Raw in good quality is now available for downloading at RawParadise (as posted by SneakyRuler here.)
(Go to "Monthly" column and look for it under Shônen Gangan #03)

You can read Sugooi.org version of scanlation on their on-line reader here. (as posted by Chiyo here.)

Spoiler Summery on AnimeSuki Forum:
Looks like another epic chapter.

For Tombow's quick translations (interim) scroll down to Tombow's post below on this page.
And, for HisshouBuraiKen's translations (revised and final) please go to HisshouBuraiKen's post here.

Page-by-page view:
01-02
03
04-05
06
07
08-09
10-11
12-13
14-15
16-17
18-19
20
21
22-23
24-25
26-27
28-29
30
31
32-33
34-35
36-37
38-39
40-41
42-43
44-45
46-47
48-49
50
51
52

Michiyo - you are an absolute star! Thanks for sharing these with us. I must agree it does look like it shall be just as epic as we have come to expect of late.

Yay for Mei, she gets her revenge. Oh and did I mention.....WINRY! As in woo Winry and nooooo Winry.

As for that last shot is it bad I thought "hot" BEFORE I thought WTF?

My first reaction : ...., ...., ....! What's happening to everyone??? And what the hell was that big black bubble that swallowed the chimeras, Riza, Bradley and Scar? What the f*** is going on? Has Father really won? Was that all for nothing? And like I thought, Greed is a fool. Always been, always will be. Lin really should have known better, does he really deserve to become emperor and lead his people?

Without any kind of warning, nor any chance given to the good guys to stop what was going on, Father's plan has succeed. Now I suppose the only hopes we have are Father's counter-circle or (more likely) the Ishbalans' little apparatus.

@ Chiyo :
Are you happy to see Winry probably dying??? What kind of fan are you ? And yeah, pretty badass of Mei to heal herself like this.

I'm kinf od surprised that we didn't get the end of the Bradley/Scar fight... I suppose that now that Father's plan is complete, all the fights going on will have a more special meaning... wonder if Bradley still is going to be a bad guy till then end now...

Sannom - Double check my post - Chi

Thank you for sharing Michiyo!
Wow! The cover art looks superb!
Not to mention, we received an ultra-epic chapter! XD I can't wait to read the translation~!

Oh my God, this looks so freakin' fantastic! I can't wait for the complete scanlations to come out. O_O

Is Mei gonna be alright? And what about all those random people why they just suddenly...? Well, I just am REALLY excited!

I think I've just wowed, omg-ed, screamed and peed myself at the same time. I mean, wtf?! This .... is awesome, but wtf!

....oh my god. wth. just... this is singularily THE most epically epic chapter in FMA. I think. IT'S THE END OF THE WORLDDDDDDDD and Father ended up looking 50 years younger. because its the end of the world. ROFL

EDIT: i take everything i said back. *bawls and sobs* HOW CAN EVERYONE JUST DIE LIKE THAT????? except for nearly the whole manga had been built up to prevent this single moment from happening. WHY IS EVERYONE SO DAMN USELESS.*breathes* okay, if this chap is the end of the world, the next chap should be the rescuing. BECAUSE THERRE WILL BE A HAPPY ENDING??!!!!

and thank you so much Michiyo!!

HOLY *BLEEEPING BLEEP BLEEEP BLEEEP* ON A MONKEY'S *BLEEPING* LEFT ELBOW

Is all I can say to that

Michiyo- thankyou!
OMG! The chapter was amazing !!!!

I think I was "reading" this chapter without breathing at all... That was... SOOO DAMN EPIC! Can't wait for the translation. And still, I don't think they're all dead by now, that would be senselessly. Also, I doubt we'll experience the deus ex machina effect, the World will be saved by our heroes. And that makes me wonder... If Greed's here, where's Ran Fan? But well, considering that all people are dying there's no need to think about it now.
Thanks Michiyo for bringing up the chapter!

And, on a side note, aren't we getting spoilers earlier and earlier every month?

Thank you very much for this Michiyo!!

Sweet zombie Jesus!! What an epic looking chapter. Fullmetal Alchemist still remains the only manga that has made me exclaim out loud while reading.

While it seems that Father was successful with his meticulous plan, I hope that it is temporary and can be reversed somehow.

