Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood Episode 22: Backs in the Distance

Mike McFarland, the ADR Director and voice of Jean Havoc, greets the audience, setting the stage for the comedic chaos to follow. He explains that these clips are a mix of genuine mistakes, improvised lines, and general silliness from the recording booth. A static image of Havoc smoking a cigarette serves as the backdrop. McFarland wisely gives a brief warning about the adult language, preparing us for the unexpected.

In a shanty town, a tense meeting between Edward, Ling Yao, and Van Hohenheim quickly dissolves into absurdity. Hohenheim, with unexpected playfulness, asks Ling to lean in for a 'kissy.' Ling, looking momentarily confused but game, agrees with a smirk. This strange request instantly undermines the dramatic weight of their gathering, a startling shift in character.

A military radio operator, meant to convey urgent intelligence, instead recites a fast-food order for a 'number one with tater tots and a jumbo Coke.' Elsewhere, Roy Mustang gravely discusses a 'sexual method' in Ishval, only for Vato Falman to dryly correct him; it is 'dual cropping.' Later, a panicked ground control officer, amidst a fiery siege, cries out, 'This is ground control! Calling Major Tom!' These moments pull familiar characters from their roles into the mundane and the musical.

Younger versions of Edward and Alphonse Elric stand on a peaceful rooftop in Resembool, admiring the lush countryside. Al, with casual menace, suggests he push Ed off the roof to break the arm Ed just got back. Ed responds with a dazed 'Yeah.' The dark humor, delivered with a childlike innocence, clashes starkly with the serene, nostalgic backdrop of their childhood home.

Olivier Mira Armstrong and Izumi Curtis walk down a staircase, maintaining their composure. They are joined by a shirtless Alex Louis Armstrong, who embarks on a convoluted and repetitive explanation about the homunculi. He gets stuck on the word 'unfortunately,' trailing off into a frustrated, expletive-laden mumble. The women's perfectly stoic expressions provide a quiet, perfect counterpoint to his verbal collapse.

In a dark, concrete passage, Scar stands before two monstrous chimeras, his hand glowing as if poised for destruction. Suddenly, he breaks character, exclaiming that the chimeras are 'f*ing sweet.' Later, leading Roy, Riza, and Ed through a tunnel, Scar is asked if he can 'sense a presence.' He replies simply, with a smirk, that he is 'just a man' and is 'good with directions.' These moments strip Scar** of his grim mystique, replacing it with surprising, grounded humor.

Inside a cluttered storage room, Winry Rockbell turns to Ling Yao with an entirely unexpected, flirtatious tone. She channels Joey Tribbiani from 'Friends,' asking him, 'Hey Ling, how you doing?' Ling looks completely blindsided by this sudden advance. Major Armstrong stands silently behind them, witnessing the bizarre interaction. This moment completely upends the usual dynamic between the mechanic and the prince.

Father, the formidable antagonist, sits on a throne-like rock in his lair. He begins a dramatic monologue directed at Hohenheim, but it quickly veers into a story about 'Tommy's boyhood dream' to be a scholar. He then breaks into a rendition of 'Jeremiah was a Bullfrog,' complete with nonsensical lyrics about drinking wine. The dark, ancient setting makes his silly singing profoundly out of place and jarringly amusing.

Roy Mustang approaches General Olivier Armstrong with a bouquet of purple flowers, attempting a charming compliment. Olivier looks at the flowers with disdain and bluntly states, 'Flowers suck ass.' Later, Major Armstrong, striking a heroic pose, declares he didn't come this far to 'pass up my balls in the hallway,' earning silent judgment from his comrades. Scar, in his final battle with Father, screams, 'Your face explode!' as electricity crackles. Finally, Roy Mustang, strategizing with officers, suggests, 'Let's look at the door,' prompting a slow pan to an ordinary, open door. These snippets offer a rapid-fire succession of unexpected lines, each jarring in its own way.

Winry Rockbell finds herself in the stark white void of the Gate, facing the enigmatic figure of Truth. Truth, sitting cross-legged, asks if her soul has finally entered her and if 'he' will be coming back. Winry, with defiance and annoyance, simply replies, 'He won't. That's the end.' The profound mystery of the Gate is dismissed with a blunt, definitive statement.

In a war-torn area, Alphonse Elric, in his armor, kneels over a wounded Heinkel. Heinkel, coughing up blood, tells the Elric brothers they are 'really something else.' Al, typically gentle and polite, snaps back with unexpected aggression, 'I'm trying to save your life, asshole!' This sudden outburst from Alphonse is a shock, completely subverting his established character.

Captain Buccaneer lies dying on the walls of Briggs Fortress, surrounded by his mournful soldiers. Instead of heroic final words, he begins a croaking rendition of 'The Rainbow Connection,' focusing on the lyrics about lovers and dreamers. His soldiers watch with a mix of confusion and grief, lending a surreal quality to the moment. Major Miles eventually gives a solemn salute, honoring his fallen comrade despite the unexpected musical interlude. The scene fades with the sound of the song.

King Bradley, battered from his duel, asks Scar for his real name. Scar pauses, then simply says, 'Fuck you.' Bradley responds with a dry 'Hmm,' accepting the insult as part of their brutal exchange. In the final blooper, the entire group, including Scar, May Chang, Riza Hawkeye, Roy Mustang, and Edward Elric, huddle over alchemy research papers. After Scar places the final sheet, they all let out a collective, prolonged groan of 'Hmmmm,' an unnervingly synchronized vocal exercise that completely dissolves the tension of their scientific breakthrough. The episode ends on this peculiar, drawn-out note.