Episode 8: The Philosopher's Stone (2003 series)

Watching Ed in his anguish by the horrific consequences of Tucker’s alchemic research, Roy Mustang tells Edward that hopeless causes like this is to be expected for him to face on their chosen path and encourages Ed to move on with his life just as Maes Hughes arrives with his team to examine the crime scene. The next day Ed's next assignment is to organize and analyze Tucker's research as the military had executed him to cover up his crimes. However, Ed goes straight to Mustang demanding he be involved in bringing in the serial killer that has been killing women, believing that he had killed Nina Tucker, but when Mustang refuses Ed resigns from his post as a State Alchemist. While wandering the streets Ed encounters the same scarred man he saw at the library, who surmises that Ed must be a State Alchemist for being able to enter the library, which Ed responds by stating he gave up his position, which the man states to himself that he believes Ed is better off so he doesn't have to kill him. Meanwhile Winry Rockbell arrives in Central to pay a surprise visit on Ed and Al. Ed meets with Hughes in the mess hall at Central Command to talk about the serial killer. Hughes mentions that with all their resources they haven't been able to confirm anything even with inspecting cars that could hide bodies, but Ed believes a larger car might be a perfect blindspot.

However, a girl delivering meat from a butcher shop learns from one of the cooks of Eds ability to transmute without a circle. When informed that he has a visitor Ed goes outside but Winry saw the refrigerated truck and is tricked by the girl into entering it. Upon realizing his visitor is Winry and that a refrigerated truck is a perfect blindspot to hide a body, Ed follows the trail left by the truck realizing Winry is in danger. Arriving at the Butcher shop location Ed finds the girl who knocks him out. The girl is actually the serial killer Barry the Chopper who has removed Ed's Automail arm to avoid taking any risks since a chef at the mess hall mentioned Eds ability to transmute without a transmutation circle and plans to kill Winry while Ed watches. While Barry is talking, Ed uses the screw he found earlier to carve a transmutation circle on the chain holding him and then faces Barry. Barry still has the upper hand, even after Ed reattaches his automail arm and just as Barry is knocked over by the pig meat that Winry inadvertently bumped into, Ed almost kills Barry out of fear, but luckily Al arrives to stop him thanks to Hughes figuring out that the trucks from Barry's shop had bypassed every inspection point.

After talking it out with Al, Ed meets with Mustang who makes a deal of allowing him to search for the Philosopher's Stone when not on an assignment in exchange for him keeping the details of their Human Transmutation secret as he receives his Fullmetal Alchemist title. Ed later confirms to Al that Barry did not kill Nina since the circumstances of her death did not match his profile and he had an alibi that night, though the Elrics are unaware that the scarred man is observing them and sees Ed's State Alchemist pocket watch.