* Sneak preview title page is posted by paca on page 5 here.
* Sneak preview of some of the pages from the chapter are posted by Kasumisty on page 6 here.
* Quick translations of preview pages by Tombow are posted here.

* DL link for the raw is in here, and mirror links are: Rapidshare, Megaupload, Sendspace, & Mediafire, all courtesy of Edwy03 and posted here and here.
(THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! )

* Page by page viewing of the chapter, created by Causmicfire and posted here.

* Translation by Tombow is posted here. (Scroll down to Tombow's post on this page)
* Translation by HisshouBuraiKen is posted on page 12, here.

----------------------

WARNING: Openly posted (without Spoiler tags) chapter 96 content spoilers beyond this post!!

----------------------

Stalking from 2ch from a friend of mine has revealed the following:
Father admits that the human sacrifices obtained till now are not enough.
The battle between Hohenheim and Father commences.
The Fuhrer/Wrath reappears...

Should be reliable *nods* Source: 2ch Will update this entry on my LJ if I find new stuff too: http://amestris-star.livejournal.com/42708.html#cutid1

Thoughts: I think we all thought this would happen now... however, the human sacrifices are not enough-thing... frightens me a bit... *shiver* Considering how many people will be there... now... argh.

Cool, spoilers are finally out. Thanks amestris_star! I can't wait to see Father and Hoho face off, it should be pretty epic.
Seriously, how many more people need to die? T_T
I wonder what Wrath is up to...

Wow, so early!

I'm looking forward to Hoho vs Father! And reapperance of Wrath!

Uhuhu, already spoilers? Niiiiice~
Thank you, amestris_star
Ah, well, we knew that there is going to be Hoho, but Bradley~, can't wait to see that, so if we get Bradley maybe also Grummy (evil or not? this is our main question~)

Zomg, thanks for the spoilery goodness! \o/

Father vs. Hoho? Yesssss! This is going to be awesome. And Wrath is back...I wonder what he's got planned?? I want to know!!! And that "the human sacrifices are not enough" thing definitely worries me...ahhhh so excited!

*calms down*

Thank you, Edwy03!!! And, Causmicfire, and aslo amestris_star, paca, & Kasumisty!!
Hohenheim vs Father!!! I have been waiting for this!!

Chapter 96: Two Fearless Heroines

Page 1:
SFX: Clank
----------------------
SFX: Clunk
----------------------
SFX: (in distance) Bang
Soldier at the other end of communication line: "Hey, you can stop the firing now!" "Cease fire!"
----------------------
Soldier A: "Cease fire!"
Soldier B: "Cease fire!!"
----------------------
Soldier C: "Cease fire!!"
Caption on the side: Central is being shaken by the upheaval


Page 2:
Briggs' soldier's voice over the communication: "Briggs' company has taken over the Operations Command Center at the Central Headquarters."
-----------------------
Briggs' soldier's voice over the communication: "We are holding Brigadier General Cremin and others, total of Thirteen from the Central Army in our custody."
-----------------------
Briggs' soldier's voice over the communication: "I repeat,"
-----------------------
Briggs' soldier' at the communication: "Operations Command Center at the Central Headquarters is occupied by Briggs' company!"
-----------------------
Brigadier General Cremin: "Hmm..." "That heavy attack by the tank was to mask the noise of digging the tunnel with alchemy...!"


Page 3:
Izumi: "You got it."
SFX: Smile
-----------------------
Briggs' soldier' at the communication: "Do not attack Briggs' soldiers and Mustang's company." "Otherwise, we may cut off Brigadier General Cremin's head!"
-----------------------
Central Army soldier at the communication: "What did you say?!" "I couldn't catch..."
SFX: (noise all around) Bang Bang Bang Bang Bang Bang
SFX: (Zombie) "Guah"
-----------------------
Communications soldier: "What?!"
Sergent: "What happened?!"
-----------------------
Communications soldier: "The Command Center has been captured by the Briggs' soldiers!"
Sergent: "?!!"


