AnimeSuki Forums

Yebyosh · 2004-03-19, 11:12

Just pure speculation here.

In every episode, Alphonse would give his monologue. The last sentence would end with the usage in past tense.

"That is what we firmly believed was the law." (exact wording depends on your translator)

He was referring to the Law of Equal Trade.

Now it seems to indicate then that at the end of the series, their belief in this would be broken (past tense with verb). So it seems that:

they find a way to bypass the Law of Equal Trade. Did they finally get a Philosopher's Stone at the end? But even a Philosopher's Stone operates on the basis of the Law. Its creation requires huge sacrifices. So something else allows them to disregard the Law then...
the Law of Equal Trade does not exist for certain objects. There would be an unequal trade for such objects. This could end the series on a sad or happy note depending on the balance of the unequal trade.

Comments?

SurfD · 2004-03-19, 17:00

well, given that there are about 25+ episodes of series content left, who knows what way it will go in the end.

meluckycharms · 2004-03-19, 23:26

well thats not really helpful. I don't know what will happen, but I think someone important is going to die. I just think this is the type of anime to do something like that.

Forklift · 2004-03-20, 10:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by SurfD

well, given that there are about 25+ episodes of series content left, who knows what way it will go in the end.

so we are on #23, so they have 48 total in the series?! !! !? ?!?!
dam 23 left me with a cliff hanger!
edit, cant ask that, I see now

Lord Raiden · 2004-03-20, 10:16

No, there are 52 episodes in the series so there is 27 episodes left in the series. But as far as the regular series goes, I doubt it will be a cliffhanger. It will most likely end in something wild taking everyone back to square one and starting them over again, then leaving the series open ended from there.

EDIT: I obviously can't type today. Fixed gramatical error.

Gravi-T · 2004-03-20, 10:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yebyosh

Just pure speculation here.

In every episode, Alphonse would give his monologue. The last sentence would end with the usage in past tense.

"That is what we firmly believed was the law." (exact wording depends on your translator)

He was referring to the Law of Equal Trade.

Now it seems to indicate then that at the end of the series, their belief in this would be broken (past tense with verb). So it seems that:

they find a way to bypass the Law of Equal Trade. Did they finally get a Philosopher's Stone at the end? But even a Philosopher's Stone operates on the basis of the Law. Its creation requires huge sacrifices. So something else allows them to disregard the Law then...
the Law of Equal Trade does not exist for certain objects. There would be an unequal trade for such objects. This could end the series on a sad or happy note depending on the balance of the unequal trade.

Comments?

I think they refer to Al's artificial body as breaking the law. Because Ed wasn't supposed to do that, affixing his soul I mean. I think that's breaking the law, not becoming normal.

Yebyosh · 2004-03-20, 12:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gravi-T

I think they refer to Al's artificial body as breaking the law. Because Ed wasn't supposed to do that, affixing his soul I mean. I think that's breaking the law, not becoming normal.

This is Anime-Keep's translation of the monologue.

"People cannot gain anything without sacrificing something.
You must present something of equal value to gain something.
That is the principle of equivalent trade in alchemy.
We believe that was the truth of the world when we were young."

Where did they state Al's body as breaking the law? The 'that' refers to the Principle of Equivalent Trade (Law of Equal Trade).

Forklift · 2004-03-20, 18:13

they didnt create matter with Als body, only moved his soul into it and Ed did give his arm for that. The trying-to-create-a-mom thing was where the difference was therefore losing ALs body and Eds leg. It took one whole body and one leg to = moms whole body in mass. It also says that its what the believed, past tense. Around 22-23 Ed says that he discovers the truth BEHIND the truth of Alchemy. I think that means that with the Philosophers stone you dont need a human body to make one, but they discover that the stone itself is made up from humans the start with so moot point right?

Lord Raiden · 2004-03-20, 21:15

Very much a moot point. So in essence you're still doing equal trade even though it doesn't look that way.

BigFire · 2004-03-20, 21:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lord Raiden

Very much a moot point. So in essence you're still doing equal trade even though it doesn't look that way.

Lets call it payment in advance.

