Episode 51: Laws and Promises (2003 series)

Continuing from where the previous episode left off, Al, Rosé, and Wrath watch in horror as Envy kills Ed. Envy explains that all humans will die, and only the Homunculi will survive. Dante also admits that humans always come short of the prices they have paid. At the Führer's mansion, the military group that is escorting the imprisoned Riza Hawkeye along with the Führer's wife and son comes under attack from Frank Archer, who declares that he is going to protect the Führer. When a soldier acknowledges they caught Hawkeye and are taking her to Central Command per the Führer's orders for questioning, Archer insanely tries to execute her, but Hawkeye is able to break free and retreat. Watching the soldiers restrain Archer, Selim Bradley slips away. In the cellar of the mansion, Pride (King Bradley) escapes the fire with his skin burned and regenerates with the Red Stones in his body. Stabbing Roy Mustang, Pride admits how petty Mustang's dream of becoming the Führer was, and will never be in a position of power again for attempting assassination. Mustang admits his foolishness and only wishes to avenge Maes Hughes' death. As Pride continues to put Mustang through agonizing pain, Selim appears.

Selim apologizes for coming back and Pride embraces him. When Pride finds himself in pain, he demands to know what Selim has done, and Selim admits he took the treasure from the safe to save it from the fire. The treeasure, revealed to be the skull from the body that Pride is based on, severly weakens Pride, and in his anger Pride strangles Selim to death. An angry Mustang pulls the sword out of his body and quickly rushes to Selim's body to get the skull. Drawing up a transmutation circle on his hand with his own blood, Mustang plans to burn the skull to affect Pride's body until all the Red Stones within him have been used up.

Back at Dante's hideout, before Gluttony can finish eating Al's armored body, Al breaks free and plans to revive Ed, since there is still time due to Ed's soul still being at The Gate. Envy tries to stop him as Al starts the transmutation.

Mustang finishes turning Pride's body into a puddle of red water and throws the skull in there to burn. Taking Selim's body with him, Mustang encounters Archer. Riza Hawkeye shows up and shoots Archer in the organic area of his mechanical body until he is dead. Hawkeye then finds Mustang lying motionless in a pool of blood, and calls his name, crying.

Meanwhile, Envy encounters Ed at The Gate and learning that Hohenheim is still alive on the other side, he decides to head through against Ed's advice. However, when The Gate Children attach their bodies to him, he transforms to shake them off, and disappears into the distance as a green, serpentine dragon.

Waking up, Ed learns from Rosé about Al's sacrifice. As she is leaving in the elevator, Dante is planning to have Pride help her work towards manipulating someone to make a new stone, only to be attacked by Gluttony and dies at some point during the confrontation. After having Rosé take Wrath with her and flee, Ed uses a transmutation array with the same technique he used five years ago that transmuted Al into the armor in hopes of calling Al's soul back from the Gate.

Flashing ahead to the epilogue, Sheska, who is back at Central Command as a records clerk again, writes a letter to Winry Rockbell. Due to the Führer's disappearance, the Führer rank has been officially retired and the political power of Amestris has been transferred to the assembly with Lt. General Grumman addressing the troops. Sheska admits the conflicts against other nations will still continue. However, Sheska also mentions that the policies towards Ishval have been undone, and the Ishvalans have been allowed to return their homeland with the military helping them to rebuild their homes. At Ishval, Rio, having overcome his prejudice, helps the exile out of their wagon. Sheska also mentions that Mustang is still bedridden, and at Mustang's house, Hawkeye apologizes to Mustang for not saving him on time which resulted in him losing an eye and forces Mustang to now wear an eye patch, but Mustang convinces her that nothing's perfect, and that's why life is beautiful. It's implied that their relationship has become more intimate, as Mustang is seen stroking Hawkeye's hair, and she feeds him a slice of apple. Finishing her letter, Sheska asks how Alphonse is doing. It turns out that Al has been restored to his 10-year-old body, but with no memory of the adventures he had with Ed.

In Resembool, Al is playing with Winry's dog Den and, Winry and Rosé are watching, just as Izumi and Sig Curtis, Mason, and Pinako arrive. Izumi speculates that Ed reversed the sacrifice that caused Al to be originally sent to the gate and that explains why he came back as a ten-year old with no memories. Pinako mentions that Winry provided Wrath with automail before he left. Al announces that night he wishes to study alchemy under Izumi again so he can eventually be reunited with Ed again. As she, Pinako, and Rosé see Al and the Curtis' off at the train station, Winry announces she is going to study to improve her automail mechanic knowledge and encourages Al to visit. In the parallel world, Hohenheim is studying magic with the Thule Society in Munich, while Ed is studying rockets hoping to locate an expert to use a rocket to return to his world in place of alchemy. As Ed speaks with his father about why he is still alive and in this world without paying the price for saving Al, Hohenheim believes all the adventures they experienced was the sacrifice.

As Ed travels by train, he vows to reunite with Al someday. Similarly, Al thinks of the same thing and Equivalent Exchange as he travels with Izumi and Sig by train to Dublith. Numerous scenes are shown including: Shou Tucker with his Nina doll, the Ishvalans and military soldiers rebuilding the Ishvalan homes, Mustang and Hawkeye shopping together at the market, Sheska with Gracia and Elicia Hughes visiting Maes' grave, Russell and Fletcher Tringham with their plants in Xenotime, as well as Winry training under Dominic in Rush Valley while Paninya watches. The series ends as both Elric brothers reach their arms into the sky vowing to one day reunite.

Episode Notes

 * The song used the moment Riza starts crying over Roy is entitled Wakare no Kyoku (別れの曲, music for parting), and is actually taken from Étude op. 10, No. 3 by Frédéric Chopin.
 * The part of Roy Mustang drawing a transmutation circle on his hand with his own blood and using it to burn Pride (The Führer - King Bradley) to death is similar to how he killed Lust in the manga.