page 4:
Central Army Communications soldier fighting with Olivier: "It seems Brigadier General Cremin has been captured!!"
Olivier: "!"
----------------------
Olivier on the communication line: "Is Buccaneer there?!"
----------------------
Olivier on the communication line: "We got a numerous number of humanoid creatures that are sickly pale and each with only on eye within the Headquarters building."
----------------------
Olivier on the communication line: "They are hard to kill, and they eat humans!"
SFX: (zombies) Ohhh Ohhh Ohh
----------------------
Olivier on the communication line: "East, West, North, and South, shut down all Four gates for the Headquarters, and do not open them, no matter what happens!!" "Do not let any one of them escape outside and into the town!!" "Eliminate them all withing the Headquarters' premises!!"
-----------------------
Buccaneer: "Aye, aye!"
SFX: Clank


Page 5:
(At the near by building where Fuherer's office is located)
Central Army Brass officer: "What, what...?" "What is Cremin doing?!"
-----------------------
SFX: (footsteps) Click Click Click Click
Central Army Brass officer: "Abandon the Command center at the Headquarters!!"
-----------------------
SFX: Fling
Central Army Brass officer: "From this moment, this is the new Command center!!"
-----------------------
Central Army Brass officer: "Fuherer''s office......!!"
-----------------------
Central Army Brass officer: :Fuherer's chair..."
-----------------------
Central Army Brass officer: "If I can keep the Army intact through this crisis......"
SFX: Gulp


Page 6
SFX: Chomp
----------------------
SFX: (Alex, elsewhere in HQ) Hmm
----------------------
SFX: Tore


Page 7
Alex: "Is there more of them coming?!"
Soldier: "Major General, what are are they?!!"
-----------------------
Olivier: "They are called 'Immortal Army.'" "They are created by attaching human souls onto puppet dolls..." "They are soldiers who do not have the fear of death."
-----------------------
Zombies: "Body..." "Body..." "Give me the body..." "Give me..." "Body..."
-----------------------
Olivier: "Ordinary soldiers like you would probably end up being used as souls to create those soon or later."
Soldier: ".......!!"
-----------------------
SFX: Tear Toar Tear


Page 8:
SFX: Pull
----------------------
SFX: Drag Drag Drag
----------------------
Soldier A: "He is still moving!!"
Soldier B: "How many more times do we have to kill him before that one finally dies?!"
----------------------
Alex: "Well then, here is another attack!!"


Page 9
Sloth: "Ugah......" "It is,"
SFX: Rise
----------------------
Sloth: "Too tiresome," "To die----"
SFX: Rustle
----------------------
SFX: Bang
----------------------
Alex: "He got no sense of direction!"
----------------------
Olivier: "...Wait."
SFX: Grrrr


Page 10
Olivier: "That one now has......."
----------------------
SFX: Ghaa
----------------------
Olivier: "Wider body!!!"
----------------------
Alex: "Gah..."
SFX: Thrust


Page 11
SFX: Shrink
----------------------
SFX: Thwaaack
----------------------
SFX: (Alex and Olivier) Thud Thud
Soldier: "Major!!"
Soldier: "Major General Armstrong!!"


Page 12
Alex: "Oh..." "He tricked us..."
Olivier: "Cough"
-----------------------
Soldier: "Major!!"
Alex: "Do not come near us!!"
-----------------------
Alex: "We are his target!!" "Stay away!!"
-----------------------
Soldier: ".......!"


Page 13
Soldier: "Hey!"
Another soldier: "?!"
-----------------------
Sloth: "Un..." "Yielding," "Female General." "Must be killed."
SFX: Stagger
-----------------------
SFX: "Dash
-----------------------
Soldier: "Pull!!!"


Page 14
SFX: Taut
----------------------
SFX: (Sloth) Push
----------------------
SFX: (Soldiers) Pull
Soldiers: "Ohhhhh!!!"


