Even though the library didn’t have vol 9 or 10, I had to know what happened next and went straight for 11. Thankfully, it was easy to sum up what had happened in between though I was shocked. Armstrong has a sister!! Prince Ling’s body was taking over by Greed! May has joined up with Scar and Dr. Murdoch!! Just wow.

Anyway, these chapters take readers, and the Elric brothers to the North in the Briggs stronghold commanded by Armstrong’s sister, Olivier. Meanwhile, several enemies converge to plot the catalyst of the grand plan of destruction. Namely, Kimblee, the psychopath of the Ishvalan War and the nemesis of Scar. The Sloth homoculi. And down in central, Mustang and his crew soldiers and spies soon piece together the real purpose of the homoculi and President-Furhur Bradley’s conspiracy for Doomsday just as Edward and Alphonse realize the truth themselves.

Things quickly speed towards the Doomsday with many high-stakes battle for everyone. I do mean, everyone. Edward, Alphonse, Van Hohenheim (their father who gets an excellent yet tearjerking backstory tied to this whole doomsday mess), Mustang, Hawkeye, Ling/Greed, Scar, Izumi and so many more.

On that note, I completely forgot about Izumi in my last post which is unforgivabale and I deserve to be hit by her sandle. She’s the most badass housewife ever! The fight team up with Izumi and Olivier was amazing.

Know what else was amazing?! Mustang and Hawkeye facing off against Envy where she and Scar of all people manage to talk Mustang from the brink of vengence and madness of finishing off Hughes’ killer.

And I hadn’t even gotten to May almost single-handedly facing off Envy herself as well as helping the other alchemists in facing off The Father.

Oh, oh, Havoc returns! Ad Buchaneer, Old Man Fu and Alphonse make heroic sacrifices for the sake of the world in a suitably tearjerking fashion in the case of Old Man Fu and Alphonse.

Also Greed vs Wrath homoculi with the addition of Prince Ling and Lo Fan was just jaw-dropping in the visuals.

As for where the Elric Brothers are in all this. I mentioned how Edward had Alphonse had their share of scene-stealing moments as one can expect like when they finally punch out that evil scientist man (I forgot his name). Same with Edward finally confronting his father while Alphonse chooses to support Van Hohenheim, two vastly different ways to react to their abandonment and potential reconciliation.

They also speak to the greater themes of how humanity is worth it despite the paina nd the hurt they cause each other. The homuculi are evil and destructive because they are so consumed by their flaws and while they believe that humanity only perpetuates and repeats those flaws, the brothers believe the opposite. That they are capable of change and doing better by not perpetuating the cycle of violence. Something all the adults look at them with respect because they know how hard it is and they know the price of war and hatred.

Arakawa has created a literally explosive, fast-paced and emotionally intense series and I can’t wait to finish it off with the final climax.