Curious as to why May, Pride and Greed, all non-sacrifices, were spared from the whole 'gotcha-soul-now-suckers' gig. Is it because two are homunculus and the other had a retanjutshi circle surrounding her? It makes me wonder if anyone else was spared too.

@ Sannom:

I'm kinf od surprised that we didn't get the end of the Bradley/Scar fight... I suppose that now that Father's plan is complete, all the fights going on will have a more special meaning... wonder if Bradley still is going to be a bad guy till then end now...

By the end of the series I think there will be some redemption for Bradley/Wrath, and I highly suspect that Mrs. Bradley will be involved as well as some serious face slapping.

Maybe because they were inside that black ball you can see in pg 29 or in pg 34. So I think Riza, the chimeras, Scar and Wrath are also alive.

That's my theory hope too, it appears to be a magic bubble aliveness.

I've just looked at the first few pages there, trying not to be spoiled (too much) So please answer me, is this chapter really 50 pages long, or are there commercials somewhere in between? It would be great, if that's true.

Thank you, Michiyo-!

(I haven't even had a chance to finish reading the last chapter yet, despite the awesome kindness of the members who had kindly provided me with the scans. T.T )
I wasn't expecting to have the chapter this early, and right now I'm on my dial-upesque connection that takes an eternity to open each page, but I'll see what I can do......
As usual, my usual disclaimers apply ^^

Quick translation of the chapter 104

("quick" here is referring not the speed but meaning 'rough" as the page scans are of "quick-scan" quality, and I can not get the clear reading on some of the bubbles.... )

(Page by page view below are courtesy of Michiyo-, as posted above.)

01-02
Chapter 104: "The Center of the World"
Caption: Unite their mind for one goal!!

03
Caption: Scar now has transmutation circles on both of his arms....!!!
----------------------------
Bradly: "Ha..." "Ha Ha...."
----------------------------
Bradley: "Humans..." "They continue their straggles, to the end..."


04-05
page 4:
SFX: Bang
Al: "May!!!"

Page 5:
Ed: "Damn..." "Al! Go and save May!!"
Al: "What?!" "But, what about Selim?!"
-----------------------------
Ed: "Leave that to me!!"
-----------------------------
Ed: "I can take care of him by myself!!"
-----------------------------
SFX: (Selim) Twitch
-----------------------------
SFX: Boom


06
SFX: Clang Clang Clang
-----------------------------
SFX: (Ed) Kick
-----------------------------
Ed: "Hey, hey, what happened?!!!" "What is that wimpy attacks, huh?!!"
-----------------------------
Selim: "Please do not misunderstand." "Until the time you serve your purpose, we have to keep you..."
-----------------------------
Ed: "'Alive'? Is that so?!" "Well then, I just have to bring you down before that time come."


07
Selim: "Taking me down?"
SFX: (Selim) Flash
Selim: "Sure, please try and see."
-----------------------------
Selim: "You are of small stature, and hence you have always fought against someone larger than your size..."
-----------------------------
Selim: "And, therefore..."
-----------------------------
Selim: "You have a very few experience of fighting someone smaller than your size!!"
SFX: Spear


08-09
Page 8:
SFX: Clang
SFX: "Clang Clang Clang"
----------------------------
SFX: (Ed) Swing
Selim: "Gha"
---------------------------
Ed: "It is true that most of my opponents were larger than my size."

Page 9:
Ed: "And, therefore..."
---------------------------
Ed: "I know so well about the pattern of attack someone who is small in size might use!!"
SFX: (Ed) Whack
---------------------------
SFX: (Ed) Grab
---------------------------
SFX: (Ed) Wham
---------------------------
SFX: (Selim) Twitch


10-11
Page 10:
SFX: (Selim) Crumble
---------------------------
<Meantime, May is down...>
SFX: zap
SFX: (Xiao May) Scurry
---------------------------
SFX: (May) "Huff" "Huff"
SFX: (Xiao May) Ghee Ghee <Is that how Pandas cry?>
---------------------------
Father: "Eh?"

Page 11:
Father: "You're tenacious than I thought."
SFX: Form
----------------------------
SFX: Bang Bang
----------------------------
SFX: Clink Clink
----------------------------
May: "Alphonse-sama..."
----------------------------
Al: "Please stay still," "And, save your strength!!"