Page 15
SFX: Drag Drag Drag
-----------------------
SFX: (Sloth) Push
-----------------------
SFX: (Soldiers) Pull
Soldier: "Stand firm!!!"
-----------------------
SFX: Pull
Soldier: "Please run!!"
-----------------------
Soldier: "Quick, please come this way!!"
Soldier: "We'll open up the escape rout!!"


Page 16
Alex: "......'Please run away,' you say.......?"
-----------------------
Alex: "Are you telling me to run away, from the battle field? Again?!!!" "No way I would do such!!!"
-----------------------
SFX: Bang
----------------------
SFX: Thud Thud Thud
----------------------
Izumi: "Determined to stay in a fight, and not to run! I like that!" "That's one fine specimen of a man, there."
SFX: Flip Flop


Page 17
Izumi: "Although, my hubby is a million times finer man."
SFX: Crack Crack
----------------------
Olivier: "...Who are you?"
Izumi: "Oh, female General?" "...That means, you must be Major General Armstrong. Aren't you?"
---------------------
Izumi: "Your subordinates have asked me to come over here to help you out."
---------------------
Olivier: ".....Those guys. What an unnecessary meddling!"


Page 18:
Soldiers: "Ohhhh?!"
SFX: Taut
-----------------------
Soldier: "We can no longer hold him..." "A lady there, please run---------!!!"
-----------------------
SFX: (Sloth) Ohhhhh
----------------------
SFX: Grab


Page 19:
SFX: Fling
-----------------------
Izumi: "Hon," "He is on your way."


Page 20:
Sig: "I got it."
SFX: Swing
-----------------------
SFX: Punch
-----------------------
SFX: Thuuuuud
-----------------------
Alex: "You... You are..."


Page 21:
SFX: Looms
----------------------
SFX: (Sig to Alex) My friend!!!
----------------------
SFX: (Sig to Alex) Stand up besides me!!!
-----------------------
SFX: (Sig with hand sign) Come
-----------------------
Alex: "Oh..."
SFX (Alex) Stomp
-----------------------
Alex: "My courage grows," "A hundred fold!!!"
SFX: Ohhhhhhh
----------------------
Sloth: "Ugah?
SFX: Rubble Rubble


Page 22:
SFX: Thwack
-----------------------
SFX: Punch
-----------------------
SFX: Shove
-----------------------
SFX: Grip
-----------------------
Alex & Sig: "Hah"


Page 23:
Alez & Sig: "Ohhh"
SFX: Fling
-----------------------
SFX: Thud
-----------------------
Sloth: "Cough"
-----------------------
SFX: Grip
-----------------------
Sloth: "Gha?"


Page 24:
Sloth: "Oh......"
SFX: Gahhh
-----------------------
SFX: Grip
SFX: Snap
----------------------
Alex: "He is still moving..."
----------------------
SFX: Crumble
----------------------
Sloth: "Ah."
SFX: Crumble
----------------------
SFX: Crumble Crumble


Page 25:
Sloth: "..............................Ah."
---------------------
Sloth: "Am I," "Going to die?"
SFX: Crumble
----------------------
Sloth: "Die?" "Die??" "Die???"
----------------------
Sloth: "............." "What is," "Death?"
SFX: Crumble
----------------------
Sloth: "............"
----------------------
Sloth: "It's," "Too tiresome," "To," "Think-----"
SFX: Crumble


Page 26:
Sloth: "Ahh," "I'm getting,"
SFX: Crumble Crumble Crumble
-----------------------
Sloth: "Too," "Tiresome," "To," "Live."


Page 27:
SFX: Vanish
----------------------
SFX: (Alex) Whew
----------------------
SFX: (Alex) Collapse
Soldier: "Major!"
----------------------
Olivier: "Sorry, but I'm going to take a brief rest."
Soldier: "Yes, Ma'am!" "Please leave the rest to us!"
----------------------
Olivier: "I don't know who you are or where you are from, but I appreciate your assistance."
Izumi: "You're welcome!"


