Episode 1: Those Who Challenge the Sun (2003 series)/Transcript


 * The following is a transcribed copy of the English dub of "". Feel free to add to or edit this page, as long as the information comes directly from the episode.

Opening

 * Edward: That oughta do it. You ready?
 * Alphonse: Mm-hm.
 * Edward: Don't be scared, Al. Everything's perfect. Let's go for it.
 * Alphonse: Uh-huh.
 * Edward: Alchemy, the science of understanding the structure of matter, breaking it down, then reconstructing it into something else. It can even make gold from lead. But Alchemy is a science, so it must follow the natural laws. To create, something of equal value must be lost. This is the principle of Equivalent Exchange. But on that night, I learned the values of some things can't be measured on a simple scale.
 * [Edward screams]
 * Winry: That was Edward!
 * Pinako: Wait, Winry! Look!
 * Edward: My brother and I knew the laws of science, of Equivalent Exchange. The gain required sacrifice-- that something had to be taken from us. But we thought there was nothing more we could lose. We were wrong.

Act 1

 * Edward: Al... Alphonse, say something! Al, no! Stay with me! Damnit! This wasn't supposed to... No! What have I done!? Mom? Is that you?
 * [Edward screams. again. can he shut up]
 * [Cuts to Edward, older, walking in a desert]
 * Edward: Ugh, I hate deserts… ugh! It's nothing but sand! [Collapses] Gh... If there was some grass, I could turn it into bread. I'm starving. Huh? Hey! Al, where'd you go? Al? Hey!
 * Alphonse: [under the sand] Down here. [Al's hand emerges from the sand beneath Ed and grabs his leg]
 * Edward: Ah!
 * Alphonse: I sunk again.
 * Edward: Reason number two, I hate the desert!
 * [Cut to later. Ed has just dug Al out. Music begins to play]
 * Edward: [Angrily] I don’t understand why you keep falling in!
 * Alphonse: I get full.
 * Edward: FULL OF WHAT?! [Kicks Al and sand falls out of his chest plate, burying Ed. Al laughs and inches away]
 * Edward: [Bursts out and starts running after Al] Get back here!
 * Alphonse: What are you going to do?
 * Edward: Nothing!
 * Alphonse: Then why are you chasing me?
 * Edward: Stop and you'll find out!
 * Alphonse: I promise I won't get buried again!
 * Edward: Not unless it's by me!
 * Alphonse: Ed!
 * Edward: Grr!
 * [Title card: "Those Who Challenge the Sun." Cuts to when they’re in Liore]
 * Alphonse: You OK, brother?
 * Edward: It's your fault for not stopping when I said.
 * Alphonse: You wouldn't stop either if someone were chasing you...
 * Edward: Shut up! Too tired to fight. Water. I can almost hear it.
 * [sees a fountain full of red wine]
 * Edward: Wait a second. I can hear it! Al, look! [runs off and laughs crazily]
 * Alphonse: Ed, wait!
 * Edward: Water, water, water, water, water, water, waaaa-- Oh! [stops in front of the fountain] Guess this explains the nasty stench in the air.
 * Alphonse: What's wrong? Hm? [Ed scoops up the substance with a cup] Is it blood?
 * Edward: No. More like blood-red wine.
 * [a man with a white apron, black shirt, tan pants, red wool cap, and black moustache drags Edward away from the fountain]
 * Store Owner: Hey! Get away from there! You know that's off-limits to kids. [laughing] You're out-of-towners. That explains it. You'll have to forgive me. I thought you were trying to sneak a little nip.
 * Edward: A fountain stocked with free wine. That's pretty ritzy. This town must be loaded.
 * Store Owner: Yeah, we do all right here. Oh, I almost forgot. Time for a little soul food. [turns radio on]
 * Cornello on the radio: Children of God who live upon this land. Pray in faith that ye may be saved. As sun lights the day, so does the Sun God Leto illuminate thy path, and drown out the shadows of suffering...
 * Edward: Well that's freakish.
 * Alphonse: Some kind of religious broadcast.