Xie · 2004-03-21, 04:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lord Raiden

Very much a moot point. So in essence you're still doing equal trade even though it doesn't look that way.

Unless of course they find a way around having to sacrifice humans to create the stone. That could also account for the way the opening dialogue is worded. That they did believe everything needed equal trade until they found a way to make the philosopher's stone without human sacrifice and it still allowed them to break the law of equal trade.

Zauren · 2004-03-21, 04:52

It could always just be a philosophy of life. Maybe they found out that some things cannot be equaled, such as their mother's soul, and some things should not be sacrificed in the same vein. A lesson they found out the hard way.

Gravi-T · 2004-03-21, 05:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by Forklift

they didnt create matter with Als body, only moved his soul into it and Ed did give his arm for that. The trying-to-create-a-mom thing was where the difference was therefore losing ALs body and Eds leg. It took one whole body and one leg to = moms whole body in mass. It also says that its what the believed, past tense. Around 22-23 Ed says that he discovers the truth BEHIND the truth of Alchemy. I think that means that with the Philosophers stone you dont need a human body to make one, but they discover that the stone itself is made up from humans the start with so moot point right?

"The Truth behind The Truth" refers to the prison behind the 5th (?) Laboratory. That's where Tucker-san made all the experiments, you know.

Yebyosh: Okay. Sorry.

2004-03-19, 11:12	Link #1
Yebyosh 冤枉的小狗 Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: South East Asia	[Speculation] Ending of the series Just pure speculation here. In every episode, Alphonse would give his monologue. The last sentence would end with the usage in past tense. "That is what we firmly believed was the law." (exact wording depends on your translator) He was referring to the Law of Equal Trade. Now it seems to indicate then that at the end of the series, their belief in this would be broken (past tense with verb). So it seems that: they find a way to bypass the Law of Equal Trade. Did they finally get a Philosopher's Stone at the end? But even a Philosopher's Stone operates on the basis of the Law. Its creation requires huge sacrifices. So something else allows them to disregard the Law then... the Law of Equal Trade does not exist for certain objects. There would be an unequal trade for such objects. This could end the series on a sad or happy note depending on the balance of the unequal trade. Comments?

2004-03-20, 10:16	Link #5
Lord Raiden Uber Coffee for da win! Join Date: May 2003 Location: Middle of insanity	No, there are 52 episodes in the series so there is 27 episodes left in the series. But as far as the regular series goes, I doubt it will be a cliffhanger. It will most likely end in something wild taking everyone back to square one and starting them over again, then leaving the series open ended from there. EDIT: I obviously can't type today. Fixed gramatical error. Last edited by Lord Raiden; 2004-03-20 at 15:17.

2004-03-19, 17:00	Link #2
SurfD Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Age: 47	well, given that there are about 25+ episodes of series content left, who knows what way it will go in the end.

2004-03-19, 23:26	Link #3
meluckycharms Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2003	well thats not really helpful. I don't know what will happen, but I think someone important is going to die. I just think this is the type of anime to do something like that.

2004-03-20, 18:13	Link #8
Forklift 150 gigs and losing count Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Louisiana Age: 47	they didnt create matter with Als body, only moved his soul into it and Ed did give his arm for that. The trying-to-create-a-mom thing was where the difference was therefore losing ALs body and Eds leg. It took one whole body and one leg to = moms whole body in mass. It also says that its what the believed, past tense. Around 22-23 Ed says that he discovers the truth BEHIND the truth of Alchemy. I think that means that with the Philosophers stone you dont need a human body to make one, but they discover that the stone itself is made up from humans the start with so moot point right?

2004-03-20, 21:15	Link #9
Lord Raiden Uber Coffee for da win! Join Date: May 2003 Location: Middle of insanity	Very much a moot point. So in essence you're still doing equal trade even though it doesn't look that way.

2004-03-21, 04:52	Link #12
Zauren Master of Pimpage Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Salem, OR	It could always just be a philosophy of life. Maybe they found out that some things cannot be equaled, such as their mother's soul, and some things should not be sacrificed in the same vein. A lesson they found out the hard way.