Page 28:
Olivier: "You must be some well-known martial artist with distinctions..."
[/b]Izumi[/b]: "Me?" "Oh, no, no. I'm just a housewife, and an alchemist!"
-----------------------
Izumi: "You know the Elric brothers, don't you?" "We are sort of like their family."
-----------------------
Olivier: "Then, you must be Izumi Curtis!"
-----------------------
Alex (or maybe Olivier): "Are Elric brothers joining this battle also?"
-----------------------
Izumi: "Yes." "They should be somewhere in the City."
-----------------------
Alex: "Well, we should take care of the rest of puppet soldiers." "Can you stand up, elder sister?"
Olivier: "No problem. These are just minor injuries. They are not going to affect me."
----------------------
Izumi: "Hey, hey! You should be taking some rest!"
----------------------
Alex: "Ha ha..." "We adults can not stay laying down and taking rests while young one are fighting out there."


Page 29:
Olivier: "We have to show the young ones, who are going to carry the future on their back, how we live this world," "As the adults who are carrying the world on our back now!"
-----------------------
Izumi: "Well then, we are going to help you also."
Alex: "That will be appreciated!"
-----------------------
Izumi: "Yeah but, please don't expect too much from us." "It seems that I'm targeted to be used as one of the 'human sacrifices'..."
------------------------
Izumi: "So, after fighting for a while, I have to run away," "Before I get caught by some troublesome fellow."


Page 30:
SFX: (usual underground Central noise where Father resides) Glonk
-----------------------
SFX: Glonk Glonk Glonk
-----------------------
SFX: Glonk Glonk
-----------------------
SFX: Glonk


Page 31:
Hohenheim: "This is our emotional reunion in such a long time, and you haven't said a word."
----------------------
Father: "......................."
----------------------
Hohenheim: "You have became such an uninteresting fellow." "Before, you were full of emotions, and a fun person to be with."
----------------------
Hohenheim: "Lust, greed, Sloth, gluttony, envy, wrath, and pride......." "Humans are said to have Seven cardinal sins."
----------------------
Hohenheim: "Indeed, excessive wants would destroy one..." "On the other hand, all of these emotions are important elements on understanding humans." "Whe did you cast them off?"


Page 32:
Father: "I do not want to be a human."
----------------------
Father: "I want to become a perfect existence."
SFX: Zap
Hohenheim: "Whoa?!"


Page 33:
SFX: Shove
Hohenheim: "Oh..."
----------------------
SFX: Zap
----------------------
SFX: Thump Thump
Hohenheim: "...Hey, that's dangerous."
----------------------
SFX: Slither
----------------------
SFX: Shove


Page 34:
Hohenheim: "Hey, listen to me!!"
-----------------------
SFX: Bang
Hohenheim: "...Are you kidding?!!!"
-----------------------
SFX: Zap


Page 35:
SFX: Bang
----------------------
SFX: Creek
Hohenheim: "Will you stop it?" "I'm not very good at fighting....."
----------------------
Hohenheim: "Whoa!!"
SFX: Bang
----------------------
Hohenheim: "Oh," "Oh."
SFX: Slither
----------------------
Hoheheim: "Did you say you wont to become a human?"


Page 36:
Hohenheim: "If that is so, then why do you make these homunculi call you 'Father' and keep them around you?"
SFX: (Ho-ho's dragon) Ohhh
----------------------
SFX: (Father's dragon) Ohhhh
----------------------
SFX: Crash
----------------------
Hohenheim: "When you were inside the flask, you even looked down on the community that we call "family!"
----------------------
Hohenheim: "In your heart,"


Page 37:
Hohenheim: "You wanted to have a family like other ordinary humans, didn't you?"


