>Preview:

Edward finally gets to Central City. The brothers board with a state alchemist, Shou Tucker as they prepare for The Alchemy Exam

As the episode opens, the Elric Brothers have just agreed to take the State Alchemist Exam. To help them prepare for the exam, Lieutenant Colonel Roy Mustang sends Ed and Al to Shou Tucker, a state alchemist, and the leading expert in bio-alchemy. On the way there, Roy tells them that two years ago, Shou succeeded in transmuting the first chimera that spoke human words. Before they arrive at Shou's residence, Roy tells Ed and Al that the alchemist has a daughter, Nina, but no wife. Inside, the Elric brothers ask to see the chimera that Shou transmuted, but tells them that it died shortly after the transmutation. He then shows them his personal library, thoroughly impressing both brothers, and tells them that once they pass the State Alchemist Exam, they will have access to a hundred times more knowledge than what he has at the Central Library. For the next few weeks, Ed and Al study extensively in the library. One day, Ed comes outside, finally, to discover that there is snow on the ground, and Ed, Al, and Nina play in the snow and Edward tells her about transmutation circles. Major Hughes arrives to remind Edward that it's his birthday day and invites them all over to his house. Hughes introduces the group to his wife Glacier tells them that she is pregnant with their first child. After the party, Glacier begins to have contractions and asks for a doctor, but there is a blizzard outside. Major Hughes, deciding to brave the storm, goes to find a doctor and leaves Ed, Al, and Nina with Glacier. A few funny scenes ensue with Al and Ed both terrified and Al thinking that to give birth you need to die (a life for a life following the principal of equivalent exchange). At one point, Ed need to bring in hot water but when it arrives to the room it is cold. In anger he punches his hand and grabs the tray to fill it with hot water again. But a transmutation occurs and the water heats it self up. Both brothers are confused as to how this could happen without a transmutation circle but Ed passes it off saying that it was the amount of spirit he had. Eventually Glacier gives birth to a girl. That night, Ed and Al are amazed that mothers can do things that even powerful alchemists cannot. Al also begins to forget about his life before the failed human transmutation. To prepare them for the test Shou Tucker explains to the brothers that there are three parts to the exam, and writing section, an interview, and a practical section. Ed is worried about what he will do for the practical part, and Al is worried that during the health examination, they will find that his armor is empty. Both brothers pass the written exam, but Lt. Col. Mustang is surprised to find that Al to pass with one of the highest scores. Later, Roy meets with the brothers in an alley and tells Al that he must drop out of the exam in order to hide their past and move forward. Al refuses but Ed interjects, explainng that he should be the only one that needs to handle to burden of become a State Alchemist, for all state alchemists are dogs of the military and must kill others when in a time of war Al then drops out leaving Ed and the few who have passed the exam. The next section that he encounters is the interview, in which Ed is first asked to sit on a seemly unstable golden tripod, which appears to have little support holding it up. King Bradley says that the chair will not reject you if you are a true alchemist, and that an alchemist should not have fear at any time. He then proceeds to ask Ed why he took the exam. After a moment of hesitation, he says that he promised his only living family member that he would become a State Alchemist. At the start of the final part of the exam, the practical section, Bradley shows the remaining alchemists an area of terrain with mountains, tree, a river, and ice and asks the alchemists to do what they wish with the materials in the area. The first guy transmutes a tall spire, but becomes weak afterwards and can not stand up. The following candidate places trees and water in a transmutation circle (check out alchemy section to see which one) and alchemizes a paper balloon filled with hydrogen gas. As it ascends, though, a hole opens up and the balloon crashes into the spire. The spire shatters and begins rain debris on the alchemist who created the spire, but before it can harm the man, Edward claps his hands together and, without a transmutation circle, changes the spire and the hydrogen balloon transmute into flower petals. Thoroughly impressed with Ed's agility and ability to perform a transmutation without an array, King Bradley gives the order and Edward Elric becomes a member of the military as well as a state alchemist.

