Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood Episode 40 "The Dwarf in the Flask" Reaction & Review!

Long ago, the blood of a slave was used in an experiment which created a strange, shapeless being. To repay the gift of existence, the strange being gave the slave a name, and cursed him with immortality.
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[@DosCavazos]

We are finished with the series on Patreon! Watch the rest of the series with us in our full-length watch-a-long reactions here: www.patreon.com/doscavazos

[@houseofaction]

just to answer your question of how old Hohenheim is, the fall of xerxes happened in 1510 and currently the year is 1914 in the series, so it has been 404 years since Xerxes fell. we are not told how old Hohenheim was when he became immortal but we can infer he was about 47 because it's canon that he his 451 years old

[@juliasable28]

Um...actually pride is born from homunculus "the father" (dwarf in the flash)....he's not from Ed's father.

[@djade9631]

Please react to Kingdom.. A Korean Series please😊

[@JackMValentine]

The Dwarf in the Flask: "I'd hate to be guilty of asking too much..." Also the Dwarf in the Flask: *The whole plot of FMAB*

[@EddieDexterStewart]

Beautiful. Well said! 🏆

[@doomdrake123]

It's all he ever wanted, but never felt it was enough, and feared that he never left the flask.

[@FeyPhantom]

And thus it's revealed that Ed, Al and Hoenheim are the only remaining descendants of the people of Xerxes. They are the only ones in the show to have golden eyes and hair (a different colour from the other blondes in the show). Just a very neat reveal that took years to learn about in the manga and yet was always in front of us from the time of the first anime.

[@CrownofMischief]

And it could be possible that the people with a different shade of blonde were from people of Xerxes that happened to be out of town that day. Over time, the genes would still be passed down but get mixed and diluted. Ed and Al are basically direct descendent of the last genetically distinct member of Xerxes

[@sgcastle8389]

Fun fact: Hohenheim's name is inspired by a real life Alchemist called "Paracelsus" as a Nickname, his full name was *Philippus Theophrastus Aureolus Bombastus von Hohenheim*

[@Persona3Yukari]

a lot of 'us'

[@fajarkurniawan9434]

Bombastus What an awesome name

[@Logical855]

God damn. Thats a mouthfull of a name. How did his mother called him😅😅 Before she finished calling him he would have been half across the country😂😂😂😂

[@gabrielgonzaga9574]

Just a extra on this extra, paracelsus, is the creator of the theory about homunculus in real life

[@kura2ninja944]

@@Logical855 she called him Slave number '23' 😏

[@Keladinus]

The irony of Edward hunting for a philosophers' stone from the start of the show... and it turned out it was his dad all along

[@stardmg]

When Hohenheim says "He said he was going to use it for an experiment", he's referring to his master. His master used his blood in an experiment to create Homunculus. Also, when Pride says he's the first homunculus, he means he's the first of the sins Father separated from himself. Father is the real first homunculus.

[@YungandRekless545]

Fun fact. Teenage Hohenheim's voice actor is Aaron Dismuke, the little boy who played Alphonse Elric in the 2003 version of Full Metal Alchemist.

[@peggedyourdad9560]

He also does the English voices for Tamaki Amajiki (Suneater) in My Hero Academia and Senku Ishigami in Dr. Stone.

[@primepm8861]

@zirath ashe He got to revoice Alphonse in the live action adaptation since they aged their characters. Still not worth watching mind you. The one thing that could have worked with a European cast...and Netflix chose One Piece?

[@Kaempfdog]

This episode is why Hohenheim is my favorite character of FMAB. He wasn’t even manipulated into doing this. He didn’t know and simply magically received his body. The dwarf is from inside the portal of truth. The little black hands that grab Ed and Al when they committed the taboo were of the same design of the dwarf. Pride is the 1st created Homunculus that Father made. We saw the baby Gluttony crawling out of his shirt. We saw him create a third eye and cry a Philosopher Stone to make the Greed Ling hybrid. So he CREATES Homunculus from his enormous stone. So Pride is the 1st break into another creature. And remember the story of the sages? The Eastern Sage was Father who founded Emestrian alchemy. Because he traveled from the east to get to Emestris. And Hohenheim is the Western Sage because he came from the West to get to Xing. So he founded alchehestry. And that’s why he stabbed his hand into Izumi. He used Alchehestry to improve her flow of blood. He prioritizes medical alchemy while Father prioritizes combat alchemy.