Page 38:
SFX: Rumble
----------------------
SFX: Drop
Hohenheim: "!"
----------------------
Hohenheim: "Damn him..." "He liquidized the ground, and swam in and run away!"
----------------------
Hohenheim: (thinking) Where did he go?! Is he going to hide out somewhere till the Alchemy circle for the whole nation would become activated, isn't he...?


Page 39:
SFX: Stab


Page 40:
SFX: Zap
----------------------
SFX: Zap
----------------------
SFX: Zap
Father: "I will take..."
----------------------
SFX: Zap
----------------------
Father: "The Philosopher's Stone inside you!"
SFX: Zap
----------------------
SFX: Zap


Page 41:
SFX: Pull
-----------------------
SFX: (Hohenheim) Slump
-----------------------
Father: "........?!"
-----------------------
Hohenheim: "Finally, I see some emotions on your face."
-----------------------
Father: "......... What have you done?"


Page 42:
Honenheim: "Just something," "You would have never done."
-----------------------
Hohenheim: "Little one in the flask," "when you casted aside all your important feelings, along with them You have lost something that was very significant."
-----------------------
Hohenheim: "Do not overestimate that," "Someone who had thrown away all his essential feelings, like you, can easily overcome US humans."
-----------------------
Caption on the side: The one who "has" and the one who "has not," What are the decisive differences between these two...?!"

(end of chapter 97)
-----------------------
(Next chapter will be out in Japan on Friday, July 10)



I'll be back later to edit typos and other stuff. :p

I sincerely hope we get more info soon, I'll be hunting for more stuff for sure

And guys, whoever has access, keep an eye on the Chinese forums

@everyone: You're welcome

@amestris_star: thank you so much for the information on chapter 96. Hopefully the preview pic and RAWS will be here soon too.

I had the weirdest feeling that Bradley wasn't dead! omg Thank you !

I think we all had, it was too good to be true that he got killed by that accident. And I think Grumman knew that...

I am pretty sure everyone knew Bradley wasn't dead. The no body rule pretty much always indicates that. And for such an important character it would have been pretty lame if he died in a train accident off screen.

Anyways woot next chapter is going to be epic. But then that's true for every chapter. I just wish I had more willpower to stay away from spoilers.

Oh for sure, there's no way that guy died without such a fuss. There will probably be some decisive battle with him...and I wonder how he'll react to his wife being kidnapped?

@Kirara: I agree with you about knowing that Bradley wasn't dead. Having him die off screen just would not do his character justice.

I too wish I could have the power to stay away from spoilers, but alas that is to no avail.

Thanks amestris_star for bringing the spoilers!

The Hohenheim vs. Father will definitely be awsome. And I knew that Bradley will return in this chapter. But I wonder where he will appear: maybe the 3rd lab, where Ed and the others are? Then I'll be worried.

I wanna see preview pics and raw!

Well, Japanese people are sleeping right now, so we'll probably get new stuff tomorrow... hopefully.

And lol, someone on 2ch just posed the brilliant question: Is there any Roiai in the chapter? Still no response to that...

Anticipation levels - rising.

<cough... the term "Jap" is considered as derogatory by some, and hence I think it might be better to avoid using it unless you mean to offend. :) ~ Tombow>

... I think the first post really needs a spoiler tag to cover it up xD; I knew I shouldn't have clicked the topic, darn lol

Ahahaha, can't wait for the reply there xD

About Chinese forum, will do~

Nahahaha, I luv but at the same time hate this waiting xD This few days between first spoilers and raw of the chapter are torture but still it's so fun just waiting and wondering what is true and how is it going to look like~

And, I was just editing it... Anyway, I added the warning and added the spoiler covers on the first post.

Hohenheim vs Father! FINALLY.

Ugh, I feel like I've been waiting forever for that! What have they been doing while all the other things have been happening? Just staring at each other whimsically? Having tea? Discussing Hohenheim's travels? Writing FMA omake with the Ara-Cow-a?

ZE FUHRER! Sieg Fuhrer Bradley! Bradley showing up again after a while was, of course, bound to happen. I wonder if he'll be showing up in Father's lair or trying to hold things together in Central Command.

