「天の瞳、地の扉」 (Ten no Hitomi, Chi no Tobira)
“Heaven’s Eye, Earth’s Gate”

As amazingly epic as this was with Father activating the Amestris-wide transmutation circle during the solar eclipse, the episode title of all things took away from the surprise of it all. That’s not to say using a five pillar sacrifice to open a gigantic gate on the face of the planet and literally connect Heaven and Earth is any small feat though. In light of that, what I did find surprising is how Ed and the others weren’t consumed in the process. I gather this might have something to do with them being at the center of the transmutation, since the same can’t be said about Winry and everyone else who weren’t anywhere near it. If there’s anything positive to take away from Hell on Earth taking place, it’s that no one’s actual body seemed to be swallowed up by the darkness, meaning that there’s the possibility that their souls/life energy may be able to returned somehow. With practically everything going according to Father’s plan, I’ve more or less gotten into the habit of looking for tangible ways to have a good ending in this bleak situation as things go from bad to worse. It hasn’t been easy grasping at straws, which is why I’m really enjoying how I really have absolutely no idea how this series is going to conclude. The unpredictability is awesome, provided that we’re not faced with a huge deus ex machina at the very end. For now, I’d like to continuing believing that we won’t, but we do have God involved now so who knows.

As for some specifics, it was nice to see Denny reunited with Maria and finally get to confirm first-hand that she’s alive. Watching May try to take on Father alone was pretty awesome to see too, even though she probably didn’t have a real chance when her opponent doesn’t even have to flinch to fight back. I was still rooting for her the entire way however, since May’s always been pretty resourceful with her Xing alchemy. The big surprise though was in the ongoing Wrath versus Scar fight, with the latter able to deconstruct one of Wrath’s swords before revealing that his left arm now has the ability to reconstruct. I guess this means that Marcoh was able to make sense of the research that Scar’s brother left behind after all. Pride on the other hand is a bit worse for wear after forcibly dragging Mustang though the gate as hinted at last time. Unfortunately Ed, Al, and Izumi’s attempts to actual get rid of the little homunculus once and for all proved fruitless once the time came and Father snatched them all up to open the Earth’s gate. Greed’s sudden appearance gave a brief glimpse of hope just prior to that, but I honestly have no idea how anyone’s supposed to fight a shadowy existence like Pride except infinitely stronger.

All that’s really left now is the Ishvalans’ involvement as they’re seen running around the country to key spots and banking on Scar to activate their countermeasure. If anything, it’s likely going to come down to his new-found ability to both deconstruct and reconstruct as well. Be that as it may, there’s still the actual creation of a God on Earth to deal with on top of everyone in the country dying. Remember when the good used to conquer evil? Well, it doesn’t look like that’s happening right now, but boy is it exciting for that very reason.

 

Preview

104 Comments

    1. (Latin for “god from the machine”; plural: dei ex machina) is a plot device whereby a seemingly inextricable problem is suddenly and abruptly solved with the contrived and unexpected intervention of some new character, ability, or object.

      ThatGuy
    2. Desu ex machina”

      This is probably a typo, but it made me lol anyhow. I just go this fantastic mental image of Suiseiseki descending from the sky on a crane to solve all the world’s woes with her watering can.

      Thrashy
  1. Now pity all us poor people who had to wait an entire month to see what happened next.

    Incidentally, the final chapter should be out this time next week. Be prepared for stomping on people who look like they may spoil the ending for the next couple of weeks.

    Masked Anon
      1. They have three episodes left, and – with the final chapter – four chapters to cover. That should be doable, given fight scenes are a lot faster on screen than they take on the page.

        Episodes 61 and 62 should combine 105/106/107, leaving the last chapter for 63.

        Masked Anon
      2. There’s still a great deal of dialogue in chapter 107, and I assume the same goes for 108. I hope they don’t cut out too many scenes.

        Stoked they finally put the Denny Brosh/Maria Ross reunion in; didn’t make me d’awww as much as it did in the manga though.

        Loudmouse
    1. Agreed. I screamed when I read it in the manga (my very girly ‘no no no no’ scream) and then got really frustrated at the month long wait.

      Urgh Father/Homunculus creeps me out… *shudder*

      Satoida
      1. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see? I think he meant that if Al returned with that body, something bad would happen later on… or something? Who knows. xD I guess we’ll know sooner or later, though.

        Acylia
      2. I’m pretty sure the anime made this even MORE obvious. When Al’s body was talking about “if you return, there will be despair”, the camera shifted to Pride and Father, who the latter says “That makes all five of you”. And what happens when Father gets 5 sacrifices? Nationwide transmutation circle despair.

        To look into this line so hard is as hard as thinking there is some mystery behind the Xingese characters’ earlier occurrences of suddenly lying on the road starving and begging for food.

