Episode 6: The Alchemy Exam (2003 series)

Ed and Al arrive in Central and begin their preparations for the Alchemy Exam while staying with Shou Tucker, a famous State Alchemist who specializes in creating chimeras. During the long period of studying Ed, Al, and Tucker's daughter Nina are invited by Maes Hughes to his house to celebrate Edward's birthday. However when Hughes pregnant wife Gracia Hughes starts going into labor, the three are left alone with her while Maes goes out to find a doctor. Ed heats water without a Transmutation Circle, shortly before Maes returns with the doctor and their daughter Elicia Hughes is born. Before the exam Shou Tucker mentions the exams are tough and out of a dozen candidates only a maximum of two candidates are chosen from the results of three different exams to become a State Alchemist.

After the written exam, Al is forced by Mustang to drop out of the course before the physical exam to avoid revealing his body is hollow. Al protests, but Ed agrees with Mustang, not wanting his brother to become a slave of the military like he is soon to become. In the practical course of the exam, the first man makes a huge pillar, but is so exhausted he rests in front of it. The next man uses water and trees to make a hydrogen blimp. However, the blimp punctures, and Ed rushes to the rescue. Without the use of a transmutation circle, he reverses the falling pillar and blimp before they crush the people underneath, and turns them into flower petals. This puts him at the level of State Alchemist.

Episode Notes

 * In the report from Shou Tucker that Roy Mustang is holding just after the opening, the nation of Britain is mentioned twice despite the story taking place in an alternate world that does not include the nation of Britain.