My only disappointment with those spoilers is that Izumi isn't mentioned, since she just showed up again. Also, I'd like to see Alphonse again sometime soon. Or maybe Edward actually doing something.

Thanks Tombow for that and sorry AA battery... didn't mean that =(

Come on now she can't show what everyone has been doing at once. So even if events are happening at the same time, she has to show them in different chapters. It doesn't mean time is elapsing for the other characters while she isn't showing them. It's been a couple months for us since we saw Hohenheim/Father (the end of Vol. 22 in fact) it hasn't been that much time for them.

Also I am assuming there is still more to the chapter then these brief spoilers.

Thanks, amestris_star! You is amazing!

A Hoho vs. Father showdown will be amazing, and I really have wondered what they've been up to this time. Perhaps a staring contest? Maybe reading all those newspapers Father bought in that omake? XD

Either way, the fact that they need more sacrifices makes me want to scream for everyone to just keep away from Central...there's Ed walking in there with Scar and Roy, Mei wandering in alone, and Al coming over with Marcoh in tow.

In other words, they're screwed. It's going to be amazing, though.

And Wrath, it's about time. I never doubted he was alive, though.

Definitely. Those are just extremely brief initial spoilers - they just tend to increase the suspence.

Wow! Thanks amestris_star! And it's about time, Arakawa-sensei. w00t!

Thank you, amestris_star!

Finally! This is what I've been waiting for. ;-;
But I am worried...

wrath is totally showing up at winry's house to grab her [All hail lord Xenu]! I think shes going to be a hostage again not as easily as before though... She will put up a fight!

Now, I'm a bit mixed up:

I'm not really sure about who exactly are the human sacrifices: are they the alchemists, specially those that have opened the gate before (Ed, Al, Izumi, etc.), or are they the civilians that have to be killed in a specific location (ex: ishvalians)

I always thought it was the alchemists, but I'm not sure anymore after reading the spoilers. Can someone help me?

'Bout darn time Hohenheim shows up! I've been wanting to see him in action for AGES! (Ed and Al need to pop in, too. What better way to bond than through kicking butt? Then again, this is probably something of an "I have to do this on my own" moment.)

The human sacrifice count scares me, though. I'm with Gimpyhair on the confusion. Does it just refer to the alchemists, or ALL the required "ingredients" for the stone? Either way, you can call them that, but I think the alchemists are more often referred to as such... I just don't know.

Oh God, I hope so! I like the idea of Winry being the "damsel in distress" and Ed being the "knight in shining armor".
...
.....
You were all thinking it!

As obvious by the previous Philosopher's Stone made by Father, a person doesn't necessarily have to have seen the Doors of Truth to be a candidate for human sacrifice. He used an entire country, largely of nobodies and slaves in Xerxes. I think, though, that whatever he has planned, though, will be more successful if the sacrifices are talented alchemists who have seen the Doors. In other words, the main sacrifices are the people who have seen the Truth, but other human sacrifices are used as a base medium.

At least, this is my understanding of it.

I think these are too different things actually. The sacrifices used to make the stone are one thing. These I guess would be the people in the locations where all the violence is taking place. However I actually don't think Father is trying to just make a philosopher stone this time. Marcoh once theorized this as well and Envy only told him you were close.

However there are also the human sacrifice candidates. It seems Father needs 5 he already confirmed Ed, Al, & Hohenheim and possibly Izumi. It seems he needs one more refer back to the very end of chapter 73. Now we know these 4 can do alchemy without a circle because of Truth (well Hohenheim is a bit different). Roy & Marcoh are also possibilities but they have not seen Truth yet. And another thing although I often see this translated as human sacrifice candidate I also see it translated as human vessel.

So now I wonder if Father needs more of the 1st sacrifice (more human lives) or a couple more alchemists who have seen Truth. I guess we won't know until we see the actual chapter.

