Quite the bold decision for Olivia when brought into Central to say she would want to take General Raven’s spot. Well, it makes sense because all eyes are on her, and they are bound to find out he is killed. It’s better for them to think she is one of them. Rather than being in the position of Roy, where all eyes are on him. It’s still good to see he and Riza still able to communicate. Though learning that Selim is a homunculus must have been a shock.
It’s interesting to learn the origins of Hohenheim, where he used to be a slave in the kingdom of Cselkcess. Father used to have the form that Pride has now, where he gave Hohenheim all the knowledge he has now. Human greed is the one constant, and the king wanted immortality like the King of Xing sought. Xing could have a repeat of the tragedy in Cselkcess. Though because of that greed, all the people were sacrificed, and the Homunculus’s gift to Hohenheim was the new body.
So Hohenheim in and of himself is a philosopher’s stone. It makes sense why he doesn’t age. Though it could be possible for him to use all that energy, that would require using the people who were sacrificed. Sadly, he feels guilty of using it because he has been using his old friends, and if he doesn’t, he lives a life that will never end. Both situations suck and really recontextualize him compared to the start of the series. While the other half went to the man they know as Father. More than likely, Father holds the source of alchemy in Amestris. Which makes whenever the alchemists use alchemy even more fucked.
Still, Hohenheim can still do good, like when he helps Izumi with her breathing difficulties. Even if she can’t restore her organs. Hohenheim knows what the homunculi have in store for their nation. At the very least he is a clear ally, and hopefully Ed can trust him. It is funny that Father gives Pride his original form.
While Al is seen as the nicer of the two brothers, we can see Ed still struggling to kill when he needs to. It makes sense he is much younger than everyone else, and he isn’t at the point when killing as an option doesn’t faze him. Kimblee almost taking out shows the lack of the killer instinct when he does need to kill. Still, it is that good nature that gets the chimera to help him. Though shortening his lifespan to close the wound is a smart but scary maneuver, he did. He did use the philosopher’s stone when he used Envy’s stone. Though it appears he is out of condition until he can get medical attention.
It does seem that the homunculus’s final plan is being set in motion. Pride tells Kimblee to carve blood in Briggs. Which I can assume implies sacrifices are needed. Things are about to get worse soon.
Thanks to Scar’s brother’s notes, it seems a clue could be a new Amestrian Transmutation Circle through purification arts. Would that offset the regular one? Al learning purification arts seems to be needed ASAP. Though it looks like a traitor sadly is in Al’s group, which just adds more to be concerned with going into the next volume.