Episode 18, "The Arrogant Palm of a Puny Human"
*****SPOILERS*****
Synopsis: Major Armstrong escorts Edward to Risembool, where they meet with Breda and head out of the country to the remains of the country of Xerxes. While at the Xerxes ruins, Edward is shocked to see Maria Ross, alive and well. It's revealed that Roy set up a fake death for her and smuggled her out of the country using Barry, Ling, and Fu. Back at Central, Ling fills in Alphonse and Winry. Ed reaffirms his vow to get his and his brother's bodies back, adding that he will protect who ever gets involved. Fu escorts Ross to Xing, where she will live until she can return to Amestris. Back at Central, Barry's body attacks Falman, but Havoc and Barry (in the armor) lures it outside where Hawkeye shoots it in its hand. However, Gluttony arrives to take her out.
Comments:
In the tradition of the last two episodes, this is one that was also pretty solid, dub-wise, and the result is that I get to try to stretch out what little there is to say about it over a few lame paragraphs in an attempt to look like I'm not half-assing it. Thanks a lot, Funimation.
The scary part about this episode is, while I still think Vic Mignogna lacks the emotion and charm that Romi Paku brings to the role, his Edward in this episode was pretty good. I think it's largely because Edward really didn't have to raise his voice very much, and Vic's casual or calm Edward can be pretty good on occasion. And I bring this up this time because Edward doesn't really do anything in the next episode.
Jerry Jewell continues to dominate every scene he's in, though the generic voices for most of Roy's subordinates makes it impossible to compete, anyway. You can tell he's really having a lot of fun playing this character, and it results in me having a lot of fun hearing him doing it, because he just does it so damn well. He won't be around much longer, so enjoy it while you can!
The old lady towards the end of the episode was Freeza. No, not that she was just Linda Young, who voiced Freeza, but she really seemed to use her Freeza voice, rather than her Genkai. The hilarity comes in that Vic Mignogna played Broly, so we have Freeza and Broly in the same scene, something I don't think ever happened, even in DBZ movie 12 or in GT. Well, at least Linda Young is still getting work, even if it's a bit part.
What bothered me about this episode, though, was the bad pacing. In the manga, it isn't revealed that Maria Ross is alive until after the events of the next episode, the fight with Lust. So throughout those events, while we're meant to side with Roy in his battle against the evil homunculi, as a reader, you wonder just what type of person he is, since he seemingly killed the innocent Maria Ross in cold blood. Here, they take that feeling away and just give it away that Ross is still alive so that you immediately get to feel happy about Mustang again.
Another thing that bothered me, and this is in the manga, too, is Edward always renewing his vow to move forward. I mean, fine, reaffirm your values and resolve, but not every two minutes, guy. If you have to do it that often, maybe you shouldn't bother. I'm tired of it. It's padding. We get it, you're determined. Shut up.
Overall ENGLISH DUB Score: 3.5 out of 5
