After years of absence, Van Hohenheim returns to Resembool and meets Edward at Trisha's grave. Their encounter is tense; Hohenheim remains emotionally distant, focusing on technicalities rather than fatherly warmth, which infuriates Ed.
Reviewers on Reddit note the "creepy" atmosphere of the graveyard scenes, which balances the show's typical action with horror-leaning mystery. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood Episode 20
The episode highlights the deep-seated resentment Ed holds for his father. Hohenheim’s apparent lack of aging and his cryptic warnings—specifically about the impending "calamity" in Amestris—set him up as a "suspect" figure to both the characters and the audience at this stage. After years of absence, Van Hohenheim returns to
Hohenheim suggests that the "thing" the brothers created during their failed human transmutation was not actually their mother. This prompts Ed to dig up the remains of the failed transmutation. Upon inspection, he realizes the bone structure and hair color do not match Trisha's, providing a grim sense of relief: they did not kill their mother a second time. The episode highlights the deep-seated resentment Ed holds
This episode primarily adapts Chapter 43 and Chapter 44 of the original manga by Hiromu Arakawa .
A flashback reveals a younger Pinako Rockbell, showing that she and Hohenheim have a long-standing history that predates Trisha's birth.
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood Episode 20, titled is a pivotal emotional and investigative chapter that shifts the series' focus toward the mystery of Van Hohenheim and the biological connection between the Elric brothers. Key Plot Developments