 * Store Owner: Your buddy's in a suit of armor and you are wearing gloves in the desert and you call us freaks?
 * Cornello on the radio: May this town be blessed and may we continue to experience growth and prosperity.
 * Store Owner: What's your deal anyway? You street performers?
 * [Edward spits the juice he was drinking out of his mouth]
 * Edward: I don't think so, pops. Do I look like a clown to you?
 * Store Owner: Well you must have some reason, to journey out this far.
 * Edward: We're just trying to track something down, that's all. Now who is this guy on your airwaves?
 * Store Owner: Why? That's Sir Cornello.
 * Edward: Huh. Doesn't ring a bell.
 * Store Owner: You're kidding me! You've never heard of the great prophet Cornello!?
 * Edward: What's so great about him?
 * Man 1: He can perform miracles for one thing. I've never seen anything like it.
 * Man 2: This town was a God-forsaken dust bowl before Cornello got here and transformed it into a desert paradise.
 * Man 3: Cornello can even forgive sins.
 * Man 4: Yeah, we're on the Sun God's good side because of him. He gives us blessings.
 * Edward: Oh, I just remembered. We have to be somewhere. You ready to split?
 * Alphonse: Yeah, okay. [Alphonse accidentally bumps the roof causing the radio to fall and break into a thousand pieces]
 * Store Owner: Agh!
 * Alphonse: Oops...
 * Store Owner: [furious] Now you've done it, buddy! What do you expect wearing a stupid tin suit!?
 * Edward: Don't bust a lung, grandpa. We can fix it.
 * Store Owner: It's in a thousand pieces!
 * Alphonse: I'm sorry. [turns to Edward] Let me try.
 * Edward: Sure.
 * Store Owner: The drawing. What's it for?
 * Edward: You'll see in just a second. It's called a transmutation circle.
 * Alphonse: Okay. Here it goes.
 * [Alphonse uses the circle to fix the radio]
 * Cornello on the radio: If you are lost, follow me and you will be found. If you are scared, take refuge.
 * [Bystanders gasp]
 * Store Owner: It's really a land of prophets! Your buddy can work miracles like Cornello.
 * Edward: It's nothing like that.
 * Alphonse: It's science. We're alchemists.
 * Edward: We're the Elric Brothers. Not to brag or anything, but we're pretty well known.
 * Man 1: Elrics? Not familiar.
 * Man 2: We don't have any alchemists in these parts.
 * Man 3: I fix things for a living though. Let me know if you need a job.
 * [Edward laughs awkwardly]
 * [A mysterious woman in a cloak and red lipstick called Lust speaks up]
 * Lust: He doesn't need any work. That's Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist. He's been a celebrity around East City. They say he's a real child prodigy.
 * Edward: Heh.
 * Man 1: Wow, a real, live famous person.
 * Man 2: I see, you got the name Fullmetal because you wear that armor.
 * Man 3: Hey, would you come to my daughter's birthday party?
 * Alphonse: Uh, I'm not the Fullmetal Alchemist. He is.
 * Man 4: You mean that little shorty there?
 * Edward: [grows furious, grabs the two men, spinning them around] SHORTY!? COULD A SHORTY DO THIS!? WHAT ELSE YOU WANNA CALL ME!? A HALF-PINT BEAN-SPROUT MIDGET!? I'M STILL GROWING, YOU BACK-WATER DESERT IDIOTS!
 * Store Owner: [Laughs]
 * Rosé: I see there is plenty of excitement going on around here today!
 * [Music begins to play ]
 * Store Owner: Ah… Rosé!
 * Rosé: Don’t mind me; I’d hate to spoil all the fun!
 * Alphonse: That’s OK! My name's Alphonse Elric, nice to meet you.
 * Edward: [Drops the men he was spinning] And I’m Edward, Al’s older brother, also known as the Fullmetal Alchemist!
 * Rosé: Older brother? But shouldn’t it be the other way around?
 * Edward: Rrrrhhh…
 * Alphonse: Easy, Edward…
 * Store Owner: [laughs] Hey Rose, have you finished your shopping for today's offering?
