S1E30
The Ishvalan War of Extermination
⚠ Spoiler alert This recap gives away what happens in this episode.
Episode Summary & Review
Summary
As Edward hears Hawkeye’s tale of a time when idealistic young soldiers were tasked with genocide, the horrors of the Ishvalan battlefield are revealed.
Our Take
This is a heavy, mostly humorless hour, and that’s the point. Hawkeye’s flashback gives the war a grim, grounded feel that the show has only hinted at before, though the parade of atrocities can feel a bit like a checklist at times. It’s not the most entertaining episode, but the emotional weight lands and the series is better for it. Worth watching.