Alchemy is the science of understanding, decomposing,
and reconstructing matter.
However, it is not an all-powerful art.
It is impossible to create something out of nothing.
If one wishes to obtain something, something of equal value must be paid.
This equivalent exchange is the basis of alchemy.
Alchemists have a taboo, and it is human transmutation.
It is that which no one must commit.
God's children, who live upon this land, pray in faith
and ye shall be saved.
- The Sun God Leto illuminates footsteps. - You guys street performers or something?
Where do you get the idea we're street performers?
- You're not, then? - Thanks for lunch.
- I am the Emissary of... - Hey, excuse me, sir!
Sorry, sorry. We'll fix it.
- You'll fix it? - Yeah, just watch.
Okay, here goes!
Does that take care of it?
This is a surprise! You guys can perform miraculous works.
- What do you mean by that? - We're alchemists.
I've never seen alchemy before.
Ever heard of the Elric brothers?
Elric?
- Yeah! I've heard that name. - The Fullmetal Alchemist, Edward Elric.
Wow, so you're the gifted alchemist we've heard about?
Indeed, with this armor you're wearing your second name would be "Fullmetal?"
Not me.
The pipsqueak over there?
Who's a tiny bean sprout?
- Pray in faith, and thy entreaties... - So, what's with this broadcast?
That's Father Cornello.
He appeared in this town several years ago and preached to us the ways of God.
He gives immortality to the living and resurrection to the dead.
His miraculous works are proof of it.
"Resurrection to the dead?" Sounds fishy to me.
Is that it? What do you think?
No two ways about it, that metamorphic reaction is alchemy.
But he's ignoring equivalent exchange.
The law is that only one volume of mass can come from the same volume of mass.
He's changing vegetable into mineral, too.
- Brother, could it be... - Yeah, it could be.
Bingo!
God, please grant me my wish.
- Please bring him. - Huh, so this is Leto, is it?
- Are you interested in Letoism? - No, unfortunately, I'm areligious.
Well, that won't do.
To believe in and worship God and live with gratitude and hope,
it's such a marvelous thing.
If you believe, I'm sure you will grow taller.
- Hey, what was that for? - She didn't mean any harm.
"Resurrection to the dead." Do you honestly believe that?
Yes.
Water, 35 liters. Carbon, 20 kilograms. Ammonia, 4 liters. Lime, 1.5 kilogram.
Phosphorus, 800 grams. Salt, 250 grams. Saltpeter, 100 grams, and various others.
Huh?
That's the material makeup of a human body, calculated for one adult.
With our science now, we know that much, but there has never been
one reported case of a successful human transmutation actually taking place.
Are you telling me that what can't be done by science
can be done through prayer?
Pray in faith and thy entreaties shall be accorded thee.
Incidentally, if you go to the market,
you can buy all of these components with the change a small child might carry.
Humans can be made cheap.
People aren't things!
Your words are blasphemy against the Creator.
You're going to incur Heaven's wrath.
Alchemists are scientists, you see.
We don't believe in creators and God and such.
We lay bare the creative principles of this world, and pursue truth.
It's ironic that we scientists, who do not need God,
are in a certain sense the closest ones to being gods.
Are you saying you're on the same level as God? Such hubris!
Hubris, huh?
Now that you mention it, it was in some myth somewhere.
There was a hero, who got too close to the sun,
and his wings made of hardened wax were torn off and he was thrust to earth.
Brother.
Miss, do you think that Leto will even save a scientist,
such as myself, who thinks what I just said?
Of course! He will accept your repentance at any time.
Father, there are some people here who wish to see you.
A child, and someone in a suit of armor.
They gave their names as the Elric brothers.
I'm busy. Have them leave...
No, wait. Did you say the Elric brothers?
- Yes, that's what they called themselves. - This is bad.
He's the Fullmetal Alchemist, Edward Elric.
- The man in the armor? - Yeah, probably.
What would a State Alchemist be doing here?
Don't tell me they know about our plan.
Dog of the Military. Looks like your nose is pretty sharp.
This way, please.
The Father is quite busy, and cannot make very much time,
but you are in luck.
Sorry. We'll keep this as brief as we can.
Yes, indeed. Let's bring an end to this quickly.
Assistant Pastor, what are you doing?
Rose, these people are heathens who seek to ensnare the Father.
- They are wicked. - Oh, no!
Like you said, let's end this quickly!
- Strike! - Such a racket!
Welcome to our sacred order, Fullmetal Alchemist.
Father Cornello.
It looks like we had some rather disrespectful fellows here.
I apologize for their rudeness.
It's no apology, looking down on us from up there.
Have you come to receive our doctrine?
I would like you to teach it to me, by all means.
Like how you use cheap alchemy to deceive your believers.
Now, what could you mean by that?
I won't have you equating my miraculous works with alchemy.
What do you say? Can alchemy bring this about?
That's the thing about it.
How is it that you're able to transmute while ignoring the laws?
Like I said, it isn't alchemy.
That's when I started thinking,
if he were an alchemist, using an enchanted amplifier of legend
said to be able to make the impossible possible, then maybe he could do that.
- You mean... - Yes, exactly. The Philosopher's Stone.
That's what that ring of yours is, isn't it?
- I've been looking for that. - This is just an ordinary ring.
I have been permitted by God to perform miraculous works.
Are you still dissembling?
It looks like I'm just going to have to grab you, and beat it out of you.
You appear to be quite the incorrigible heathen.
- Rose. - Yes?
Pick up that gun lying on the floor there.
Huh? Okay.
Now shoot the Fullmetal Alchemist with it.
No. I can't.
My word is God's word. This is the will of God.
Rose, shoot him.
What's the matter?
When you lost your boyfriend in an accident last year,
who was it that saved you from the very depths of despair?
