Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (Episode 36) – Family Portrait

After a group of soldiers went missing in the tunnel, Olivier Armstrong is keen to send in a search party. However, General Raven wants her to put the homunculus back in and seal it up!
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (Episode 36) – Family Portrait
What happened?
Inside the tunnel, a group of soldiers search for a way out. It just seems to go on and on. When they lose contact with the team back at the wall, they decide to send one soldier back to report, but then they are attacked and swallowed up by what appears to be the gateway to the Truth. Word reaches Olivier Mira Armstrong who rushes to help, thankful for the chance to avoid General Raven’s question.
However, when they get to the hole, General Raven orders her to put the homunculus back in and seal it up. He tells them that Sloth is a chimaera working for the greater glory of Amestris. He also seems to think that Armstrong is on his side and ready to become one of the chosen immortals.
Meanwhile, Miles is busy occupying Kimblee who seems to be determined to push as many buttons as possible. The guy is just itching for a fight and he might get it!
Once the hole is covered over, Olivier Mira Armstrong finally lets General Raven that she’s had enough of his treasonous talk. She stabs him in the arm and then cuts him down, letting his body fall into the drying cement. However, this may have just given Kimblee the authority to do whatever he wants!

What did you think?
This was an incredible episode and not just because Olivier Mira Armstrong proved once more why she is the undisputed best girl of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. She did amazing to play along with General Raven’s advances and got him to spill all. Of course, she finally had the chance to cut him down and it was glorious. Even her men cheered. I did not see that coming and I was grinning from ear to ear when it did.
Of course, this now makes a problem for Edward and Alphonse who have just discovered that Kimblee had Winry brought up north. She thinks it’s to adjust his automail, but in reality, she’s a hostage and I wonder what will happen next. Part of me thinks that Raven was meant to die. A “mutiny” would certainly give the military reason to attack Fort Brigg and since they need a bloody conflict at that location, they’ve already won. It doesn’t matter who dies to them at the end of the day.

What have you learnt?
Back in episode twenty-seven, I made the assumption that Hohenheim was a homunculus and that would appear to be true. I don’t know the specifics of it, but he is definitely immortal and that’s why he left Edward and Alphonse. He was searching for a way to alter his body so that he could age with his family and not have to watch them grow old and die while he remains untouched by time.
That was some pretty tragic stuff, especially the family photo, however, I’m most interested in the scene right at the beginning of the episode where he dug his fingers into his chest and dropped blood on the ground. Of course, it could have also been philosopher’s stones. We’ve seen that they can take on that form. Still so many questions, but it would appear that a rebellion is about to begin.

Other posts in the series
- Series Review
- Episode 1 – Fullmetal Alchemist
- Episode 2 – The First Day
- Episode 3 – City of Heresy
- Episode 4 – An Alchemist’s Anguish
- Episode 5 – Rain of Sorrows
- Episode 6 – Road of Hope
- Episode 7 – Hidden Truths
- Episode 8 – The Fifth Laboratory
- Episode 9 – Created Feelings
- Episode 10 – Separate Destinations
- Episode 11 – Miracle at Rush Valley
- Episode 12 – One is All, All is One
- Episode 13 – Beasts of Dublith
- Episode 14 – Those Who Lurk Underground
- Episode 15 – Envoy From the East
- Episode 16 – Footsteps of a Comrade-in-Arms
- Episode 17 – Cold Flame
- Episode 18 – The Arrogant Palm of a Small Human
- Episode 19 – Death of the Undying
- Episode 20 – Father Before the Grave
- Episode 21 – Advance of the Fool
- Episode 22 – Backs in the Distance
- Episode 23 – Girl on the Battlefield
- Episode 24 – Inside the Belly
- Episode 25 – Doorway of Darkness
- Episode 26 – Reunion
- Episode 27 – Interlude Party
- Episode 28 – Father
- Episode 29 – Struggle of the Fool
- Episode 30 – The Ishvalan War of Extermination
- Episode 31 – The 520 Cens Promise
- Episode 32 – The Fuhrer’s Son
- Episode 33 – The Northern Wall of Briggs
- Episode 34 – Ice Queen
- Episode 35 – The Shape of This Country
- Episode 36 – Family Portrait
- Episode 37 – The First Homunculus
- Episode 38 – Conflict at Baschool
- Episode 39 – Daydream
- Episode 40 – The Dwarf in the Flask
- Episode 41 – The Abyss
- Episode 42 – Signs of a Counter-Offensive
- Episode 43 – Bite of the Ant
- Episode 44 – Revving at Full-throttle
- Episode 45 – The Promised Day
- Episode 46 – Looming Shadows
- Episode 47 – Emissary of Darkness
- Episode 48 – The Oath in the Tunnel
- Episode 49 – Filial Affection
- Episode 50 – Upheaval in Central
- Episode 51 – The Immortal Legion
- Episode 52 – Combined Strength
- Episode 53 – Flame of Vengeance
- Episode 54 – Beyond the Inferno
- Episode 55 – The Adults’ Way of Life
- Episode 56 – The Return of the Fuhrer
- Episode 57 – Eternal Leave
- Episode 58 – Sacrifices
- Episode 59 – Lost Light
- Episode 60 – Eye of Heaven, Gateway of Earth
- Episode 61 – He Who Would Swallow God
- Episode 62 – A Fierce Counterattack
- Episode 63 – The Other Side of the Gateway
- Episode 64 – Journey’s End
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