S1E36
Family Portrait
⚠ Spoiler alert This recap gives away what happens in this episode.
Episode Summary & Review
Summary
As Raven tries to corrupt Armstrong, Ed and Al can only wait in their cell. Long ago, their father faced his own captivity, confined to an eternity of regret in an undying body. To escape the pain, he said goodbye.
Our Take
This is mostly a flashback hour, and your patience with Hohenheim’s centuries of quiet suffering will decide how much you get out of it. The art direction does heavy lifting, especially the lonely scenes with his creator, and it finally makes his abandonment of the boys feel human rather than cruel. The Armstrong subplot is lighter filler but keeps things moving. Worth watching, just not a standout.