You, Father Cornello.
That's right. I saved you. And what did I promise you?
That you would bring him back to life!
I'm not him!
I'm the Fullmetal Alchemist, dammit!
You mean you're the one?
I'm sorry. I have no choice but to do it.
- He's a swindler. - You're wrong!
Father Cornello is going to bring him back with his miraculous works!
Then shoot.
Al!
That will do. God is pleased. Now, shoot the other one, too.
What an awful thing to make your believer do.
What?
What's going on?
- Nothing to it. - This is what's going on.
An empty suit of armor!
This is indeed proof that these people are wicked!
They should be purged!
Is this the first time you've ever seen a Chimera?
You even made this with your Philosopher's Stone?
This could be trouble, taking him on unarmed.
No transmutation circle!
I guess the State Alchemist title is not just for show, then. However...
Well? How do you like the taste of claws that can cut through iron?
Gotcha!
Unfortunately for you, this was specially made.
Bite him to death!
What's wrong, pussycat? Get a good taste of it!
Your arm.
A brother who is just an armor.
I get it. So that's what's going on.
Fullmetal Alchemist, you went and did it, didn't you?
Come on down here, third-string! Let me show you how outclassed you are!
Rose, these people have performed human transmutation,
the greatest taboo for any alchemist!
They tried to bring someone dead back to life.
The hero gets too close to the sun, his wings are torn off,
and is thrust back to earth.
Oh, no.
This is what someone who trespasses in God or whoever's domain looks like.
Rose, are you prepared to become like this?
Edward Elric, to think that you became a State Alchemist like that!
It's laughable!
Shut up! You're just a third-rate phony
that can't do anything without a Philosopher's Stone.
Father, we want you to hand over the Stone before you get hurt.
Ridiculous! You fools, who would tread upon God's domain!
This time, I will send you back to God for good.
Nah, God probably hates me, after all.
If I went there, I think he'd just send me back.
Al!
What are you doing? After them!
They are heathens who are trying to harm the order!
Seize them!
Stop!
Hey, boy, what are you going to do empty-handed?
Surrender, before you get hurt.
Don't get careless, just because he's a child!
Coming through!
Do you see now, Rose?
Cornello shot at us, even though you were there with us.
That was because you were...
Is it true what he said back there?
All we wanted to do was see our mom's smiling face again.
But our transmutation failed. It didn't even have a human form.
We were made to realize our mistake.
People do not come back from the dead, including our mom.
That's not true. I mean...
The basis of alchemy is equivalent exchange.
The price of our human transmutation was enormous.
Brother's left leg, and my whole body was taken away.
Do you see it? Brother drew it with his own blood.
His left leg had been taken away. He had to have been in pain.
But Brother transmuted my soul in exchange for his right arm,
and bonded me to this suit of armor.
I want to restore Brother's body back to the way it was.
Brother wants to get me back to normal, too.
We might even lose our lives as a result.
That's the karmic nature of the path we chose.
- But Father Cornello can... - Rose!
Father Cornello can do it, even if you weren't able to.
He can!
Kid. Say your prayers!
Mister, let's speak frankly here.
I just want to know the secrets of that Stone.
Or should I request that the military be called in
to investigate the Stone?
Very well.
What are you trying to do with the Philosopher's Stone?
If you have it, you don't need any rinky-dink religious order, right?
The order would gladly give their lives for my sake
and provides me with more believers!
They will be the ultimate legion, not even afraid to die, just you watch!
In just a few more years,
I'm going to set out to rip this country apart
using the Philosopher's Stone and my idiotic believers!
I'll even share the leftovers with you!
What's so funny?
Like I said, you're third-string.
You don't mean...!
There are no miraculous works.
It was all done with the power of the Philosopher's Stone.
Why, you...!
- When did you flip that switch? - Right at the start.
- It's all out of the bag now. - How could you do that?
You little brat!
Too slow!
Like I said, you're outclassed.
I am unrivaled!
It's a rebound!
I'm not giving up yet! I am... I am...
the Emissary of God!
My word is the word of God!
My fist is the fist of God!
Fist of God, my foot!
If you want it that much, you can have it!
Shut up! Let me see the Philosopher's Stone!
It broke. How can that be?
How does a Philosopher's Stone,
which is supposed to be a perfect material, break?
I don't know. I don't know anything about this!
Spare me! Please! I was wrong!
It's a fake?
I can't do anything without the Stone. Spare me!
We've come this far, thinking we could finally get back...
And it's a fake.
What about me?
Go on, go wherever the hell you like!
Right!
- What about the Philosopher's Stone? - It was just a big knockoff.
I thought we were finally going to get you your body back, too.
Give me the Philosopher's Stone!
Rose.
Like I said, it was just a big knockoff. What's more, it broke all on its own.
Liar! You want to keep it all for yourself, don't you?
For your bodies... yeah, and to use on your mother one more time.
Shut up!
Dead people do not come back to life, ever!
Ever!
He said he would come back. He said if I prayed, it would come true.
That a miracle would happen.
What am I supposed to live my life clinging to now?
Tell me!
You have to figure that out for yourself.
Stand up and walk. Move forward.
You've got two fine legs there, don't you?
You don't need to cling to anything.
- What's going on here? - Send out the Father!
- Have you been deceiving us? - Open up!
That kid has destroyed my ambitions.
Indeed, it's all ruined.
We should have just incited a little rebellion.
You...!
Say, Lust, can I eat this old man?
No, Gluttony. If you eat him, it will upset your stomach.
Everyone is treating me like a fool!
We're done with you.
And here things were getting heated up.
Now we'll have to start over from the beginning again.
Father is going to be angry with us.
Now then, I wonder what means we should take next.