12-13
Page 12
Al: "Dad, sorry if any of these hits you!!"
SFX: Torpedo
----------------------------
SFX: Break Break
----------------------------
Izumi: "Motion-less alchemy? What a troublesome fellow!!!"
SFX: Bang
----------------------------
SFX: (Father's head) Concave
Father: "Now, my play-time is over."

Page 13
SFX: (Father) Swing
----------------------------
SFX: (Father's tentacles) Stretch
----------------------------
SFX: (Izumi) Block
----------------------------
SFX: (Father's tentacle) Penetrate
----------------------------
SFX: (Father's tentacle on Izumi) Coil
Izumi: "!!"


14-15
Page 14
SFX: (Father's tentacle on Al) Coil
----------------------------
Izumi: "Gha..."
SFX: crumble crumble
----------------------------
Father: "To get the rest..."
SFX: (Father's body shaping new tentacles) Bulge, Bulge, Protrude
----------------------------
SFX: (Father's tentacle on Roy) Coil Coil
Roy: "?!"
----------------------------
SFX: (Father's tentacle on Ed) Coil
----------------------------
SFX: (Father's tentacle on Ed) Grip
Ed: "What.....?"

Page 15
SFX: Thud
----------------------------
Father: "Looks like the time has arrived."
----------------------------
Father: "Time for you to fulfill your purpose as human pillars, my human sacrifices!"
SFX: (Ed) Struggle Struggle
----------------------------
SFX: Rustle Rustle
----------------------------
Soldier: "Whoa... It's getting dark....."


16-17
Page 16
Central Army officer: "......Quickly........"
Briggs' soldier: "?"
----------------------------
Central Army officer: "Quickly, we have to go to the center of the transmutation circle!!" "Now!!"
----------------------------
Central Army officer: "This place here is not good!!"
SFX: Rattle Rattle
Briggs' soldier: "Hey... Hey, stop!"
Central Army officer: "Take me to the center of the transmutation circle!!"
----------------------------
Central Army officer: "Quickly!!"
----------------------------
Central Army officer: "Or, we'll all get swallowed up!!!"

Page 17
SFX: Rustle Rustle
----------------------------
SFX: (crowd) Ohhhhhhhhh
----------------------------
SFX: Rumble
----------------------------
Father: "The time has arrived!!"


18-19
Page 18 - 19
SFX: Rumble


20
SFX: Creak Creak
Passenger A: "What's this?!"
Passenger B: "An earthquake?"
----------------------------
SFX: Chatter Chatter Chatter
Passenger: "...Did the ground shake in a strange way just now?
Construction foreman: "Stop the work!!"
----------------------------
SFX: Rustle Rustle
Line cook: "............"
----------------------------
SFX: Rustle Rustle
Line cook: ".....It stopped?"
----------------------------
SFX: Rumble
Line cook: "Whoa"
----------------------------
Chef: "Turn off the stove!"
SFX: Rumble
Line cook: "Ah," "Ah."


21
SFX: Pulsate Pulsate
----------------------------
Father: "Have you ever thought of the Earth as an living entity?"
----------------------------
SFX: Pulsate Pulsate
Father: "Or rather," "I should call it a system rather than a life."
----------------------------
Ed: "?!"
SFX: Pulsate
----------------------------
Father: "A system that contains an enormous knowledge of the Universe... compare to that the amount of knowledge each of you have is nothing...." "What if we could open the gate for that... Can you imagine how much power one can obtain?"
----------------------------
Father: "Now," "By using you as the human pillars, I am going to open that gate, right HERE!!!"
SFX: RUMBLE


22-23
Page 22
Greed: "I see," "So, that is the center of the circle."
----------------------------
Greed: "Father," "Hand me the center of the world."
----------------------------
Selim: "Greed!!!"

Page 23
Greed: "I am...." "I am going to obtain the world!!
SFX: Slice
----------------------------
SFX: Splat
Ed: "He got it..."


24-25
Page 24
Father: "I knew you would come," "My son, Greed."
----------------------------
Father: "After all, you were born of my 'greed'..." "What I want must be also what you want....!!"
----------------------------
SFX: Splat
Hohenheim: "Ouch."