 * Rosé: Yeah.
 * Store Owner: Well, then, maybe you can take them to temple with you. They say they're looking for something. I bet Father Cornello can help out; You know, have them ask for God's grace.
 * Alphonse: Uh... that's OK, we don't really-
 * Rosé: It's alright if you don't have an offering today. And besides, he has rooms for travelers, you can stay there tonight.
 * Alphonse: Thanks, but-
 * Edward: As a matter of fact, we'd love to take you up on that, wouldn't we, Al?
 * Alphonse: We would? You mean you want to?
 * Edward: Mm-hm.
 * [Edward, Alphonse, and Rosé walk away]
 * Man 1: It sure is nice to see a smile on Rosé's face.
 * Store Owner: Yeah. She's beginning to act like her old self again. Her heart must be healing at last.
 * [Close up of Lust's face as she gets up to leave; Cuts back to Edward, Alphonse and Rosé]
 * Edward: Hey, Al. Remember that woman at the shop? She knew me... have we met before?
 * Alphonse: No, I don't think so.
 * Rosé: You shouldn't worry.
 * Edward: Hm?
 * Rosé: I'm sure Cornello will help you find what you're looking for. And besides, if you show him you're faithful, I'm sure he can make you taller!
 * Edward: Rgh! What's wrong with you people!? I'm not short! You come from a desert tribe of giants or something!
 * Alphonse: Edward, please!
 * Edward: You want some of this too!?

Act 2

 * [Cornello reading his sermon over the radio]
 * Cornello: Serve in true faith that all thy prayers may be answered. As a man opens blinds to let the light flood in, so open thy heart that the Sun God may shine on you.
 * Cray: Choice words as always, Your Holiness.
 * Clergy 1: Yes, Father. We'd be lost without you.
 * Rosé: Father Cornello?
 * Cornello: Ah, Rosé.
 * Rosé: Pardon me, Cray. May I put some travelers in the pilgrim's quarters?
 * Cornello: [laughs] You really delight in helping others solve their problems, don't you?
 * Rosé: Well, that's what you teach us, Father Cornello, so that's what I do... or, try to.
 * [Cornello places his hands on Rosé's shoulders]
 * Cornello: And God sees those good deeds and writes them all down in stone. But you must be patient, Rosé. We need a little more time to grant the miracle you seek.
 * Rosé: Yes.
 * [Cut to Rosé standing at her boyfriend's grave, and Edward and Alphonse watching her from a window]
 * Alphonse: I spoke to Rosé. That grave belongs to her boyfriend. She was all she had. Her parents died when she was a little girl. She's convinced that Cornello can bring him back to life.
 * Edward: And he's leading her on and letting her think he can do it.
 * Alphonse: Well, maybe he can.
 * Edward: Huh?
 * Alphonse: What if Cornello really is a holy man? Those scriptures... maybe there is something else out there. Something we can't explain.
 * Edward: Don't count on it.
 * [Edward looks out the window again to see Rosé now accompanied by Cornello and Cray. Cray looks up to meet Edward's gaze. Cut to Cornello performing 'miracles' in front of the people of Liore]
 * Crowd: [cheering]
 * Edward: What d'ya think?
 * Alphonse: Well, it looks pretty obvious. He's using alchemy.
 * Edward: Yeah, but still. Something's wrong, it's not equal-
 * Rosé: Hey, guys!
 * Edward: Hm?
 * Rosé: How are you liking your first miracle gathering? He's amazing, isn't he?
 * Edward: Well, he's an amazing actor, I'll give him that. Those aren't miracles, he's swindling you.
 * Alphonse: Now Ed, we don't know that. We just know he's using alchemy and he's ignoring the laws.
 * Rosé: What 'laws'?
 * Edward: This isn't witchcraft, it's a science, and you don't make things out of thin air. In chemistry, a reaction has to be balanced-- so does alchemy.
 * Alphonse: It's an equation, Rosé. Your output has to be equal mass to the materials you started with. The base elements have to be similar, too. Like the radio I fixed. I couldn't make it bigger, or a tree, or something.
