ed] kill other people with ease. [makes explosion gesture with free hand] Splat! Just like that." He's most likely referring to Solf J. Kimblee, another sociopathic soldier who "indiscriminately made women and children go BOOM!" with his alchemy.
• When giving Edward his new State Alchemist title, Mustang remarks that it's quite ironic. This is because:
  • 鋼 (はがね, hagane), which means "steel", is sometimes used to describe a stubborn person.
  • Alphonse, who has a body made entirely of steel, is also an Alchemist. This is also provides the basis for the running gag of people mistaking Al for the famous State Alchemist. The English dub is especially ironic considering the Full part of his Fullmetal title. (His title in Japanese just means "Steel Alchemist"/"Alchemist of Steel".)
• A mistake at the end of the episode shows Scar seeing Edward walk down the sidewalk with his pocketwatch in his left pocket. He always keeps it in his right pocket.