Page 25
Greed: "Damn you......"
----------------------------
SFX: (Father) Splash
----------------------------
SFX: (Father) Slop
----------------------------
SFX: (Father) Fling


26-27
Page 26
Father: "The true center of the circle is,"
----------------------------
Father: "Here."
----------------------------
Hohenheim: "I wouldn't let you proceed!!"
----------------------------
SFX: Zap

Page 27
SFX: (Father in a shape of big hand) Whomp
----------------------------
SFX: (Father) Thump
----------------------------
Hohenheim: "Curse it......."
----------------------------
Hohenehim: "He has done it...!!"
SFX: (Eye) Emerge


28-29
Page 28
SFX: (Eyes on Ed, Roy, Izumi, & Al) Emerge

Page 29
SFX: (Black ball) Emerge
----------------------------
SFX: Rumble
Someone by Riza (Not sure who XD): "Oh?!"
----------------------------
Scar: "?!"
----------------------------
SFX: Rumble
---------------------------
SFX: Rumble
Soldier: "What is this Black ball?!!"


30
SFX: (circle lines connecting all human sacrifices) Zap
----------------------------
?? (not sure yet who is saying this): "Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh?!"
----------------------------
SFX: AHHHHHHHHHH


31
SFX: Zap
May: "Kyahhhhhhh"
-----------------------------
SFX: Zap
Greed: "Ohhhhhhh, Ahhhhhhhhh"
-----------------------------
SFX: (around Selim) Zap Zap
-----------------------------
SFX: Zap Zap
Father: "Gwaha..." "Ha ha ha." "That's right!!" "Fight each other, repel each other, the Truth Gates!!"
-----------------------------
Father: "There is a wonderful amount of energy here!!" "I can barely contain it under control!!"
SFX: Rumble Rumble
----------------------------
Father: "Using this power," "I am going to open the Gate for this Planet!!!"


32-33
Page 32
Father: "And then......"
----------------------------
SFX: (transformation circle forming) ZAP
----------------------------
SFX: (Hands) Emerge
----------------------------
Man: "Whoa.:
Man: "What's this...." "?!"

Page 33
SFX: (Hands) Emerge
Man: "............Ah!!"
Man: "Cough!!"
----------------------------
SFX: (Hands) Emerge
SFX:"Ugh..." "Gah" Gohhh"
----------------------------
SFX: (Hands) Emerge


34-35
Page 34
SFX: (Hands) Emerge
Central Officer: "Ah........."
Briggs' soldier: "Ah..........."
----------------------------
Central Officer: "Ah........."
----------------------------
SFX: (Black ball) Rumble Rumble
SFX: (Victim) "Gahh"
----------------------------
SFX: (Victims) "Gyahh" "Ugh..."
----------------------------
Grumman: "Oh, boy..." "So, it had been started..."
SFX: (Soldier victims) "Gyahh" "Ugh..."
----------------------------
Grumman: "Nothing I can do now...."

Page 35
Grumman: "I won't be responsible for whatever happens....." "After this........."
SFX: Rumble
----------------------------
(Meantime......)
SFX: Rumble
----------------------------
SFX: Rumble
Winry: "Ah..."
Pinako: "Winry?!"
----------------------------
SFX: Rumble
SFX: (Pinako) Twitch
Pinako: "Uh........."
----------------------------
SFX: Rumble
Pinako: "..............."
Man: "Mrs. Pinako!!"


36-37
Page 36
SFX: (Den) Yelp Yelp Yelp
SFX: (Hands) Emerge
Man (not sure who): "So, it has been..... started....."
-----------------------------
SFX: (Hands) Emerge
SFX: (Pinako) Slump
Pinako: "Hohenheim..." "when..... back......"
-----------------------------
Pinako: "Punch....him....."
SFX: (Pinako) Thud
----------------------------
SFX: (Hands) Emerge
SFX: (Winry) "Huff" "Huff"
----------------------------
SFX: (Hands) Emerge
WInry: "E...... (d)...."
----------------------------
SFX: (Hands) Emerge

Page 37
SFX: Rumble
----------------------------
SFX: Split
----------------------------
SFX: Creak


38-39
Page 38
SFX: Creak
----------------------------
SFX: Glonk Glonk Glonk (The same noise we always had in Father's basement)
----------------------------
SFX: Glonk Glonk
----------------------------
SFX: Pulsate
----------------------------
SFX: ("New" Father opening the gap) Creak

Page 39
SFX: Creak
----------------------------
SFX: Creak
----------------------------
SFX: Creak