 * Edward: It's our founding principle: To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. But that holy bastard has totally disregarded the law.
 * Rosé: Because he's working miracles!
 * [Cornello 'revives' a bird. The crowd cheers, and Edward smirks]
 * Rosé: What do you say now, Ed? I bet you can't do that with alchemy. It's a true miracle. It has to be.
 * [Cut to Cornello and Cray]
 * Cray: 'Edward Elric'?
 * Cornello: Yes, Cray. Word has it that he was certified as a State Alchemist when he was only twelve years old. They call him the 'Fullmetal Alchemist'.
 * Cray: You're sure it's him, Father?
 * Cornello: I'm afraid so. The military they represent must've witnessed our paradise and wished to intervene. They are greedy, evil souls. We must save my children from them... understand?
 * Cray: I will carry out the will of God.
 * Cornello: Your heavenly reward will be great, my dear Cray.
 * [Cut to Cornello and Lust, standing in the shadows]
 * Lust: The boy's presence troubles me. I don't like it.
 * Cornello: Don't you worry. Even if Cray should fail, there is one other way.
 * [Cut to Rosé polishing the altar]
 * Edward: So, if you pray and polish the altar enough times, someone who's dead will be brought back to life?
 * Rosé: ...Something like that!
 * Edward: ... [sighs as he pulls out his notebook] Water, 35 liters; carbon, 20 kilograms; ammonia, 4 liters; lime, 1.5 kilograms; phosphorus, 800 grams; salt, 250 grams; saltpeter, 100 grams; sulfur, 80 grams; fluorine, 7.5; iron, 5; silicon, 3 grams; and trace amounts of 15 other elements.
 * Rosé: What's that?
 * Edward: It's all the ingredients of the average adult human body, down to the last specks of protein in your eyelashes. And even though science has given us the entire physical breakdown, there has never been a successful attempt at bringing a human back to life. There's still something missing. Something scientists haven't been able to find in centuries of research. So what makes you think that hack job priest with his parlor tricks is gonna be able to? And in case you're wondering, all those ingredients can be bought on a child's allowance. Humans can be built on the cheap, there's no magic to it.
 * Rosé: Well if there's no magic, then you bring someone back to life!
 * Edward: Just a matter of time, Rosé. Science will find a way. Science is the answer to everything. If I were you, I'd drop the scriptures and pick up an alchemy book. We're the closest things to gods there are.
 * Rosé: You're not a god. You're nothing close to it.
 * Edward: And neither is the sun. It's just a mass of hydrogen. Get close to it like Cornello claims, and all you'll do is burn up.
 * Alphonse: Great, Ed. Push your total cynicism on someone else.
 * [Gun cocks, and Alphonse stands with Cray holding a gun to the back of his head]
 * Cray: Don't worry, Elric. Your brother will join you soon.
 * [Gunshot; Rosé and Edward turn around as Alphonse's helmet flies off]
 * Rosé: Ah, Cray! What are you doing!?
 * Cray: These two are enemies of God. These are His wills, Rosé, not mine. [raises gun to Edward]
 * Alphonse: I don't think so, mister.
 * [Cray turns around in shock as Alphonse gets up. Edward picks up Alphonse's helmet and throws it at Cray's head]
 * Alphonse: I got it, I got it! [catches his helmet]
 * Edward: Strike!
 * Rosé: [screams] He doesn't have a head...!
 * Edward: [laughs] Yeah, that's Al!
 * Alphonse: Please don't be scared, Rosé. This is how I am.
 * Rosé: You're not there...!
 * Alphonse: It's true. I don't have a body, but I'm here. This is my punishment for setting foot on holy ground where mortals are forbidden. We made a mistake, Rosé, and we're paying for it.
 * [Rosé backs away and screams before running off]
 * Edward: Rosé, wait!
 * Rosé: Cray is right, they are evil! What have I done? They made me doubt you, Cornello. Forgive me, please!