>Preview:

Roy gives Edward his first assignment, to board a train that is has practically left the station. Fortunately, Edward and Al make the train. Unfortunately, they are completely unaware of the dangerous surprise that lays on board...

The episodes opens with Ed and Al at a train station. Al is buying bread while Ed calls Roy Mustang. Mustang jokes around a bit with Ed, and then confirms which train they will be on. He then orders them to get on the train that is about to leave (they were going to take the train after that, though). Roy smiles smugly. In the train, Ed complains a bit about Mustang while a little girl looks over the seat behind Ed at Al. She comments about how Al is strange for wearing armor. Ed is about to yell at them, but notices that everyone in the car are starting at him. He blushes and sinks back to his seat. Two guys with sunglasses stare at them curiously. The girl pops back up and waves and smiles at Al, no longer afraid or weirded out. She also sees Ed Auto-mail arm, and they chuckle a bit. In the front car, we see General Haruko/Hakuro (In the original, he was Hakuro, but I recall him being called Haruko here) with his family and guards, coming back from a vacation in the east. We see Warrent Officer Farman/Falman (I couldn't catch if it was "r" or "l" there. Think it was "r", but I put both in case) talking with another guard about Major Hughes who is talking to Mustang on the radio. We now see Major Maes Hughes goign on and on about his pregnant wife. Mustang, annoyed, hangs up on him, and Farman, outside, comments on Hughes chatting on and on. Hughes calls Mustang back. Mustang is more annoyed now than he was (he wonders if it is possible to fry someone over the phone). He talks about the baby and how to prepare for its birth. 2nd Lt. Riza Hawkeye picks up the phone, interrupts them, and yells at Hughes that babies are not born after only 5 months. Suddenly, Mustang and Hughes change attitudes, talking about something. Farman, who went in another car to inspect, saw Ed and Al, and is worried. Mustang hears this (Hughes is holding two different phones), and laughs, saying they're ok. One is in armor, and one is small. Farman goes back to confirm, calls Ed short, and Ed, of course, freaks out. The two guys with sunglasses suddenly pull out guns at Farman, who is then knocked unconscious. Haruko's then taken captive. Hughes barely escapes from the Radio room. Haruko calls Mustang, and then the leader of the gang, the Eastern Liberation Force (iirc), Bald, takes the phone and talks with him. They have demands, they want their leader released from prison. Roy acts as though they didn't hear this demand earlier (they sent the order before), and this annoys Bald. Roy chuckles, saying that he has taken steps to save Haruko and the train. Riza and another officer exchange looks. The men in the back train are patting down everyone. They see Al and approach. Ed and Al take them out, though one nearly shoots the mother and child who sat in front of the brothers. But they're fine. They free Farman. Ed goes outside and moves for the front of the train on top, while Al and Farman go from below. The guards in the next car hear reports of some weirdo in armor (Al, of course), open the door, and find Al. The first guard freaks and shoots him. But, since he is armor, the bullets reflect, and hit him in the leg. Same happens to the second guy. Bald and his guys in the front begin to worry a bit. Haruko comments on their falling apart, and has part of his ear shot by some guy hidden under Bald's cloak. Ed gets hit by a branch on top and nearly falls off, but is saved by Hughes, who tells him he knows about him and is from Mustang. They go to the front car. Ed looks in, sticks out his tongue and vanishes again. One of the guards looks out of the window, having seen movement, and the other turns to ask what was it. Hughes jumps in through the other window, produces a small throwing knife, and impales it in the nearby guard's right hand. The other turns to fire, but Ed jumps in and kicks him down. The two conductors then punch the guards, knocking them out. Ed and Hughes start to climb out again when a guard in another car pops up on top. He takes aim and shoots at the two. Ed, clinging to the side, draws a circle, and makes part of the train into a cannon, which nearly takes out the guy. The guard falls back in and warns Bald of someone resisting. One of the conductors tells Ed to be careful, that the tender (what he alchemized) is the life of the train. Ed realizes that there is water inside and has an idea. He creates a mic and announces to the guards inside to give up or they will be handled. They refuse. Ed makes a pipe which channels some of the water into the car, washing most of the guards out the back. There, Al made a sort of net, which catches them. There, he stands, looking creepy, punching his fists together. Bald wasn't washed out, though. Hughes confronts him, throws a dagger, and is shot. The dagger is reflected by his left arm. Ed then jumps in, and we see what Bald's left arm really is: An Auto-mail machine gun. They are standing off against one another, holding the other back. Bald talks about how he got the Auto-mail to make himself more powerful for the military, but he was discharged for it. So he wanted revenge. He then says that Ed got his Auto-mail arm for the same reason. Ed gets angry, says something to the extent of, "Don't compare my arm to this piece of trash!" He crushes it, and then Bald falls back on Al, who punches him. They arrive at Central. Mustang walks to Bald, now tied up, and says that he had ordered Bald not to kill anyone. Although he tried, he still followed the order. Bald produces a knife in the remnants of his left arm. He tries to attack Mustang, who motions for his men to stand back. He produces his right hand which has a glove and a Transmutation Circle on it, check the alchemy page to see which one. With a snap of a finger, Bald is enveloped in fire, and falls to the ground, smoking. Mustang comments how he feels worse than he really is (meaning that all he did was burn him, not kill him). He then goes on to say something to the extent of "You can call me Roy Mustang, or Lt. Colonel Mustang. You can even call me the Flame Alchemist." Ed confronts Mustang, realizing that they were really being played by him. Mustang comments how Ed should be thankful, his saving Haruko allows him to take part in the Alchemy Exam (his age would have disqualified him, but since he saved the lives of Haruko and his family, they're going to make an exception). Ed groans, and Mustang says it is his choice to take it if he wants. Roy yells that he will. Al then comments that they were dancing in Roy's palm (that's what he said, iirc) all this time. The young girl who sat in front of them in the train is nearby, and shouts her thanks while waving.