40-41
Page 40-41
SFX: ("New" Father) Ahhhhhhhhhhh


42-43
Page 42
SFX: ("New" Father) Ahhhhhhhhhhh
Father: "God,"
----------------------------
Father: "Respond to my soul!!" "Come!!"
SFX: (Father) Oh

Page 43
SFX (Father) Ohhhhhh
---------------------------
SFX: Pulsate
---------------------------
SFX: Pulsate Pulsate Pulsate
SFX (Sky) "Split"
---------------------------
SFX: "Creak" "Creak' "Creak"
SFX: Pulsate
---------------------------
SFX: (Eye) Open


44-45
Page 44
SFX: (Hands) Emerge

Page 45
Father: "That's right, come..." "I'm no longer restricted* by you..." (*Note: Second bubble is too blurred and can't really read ...)
----------------------------
Father: "I will drag you down to the earth..."
SFX: Ohhhhhhh
----------------------------
Father: "And, absorb you as part of me!!"


46-47


48-49
Page 48
SFX: Faint pulsating sounds* (*Note: I think that's what they are, but they are blurred and can't be quite sure ...)
----------------------------
SFX: Faint pulsating sounds* (*Note: I think that's what they are, but they are blurred and can't be quite sure ...)
----------------------------
SFX: Faint pulsating sounds* (*Note: I think that's what they are, but they are blurred and can't be quite sure ...)
----------------------------
SFX: Faint pulsating sounds* (*Note: I think that's what they are, but they are blurred and can't be quite sure ...)
----------------------------
SFX: Faint pulsating sounds* (*Note: I think that's what they are, but they are blurred and can't be quite sure ...)

Page 49
Izumi: "Cough."
Ed: "Cough," "Cough."
----------------------------
SFX: (May) Cough Cough
Greed: "..................."
----------------------------
Al: "What.....?"
Roy: "What happened?" "Is everyone safe?"
----------------------------
Roy: ".........It is eerily quiet."
----------------------------
Ed: "Yeah, it is quie...."
SFX: Oh (Ed realizes what that might mean..)
Ed: "Did everyone turn into a Philosopher's Stone?!"


50
Father: "That's right."
SFX: (Father) Halt
----------------------------
SFX: (Father) Emerge
----------------------------
Father: "It requires an enormous amount of energy to contain and continue to hold down god within myself."
SFX: Footsteps
----------------------------
SFX: (Father) Halt
-----------------------------
SFX: (Greed) Glare
Father: "I used the humans in this country as the source of that energy."


51
Father: "Now,"
----------------------------
Father: "These humans and god are all inside of me."
----------------------------
Hohenheim: "Damn you..." "You have done it."
----------------------------
Father: "Yes," "I have succeeded."

52
Father: "I appreciated your cooperation," "Gentlemen."
Caption: Advent!!!

(End of chapter 104)
----------------------------
(Next chapter will officially come out in Japan on Friday, March 12, 2010)





And, that's my quick run through translation for now. As usual, it's full of typos, syntax errors, and whatnot as of now, and I will be back later and go over it and correct whatnot again.

@SneakyRuler: Yes, it's really 52 pages long!

Ahh this is awesome! Thanks so for the scans/spoilers.

I just... WOW. It looks like an amazing chapter!

Geez this month will be harder to avoid spoilers...52 already scanned pages are so alluring

Probably I should try to not look at this thread at all, but all the "WOW Awesome!" sentences don't help me in this task P:

Yay it looks like Winry is on one page of this chapter!! I can't wait to read it!

... Damn.

/blink

Thank you so, so much, Michiyo!

Ah, that's right they're in "Father's room". I was also beginning to think they all survived because they were in the centre with Father and each had absorbed some of the souls (ala Hohenheim and the Xerxes array).

I guess Father is too cool to have nipples

Anyway, with this I think we might have 4 chapters left:
105: A long talk between Father, Ed and Hohenheim. We learn of Father's next move.
106: Ed and everyone tries to save the world, but Father kick their [All hail lord Xenu]. At the end of the chapter Hohenheim does something awesome that will save everyone, Father is dying (it takes a while because that's the way it is in shouen manga)
107: Father dies, the soul of everyone is saved and in the same time the five sacrifices restore what they lost.
108: Conclusion (or epilogue)

Don't get too excited....Ed did warn her after all.

Insane Theory: Ed just found his new limbs! Even has a whole body if he wants it.