[@timhurlburt4506]

Father: *slaps Slave 23 on the back* "This bad boy can fit SO many souls in him!"

[@WaywardVet]

Then Hoenheim gets a full on body blow from Sig... That probably shaved off at least 5 souls

[@dweller132]

Fun fact, the name Theophrastus Bombastus and the name of Von Hohenheim the Dwarf in the Flask comes up with are both pieces of the full birth name of a Swiss alchemist from the 1500s known as Paracelsus. His full name is Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim, and he's apparently considered the father of toxicology.

[@mbpoblet]

If you now look back at the first intro, you'll realise that the blonde golden-eyed guy at the beginning isn't an older Ed (too many arms and legs, and his face looks different), but a young Slave 23 / Van Hohenheim. 40 episodes later, we finally know his identity and why he was important enough to appear at the very beginning of the series.

[@bolt2134]

"The Void" wasn't created and it didn't come from anywhere it's something that always existed, truth explained what it was when it was first introduced with Ed during the accident, truth said something like this "You can call me by many names, i am the world, i am the universe, i am god, i am the truth, but also i am you".

[@Dannydarko27]

One is all, all is one

[@bolt2134]

@@Dannydarko27 That too i forgot that it said that too

[@stardmg]

As far as I know, it's never stated in series (or in Brotherhood at least) but the destruction of Xerxes takes place 400 years before the start of the series. So Hohenheim (and Father) are around 400 or so years old.

[@azrael_morningstar]

So age 440-460

[@stardmg]

@@azrael_morningstar a lot of sources give 451 (implying he was 51 at the time of becoming immortal) but I don't think his age is ever stated; he's just somewhere in the 400s

[@angrodNumenesse]

I tried following the timeline in the manga and my best guess is that Hohenheim can be no younger than 370. Most likely he is closer to 400-450.

[@robertjames6936]

He was born in 1464 if that helps.

[@brandonthompson8640]

and Here. We. Go! Hawkeye and Mustang having their code be the first letter of each name they mention is so badass. but the flashback to Xerxes and Hohenhiem is still one of the best reveals ever.

[@spacezombie13]

pride calling himself the first humunculus is always a fucking problem. he means he was the first one FATHER made, Dwarf in the Flask/Father was the first.

[@Gamze-ql7kr]

I think he might also see himself as an extension of father, since father created him to resemble his original form and he is the embodiment of father's pride.

[@scargreatness8457]

@@Gamze-ql7kr yes he says it out of pride. Pride doesn't have to be the truth in fact the truth is a different person entirely

[@houseofaction]

not really while the Dwarf called himself the dwarf in the flask homunculus. that was a name not his species. when Father created his own body it wasn't an artificial body he literally cloned Hohenheim

[@Chipster321]

His blood being taken and being used in the successful experiment that created the Dwarf in the Flask was a fluke. In the manga it mentioned more specifically that Hohenheim was just one of many slaves who had blood taken, but his had the successful result. (Kinda like Bradley wasn’t the only child soldier raised to be Wrath, but was the only successful candidate.) But the experiment itself was also a complete fluke, because they had no idea what they did to make it work, nor even what the heck they really made. “You won’t smash me, not when you no idea how you even made me. “ (or something along those lines). Which kinda implies they were doing things with the mindset of “if I smash these two things together what will happen?” But it being a fluke and even unwilling occurrence (Hohenheim had no idea what his master took his blood for.) didn’t matter to the Dwarf in the Flask. It only cared that it was born, and at the end of the day, it was Hohenheim’s blood that let that happen. So it showered Hohenheim in gifts. (Since the alchemist who made him also did not intend to make him, the donor is more deserving in its eyes.) And it really did taken Hohenheim’s thoughts and input seriously. That’s WHY it wanted to be called Father and had the rest of the homunculus call him as such. Hohenheim spoke of the bonds of family being important to humanity and worth a lot. For as much as it looked down on humans, it desperately wanted to walk among them and be happy as well. Even if inwardly it denies it.