The brothers are now travelling towards Central City and a meeting with Roy Mustang. While at a train station waiting for the next train to transfer onto, the brothers learn of an alchemist by the name of Majhal. However, there are bad rumors spreading about the town surrounding the station; the dead are coming back to life and attacking people of the village. Intrigued by the rumors and the appearance of his name in one of their father's letters regarding human transmutation, Ed and Al head to the town to visit Majhal. By chance, they meet Majhal on their way into town. As they sit down to talk, Majhal immediately notices that Al's soul was affixed to the suit of armor. They go on to discuss human transmutation. However, Majhal shys away from the topic saying that he and Hohenheim (Ed and Al's father) discussed it purely out of youthful indiscretion. While eating dinner, the brothers find out that the festival is to be held to honor the dead. Interrupted by a knock on the door, Ed and Al are surprised to find Klose. She is the girl who surprised Ed and Al on their way into town. Because of her older sister's death, she has chosen to become a tom boy to escape her past. On the day of the funeral, Klose and her father see an apparition of Karin staring at them from a distance. Klose accuses Karin of being responsible for all the strange events that have occurred recently. She begs Ed and Al, as alchemists, to avenge her sister's wrongful death for her and for the town. From Majhal, they discover that Karin was a very beautiful woman who used to grow roses for a living. While trying to bring her rare blue roses to market in town, she fell off a cliff and died. At a tavern in town, Klose rallies her gang o capture Karin that night. In the meantime, Ed and Al have gone to the graveyard to see if the rumors have any truth behind them. There they fall into a trap set by Klose to capture Karin. However, Karin appears and is incinerated by Majhal. Not satisfied, Ed and Al snoop around the mansion only to be confronted by an old woman. Having seen dolls used by Majhal to create "zombies", the two are bound in chains. Because Karin was the only woman Majhal every loved and he was never able to recover from her death, he decided to create something similar to Karin to ease his pain. Attempting to affix Klose's soul to a doll of Karin, Majhal is confronted by Ed and Al who have discovered that the old woman was Karin. She has lost her memory after the accident and returned 20 years later when her memory also returned. Unwilling to accept the truth, Majhal attacks Ed but is killed when he is impaled by his own sword. Until the end, Majhal is unwilling to accept that Karin has grown old. In the end, Klose returns to her old self and has started to dress more feminine.