        Vlyse
      3. I personally think if Al where to reunite with his body, thats when he would finally die. The only reason he still exists is because Ed learned what to do to drag his soul back and graft it to the suit of armour. Otherwise he would have died. And by not reuniting with his body and dying he gave Father the sacrifice he needed to fuck everything up. Which is the “bad thing” his body was thinking about as Al went back through the gate to the real world.

        falsepod
      4. What I find most confusing about this is, Al is the only one who got held up. Ed’s Truth didn’t give him a chance to regain his limbs for free, nor did Izumi’s.

        So, why did Al get caught up, and why did Al’s Truth just offer him back his body free of charge again?

        I think your comment cleared something up that he could have it back, but would be stuck there, what’s why going back (in armor form only) was the result that ended in despair.

        Of course Al must not have known that as he assumed his human body would be fighting if he did go back… or what? Or he just wanted to fight at all?

        Anyone know for sure?

        Cornwiggle
      5. To Cornwiggle:

        I assume what that meant is that if Al took his body back, he would then return to the real world in a naked, skinny, and atrophied body that would probably pass out upon arrival. Father would still have all his sacrifices, except now 2 of them would be incapacitated instead of just Mustang.

        Besides, had Al taken his body back, there was no way we could get that Al/Mei fanservice scene of him jumping in front to block the bullets from Father’s gun that looks like something the Joker would like, lol…

        Tavor TAR-21
      6. @Vlyse I think you misread my question. I’m not indicating that there is some hidden mystery behind it. I just wasn’t sure how to take the Japanese used. I wanted to be clear on the meaning(as in definition) of what he said. Being as I’m studying Japanese I was hoping for info on the word modoru and if and how the meaning changes depending on the context it’s used. It seems to mean return but is that to return to the speaker or the where the listener came from?

        Blaineo
      7. @ falsepod
        the gate to the human world after you die is fma 1. this is brotherhood. its a completely different anime, practically. when you die, you dont go to our world.

        qntiria
  2. BTW, divine!!!! When the last chapter is out, you should maybe just STOP READING the comments, because someone is DEFINETLY going to try to spoil the ending!!! I know I’m going to avoid the comments myself, at least. 😛

    Acylia
  3. They should have left out the preview. Just so all those who did not read the manga can experience the same kind of agony that those who read it did.
    But I was surprised that they did not show “the blonde dude in the middle preview pick” at the end of the episode like the manga did.

    It made for a nice “shit just got beyond real” feeling at the end that this episode just did not reach.
    Good thing they kept the “they did not just go there” and “what the fuck are you serious” stuff of it though…

    someSyl
  4. I think Divine should give someone a temp position to delete spoiler posts so he doesnt have to go through them himself, what with the final chapter being released in less than a week. I can already see the hell thats gonna break loose.

    damian
  5. … ZOMGWTFBBQ O_O Wow that was epic. Very redolent of End of Eva, of course … why does every anime have to remind me of every other? I guess they make ’em that way. The preview left me even more confused since the five sacrifces (plus probably Greed and May) are still alive and fighting … something. A giant big enough to reach out and grab the moon though? I have to admit I have no idea how this is gonna turn out, and I can’t wait to see it. 😀

    Guardian
    1. To add to the point – it did appear in the manga, but in this episode they replaced the six-shooter with a more regular pistol with GODDAMN CREEPY EYES AND TEETH. Gonna go crawl under my desk now …

      Actually, every scene with this form of Father has given me the chills, more so than the manga. Even with BONES hamming it up for all it’s worth; credit where it’s due. Ditto the added transmutation scenes (Panina/Capital Radio/Lior/Miles flopping to the ground) which helped bring back the shock factor from when I first read this chapter.

      Shame it all felt so slow though. The manga readers here would have known this episode would cover barely more than one chapter, leaving 4 left for the next three episodes. I apologise for mentioning it, but it’s gnawing at the back of my mind.

      Obligatory FUCK YEAH WRATH
      Obligatory FUCK YEAH SCAR (hope you didn’t forget about these two!)

      J Jay
      1. Oh lawd, ignore my ramblings. I replied with my pacing concerns before looking that an extra episode seems to have been added to the schedule … given the rumoured length of the last chapter, that’s more like it!

        J Jay
  6. Show Spoiler ▼

    Show Spoiler ▼

    “They should have left out the preview. Just so all those who did not read the manga can experience the same kind of agony that those who read it did.”

    WORD. THE PAIN OF THE MONTH OF WAITING. THE PAIN. THE PAIN.

    empirexstate
    1. hahaha that is the same I thought!
      I mean come on he was overpower already and now he eat god?
      someone call chuck norris please
      the animation is soo good, the soundtrack is perfect, the epicness is rising

      P.S!
      I just saw pain vs naruto on the anime and I was like waaaaaaa everything suck soo much now comapared too fma

      Secsuey
  7. “no one’s actual body seemed to be swallowed up by the darkness, meaning that there’s the possibility that their souls/life energy may be able to returned somehow.”

    let us recall: bodies were not disintegrated in xerxes case, either

    geyik
  8. Wow! Epic doesn’t quite justify a description for this episode. This is quickly becoming one of my favorite endings of any anime.