*lurking in the shadows*






So true about Father. =D

And yeah, I agree what you've said about the chapter order. But still, Arakawa just wrapped herself up there (It think) because, if the circle was activated, that means that everyone in Amestris has died. And you can't bring anyone back to life. (according to the own manga rules)

But as it's WAY too common for manga/anime/book series to break their own laws in order to get and EPIC BATTLE, then I don't doubt it =)

Also, Mei Chang and Greed haven't been killed because thy're inside Father's lair, but I'm not so sure about Bradley, Riza, Scar and the chimeras. The were prety close, but still outside the protection zone =/

And... I think Father called Ed & co. "My dead sacrifices". Orly?



Gimpyslair, I'm a personal fan of your comics... make MOAR! =D

Can't understand the text, but this made me OMGNOOOO when i saw everyone dying

And youngFather... hmm yeah. HOT. But no, I still want him to lose.

Thanks Michiyo-!

I was going WT* in my room screaming and yapping... WOW. E-PIC. winry is dead? no? but yes, Father got his human form,, taking Ed's human form? or young YOUNG hoho's form?? anyway father looks FREAKING HOT and i got nosebleeds. still it's father, yes, um, HATE HIM TILL DEATH!!

winry! winry!! she's dead!?!? i think so.. but then what will happen next?? I CAN'T WAIT!!!!!!!!! what i can read is she's going to say "edo" before she lost her conciousness/die. so sad..
I WANT HAPPY ENDING. all hail happy end. NO MORE SAD ENDING PLEASSEEEE ARAKAWA SENSEI i'm BEGGING U!

Actually, partially yes. In the shot with her hand the text says "E..." in katakana, which would imply she meant to say his name.

Which I actually find extremely cute and bittersweet despite being non-Edwin fan

O.M.G that chapter was insanley epic! I can not WAIT to read a translation *___*

nuuu winry!!! we havnt seen you in 20 chapters! and you die??? ;___; lulz i don't think they've died, their bodies are still there right? And their souls are probably in a ps stone within father or somethin, so if al soul and body can exist seperatly, can't the people of amestrias be restored? (unless father uses their souls for energy in some kind of fight) the xerxes peoples bodys and minds rotted away so their souls had nothing to return to

anyway i have faith arakawa will make this a happy ending XD shes just worrying us lol

Well my strength of will wavered and I've looked at the pictures P:

I doubt that they're all dead. I'm almost sure that they will come back again somehow.
Besides I think that Riza, Scar and the chimeras were dragged into the black bubble by chance. Maybe Father wanted to save Wrath but he had to include in the bubble all the other guys that were there to do it (don't know if I explained myself well).

Anyway even if it was great I think that the best is yet to come

no no no no no no no this cant be no no no no no no

..............

wait, was EVERYONE dying from what happened? If so then there might be hope that it'l be reversed

NO.

It can't end like that..If everyone's dying then probably what may happen is someone will pull a Neo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdLXK4cz1UQ

and hopefully stop this doomsday from happening...but if they pull some bs ending like Winry professing her love to Edward and THEN she dies, then I'm going to be sick

Best case scenario: they just wake up and are like o.O

Wait, so it's official that everyone is DEAD dead? Like, not just unconscious/dying, but DEAD? That would be an anti-climactic and sucky ending if everyone just randomly died.

Me too, actually, as much as I loathe the pairing. I take it that she's saying his name because clearly something has happened to him if all of this is happening, not as some dramatic sappy thing.

Though wow.. I'm still wondering how all of this is going to be reversed..

Here's my take on it...ugh i feel sick after reading it and reading others' posts T_T

I think they are in the process of dying. Like they are on their way to death, but maybe, MAYBE, again, someone in the group with Pride and Father pulls a Neo miracle and is able to reverse everything. I don't think they are already dead...and if Winry ends up dying, then I won't know what to think, not even that EdxWin won't happen as a result, but I just can't see winry and everyone dying BAM, like that.

Yes I am a dedicated EdxWin supporter, not going to lie..but if it had to end, I wouldn't want it like this... =|

Then again, I'm going to quote Terminator 2: "The future is not set."

If everything turns out okay, then hats off to Arakawa for a riveting cliffhanger

Hmm, Here's what I'm thinking.

