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 military's intervention, for which Scar knows that Edward was partially at fault. As Edward collapses in grief, Scar also brings up the fact 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 once and for all. At the military outpost, Martel's corpse had been removed from Alphonse's armor by the Mustang Unit. Lts. Havoc and Hawkeye question Major Armstrong about his knowledge of the chimeras, but he can't say anything. Alphonse 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, but Armstrong denies this. Flashing back, Alphonse recalls Martel telling him that the Führer plans to destroy Reole like he did to Ishval and that he is a homunculus (Pride). In addition, Alphonse saw the Führer's ouroboros tattoo as he killed Martel.

Later, Scar orders the people of Reole not to put up a resistance against the military who plans to provoke them to make a first move in order to massacre Reole. Ed on the other hand is confined momentarily and 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. Ed rebuttals that as long as they are taking orders from someone else, nothing will ever change. After Lyra dismisses the guards, Ed notices that he can smell some strange new perfume on her. Ignoring his comment, Lyra acknowledges that Ed won't allow the military to be sacrificed, so he has Lyra send a boy secretly with a letter to Al. Back at the military outpost, the Mustang Unit pulls Al into the room where the letter is, learning that Scar has turned the city into a giant transmutation array, and they are requested not to approach the city. Al correctly surmises that the military soldiers are going to be used as the sacrifices. The Mustang Unit is surprised by the revelation that this was likely the secret behind the fifth laboratory 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 arrive and 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 at all cost and they shall be victorious, while 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 states to Rosé and Lyra that his letter should delay things for a while and that they should flee someplace safe from the military, while devastatingly admitting to Rosé that she can blame him for the towns' destruction as he should have tried harder to stop the military's madness. As the 7,000 troops arrive at the outpost, 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, kills all the chimeras and confronts Kimblee himself, recognizing him as the Crimson Alchemist. Kimblee recognizes the scar as his handiwork and notices Scar's new right arm, realizing it once belonged to his brother. Scar declares he swore an oath not to kill another state alchemist, but Kimblee will be his last exception as the two begin their battle, along with Scar painfully absorbing the red stone that Kimblee has.

Meanwhile, Ed, Lyra and the Reole townsfolk head through the underground tunnels. 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, but Ed rebuttals that 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. Wrath charges at her, but Ed stops him and orders Rosé to flee. Summoning a spear, Ed confirms to Wrath that Greed told him about the homunculi's weakness, but Wrath states 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, they see Scar and Kimblee fighting, so Al sends the boy away. Their fight is evenly matched and Scar declares that he will kill Kimblee to avenge what happened to his brother because of him. Kimblee declares he isn't fighting for anything except blowing people up and that everyone is worthless. He is then caught in a transmuted stone hand created by Al. Denying Kimblee's statement that he is a state alchemist, Al counters that he is a murderer and 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, allowing Kimblee to transmute Scar's left arm. To Kimblee's surprise, Scar forcibly removes the arm and, though wounded, charges at Kimblee, forcing him to flee. But as Kimblee does so, Scar 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 quickly removes it from Al's armor and 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 instantly recalls the day he and his brother failed at transmuting their mother and saw the inhuman monstrous creature, causing Ed to shriek. Hearing Ed's scream, Rosé begins to regain her voice and turns back. 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.

Trivia

• This episode has adapted content from Chapter 30: The Truth Inside the Armor.