Hm, good point. After all, we don't quite know yet what Father is up to, and it does seem different than just making a Philosopher's Stone.

But still, I wonder if those other human lives are just the curious type you can use to make the stone, ordinary humans that Father needs for "filler" in his recipe for... whatever.

My guess? A giant Cowzilla that looks like Arakawa!

Now that would be quite sinister of Father. Just think of all the milk Ed might be forced to drink.

Brutal!

I'll drink it for him. I like milk.

Thank you, I really needed that explanation. Now I'm trying to do a summary of what I know right now.

Facts:

- Experiments during Ishval http://www.onemanga.com/Full_Metal_Alchemist/59/02/ : 13 humans were used. No other humans were inside the array. Result: a small stone
- Xerxes http://www.onemanga.com/Full_Metal_Alchemist/75/14/ : several neighbourhood (presumably 8) were used. There was a whole city inside the array. Hohenheim's blood was needed for Father to open the Gate. Results: a human stone and a body for Father, both of them are immortal.
- Amestris (present): several cities (presumably 8) were used. There's a whole country inside the array. 5 alchemists that have seen the Truth (if possible) are also needed. We don't know the results yet.


Speculations:

I think there's two kind of human sacrifice like Kirara says:
- there is those we are more familiar with http://www.onemanga.com/Full_Metal_Alchemist/59/02/ , the neighbourhoods for Xerxes and populations like Ishval for Amestris.
- there is those that are the alchemists who have seen the Truth. If Father really need 5 of them, then maybe there's a relation to the array in the shape of a pentagon at the middle of the bigger array: http://www.onemanga.com/Full_Metal_Alchemist/59/04/ Or maybe Father wants to use their blood, like what he did with Hohenheim.

Also if:
small group of humans in 8 locations = small stone
several neighbourhood in 8 locations + whole city inside array + blood = human stone + body for Father + immortality for two persons
Then:
several cities in 8 locations + whole country inside array = something bigger

The something bigger could be a lot of thing. Maybe Father want to be a god-like character or be a new Truth.



Anyway, what do you think?

Reading the spoilers for this upcoming chapter has me on the edge of me seat! I have been waiting for ages to see Hohenheim verse Father and redeem himself for the tragedy of the past. The thought of Father needing more human sacrifices as a posible base medium really sets my hair on end. I am still speculating as to who will become the next one of Father´s principal sacrifices (the alchemists or those who have seen Truth.) I have a feeling that alchemists such as Colonel Mustang, Mei, and Tim Marcoh are going to become quickly intertwined in whatever Father is scheming although they have no yet seen Truth. I am also worried about where Wrath will make his grand reintroduction., considering that it could put a great deal of characters in jeapordy. It is also going to be fascinating to see what role the final sins will play in Father´s plan. Part of me thinks that we haven´t yet seen the last of Gluttony. We also have to keep in mind that giant transmutation circle that Sloth was creating...

I a suppose my question now is that of everyone: Does Father need more humans as base "fodder" to start the fire, or does he need more alchemists?

-Part of me thinks that Father is up to more than just creating a Philosopher´s stone...

The thing about the human sacrifices makes me shiver. I've been under the impression that 'human sacrifices' were alchemists who had seen the truth, but the theory about two sorts of human sacrifices makes sense. After all, Roy's group have been purposly not killing anyone. And we know that major battles have taken place in most (if not all) of the main points around the giant underground transmutation circle.

As for Wrath- glad he's back! Hoping to see a return of Grumman too!

@amestris_star thanks for the info. so can't wait for the big fight that father and hoho are going to do. i wonder who is going to win this fight. but who cares cause this fight will be epic. EPIC I SAY!!!!!!!!

I care who wins!.

I am looking forward to the battle, but hope there's some good dialogue as well.

I may be making this too simple, but I think Father is simply trying to free himself from the tubes he dependent on and to extend his life or become immortal.

Maybe I'm confusing myself here, but didn't one of the homunculi say something once about how Roy can open the portal for them, or something?

