Well, that squares how mighty Hohenheim is amongst alchemists. Entombing one of the show’s most powerful foes in what amounts to giant dirt, diced onion - - that takes serious vision and power. Up until this point, I somehow expected he was going to be exceptionally knowledgable, but still meek. Then again, what was I thinking? I expected the same of Dr. Marcoh and he took out a giant lizard with his bare hands. You use alchemy in this world, and you’ve automatically got strut, it seems.
For all the ways I’m impressed with Hohenheim’s capability, I’m a bit frustrated with Al’s gentleness (if not really that surprised.) This show’s down an excellent job of making the characters take on real risks when they have to make decisions, but… but… but c’mon! It’s taken them so much trouble to fight Homunculi in the past and when he’s right there with a doubly-powerful one, he doesn’t even lay a hand on him. Not even one punch! He just sits there and talks it out, like they’re in the guidance counselor’s office. He even lets little Selim play with his head like it’s a bucket. Bah!
We cut back to Father and the council, finally, and they’re only just now finishing the meeting? Sheesh… that must’ve been a long agenda they went through.
Adding to my assessment of Father’s misunderstanding of Wrath’s feelings for his wife, I suspect that the cliffhanger at the end of this one is going to actually turn another Homunculi against the group. The troopers will kill Mrs. Bradley and Wraths’s going to be mad. When he finds out that they did so under orders from Father, he’s going to be absolutely furious, and his rage is going to be directed against his unholy family. If this episode’s titled “Filial Affection,” then we’re going to see some serious filial discord when the other shoe drops and the cat gets out of the bag and all that.
Watch this episode, “Filial Affection,” below and decide for yourself, then read my comments on the previous episode here.
Tom Pinchuk’s the writer of HYBRID BASTARDS! & UNIMAGINABLE . Order them on Amazon here & here . Follow him on Twitter: @tompinchuk
I'm pretty sure Al and Pride are both blind in the pitch dark. There's really nothing to do but sit. Al makes a lot of noise moving, so he probably can't be sneaking around in the dark. Trying to attack would just be a waste of time.
I really like how proactive Mustang is in all this. Ed and Al's plans involve covertly dealing with the Big Bad, but you've got Mustang and his crew taking the fight right into the city, after kidnapping the wife of the Fuhrer! He's got guts.
This is it Tom, this is where everything comes together. It. Will. Be. Awesome.