I think the only one who can force anyone to perform human transmutation is Pride, notably because he needed to absorb Kimblee/an alchemist before being able to do it. So it would have been pretty much impossible for him to force five people to do it, when you see the toll it took on him for only one person.

Second, they weren't waiting for the sacrifices to come along, they were waiting for the eclipse. That's why the human sacrifices became a concern only fifty years ago, and why they put a Homonculus directly in charge of the country. With that in mind, isn't more logical to prepare the grouds for willing sacrifices instead of sacrificing Father's best child?

Third, Arakawa didn't realize any mistake. It was hinted already that what Pride did was not without consequences for him, he was starting to fell apart. And I don't mean "no more regeneration", he literally was falling apart, bits of his flesh disappearing for no reason.



More action with Bradley is always welcome, and Scar showed some pretty good moves here, while Greed in the previous fight was pretty much bashing and bashing, never using real martial arts.

Scar probably drawed that array on his arm in the weeks he spent separated from his main party, with only Marcoh as a companion. We know he spent that time seeking for allies among the Ishbalans, but I never understood why Marcoh went with him. Now we know why : they still needed to learn things from the notes of Scar's brother. The left-arm array, as well as the thing the Ishbalan are preparing in the city, are most likely results of those research.

Concerning Hohenheim, I know have the growing suspicion that he will prove useless in the whole thing. Why? Because Father knows him too much, he knows he can be a threat, and might be prepared for something Hohenheim would think of. But he never considered humans a threat, even less so Scar who was so focused on destuction, not creation. That might be his undoing.

I tend to disagree. Hohenheim has had hundreds of years to prepare for this moment, all that time he's been reflecting about Father's nature, goals and powers. Besides he owns a ps as powerful as that of Father abd an immortal body. If there is anyone in that room that has a chance to beat Father, that is him.
I have the feeling he will come up as a trumph card and that rigth now he is doing some sort of Trojan-horse work , that he gave such a little fight on purpose. He has proven he has grown enough to surpirse father (for instance, father didn't expect that Hohenheim was able to talk to his souls and plot together with them). It migh be that what Hohenheim is planning will take a little time. There are also the other souls he sent in advance, nothing has been heard of these so far...
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In another issue I think Mei chan attacking father was another product of Mei's tendency to act and belive things without much thinking. She has a history of misjudgements like believing that Scar is Yoki's server, or trusting a monster like envy to come back to Central. She also felt in love with a guy she'd never seen. In a few words: she's still a little child.
Hopefully she comes alive from this last error of judgement. I actually find a bit inconsistent the that she picked that fight at all since last time she met Father she was terrified and ill just out of feeling his inhuman chi. I'd expected her to know she cannot be an opponent to him.

But is Hohenheim's PS still on a level of power comparable to Father's one, of did he empty himself with that foiled attempt to destroy Father? Hohenheim had no reason to believe that it wouldn't work, it would stand to reason that he would use most of this strength in this blow. Given that he was defeated apparently easily after, I think his power level has been drastically reduced after his initial plan has gone to waste.

Right now, I believe that Hohenheim is pretty much useless until his other plan reacts to Father's circle. And like I said, I have my worries that Father may have anticipated something like this since he heard that Hohenheim was back on his track.

It might be he's out of power. I'd, however speculate he is not because he used only a few souls -at least that he mentioned- in the blow that broke Father's human body. I mean, they both started out with he same number of souls back in Xerxes, so I'd expect his powers to be still formidable; his PS might still have more than 400.000 smthing souls! I have the feeling that Father looks so overwhelming because he has specialized in combat and attack, Hohenheim does not like to hurt people and that makes him look so much weaker and gives the wrong idea about his true powers. But probably Arakawa will prove me wrong

Like I've been saying forever, Hohenheim set his plan up a long time ago. Confronting Father directly was just to lull him into a false sense of security. Of course he's no match for Father as-is, because he spent most of his Philosopher's Stone setting up a reversal of Father's array.

People have been saying, "wow, Scar's 2nd tattoo came out of nowhere" (me included), but I think I just found a panel foreshadowing this
It's just one panel in Chapter 71. Scar is thinking "this place is no good either, no suitable materials". He's shown holding an opened tin can with jagged edges, with crates of (broken) bottles in front of him.
It didn't make sense at that time, but now it's perfectly clear. He's looking for tools to make a new tattoo.

The fact that this hint was placed some 30 chapters before makes me admire Arakawa-sensei even more

I think you're reading too much into this Even at the time, people were coming up with crazy theories about that sentence. For me, Scar was simply searching for equipments left behind that they could use, perhaps some canned food or tools, or blankets. They were fugitives and needed everything they could find to survive.

Maybe I am Must be because a combination of seeing a commercial on Tattoo Hunters recently + my not being around this forum yet when chapter 71 came out. Traditional tattoos really do seem to be carved on, I winced even just seeing the ad.

About Scar and his tattoo, I think it was sufficiently foreshadowed. He has had his brother's book of research long enough, and he has been growing to accept alchemy more and more as the manga progresses.

I just realized something about Roy, by the way. People were saying that him going through the gate will increase his alchemy power since he doesn't need a circle now, but really it doesn't change anything. He still needs a way to make a spark! So, his alchemy operates the exact same way as before...except now he can't aim.

Well, his gloves are kind of in a fail state right now, but part of the fabric is still intact; finger-snapping wouldn't work, but rubbing two pieces of the fabric together might still make a spark. Except for, y'know, the whole aim problem. The other thing I was thinking is that his hands are injured pretty badly, so holding things/snapping fingers/most hand movements in general aren't possible (at least not without massive amounts of pain and further risk of permanent damage.) Unless, of course, going through the Gate somehow fixed them... On the other hand (-is shot-), there's also the possibility that he's got some sort of trick up his sleeve that doesn't (directly) involve setting things on fire.

Personally, though, I think his main role in the ensuing battle is going to be that of a strategist. We don't want to underestimate the importance of that, especially if he picked up some knowledge about Father's weaknesses or something to that effect.

I was dissapointed with this chapter. Nothing really happened. Scar is still fighting Wrath. All in all it feels like Arakawa is dragging this story out.