Everyone who knows anything about anime has heard of the infamous episode of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. However, due to the viral meme, many who have never seen anime have also been exposed to one of the most traumatic things to happen in anime. The imagery is so powerful that they were able to grasp the concept even without the entire context. But for those who don’t know exactly what was happening leading up to the frames included in that meme, the impact of the scene can only truly be understood within the context of the world and episode that contained it.
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood follows the story of Edward and Alphonse Elric, two brothers, as they work to redeem themselves following a tragic alchemy incident. They travel the country looking for an item they believe can help them undo what they did and in the process encounter many people, and alchemists. One such State Alchemist taught the boys that not all humans truly have humanity.
Episode Background
Edward Elric long ago lost his arm and his leg, while his brother lost his entire corporeal form. In their search to return his brother to a mortal shell, Ed and Alphonse decided to visit the Sewing-Life Alchemist: a State Alchemist who received his license two years prior when he had managed to create a chimera that was capable of human speech. The process of bio-alchemy is able to modify an existing creature and augment it to be better than the original species, and when it is used as such the resulting creation is called a chimera. He was the first such creature that was capable of human speech.
This shocking scientific advancement is why Ed and Alphonse believe that his research may hold the key to restoring Alphonse. They visit his estate in order to go through his research to see what they are able to find. Shou Tucker, and his daughter, welcome the two boys with open arms. Shou confides in Ed that since the original chimera he has been unable to make any notable scientific advancements or to even replicate his previous results. He goes even further to claim that if he cannot do so soon he will have his license and research funding revoked. Ed takes note of the minor elements of desperation in the man.
Build-up
Shou Tucker’s young daughter Nina is so excited to finally have another child around to play with since she normally has only her dog Alexander for company. She has been alone since her mother tragically left the family right around the time that her father achieved State Alchemist Status, and her father is always too busy with his research to spend much time with her. Despite Ed and Alphonse having had to mature beyond their years, they bond quickly with Nina and show clear brotherly affection for her.
By this point in this little story, the audience is absolutely enamored with little Nina, and any eccentricities displayed by Shou are well explained by the disappearance of his wife and the potential loss of his license in the near future. Ed and Alphonse are also easily able to brush off any unease that they feel.
The Reveal
Near the end of the boys' stay Shou excitedly, and somewhat manically, declares that he has finally done it, he has created a second chimera capable of human speech. Still suspecting nothing to be wrong, the boys are joyous with him, up until they actually see the miracle with their own eyes. Even then Alphonse seemingly sees nothing amiss, though Ed seems to have his suspicions. He slowly approaches the creature as it says his name. When it calls him brother his entire demeanor changes, and he begins confronting Shou.
What the viewers may or may not have already suspected is confirmed by Ed, Shou transmuted his daughter and her dog together to create a new creature that had some of the mental faculties and memories of the human, but obviously wasn’t the same happy child that they fell in love with. On its own, the horror of a man sacrificing first his wife, and then his young daughter in the pursuit of a title would be enough to cement this as one of the darkest moments of anime. However, when finally forced to confront the truth Shou shows no remorse, he views it as a necessary step in the process and something that anyone in his position would have and should have, done. His complete and utter lack of humanity and empathy cements him as one of the most vile villains in the show. Especially contrasted with the strained, but idealistic image that was first presented in his life.
Shou Tucker created one of the darkest moments in anime, and the creators of the show delivered it with devastating precision. The depth of shadows in the scene, the pain in the creature's voice, and the slow but increasing anger in Ed’s countenance combine to make a powerful, and horrible moment that has stuck in the minds of fans and even wormed its way into popular meme culture. Ultimately the boys’ failure to even help her only cements the impact of what has been done in viewers' memories.