Fullmetal Alchemist/The Philosopher's Stone

The Philosopher's Stone
Season 1, Episode 8
Airdate	November 22, 2003
Written by	Aikawa Sho
Directed by	Mizushima Seiji
ADR Writer(s)	Jared Hedges Joel Bergen
ADR Director(s)	Colleen Clinkenbeard
← 1x07 Night of the Chimera's Cry	1x09 → Be Thou for the People
Fullmetal Alchemist — Season One

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The Philosopher's Stone is the eighth episode of the first season of Fullmetal Alchemist.

Cast: Vic Mignogna (Edward), Aaron Dismuke (Al), Caitlin Bell (Winry), Travis Willingham (Roy), Sonny Strait (Hughes), Colleen Clinkenbeard (Hawkeye), Dameon Clarke (Scar)

Additional Cast: Jerry Jewell (Barry the Chopper), Mike McFarland, Ed Blaylock (King Bradley), Tyler Walker, Jakie Cabe, Troy Baker, Linda Young

Plot Overview

The military begins to cleanup the remains of the Nina chimera, though Edward has a hard time letting go, trying to perform alchemy on the few bloody bits left. But the harsh truth is that he can't, nor should he try. Things get even harsher the next day when he receives his first order from Col. Mustang as a state alchemist - to go through and sort all of Tucker's notes and research. Ed doesn't like it one bit, though he does find mention of the Philosopher's Stone - a mysterious red jewel that magnifies the power of alchemy and allows people to ignore the Law of Equivalent Exchange.

Ed decides to quit the military, which becomes his saving grace when he runs into Scar on the street. Scar has made a decision to kill state alchemists - if Ed no longer is one, Scar has no beef with him.

Meanwhile, a series of murders has been taking place in Central, young women horribly butchered. They at first wonder if the Nina incident is related, but the modus operandi doesn't fit. The military is searching everyone who enters town, with no results. However, Winry gets more than she bargains for when she pays a visit to Central, and attracted by the promise of seeing new technology, is lured into a refrigerator van belonging to Barry the Chopper - the real serial killer! Ed quickly realizes something's wrong, and manages to track Barry and Winry to a warehouse, where he is knocked out and tied up by Barry. Barry removes Ed's arm, making it impossible to do alchemy, and difficult to even defend himself. Ed is sure he's going to die, until Al and the military show up and arrest Barry.

Ed is traumatized, but he has decided to remain in the military, if only because it gives him access to the resources he needs to find the Philosopher's Stone - the one thing that can get Al's body back.

Arc Advancement

Happenings

• Edward decides to quit the military, but changes his mind.
• Barry the Chopper is taken into custody.

Characters

• First appearance of Barry the Chopper.
• First appearance of Winry's mechanical obsession.