Hmm....

Right now my thinking is that Wrath is going to show up where Scar, Ed, Mustang, and Hawkeye are.

"Have him open the gate"

Kill Hawkeye and make Mustang do a human transmutation? ***WORRIED***

God, I hope not! That would the biggest cliché EVER. I would be extremely disappointed in Arakawa if she followed such a lame plot O.o
She has always been so creative about her plots and outcomes... It would be really a downfall.

Unless they intended to do so, but Wrath changed his mind... since he's also a very 'human' homunculus... That would fit the 'hints' about him somewhat admiring the humans and actually liking his wife and everything.

That has long been a popular speculation...with these spoilers it does seem a bit more likely, but I still have the nagging feeling its too obvious and definitely too cliche for Arakawa, as Turdaewen said. Also, I like your theory on Wrath changing his mind.

If something like that did happen, It would also work for a theory I posted a while ago in the Ch. 95 forum. In 95, Hawkeye said, to put it into blunt terms, that she would kill herself if Mustang were to be killed. This is clearly stated, and makes me think that Arakawa would not have that scenario occur. However, if the REVERSE happens, with Hawkeye getting killed, it would not only play into that theme, but two other themes as well -

-wanting to protect his subordinates and have them protect those below them
-Mustang opening the gate

I for one think it's too cliche for Arakawa to even think about. But now that we are getting closer to the end I think anything sounds sensible to discuss.

I personally think that instead of messing with the underground situation, Bradley will go to the radio station and mess up the situation in the city.

Up there, we've Roy-tachi pretending to side with Führer on the radio station with Mrs. Bradley. Bradley could just go there and take over the command of Breda, Fuery, Ross etc. and they would have to obey to a certain point, especially if Mrs. Bradley is still with them. Their, and media's, hands would be tied. This would also make it harder for them to get rid of Bradley at any point, because they've established themselves as being in his side.

After this Bradley could at least theoretically take over the larger part of the military again, because high ranked Generals on his side know he's a homunculus and they'd be screwed with daddy if they tried to rebel. After this Bradley could possibly eliminate Roy-tachi and the Briggs gang.

Or not. Briggs gang has Izumi xP

Besides that, they're doing pretty well overthrowing the government so Bradley could be helpless up there. Then he could go to have some tea with Ed, Scar, Hawkeye and Roy.

(Looks like I'm back in the fold again xD Upper Secondary School [high school] is a killer.)

I doubt they're just going to have Roy see the Truth by killing Hawkeye and hoping he tries to bring her back to life. It just seems like something Roy would be too wise to attempt, especially after seeing how it affected the Elrics. Not to mention, when is he going to have the opportunity to do it? They're sort of in the final showdown, aren't they? What, is he going to take a time out to perform an eleborate human transmutation? No, it just doesn't fly to me.

Then again, Bradley did say he would have Roy open the gate. But that was a long time ago. How's that going to happen now?

The best bet is to wait and see what Arakawa has planned.

OMG!!! You're right! Bradley can really mess up the hole 'trying to make the population unaware' plan. O.O That can bring to the country's collapse after all... :s Man...

About Riza dying, I've said that before, but not only it would be completely cliché it would ruin Mustang's character. I mean, she's probably the only thing that prevents him for giving it all up. After Hughes death, she's his only pillar left. They're way too connected at this point to actually survive eachother's death. Kill Riza and you'll them both down. Kill Roy and you bring them both down.
So I'm really thinking she'll come up with a third solution on that matter, just like she did with the Envy situation.

I guess another scenario could be that Hawkeye would be somehow pulled into the gate alive and Roy would open it to get her out.

But she wouldn't get pulled into the Gate for no reason...and she's not an alchemist either, so it's not like she can open/reach it...

Hmm I don't think so.
Edo opened the gate inside Gluttony without transmuting someone. Besides, use Hawkeye as a lure is really nasty.
I think Father and so on don't see Riza as someone important.