Episode 29: The Untainted Child (2003 series)

The Untainted Child
Series	Fullmetal Alchemist (anime)
Episode number	29
Japan airdate	April 24th, 2004
U.S.A. airdate	October 1st, 2005
Language	English/Japanese
Subtitles	English
Navigation
Preceded by	All Is One, One Is All
Followed by	Assault on South Headquarters

Synopsis

A strange boy emerges from the Yock Island foliage -- and he can perform alchemy without a transmutation circle. Izumi is compelled to take care of the child, but Edward has other plans.

Full Synopsis

Mason admits that his role as the masked man back when Edward and Alphonse were last on the island was so Izumi could toughen them up, all the while as the group observe the strange boy. Izumi wishes to help him, leaving the Elrics confused. The boy starts using alchemy without a transmutation circle to transmute his left hand into a rock, albeit uncontrollably. Ed confronts and holds him firmly on the ground, only for the boy's clothes to suddenly disappear, causing Ed to get off of him, leaving the boy breaking down in tears. Izumi wishes to use an easier approach and comforts the boy, wrapping him with a sheet. Embracing the boy, Izumi asks for his identity, where he came from, and the whereabouts of his parents, but he doesn't know.

Returning to her house in Dublith, Izumi and Sig watch as the boy is eating, while the Elrics converse with Winry outside. The Elrics know that despite what they learned long ago, Izumi could never forgive them for going against her teachings. Nonetheless, they convince Winry that Izumi still loves and cares for them deep down. They then change the subject to who the boy is.

That night, the Elrics decide to secretly head to that boy's room to gather details, but only find he wants to play with them. After using alchemy to bind him with a rope to the bed, Ed demands the boy on why he can use alchemy like him and Izumi, and that he knows him from somewhere. However, the boy uncontrollably uses alchemy that fuses himself with the bed, something Ed is not capable of. The noise wakes Izumi who, after lashing out at the Elrics for their foolish actions, helps the boy return to normal. Demanding an explanation for their meddling, Izumi and Sig are informed by the Elrics that the boy is likely a homunculus.

Meanwhile in Central City, Colonel Mustang observes the Hughes home as Sheska is there visiting Gracia and Elicia. Noticing his presence upon leaving, Sheska trips as she tries to pursue his car, and Mustang decides to allow her to talk with him. Criticizing Mustang for his lack of concern toward Hughes' murder, Sheska gives Mustang some books with the material he had been observing before continuing the investigation at her house.

At the Führer's secretary aka Sloth's office, she communicates with Envy over the phone, assigning him to go after the Elrics while Lust and Gluttony can handle Greed. Additionally, Sloth points out to Envy that they have to get the Elrics back on the Philosopher's Stone trail again while preventing them from discovering the truth about the Ishval Civil War.

The next day, while Winry watches the boy, Ed and Al talk with Izumi and Sig about the homunculi who, like the Elrics, are searching for the Philosopher's Stone, but because they cannot perform alchemy, they need human alchemists to do it for them. Additionally, they realize the boy is different from the other homunculi with the ability to perform alchemy and in a style which normal alchemists cannot do. Ed confirms that only he saw the gate and was able to use that knowledge in exchange for learning how to create the blood rune that bonded Al's soul to the armor at the cost of his arm and leg. Ed confirms it was the reason he can perform alchemy without a transmutation circle and where he saw the boy. Izumi decides to leave for a while to check on something, forbidding the Elrics to interact with that boy. Izumi tells Sig that she is going alone, and Sig mentions the Elrics are unaware of how a homunculus is born.

Back in Central Command, as the Mustang Unit are unpacking their things, 2nd Lt. Breda plays a little joke by dressing up as Major Armstrong. Once they settle down, Lt. Hawkeye mentions the real Armstrong is traveling with Hughes' replacement Lt. Colonel Frank Archer, whom Officer Falman identifies as a man who enjoys war.

On the train heading south, Armstrong asks why they are heading after the Elrics, which Archer states that he is not going to allow them as much freedom as Mustang and Hughes had given them in the past.

Back in Dublith, while Mason is watching over Ed and Al’s room, he mentions that Izumi is returning to Yock Island for some reason. Knowing something's up, Al secretly transmutes a phone for their room to connect to the room below them where Winry and the boy are. Once it becomes obvious his right arm and left leg are strange as per what Winry said, the Elrics burst down into that room and confirm this once they see the boy's right arm has the same fox bite Ed had, which means he has Ed's lost limbs. The boy runs away with Ed in pursuit, unaware that they are under observation from someone.

Meanwhile, Izumi confirms her fears are true as she coughs up blood during her investigation.

Notes

• This episode is adapted from content in Chapter 22: The Masked Man, Chapter 23: Knocking on Heaven's Door and Chapter 25: Master and Apprentice.
• Wrath is introduced in this episode. This was because screenwriter Sho Aikawa desired to establish a rival that Ed could evenly match with.
• In the beginning of the episode, Izumi coughed up blood even though she wasn't doing any strenuous activity. This would indicate that she was in emotional distress, which in itself would indicate that she knew even then who Wrath really was.

• When Ed has a flashback to what he saw in the gate, brief images show the Olympics, American Flags, Volkswagens, Joseph Stalin, Hitler and Gandhi. This could be considered a major foreshadowing, once near the end of the anime it will be revealed that the other side of the gate is in fact, our world.