Ed and Al, looking through a library of books on Alchemy, find "An Introduction to Alchemy." (Note: Title may be different, I can't recall it) It brings back memories for the brothers as it was the first book on Alchemy they ever read. Flashback to a young Ed and Al, ages 6 and 5 respectively. After drawing a Transmutation circle on the ground and pouring some substance on it, the start it up. Their very first Transmutation. It was to create a gift for thier friend, Winry Rockbell. However, Winry gets frightened by it. While the boys wait outside, their mother, Trisha Elric, talk with Winry's parents and grandmother, Pinako Rockbell. Pinako remarks on how well they did, and on their first try, and they talk about how they are his children, so that would explain it. Trisha is proud of her sons as they walk home. Their mother congratulates them on each Transmutation, smiling all the while. Later (unknown how much later), the brothers show their mother their latest attemp: A metal horse. Ed's looks very good. Al's looks warped. Trisha talks about their father, which causes Ed to leave. Al later asks if he hates their father. Ed says he doesn't really, just that their mother makes a weird face when they talk about him. They go to visit Winry. There, they learned that Winry's parents were both killed in the war. They were doctors, but were killed. Ed talks about how they could bring them back to life, and talks about a Homunculus, a "doll" without a soul. They are admonished by Pinako. The show jumps forward about four years. Ed is now 10, Al 9. They are running home with food, and find their mother collapsed. The doctor talks about how that this isn't something that she just came down with. Trisha had been dealing with this illness for some time. The boys want her to see their father before she might die, and send out letters to people who he wrote to, hoping someone knows where he is. Sadly, Trisha dies before he could come home. They learn that she smiled whenever they transmuted something because it reminded her of their father. They have their mother buried. Ed and Al remained at the grave until sunset, where Al talks about being cold and hungry. Ed's reply was simple. "Let's bring back mom." They look into their father's notes about Human Transmutation, and find out its forbidden. But they are determined. After training under a teacher, they return home to try. The Ingredients: Water, 35 liters. Carbon, 20 kg. Ammonia, 4 liters. Lime, 4.5 kg. Phosphorus, 800 g. Salt, 250 g. Niter, 100 g. Fluorine, 7.5 g. Iron, 5 g. Silicon, 3 g. Several other minor ingredients. They add their blood for the soul to satisfy the Equivalent Exchange, and begin. It fails. Al vaporizes, for lack of a better word, and Ed's leg is dissolved. Al wakes up in the armor we recognize, and sees his brother, missing his right arm and left leg, as well as what should be their mother. He takes Ed to Pinako for help. The next morning, as Ed is asleep still, they have a visitor. LT. Colonel Roy Mustang from Central. A State Alchemist. He was looking for Hohenheim Elric, their father. But he is now more interested in Ed because he survived a Human Transmutation. Ed hears this, and knows what to do next. He gets himself outfitted with Automail limbs, and recovers. Al also decides to go along with his brother to make sure he keeps going, and because he is all he has left. On the day they set off, at ages 11 (Ed) and 10 (Al), they burned their house.

In Fullmetal Alchemist a major element in the story line is Alchemy, their science of changing one substance to another. Alchemy has three steps to perfrom a transmutation (a sucessful change of matter). The first step is understanding in which a person understands the molecular composition of an object. The second step is decomposition in which all bonds in the substance are broken through the use of alchemic energy and the final step is reconstruction in which those atoms are reconstructed into something new. Very good alchemists can also change the atom's element into somethign different too.


