Episode 14: Destruction's Right Hand (2003 series)


 * This article is about the Fullmetal Alchemist anime episode. For the similarly named manga chapter, see Chapter 6: The Right Hand of Destruction.

Civil unrest has broken out in the town of Reole as the rioting by the townsfolk and death ratio caused by the military continues to rise and Rosé hides out with a group of children in one of the ruined homes. Lust and Gluttony observe the chaos and Lust comments how humans never learn from their mistakes. Envy disguised as Cornello arrives, pointing out their work at manipulating Cornello's believers is complete and sheds his disguise. Cray arrives wondering where Cornello is and Gluttony eats him. While the Elrics are searching for Tim Marcoh by heading to a small town not far from East City, Envy mentions to Lust that the state alchemist killer is heading to East City, while Maes Hughes at a bar mentions to Roy Mustang that the killer is being called Scar based on the large scar on his face. All Hughes knows is that Scar's method of killing is blowing up people's heads from the inside with no other details about him. As Hughes is talking about the number of victims Scar killed and that his target of State Alchemists is why a number of them traveled to Eastern Command, Hughes receives a call which confirms that Scar is around East City.

Meanwhile, Edward and Alphonse are talking about Dr. Marcoh to various townspeople of a nearby village and hear from them of how a man by the name of Dr. Mauro is treating them with the impossible injuries and illnesses that sounds like alchemy to Ed. Ed hides both of them when noticing a large mustached man is following them and recognizes him as a State Alchemist from the Führer's entourage that traveled from Central Command. The Elrics arrive and Marcoh holds them at gunpoint believing they came to take him back. However, Al gets in front knowing he'll survive being shot at, allowing Marcoh to realize what's happening, though he mistakes Alphonse as the Fullmetal Alchemist much to Ed's ire. Once inside his home Marcoh reveals he took precious research material when he deserted, refusing for anyone including Edward to have it due to it being used in the Ishval Massacre. While Ed is trying to convince Marcoh that they are trying to do the greater good despite their foolishness, Al helps Marcoh feel better by mentioning their recent adventure in Xenotime and how they helped the children he saved before. However when Ed discovers the hidden area with his alchemy where Marcoh's research material is, and the material resembles the red water from Xenotime with no toxicity as well as it's ball shaped form having a resemblance to Cornello's fake stone.

Just as Al holds Ed off seeing that taking it is wrong, a small military group led by Brigadier General Basque Grand arrives having followed the Elrics. Grand plans to seize the Philosopher's Stone that Marcoh has and reveals to the Elrics that while the Stone is incomplete, it enhanced their alchemy powers during the Ishvalan Civil War. Though Ed sees it possible to create a perfect stone from the materials, Grand refuses to let him have it and takes Dr. Marcoh into custody. As the townspeople witness Marcoh being taken away in a car, Ed realizes this happened with the Tuckers three years ago and purses the car. However the car is intercepted by Scar who destroys it and kills Grand before he had a chance to use the power of the Stone against him. Ed recognizing Scar who he saw at Central City three years ago is too scared to move, but when Scar attempts to kill Marcoh, Ed grabs Marcoh's hand and flees with him. However, despite Al's help, Scar corners the group in a tunnel with his destructive powers with no way to escape. Marcoh encourages Ed to flee, but he refuses to give up ready to fight and Scar comments how his determined look reminds him of his brother. Al saves Ed from being killed receiving a fracture in his armor, and Scar responds to Ed's question his reason is the mission is to eliminate the alchemists who defy God as God's agent. Ignoring Al's advice about the importance of siblings, Scar tries to destroy Ed's right arm, but fails and discovers that Ed's arm is automail.

The stranger from earlier then intervenes identifying himself as Major Alex Louis Armstrong the "Strong Arm Alchemist" who was ordered by Hughes to protect the Elrics from Scar and begins to use his alchemy to fight Scar. Meanwhile in Reole, Rosé who had been caught by the Military is interrogated by Major General Hakuro into where the insurgents are since they are trying to liberate the town from Cornello. Rosé responds by stating it is their home to rebuild and repeats what Ed said before he left about making good use of their legs. After escaping from the tunnel, Ed gives the red stone back to Marcoh seeing he and the townsfolk deserve it more and decides they need to flee to somewhere far away from both Scar and the State Military.