Episode 2: Body of the Sanctioned (2003 series)

Synopsis

Ed and Al face the false prophet Cornello, a supposed miracle worker using the science of alchemy for sinister reasons.

Full Synopsis

Seeing that Ed's limbs are automail and recognizing that Al is a disembodied soul bound to a suit of armor, Cornello immediately understands that the cause was a failed attempt at human transmutation - alchemy's greatest taboo. The forbidden alchemy of attempting to bring their mother back from the dead cost the Elric brothers - Edward to lose his limbs and Alphonse his entire body. They need the stone to fix their bodies back to the way they were before. Edward explains to Rosé that his injuries are the result of trying to resurrect the dead and advises her not to pursue such a path. Father Cornello transmutes his cane into a machine gun which holds off the Elrics until Cray arrives with some backup, forcing Ed to transmute a nearby wall into a door for them to escape.

As Rosé remains conflicted with what the Elrics said, the priest claims that with his Philosopher's Stone, he won't make the same mistake as them and promises to show her where Cain is as a reward for her faith in the Sun God. Father Cornello takes Rosé to a room where a shadowy figure, hidden behind drapes, is assumed to be Rosé’s resurrected boyfriend; though she is not allowed to see him as ‘his body is not complete yet’, but she notices a pile of bird feathers on the floor.

The followers of the priest then broadcast across Reole about the Elric brothers and how they are ‘disbelievers’ and tried to take the life of Father Cornello, leading the town to turn against them. Confrontation between the people of Reole and Edward happens, where Rosé then dramatically announces that her dead boyfriend Cain has been brought to life and that Edward is a liar. The sun god statues come to life and start hitting Ed and Al.

Ed is captured and taken to the priest, who takes his pocket watch, thinking it is the source of his abilities of transmuting without a circle and has Ed locked up. The next day, Al, completely undamaged, is shown to be sneaking off with a bell. The mysterious woman from before appears in the priest's room and warns him to keep the real reason behind the Philosopher's Stone a secret.

Rosé, now hesitant of the priest, sneaks in and discovers that her boyfriend Cain has not been brought back to life. The figure is similar to a badly formed large bird and can only mimic human sounds. Father Cornello explains that even with the stone, he can't risk what the Elrics had done, and then leaves the bird to attack Rosé, while he goes off to ‘take care’ of Ed. Al then comes to save Rosé.

Father Cornello confronts Ed at his prison. The priest confirms that he sees the citizens as nothing more than "mindless pawns" and that his true goal is to use religious faith and phony miracles to bring up a flock of devout followers who don't even fear death; with such a powerful force at his disposal, he plans to overthrow the current government and place himself as the head of the country. Meanwhile, Al and Rosé converse, with Rosé asking Al what happen to his mother, but Al does not answer and instead turns on the bell that he stole earlier with a speaker he had connected inside the bell to publicly broadcast Ed and Cornello's conversation. That is when Ed reveals his own "true plan", letting Cornello know that not only has he managed to break the chains holding him, but he has had the broadcast microphone on the entire time, airing the priest's whole plan to the townsfolk. Ed then tells the priest that Al is alive and what the statues attacked was actually junk Ed transmuted to look like Al.

Horrified and furious, Cornello fires his machine gun at Ed, but misses. Ed transmutes his automail arm into a sword and slices the gun in half, letting Cornello know that he doesn't get his abilities from a pocket watch. The priest fearfully runs outside where he sees the people of Reole have gathered and are frantically questioning him. In order to save himself, he makes the sun god statues move and brands it as a ‘miracle’. Edward, extremely irritated, uses alchemy to move the largest statue of the sun god. This display of Ed’s alchemic power stuns the priest and Al explains to Rosé that Ed's pocket watch has nothing to do with his abilities and that his brother is indeed the Fullmetal Alchemist. Father Cornello attempts to use the Philosopher's Stone which then bursts and disfigures his arm, revealing the stone to be a fake.

The disappointed brothers realize they will have to start searching again. As they prepare to leave the town, Rosé confronts them, furious with the Elrics for taking away the town's hope. She asks Ed what she has to live for now that she knows Cain won't come back. Ed responds that she should "walk on [her] own and move forward." Elsewhere, the mysterious woman - Lust, reveals to Father Cornello that the whole town was ‘juicy bait’ to the real stone seekers. Cornello is anguished that not only the stone turned out to be fake, but Lust had him fooled the entire time. He demands to know who she is and what she is really after. Her husky, stout companion Gluttony then eats the preacher up off-screen and a disguised Envy is forced to take the priest's form to convince the people with one more ‘miracle’. While the people rejoice, Rosé is left conflicted. A flashback then starts, with Al, in voice over, trying to tell Rosé about his and Ed's selves and their years of searching before Al leaves the town with his brother.

Transcript

• View the transcript for the English dub of this episode here.

Trivia and See Also

• This episode is adapted from content in Chapter 2: The Price of Life, Chapter 6: The Right Hand of Destruction, Chapter 21: The Brothers' Secret and Chapter 24: Fullmetal Alchemist.
• Chapter 2: The Price of Life
• Episode 3: City of Heresy (2009 series)

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