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The glum minute inFullmetal Alchemisthas been haunting fans for two X now , and the reason why makes it moderately easy to see . First debut in 2001 , the pop manga serial publication created by Hiromu Arakawa follow Edward and Alphonse Elric , two brother who attempt to fetch their bushed mother back using alchemy . When it backfires though , Edward loses his leg while Alphonse lose his body entirely . Edward VII finagle to salvage his chum ’s consciousness by give up his good branch and remove it into a metallic body , depone to restore it . While the series would venture into dark places as a conspiracy begins to unfold within their government , one present moment in particular has puzzle with fan so much that it brings chills mentioning it .
Chapter 5 , " The Alchemist ’s Suffering , " followsEdward and Alphonse seeking outa bio - alchemist to see if there ’s anything in that domain to serve them doctor their bodies . They ’re directed to a Chimaera specialist name Shou Tucker , a serviceman who is credited with make the first talking chimera , which is a creature mold by merging two beingness that are n’t genetically the same . When they match him , he ’s struggling with getting his license regenerate and is care for his untested daughter Nina and their dog Alexander . After getting to know them for some time , the chum return to see that he ’s create a unexampled chimera … but once it speaks , Edward , horror-stricken , realizes that it ’s Nina merged with her hot dog . It ends on a depressing note as they can not turn her back .
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So why hasthis moment stuck with fansyears after it first debut ? The answer lie in its cagey writing and usage of look . For starters , this is a chapter that ’s good with prefiguration . small cue are thrown throughout the chapter that come back later when Edward realize what ’s going on . For example , a Chimaera they ’re separate about at the beginning lines up with Shou mentioning that his married woman " leave him . " It ’s revealed later on that this chimera is actually the result of a failed experiment where Shou immix his wife with another creature , leading to her dying . Upon rereading it , fans can mark that the clew to this reveal were there all along .
On top of this , the drastic shift in tone braces the lector for the horrifying reveal . Before Nina ’s transformation , the ambiance is invariably filled with humor . For model , Edward getting jump onby Alexander is a means for Arakawa to let reviewer ' guards down by alleviating tension . She then pulls the rug out in a drastic undercut to the next 24-hour interval when storm clouds are mould and there are more shadows than usual . It all comes to a head at the reveal when the graphics takes on the tone of a repulsion chronicle . It ’s so unexpected , but it forge .
The biggest intellect for this chapter ’s memorability though is how it establish Nina and Alexander . They are present throughout , allowing the lecturer to get to know them and like for them . Nina is an endearing fictional character , and to see her interact withAlphonse and Edward make a bondwith them . Arakawa spend just enough meter with them to make them sympathetic , and then she wraps up the arc with the gut punch ending . It ’s a finale that disconcert readers because not only is this a minuscule girl who ’s been turned into a chimaera , this is the little girl reviewer have come to like . And now she ’s just … gone .
Fullmetal Alchemistwould go on for another nine years before it ultimately close , but nothing in the narrative ever came nigh to being as much of a repugnance show as this chapter in the saga . It ’s dark , uncheerful and catch the lecturer off - guard after four chapters of relative levity . Had it not been for Arakawa ’s ingenious writing , this could have been a pit check in the Alchemists ' journey , but the development of Nina and the usance of foreshadowing lift it . This is character work at its finest , and it ’s madethis moment inFullmetal Alchemistthe most memorable for dark ground .
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