Brotherhood's 52nd episode leans on teamwork under pressure. Alphonse outmaneuvers Pride and Kimblee with Heinkel's help, the Armstrong siblings press their assault on Sloth, and Mustang's covert push finally links back up with Edward beneath Central.
Summary
Wielding his salvaged Philosopher's Stone, Alphonse trades blows with Pride, regenerating his armor and forging a discarded metal foot into a blade to pierce the homunculus's defense. When a decoy flash bomb from Fu lets him trap Pride under a fresh dome, Kimblee wonders aloud why the boy never simply used the stone to restore his body and flee. Alphonse answers that they could never abandon everyone else, then reveals Kimblee has swallowed a Philosopher's Stone of his own.
At Central Command, Alex Armstrong finally wounds Sloth's head, and Olivier strikes the exposed weak point beneath the skin. The homunculus proves faster than his bulk suggests, confirming himself the swiftest of his kind as he overwhelms them both.
Key Events
Alphonse springs his real trap: the repeated dust clouds are meant to foul Pride's new sense of smell so a transformed Heinkel, healed by Marcoh's stone, can bite into his neck. Yoki arrives in a jeep, deflecting Pride's strike and freeing Alphonse, and the group flees toward Central with Kimblee's broken body hurled behind them. Rather than die, Kimblee lets Pride absorb him to live on inside the homunculus.
Underground, May keeps running from the empowered Envy, realizing the Philosopher's Stones sustaining the Mannequins are exactly what she needs to save her clan. Alex, meanwhile, drives a giant spike through Sloth's arm and head and puts the choice of survival to the wavering Central soldiers. In the white room, with Jerso's saliva and Zampano's quills nearly spent and Edward pinned down, Mustang blasts through the wall Edward built earlier and offers his help.
Notes
The episode adapts the manga chapters covering everyone's combined strength and the archenemy. Its title card displays the arrays tattooed on Kimblee's palms. A continuity slip appears in Kimblee's suit, which briefly tears at the sleeve during Heinkel's chokehold before appearing whole again. His remark about Alphonse not simply fleeing with the stone is ironic, given that Kimblee himself spent years imprisoned with one and never used it to escape.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which episode of FMAB is filler?
Combined Strength, episode 52 of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, is not a filler episode; it directly adapts manga Chapters 92 (With Everyone's Strength) and 93 (Archenemy).
How does Alphonse trap Pride using Heinkel's help?
Alphonse kicks up repeated dust clouds to foul Pride's keen sense of smell, letting a transformed Heinkel, healed by Marcoh's Philosopher's Stone, sink his teeth into the homunculus's neck.
What happens to Kimblee at the end of this episode?
Rather than die from his wounds, Kimblee lets Pride absorb his body so that he can continue to live on inside the homunculus.
How does Mustang rejoin Edward's group underground?
Mustang blasts through the wall Edward had built earlier to seal off pursuers, breaking into the white room where Edward is pinned down and offering his help.
Why does May Chang want the Philosopher's Stones powering the Mannequin Soldiers?
While fleeing the empowered Envy underground, May realizes that the Philosopher's Stones sustaining the Mannequin Soldiers are exactly what she needs to save her clan.
Sources & Information
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View on FandomThis content is original writing by Daddy Jim Anime based on the Fullmetal Alchemist anime series, manga, and official materials. Fullmetal Alchemist was created by Hiromu Arakawa, published by Square Enix, and animated by Bones. All rights to Fullmetal Alchemist and its characters belong to their respective owners. Episode and chapter references are cited where applicable.
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