Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood Episode 36: Family Portrait

Van Hohenheim stands beneath a canopy of stars, his voice a quiet litany of names. He asks for forgiveness, explaining that he has no choice but to use them. His body betrays him, coughing up blood that becomes a tangle of red tendrils before dissolving. This visceral reaction reveals the heavy toll of his existence as a living Philosopher's Stone.

Thirteen years ago, Hohenheim watched young Edward and Alphonse sleep, keeping his distance. Trisha Elric urges him to embrace them, but he fears his "monster" will spread. Even in a family photograph, where he holds a smiling Edward and Alphonse, his discomfort is plain. He looks at the developed photo later, tears in his eyes, acknowledging the briefness of such peace.

Deep in his study, Hohenheim researches, desperate to find a way to age and die. He builds a swing for his sons, a small gesture of a present father, but his true intent is to leave. He tells Trisha he must go, and she accepts with quiet understanding, promising to wait. He forces himself to walk past his sleepy sons without a proper goodbye, the door closing with terrible finality.

In the pitch-black tunnels beneath Briggs, soldiers try to make radio contact, but find only static. They advance cautiously through the narrow passages, their lanterns piercing the gloom. Suddenly, Sloth, a massive homunculus, tears through them with horrifying speed. One terrified soldier escapes, leaving his comrades to the monster.

Edward and Alphonse finalize their plan with Briggs officers to expose the Central conspirators. Meanwhile, General Raven tries to entice Olivier Armstrong with promises of eternal life. He believes her ambition makes her an easy target for his treasonous proposal. The arrival of a frantic soldier reporting lost contact in the tunnels barely registers with the self-important general.

Edward uses alchemy to create convincing restraints for himself and Alphonse, allowing them to feign capture. They pass General Raven and Solf J. Kimblee, who mock their apparent downfall. Later, in their cell, Raven taunts them, convinced he holds all the power. Edward meets his smugness with sarcasm, aware of the delicate deception.

Olivier leads Raven through the base, observing soldiers pouring concrete into deep pits. Below, Sloth mindlessly digs, his massive chains clinking, as Raven explains his task. Sloth is creating a vast circular tunnel around the entire country, a nationwide transmutation circle. Raven boasts about this secret operation, believing Olivier is now complicit.

In a freezing shack, Scar struggles with research notes written in an ancient Ishvalan dialect. Mei Chang encourages him, her hopes pinned on their discoveries. They are found by Briggs soldiers, forcing them to flee. Mei triumphantly shows Scar the notes, understanding they are key to the Elric brothers' work and possibly her clan's salvation.

Raven continues to boast about "survival of the fittest," revealing that the Ishvalan Civil War was a planned part of their scheme. Olivier's cold demeanor shatters as she draws her saber and stabs Raven through the shoulder. She shoves him toward the pit of wet concrete, telling him he will become the "foundation" he so glorified. Raven falls, his screams silenced by the sludge, as Olivier calmly orders her soldiers to level off his tomb.

Kimblee informs Major Miles that General Raven is "missing" and asserts his own control, subtly threatening Miles's Ishvalan heritage. Olivier, with Captain Buccaneer, uses a secret passage prepared by Edward to access the tunnels. Meanwhile, Kimblee approaches the Elric brothers' cell with chilling cheer. He reveals Winry Rockbell, using her as a hostage, paralyzing Edward and Alphonse with shock and fury.

In the dimly lit streets of Central City, Roy Mustang reviews documents, exhausted but determined. A flower girl delivers a message hidden in red tulips, confirming his suspicions. He realizes the battle is expanding north, and the pieces are aligning for a final confrontation. The scene ends with a sense of impending storm, as events gather momentum across the country.