If they are being killed to make the Philosopher's Stone then maybe this could be sort of like Al's situation. Their souls aren't passing on, they're just being moved to another container. And it's pretty obvious that they souls keep separate inside the stone, considering that Hoho was able to communicate with them all separately, AND all of the individual people inside Envy. Perhaps if Edward get hold of the stone, he can return the souls of the citizens of Amestris.

Fitting music for the chapter? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usSLEP-PVfc

no, just like xerxes right?? Father got his all hail super sexy body means that everyone's dead. their souls are taken for father's.
sick of it!!!
But! MAYBE. MAYBE! they ARE in dying process. so when they almost die ed/hoho save the world??

That's the hope.

I would still have some hope. Arakawa DOES have the habit of pullin' the ol' "JK, they're not dead" bit after a cliff hanger.

As long as the manga doesn't end with Nazis or zepplins, like in the movie >_>

The process of dying... that sounds about right to me. It's not like Arakawa would let all the awesome characters (including Winry, Pinako, the Armstrongs and even Glacia and Elicia) just randomly die like that. And that makes me remember... I think it was 26th episode, when Envy said something like "their bodies and souls are long rotten, they're just energy that I need to use up" but well, since their bodies are still "fresh" if they kill Father and destroy the newly created Philosopher's Stone it may be possible to revive all the people. Who knows, maybe their souls are still before the gate.
And, when it comes to the gate, if Father really knocked god (truth) off the heaven, doesn't that mean that there's nobody guarding it now? All the souls may still be there, waiting, like Al. So it wouldn't be exactly resurrecting from the death if we consider that their life energy (I think we could even call it their minds) is still present on earth.
That's just my thinking.

No I think they're dead, sorry.

Whether or not they'll STAY dead is another question all together.

Also who wants to bet one of the first things we'll see next chapter is Pride saying something like 'no you can heal me father' and getting owned for it?

Also as a side note - my spoiler tags aren't working?

Well we've just seen people collapsing and stuff, no? I think until the next one comes out we won't know anything for certain.

They COULD be in a state of limbo

yeah hope, there's hope. I hope!! no more bad endings like COS. sick of that. it hurts!!!

the sky is torn apart?? right?

First of all OMG epic chapter OMG. So now all the people who said Arakawa was stalling better be quiet.

I actually wasn't expecting that to happen already.




Anyways I disagree fixing this does not contradict any logic in the story

The citizens of Amestris are not "dead" like Trisha or Hughes are dead. Their souls still exist within Father. If they were dead their souls would be within the gate and be unattainable. So to bring everyone back to life does not go against any logic the story has already presented. And I don't usually like to make predictions but I think it is pretty obvious that everyone will get their soul back in the end. The bad guys winning is not a way to end a story.


On another note to explain further I think it would have been possible to bring back everyone from Xerxes as well if Hohenheim had known how at the times (which he obviously did not). The souls of Xerxes still existed within Hohenheim and the philsopher stones within the homunculus. But over time their bodies decayed and disappeared making it useless even if he did discover a way. But the bodies of the Amestrian Citizens are still there and this their souls should be able to return to their bodies.

The general consensus is that they're soulless. That's like death in a way, and will be if their souls aren't returned soon enough.

I don't think everyone will die, but I get the feeling that not all of them are going to come back. That's just too.. perfect and magical.

So it's kind of like a state of limbo then.

And I think if some don't return it will leave people scratching their heads. I think it may be more...uh, what's the word...cohesive, if everyone returns, know what I mean?

Being souless is not death. If it was Al would have been dead before Ed could bring back his soul that night. And if Al was dead, Ed would not have been able to bring back his soul at all. In contrast he could not bring his mother's soul back because she is dead.

The Amestris souls still exist within the world and the souls still have bodies to return too. Thus no one is actually dead.

I'm almost sure that they're souls will come back to their bodies if Father actually did the same thing that he had done at Xerxes (it's clear that this was his intention). Probably the good guys just need to kill him and "free" the souls that he has absorbed or something along the line.
I really wonder what he is saying to the Eclipse!Gate when he catches the hand-tentacles.

ok then... aggree.. or not agree.. somewhat dizzy here. so they're not dead, nut their souls are attached somewhere else?? than what about the xerxes?? their souls taken, and evy said their body have rot. rot??? means??? confused. confused.

No offense meant, but I find the fact that you're even trying to predict FMA at this point, amusing. XD Seriously, there is little to no predicting this stuff anymore.