Fullmetal Alchemist Vol. 22

This is getting so intense. Everything is going crazy! The story of this volume was hero Al. He really came through with some well thought out plans and seems ready to take on Pride by himself.Mustang’s group has adopted the no kill philosophy too. Hopefully it ends well for them and the president’s/Bradley’s/Wrath’s wife.

Don't have a cow, 'kay? Spoilers are herein.Ed realizes that while Greedling and the chimeras are doing their best, and Lan Fan's return has helped, Pride still the upper hand. Since Pride has consumed one of his own kind, his powers are now phenomenal, and Hohenheim has briefly retreated, trying to recover Al from wherever the youngest Elric has been banished. Al comes up with a plan to sideline Pride, depending on both his father's vast alchemical talent and Pride's superiority to undo the homunculus.Pride is imprisoned, with Al as a captive jailer. But with Pride admitting that his connection with Mrs Bradley has affected him in ways he hadn't anticipated, Al starts to question what the difference between homunculi and humanity really is. Heinkel is the only one of the group that remains with Al and Pride, while the others head off to confront Father in Central.While the promised solar eclipse has got most of Central intrigued, Mustang's group continues to move through the city taking out troops without killing or even seriously injuring anyone. One of the corrupt inner circle orders that Mrs Bradley and the rest of Mustang's crew be killed, but Mustang must be captured. Mrs Bradley is particularly disturbed when she learns of this, but Mustang promises her that he and his people will protect her to the last. Olivier, hearing the reports, thinks that Mustang is being "soft" by refusing to kill or maim his enemy, but also taunts her captors about their failure to mount a successful offense against the Flame Alchemist. Olivier mocks the notion that the men she trained in Briggs would hesitate to strike because she is being held by them, due to her Darwinist philosophy.Meanwhile, an old ally arrives to provide Mustang much needed support and ammunition supplies, and bringing news of another comrade in arms who had previously been apparently removed from the fight. And Ed tricks his way into Lab 3 in order to return to where Mustang previously defeated Lust in hopes of finding Father. But when the "immortal army" is activated, the true horror of an army that will only be loyal to their "Father" (yup, him underground) emerges to face Ed and the others.Back near the slums, Heinkel figures out too late that Pride has been sending a message for help, as Kimblee arrives to free the tiniest homunculus, and both the chimera and Alphonse are hit hard by the Crimson Alchemist's explosive attacks. But Heinkel gives Al something that, if Al can accept it, might save them both.In the tunnels, May encounters some of the undead army, and the parasite form of Envy manages to regain his human appearance. In spite of this, May seems oddly confident. Olivier tries to escape by holding a general with her sword, but the return of Sloth with orders to kill her interrupts that. And Ed chooses to seal their only exit to the surface so more of the golems won't escape and attack the people above. Their only way out now is down... if they survive.But further down, Hohenheim faces Father, who says that once as a slave, Hohenheim gave part of his being to create the Dwarf in the Flask. Now, Father wants all of Hohenheim...It just gets scarier from here, and our heroes haven't seen the worst yet. But even as Father's plans seem ready to succeed, the Elric Brothers and their friends show some of the best of humanity, even in the fraility of the species. (So cool!)