>Alchemic Light

There are various lights associated with transmutations. The first being yellow light. That is the most common amoung alchemists. Yellow light is associated with transmutations done through circles not on a person or on an article of clothing being worn. The second light is purple which occures when people do a general transmutation with a circle tatooed on them or on an article of clothing being worn. The third type of light is blue (Spoilers ahead highlight to read) which only happens when an alchemist has seen "The Truth" beyond The Gate. The final light is red which shines when a person is doing alchemy powered by the real (or fake) Philsopher's stone (a.k.a bypassing The Gate altogether and supplying your own source for transmutation energy)

. Other colored light comes up when a person a proficient at one aspect of alchemy like flames does a transmutation (orange for being good at flames, green for being good with plants ect)


>Alchemy Array Components
As seen below each alchemy array is different but many of them incorporate real life symbols into them sheding light as to what their meaning might be. Below are some symbol that commonly appear in the transmutation circles and what they represent. Can you find which array uses them and how they relate to their function?
This represents fire
This represents fire
This represents earth
This represents earth
This also represents air
This represents creation
This represents death
This represents water


>Alchemy Arrays

Transmutation Circles are used by almost every alchmist to perform alchemy. They vary in shape and design. Many have idffering desings but have the same purpose. Though some circles do perform specific functions that other can not most of the circles pretty much allow the user the alter anything they have the power to change. The circles in red represent arrays that will only be done in blood. Below is an almost comlete list of the arrays seen in the series, check out the contest news on the home page to find out about the on going array contest. Also, none of the below images can be used on other websites without first gaining my permission. Thanks.

Spoiler, highlight to read: This array is used by Edward to seal Alphonse's soul to armor
Spoiler, highlight to read This Array is used by the military to bind Barry the Chopper's soul to armor
Spoiler highlight to read: This array is used by the military to bind one of the Slicer Brother's soul to armor
Spoiler Highlight to read:This array is used by the military to bind one of the Slicer Brother's soul to armor

This Transmutation circle is used by Alphonse to alchemize various things

Edward used this circle when he is young to alchemize anything
This array is the first used by the Elric Brothers
This array is seen during the National Alchemist qualifing exam to make a hydrogen baloon
Alexander Armstong uses this circle on his gauntlet to create projectiles. The array on his other hand is different, but only slightly
This Array is used by Fletcher Tringham to alchemize plants
Layla Uses this circle on her necklace to create a powerful showckwave
Two different versions of this array appear of this during the series. This is the most seen one. The array is used to create humans
The Theif Psiren uses this circle, tatooed on her chest, to manipulate water and cards
Spoiler Highlight to read: Ex-state Alchemist Tim Marco uses this in an attempt to kill lust by impaling her
This circle, appearing on Roy Mustiang's glove is used to create and manipulate flames
Russel Tringham uses this circle to alchemize walls and plants
Lujon uses this circle to try to cure the fossil disease
Spoiler Highlight to read: After Obtaining the philsophers stone, lujon uses this circle to cure fossil disease
The alchemist Majhal uses this array on his wristband to do many things
Spoiler Highlight to read : Dante uses this circle to control The Gate
Spoiler, highlight to read: This array is used to drain a homunculus of it's extra lives as well as paralyze it
Spoiler Highlight to read This circle is tatooed around Scar's Arm. It is used to created the Philsophers stone as well as break all the atomic bonds in an object
Kimbly's Circles are used to transmutate matter into unstable forms so that they detonate
Spoiler Highlight to read: This array is used to denote homunculus (humans created with alchemy, check episode three or four closely). This array also doubles as a means to alter the mind of a homunculus
Spoilers Highlight to read: Roy uses this array to weld King Bradley's celler door together, starting the final showdown.
The leader of the mercenary team uses a backpack that projects this array onto the ground surrounding him. The circle is used to create ball lightning.
General Gran uses this circle the change his metal glove into whatever he wants (guns and the like)
(Major Spoiler, Highlight to read)This is the circle Ed uses to bring Al back to life and to send himself to the other side of the gate
This is one of many array's that Shou Tucker uses to create chimeras
This is one of many array's that Shou Tucker uses to create chimeras
This is one of many array's that Shou Tucker uses to create chimeras
This is one of many array's that Shou Tucker uses to create chimeras
This is one of many array's that Shou Tucker uses to create chimeras
This is one of many array's that Shou Tucker uses to create chimeras
This is one of many array's that Shou Tucker uses to create chimeras. A variant of this is used by the Military to create chimeras during the Ishball Massacre.
During the Rush Vally Auto-Mail Arm wrestling competition the referee uses this to breake the table on which the people play
One of the guards who guards the fifth Labratory during the Ishball Massacre has this to bind his soul to armor

The military is a peace keeping force that controls the country of Amestris. Currently the country of Amestris have border skirmishes against the neighboring countries of Creata in the west and Areugo in the south. To the north is the Briggs mountain range and further north is the country of drachma which has a non-aggression pact with Amestris.

