(L) Fullmetal Alchemist Manga Discussion

[Jarmel]

So basically there is a good chance that we might have another Bones's style ending? Oh god.

[quigonkenny]

Originally Posted by Jarmel

So basically there is a good chance that we might have another Bones's style ending? Oh god.

No. We are going to think positive and not even entertain that thought. We'll be getting our chapter 108 manga ending in early June, and our episode 63 anime ending, covering the same stuff, on the 27th of June.

Besides, there are too many references to really current stuff in the OP for there to be divergent endings. There might be some slight changes, as the storyboard guy does the same thing slightly different than Arakawa does, since they're both working concurrently, but it will be the same story. It has to be.

[duckroll]

Originally Posted by Jarmel

So basically there is a good chance that we might have another Bones's style ending? Oh god.

No. There is zero chance of that.

[Alleria]

On a completely different train of thought, I'm going to go on a bit of a rant here, since I'm usually a silent watcher and this has been bugging me for some time now... So this is my theory for what happens to Al, the Gate and the Truth. I do apologise if this has been brought up before

The 'fee' for opening the Gate is a soul. Ed/Al - Al's soul. Izumi - internal organs (including the ability to have any more children, so presumably womb/orvaries). Mustang - Doctor Alchemist. Hohenheim - well, the entire country of Xeres... The other removals (leg, extra organs, eyesight) are what is taken in order to gain the knowledge from Truth. Both would only happen once - the toll is paid, thus they are able to pass through several times (as evidenced by Father dragging them through) and the Truth is only shown once.

As such, Al didn't lose his body to the Gate, he lost his soul, which was briefly attached to the creature that they created whilst attempting transmutation on their mother (possibly allowing Truth access to the human world, as no other souls have stayed alive to explain what happened). The body remained on the other side of the Gate, his soul sped back to meet it but was intercepted by Ed (probably saving Al's life) and thus his body remains in front of the Gate whereas Ed's arm and leg do not - they remain on his own personal Truth. It's a source of debate whether Al had survived seeing the Truth as Ed was able to land back before the Gate prior to having his leg removed, Al was still within the Truth when he lost his body.

Hohenheim had already mentioned to Izumi that he cannot return her missing body parts, as this was her proof of payment before Truth (or 'lost flesh symbolises sins'). I assume then that this would also go for Ed and Mustang. However, given that Armour-Al has met Body-Al (or Truth-Al??) it is likely that he will be able to have the two meet again, however it seems impossible to have the body come to the human side of the Gate without further human transmutation.

This being the case, Alphonse can't get his body out of the Gate. If he goes back into the Gate and merges his soul with his body, he will be stuck inside the Gate. Thus the comment from Al's body in Chapter 102 - 'Your return may bring nothing but despair and ruin, Alphonse', leading the belief that should he come back something catastrophic would have happened, and he would not be able to get through the Gate. This is possibly as he would have no longer 'paid the toll' and so would not be able to leave, or possibly that he would hve to perform human transmutation again in order to open the Gate, thus costing his soul or anothers.

This would also explain the use of Hawkeye as bait for Mustang, as she was clearly alive when the homunclus pestered him into transmuting her.

Edward will use one of the souls that he absorbed from Pride (as he declared 'You're mine, Pride!') to reopen the Gate. I don't believe that Al will come through the Gate as 'God', and I also don't believe that he won't lose something in exchange for witnessing the Truth. But I'm looking forward to seeing what happens, even if I'm completely off!

This is what happens when it's late on a Sunday night... Hope it makes sense!

[Jarmel]

Originally Posted by duckroll

No. There is zero chance of that.

However from what you're saying, is that they're already working on the last episode and we don't know for sure that 108 is the final chapter. If 108 or 109 isn't the final then it certainly seems that we got ourselves another Bones Original Ending*.

*Trademark Pending

[duckroll]

Originally Posted by Jarmel

However from what you're saying, is that they're already working on the last episode and we don't know for sure that 108 is the final chapter. If 108 or 109 isn't the final then it certainly seems that we got ourselves another Bones Original Ending*.

*Trademark Pending

Who ep63 has to actually have an ending? It's just the last episode being broadcast on TV.

[Jarmel]

Originally Posted by duckroll

Who ep63 has to actually have an ending? It's just the last episode being broadcast on TV.

Now there goes down an unhappy road. So you're suggesting an OVA finish? That would be interesting.

[quigonkenny]

Originally Posted by Alleria

Edward will use one of the souls that he absorbed from Pride (as he declared 'You're mine, Pride!') to reopen the Gate. I don't believe that Al will come through the Gate as 'God', and I also don't believe that he won't lose something in exchange for witnessing the Truth. But I'm looking forward to seeing what happens, even if I'm completely off!

Problem is, that's not what Ed said, at least not the way you're reading it. He's not saying "you're mine" in the manner that Pride is now a part of him or belongs to him; he's saying "you're mine" in the manner that a cop would use once he's caught a criminal. The verb used, tsukumaeru, means to catch, or arrest, or seize. A different translation might be "I caught you, Pride!!", but that doesn't quite have the same ring to it.

As for the souls as toll theory, I don't think that's going to end up being how it worked. For one, your method even as described notes (by omission) that Izumi clearly paid the toll without spending any souls, just organs. And unfortunately there are all kinds of problems with the idea of Al's soul being used to attempt to raise Trisha, primarily that by your logic, not only was the Gate handing out a two-for-one deal on Truth that day, but they didn't accept payment. I think a more likely possibility is that there has to be a toll to cross the Gate, but that toll can include physical components and/or souls.