 * Edward: I can't see a church social down here, can you? [lights turn on] There she is!
 * Cornello: You've wrestled with the darkness and prevailed, Rosé. Thank you for bringing them here. State Alchemists, brutal in forces. I had a feeling one of you would show up someday.
 * Edward: Well, let's not chalk that up to piast premonitions, okay? You knew we'd come for the stone!
 * Cornello: Ah. [holds up ring] You mean this, young man?
 * Edward: I knew it. Alchemy without a transmutation circle, completely ignoring the principle of Equivalent Exchange... it can only mean one thing!
 * Cornello: Yes, the mythical gem, the legendary amplifier... the Philosopher's Stone.
 * Edward: That's it, Al, it's ours. Cough it up, Cornello! That stone belongs to me now, and if you hand it over peacefully, I won't tell the people here what you've been doing!
 * Cornello: What's that? Restoring their town to peace and posterity? Do you know what would happen if my miraculous wonders suddenly stopped? Nobody wants that.
 * Edward: Tch.
 * Cornello: Do they, Rosé?
 * Edward: Don't listen to him, Rosé! He's just a con man!
 * Cornello: Nonsense. Would a con man restore life to a dying town? When I arrived, this town was full of strife and I brought peace. They came to me with parched throats and I created water. I built buildings for them and even gave them money. They believed that heaven had forsaken them, but I gave them a home and became their prophet. Why does the military want to destroy all this?
 * Edward: I don't care what the military wants. I'm here for me.
 * Cornello: What?
 * Edward: I need that stone! We need it to make something right again!
 * Rosé: Ah! So that's it! This is all about you and what you want! What about us? You don't care!
 * Alphonse: Rosé, we're only trying to-
 * Edward: It's no use.
 * [Rosé begins to cry]
 * Cornello: Enough! There is no point in arguing. If you want the Philosopher's Stone, you'll have to take it from me!
 * [Cornello uses the Philosopher's Stone to transmute the floor to sand, which pulls Al away]
 * Edward: Al!
 * Alphonse: Ed!
 * Edward: Hold on!
 * Cornello: [laughs] Armor is a disadvantage in soft sand. You can't draw transmutation circles in it, either. Let me introduce you to one of my creations. You of all people will be able to appreciate this... a chimera!
 * Edward: You combined animals... the most depraved kind of alchemy there is.
 * Cornello: Maybe so... but most effective!
 * Edward: Alright, big fella. You wanna play? Let's go for it! [claps and transmutes the sand into a spear]
 * Cornello: H-How did you do that without a transmutation circle!? Rgh... bring me his head, my pet! [laughs]
 * [Cornello enlarges the bird on his shoulder, which then attacks Edward and grabs his leg]
 * Cornello: [laughs] Now snap it!
 * Edward: Wrong leg, pal! And here's the right arm! [punches the bird away, and the lion chimera jumps at him]
 * [Edward yells, and Rosé turns away]
 * Edward: Hah? What's the matter, you poor bastard? Can't get a good taste? [kicks the chimera]
 * Lust: Mouth watering, eh, Gluttony?
 * Gluttony: [laughs]
 * Cornello: That's impossible! Those claws on your leg, the teeth on your arm! No one could survive that! Unless... ah! Your limbs-- they're fake!
 * Edward: Brilliant deduction. [begins to tear away his coat]
 * Rosé: [whisper] Oh, God!
 * Edward: Don't look away, Rosé! You need to see what happens when you try to bring a human to life; When you cross into God's territory or whatever the hell it is! Is this what you want!? Look!
 * Rosé: His arm... his leg, they're machines!
 * Cornello: I see. Now I understand you, Elric! You crossed the line-- you did what was strictly forbidden. You tried to create human life, and your bodies were taken to the other side!
 * Edward: Told you, Rosé; get too close to the sun, and you burn.
 * Cornello: Apparently so, but you were crazy enough to find out for yourself! You are the Fullmetal... the Fullmetal Alchemist!
 * [Fullmetal Alchemist (2003 series)'s first opening, Melissa, plays as an ending to the episode]