The country of Amestris itself is divided into five administrative sectors (Northern, Southern, Eastern, Western and Central) each with their own headquarters. Though each region has its own army and commanding officers, the bulk of the forces lie within Central City, the military capital. The military also has its own collection of enormous libraries, only accessible by high ranking officials and State Alchemists, as well as five laboratories in which alchemic research is conducted. Shown below are the headquarters seen during the series.

Eastern Headquarters:

Southern Headquarters:

Central Headquarters:

>The Military's History

A topic seldom discussed of in the series, the history of the military is, for the most part, unknown. It is known, though, that there were two very large scale wars in which the military partook. These were the Northern War and the Ishbalan War. The Ishbalan War, heavily discussed in the series started when Juliet Douglas, the Furher's secretary, then an officer, killed an Ishbalan child. This caused large scale riots which eventually escalated into a war that lasted many years.

>The Ranks, Insignias and Uniforms

The military differentiates between ranks through the symbols on the shoulders of service men as well as the type of uniform. The enlisted rank equivalent of private wear a black and white uniform and everything from corporal up wears a blue and white uniform with a gold cord on their shoulder. Military staff wear the officer uniform without the shoulder cord and the shoulder insignias. The dress uniform is the same as the regular uniform but the front is not cut out and there is a hat. All state alchemists enter the military at the rank of Major.

Personnel Uniform:

Personnel Dress Uniform (I think this is it):

Officer Uniform:

Officer Dress Uniform:

As ed grows older he looks different and so does his outfit! Below are pictures representing the progression of his outfit from the beginning of the series to the end.

Little Ed, outfit has a zipper:

Older Ed, no zipper:

Even Older Ed, outfit is held together by metal bar:

Oldest Ed, jacket is left open:

Edward Elric - The main character. His military alias is Fullmetal Alchemist because he has a machine (auto mail) arm and leg. He lost his right arm and left leg when attempting to bring his mother back to life using alchemy. His goal throughout the series is to find the philosopher's stone and regain his old body. He is considered a genius alchemist and can use alchemy without an array.




Alphonse Elric - Edward's brother. Unlike Edward, who lost his arm and leg, Alphonse lost his entire body. In desperation, Edward sealed Alphonse's soul within a suit of armor. He searches for the philosopher's stone with his brother.

Two children sit around the edge of a rune scribbled on the ground with chalk. They place their hands on it and lightning strikes outside. The younger boy's body gets taken from him, and the older has lost an arm and a leg. He cries and shouts in protest, saying that this was not supposed to happen. Edward Elric and his brother Alphonse (who is stuck in a body of armor) arrive in a city in the middle of the desert. They hear a religious broadcast that makes Ed suspicious. He hears that the religious leader can perform miracles, and Ed suspects that this is alchemy. The two befriend a girl named Roze, who tells them that her boyfriend has died, and that the religious leader promises her that he will be resurrected. She says that because of this, her faith is strong. Ed and Al break into the religious leader's mansion. He recognizes Edward as a National Alchemist, one elected at the age of 12. The religious leader has the Philosopher's Stone, an item sought by Ed and Al. They kindly ask for it, but he sends chimeras --mutated animals-- after them. The two brothers fend them off easily, and Ed reveals that half his body is also metal; therefore, he is called the Fullmetal Alchemist. He says that this and Al's condition is a result of trying to perform human transmutation, one of the most severely outlawed practices in alchemy

Edward Elric