Or, and this is my personal favorite, it takes something symbolizing what is important to that person. From Hohenheim, it took his humanity. From Izumi it took her ability to have children. From Ed, the headstrong big brother, it took his ability to be a steady (able to stand) presence for remaining family. From Al, the more gentle little brother, it took his ability to touch or feel. And from Roy it took the ability to ever see the future he envisions for his country.

[Matt122005]

Originally Posted by Jarmel

Now there goes down an unhappy road. So you're suggesting an OVA finish? That would be interesting.

Who says it has to be an OVA ending?

I think we can't doubt the possibility that the show will take a "broadcasting break" for a bit until Arakawa finishes the manga. It's happened with shows before.

[duckroll]

Originally Posted by Matt122005

Who says it has to be an OVA ending?

I think we can't doubt the possibility that the show will take a "broadcasting break" for a bit until Arakawa finishes the manga. It's happened with shows before.

The point is, there isn't much left in the manga. It's definitely ending, and the TV series will cover up to the point the manga is now at, at the very least. So there isn't enough content left for a movie, or even another 11 episodes. If it does not end in ep63 (which I actually doubt, it makes no sense to make a 63 episode long series and not end it), it will end in either an OVA, OAD or TV special. There can't possibly be more than 2-3 episodes worth of content left in the manga, if even that. There are no more villains left aside from the final boss, and everyone is gathered in one single location, and they're not going to be moving anywhere or going on any new adventure.

[quigonkenny]

Originally Posted by duckroll

The point is, there isn't much left in the manga. It's definitely ending, and the TV series will cover up to the point the manga is now at, at the very least. So there isn't enough content left for a movie, or even another 11 episodes. If it does not end in ep63 (which I actually doubt, it makes no sense to make a 63 episode long series and not end it), it will end in either an OVA, OAD or TV special. There can't possibly be more than 2-3 episodes worth of content left in the manga, if even that. There are no more villains left aside from the final boss, and everyone is gathered in one single location, and they're not going to be moving anywhere or going on any new adventure.

Agreed. All signs point to Father getting taken care of in ch107, and ch108 being left to mop up all the non-Father threads (the boys' bodies, the fate of the Amestris government, etc.). Father already threw and connected with his ultimate weapon (F-F-Faazaa Bii~mu!!), so we know we're only one protagonist recovery away from his end.

[OMG_Zerg_Rush]

Originally Posted by Alleria

This being the case, Alphonse can't get his body out of the Gate. If he goes back into the Gate and merges his soul with his body, he will be stuck inside the Gate. Thus the comment from Al's body in Chapter 102 - 'Your return may bring nothing but despair and ruin, Alphonse', leading the belief that should he come back something catastrophic would have happened

Sorry if i miss read your post, but i was under the impression that his body ment that Als return to the real world would bring despair as then father would have all the sacrifices he needed.

[Orangejellosphere]

Originally Posted by OMG_Zerg_Rush

Sorry if i miss read your post, but i was under the impression that his body ment that Als return to the real world would bring despair as then father would have all the sacrifices he needed.

That's what I thought when I read it.

[bahamut zero]

Originally Posted by duckroll

The point is, there isn't much left in the manga. It's definitely ending, and the TV series will cover up to the point the manga is now at, at the very least. So there isn't enough content left for a movie, or even another 11 episodes. If it does not end in ep63 (which I actually doubt, it makes no sense to make a 63 episode long series and not end it), it will end in either an OVA, OAD or TV special. There can't possibly be more than 2-3 episodes worth of content left in the manga, if even that. There are no more villains left aside from the final boss, and everyone is gathered in one single location, and they're not going to be moving anywhere or going on any new adventure.

code geass says hi

[Kirarakim]

Originally Posted by bahamut zero

code geass says hi

Please never compare Fullmetal Alchemist to Code Geass again.

I know you were just comparing the situation of having to possibly wait for the last episode but still....... (at least that is what I hope the comparison is).

[bahamut zero]

Originally Posted by Kirarakim

Please never compare Fullmetal Alchemist to Code Geass again.

I know you were just comparing the situation of having to possibly wait for the last episode but still....... (at least that is what I hope the comparison is).

Yes, that was it. But I don't get why you dislike the comparision, I mean, both series have a few things in common. And the first season of CG was quite decent, it was R2 that was bullshit.

[Kirarakim]

Originally Posted by bahamut zero

Yes, that was it. But I don't get why you dislike the comparision, I mean, both series have a few things in common. And the first season of CG was quite decent, it was R2 that was bullshit.

I don't think they have anything in common except maybe on a superficial level (and I personally don't think even season 1 of Code Geass is comparable to FMA in terms of quality.)

But if we start comparing and contrasting Code Geass to FMA we are bound to get way off topic so let's not get into it.


edit: In case it wasn't clear (and it obviously wasn't from a response I got about this) I was only half joking in my reply to bahamut zero. No I don't really like Code Geass all that much (I was serious about that) but I was joking about never bringing up Code Geass in relation to FMA.

[ellifeedn]

Well there's confirmation that 108 is the magic number.

[tzia_n]

There's supposedly a report that FMA is ending in 2 months. So 108 is probably correct.

Source

[Shiroth]

Originally Posted by tzia_n

There's supposedly a report that FMA is ending in 2 months. So 108 is probably correct.

Source

Yeah we've been talking about it in the spoiler thread, so a lot of people already know.