    I agree with you though about ending with a deus ex machina. I really, really wish they don’t end it with something retarded.

    Tomer
  9. Heck yeah man. Been waiting since February for this! As horribly sad and holy crap depressing as it is. I was just grinning and laughing the whole time. Sheer joy is what did it.

    I loved that they animated everyone laying there with their eyes WIDE open! How much more freaky did that make it!

    DEETERS
  10. @Cornwiggle: Ed and Izumi didn’t get held up and Al did because of the whole “The soul is pulled towards the body” thing. I don’t think limbs are pulled towards the body, or “some of your insides” but souls are because….well, because that’s how FMA works.

    Rie
  11. This is sooooo much better and gratifying to watch as opposed to some 300 + year old lady trying to transfer from one body to the next. I’m looking at you, first anime series Dante!

    ShayShay
  12. As soon as I decide to avoid these threads until after seeing the subs, Eclipse suddenly seems to be taking forever with their release. UGH! I can’t really complain about their releases, (the last few were very fast) but the wait is killing me this time. 2pm Monday, and I am refreshig their tracker page every 15 minutes. I’m Jonesin’.

    hms-one
  13. Hey guys, this message especially applies for non-manga readers: I’ve been hearing on Livejournal that two pages from Chapter 108 have already been leaked and they apparently spoil a lot of plot points.

    For those who know what’s going on: Please don’t ruin it for those of us who aren’t reading the manga, ok? Just one more month and then we can all talk.

    Tavor TAR-21
  14. This series knows no such thing as “deus ex machina”.

    WHATEVER HAPPENS NEXT WILL HAVE BEEN FORESHADOWED SOME THIRTY EPISODES OR SO BEFOREHAND. THE AUTHOR HAD IT ALL PLANNED OUT.

    Ian
    1. I won’t deny that Arakawa had this planned.

      But her foreshadowing techniques are below average.
      I mean, there is literally nothing that foreshadows this.

      Thing is, this is yet another huge WTF type of ending. If people were mad at the Zeppelins in FMA1, how could people be happy with the “Father devouring God/Sun.”
      I’m not saying this is bad plot development. It’s the opposite. I’m actually rather excited and curious about what’s going to happen next now. I was just annoyed at the amount of action and no story the last couple of months of episodes. Now, the story is finally advancing quicker, I am getting very interested.

      Eamon
  15. It’s been said before, but the production value for the music can easily beat many triple AAA movies out there, timing the tracks with the scenes was perfect. You know you felt a chill when you saw Greed attack Father, the music, the moment, the Dialogue it was all right out of a bit time movie.

  16. I think I should stop reading any comments from now till the series ends…

    This adaptation of FMA has been truly amazing… I just hope they don’t go Dues Ex machine on us 🙂 Because you will see me commanding a large mob with e-Pitchforks marching down downtown Tokyo…

    Tenkei~
  17. Didn’t get to watch this episode until today. (You see, I stick faithfully with Eclipse, the fansub group, not the natural phenomenon in this episode) Maybe I’ll go with speedsubs for the last 4 episodes so as not to miss out on the discussion as things seem to be getting batshit exciting. I’ll still be archiving with Eclipse subs, of course. 🙂

    After watching it, I was like “What… the… f*** just happened!?” I thought I was watching End of Evangelion all over again, what with the humongous giant the size of half a planet and all. lol

    I have faith in Arakawa pulling off a good ending rather than an End of Evangelion ending. After all, there is still the counter nation-wide transmutation which Scar’s brother had devised.

    Kinny Riddle
  18. omg the last chapter of the manga came out today
    Show Spoiler ▼

    Secsuey
    1. and could you keep the spoils for yourself maybe?
      good god i wonder why some people find it nice just telling this -.- go on a forum where people actually care bout this?

      freedomapoc
    2. freedomapoc is right, why u have to threw spoilers like that, makes u feel like a cool guy? cant u be quiet and wait for other people to read the damn thing? .. did u feel better or cool cuz u read the chapter and want to brag about it? .. with or without spoiler tag, this is NOT a “FMA final manga chapter post”.. go to a forum or something.

      neko
    3. As someone who has read the chapter already, I do have to say, please don’t talk about it here, even with spoiler tags. No one really spoiled the ending for you, and so don’t tempt others to spoil it for themselves. If they want to do that, onemanga has the chapter for them.

      Let them enjoy the ending as much as you did without having to see it coming.

      Satoida
  19. woow.. what an episode… i loved how the Scar/Bradley fight started along with the battle track song, very cool..

    I liked the sequence of the people dying and the gate opening… but i think that scene it would have been much better with the song used when the circle was activated in Xerxes in the Hoenheim flashback.. its more suitable.. but it was a great episode =)

    neko
  20. if u rly want to spoil it for ppl, at least be accurate. someone did not take over the country like u mentioned, and i doubt about a couple getting married and having children too…
    anyways, i love this anime and it will always be on top of my favorite anime/manga list 😀

    Kinno

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