The brilliant ending to this brilliant story has stuck with me for weeks now. (Spoilery discussion of ending to follow!)-- My initial reaction upon reading it was a little mixed--overall, I loved it, but at first I wondered if it was a bit TOO happy. All the main characters survive and more or less get what they've worked towards, and after such a long, convoluted story where so many incredibly dark things happen, I was anticipating a darker or less overtly happy ending. After thinking it over, however, I do believe this is the best possible way it COULD have ended. Too often an "epic" ending is equated with "lots of characters you care about die," and while death can be a worthy plot device, when used to power the ending to a tale it can also come across as a lazy technique to get an emotional reaction from the reader (I'm looking at you, JK Rowling). Arakawa does something very brave and special here--she tells the story she wants to tell, and doesn't stray from the moral she wants to impart, and as a result is courageous enough to give us a happy ending that still heavily involves loss. The ending also reinforces the central theme of optimism about humanity and the importance of friendship while managing not to shy away or dilute the moral complexities Arakawa has explored throughout the series. Thus Scar still hates Amestris, but he is willing to focus on rebuilding now instead of destroying, sacrificing the quest for vengeance that has motivated him for so long. The Fullmetal Alchemist must voluntarily give up his alchemy, is never going to get his leg back, but still manages to find peace. Roy will spend all his life trying to atone for the evils he committed during the war, and who knows if his efforts will ever be successful, but we know enough of his character to know that he WILL give his all and that's enough. It's mentioned earlier in the series how the bravest thing one can do is live, not die, and that's reflected in the characters here and how they pull together both during and after the final battle. I also absolutely love that the series ends with the brothers deciding to travel again, showing that their adventures--despite all the horrors they experienced--have taught them to be curious about the world and to want to explore it on their own terms. It's bittersweet to see them journey separately, but also another great storytelling choice since both boys have grown up so much, they CAN separate now and explore independently and trust each other to be safe and we can trust them too. As the story ends, the characters have never felt more alive. We can say goodbye because we can sense the story is going to continue, in hope, long after the last page of the book. Bravo to Arakawa for this masterpiece. The ending feels utterly earned and this is certainly a story I will return to again and again and which I can already tell I will only love more and more each time I read it. If you read, want to read, or could read manga, you NEED to read this series! There is something in his series for everyone. It made me laugh till my stomach hurt, cry till my tears dried up, and feel anger and shock whenever something bad happened to them. I was on the edge of my seat throughout all the battles, the gained knowledge, and the deceptions. I never expected this when I first started this manga, and now that it is over, I am absolutely heartbroken! I loved the way it finished, but I wish it didn't half to end- and that the Fullmetal Alchemist could live on!
What do You think about Fullmetal Alchemist, Vol. 27 (2010)?
loved it from the beginning of the story to the very last page, touching and action packed
—King
What a truly wonderful ending to such a gripping story.
—johnnyboy88
ohmygodwhat am i supposed to do with my life?
—bob