[@stardmg]

There are some scenes from the manga that were left out that provide a bit of context for Hohenheim's increase in social standing (remember he started out as a regular slave), such as a scene where his master catches him teaching the other slaves reading, writing and mathematics, and Hohenheim intrigues him by saying he can also do alchemy.

[@Dannydarko27]

Hohenheim being of Xerxes means Ed and Al are the only ones left from there. It also explains why they're the only ones without blue eyes.

[@pwnorbepwned]

Remember when Ed and Old Man Foo were in the ruins of Xerxes, and shared the origins of alchemy and alcahestry? Each art was brought to its respective land by a sage from the general direction of Xerxes. This isn’t elaborated on further in the show, so it’s not a spoiler, but the implication is that Amestrian alchemy is based on the Father’s teachings, while Xingese alcahestry is based on Hohenheim’s teachings. (This all happened roughly 400 years ago.)

[@Liesmith424]

Von Hoenheim: "I'mma bout to stir up those insides gurl."

[@apollohateshisdayjob9606]

This is the episode I've most been looking forward to seeing your reaction to! :)

[@cryhwks]

Getting answers and it's actually awesome and not a let down.

[@justapoet2794]

Same here! I think this may be my favorite episode! 😁

[@MmmM-mf3zd]

Agreed

[@thedoctor4327]

Love this episode because it starts on a high note (General Armstrong’s refuge in audacity moment to implant herself in Bradley’s inner circle), then goes to another high note (Roy and Riza working in perfect harmony to get a crucial bit of intel to Roy) before plateauing on an even higher note (Hoenheim and Father’s origins)

[@houseofaction]

couple of interesting: since the dwarf used Van Hohenheim blood to create a body for him. this makes him and van identical twins that would make the Sins ed and Als biological siblings. also based on how many souls Hohenheim has in him. he would have a life span of around 32 million years

[@stephyworld8713]

Loool Do people really think the children of identical twins are siblings? 😅 They are not. Cousins at best

[@drakainen4555]

@@stephyworld8713 From a familial sense yeah, they'd be cousins but genetically they'd be half siblings since indentical twins have the same dna.

[@stephyworld8713]

Identical Twins do not have the same DNA. That have about 94%-96% similar genes which is a big enough difference to consider. If you take into account the individual genetic mutation (genotype) from each twin's own DNA. That's enough differences for the offsprings to be genetically classified as cousins.

[@houseofaction]

@@stephyworld8713 absolutely false NO COUSIN ON EARTH SHARES THAT MUCH DNA . its a biological fact. if you and your sibling are identical twins Because you and your sister are identical twins, you pretty much have the same DNA. Not exactly but pretty darned close. the children of Identical siblings share 25% of their DNA (and genes) instead of the usual 12.5% with cousins. Legally your kids and your siblings kids are first cousins but at the DNA level they would be half siblings. this is an irrefutable biological fact

[@houseofaction]

@@stephyworld8713 the children of Identical twins share 25% of their DNA, making them HALF siblings. anyone who says otherwise doesn't know what they are talking about. and if a set of identical twins marry a set of identical twins the children involved would share 50% of their DNA making them genetically full siblings. again this is a biological fact

[@burk314]

The fall of Xerxes was about 400 years before the current storyline. Imagine living 400 years with a sea of voices in your head.

[@bakagakure6435]

It got better …over time

[@burk314]

Don't say too much!

[@SceneSurgeSnippets]

@@burk314 They've already finished watching the show on Patreon so it's all good :)

[@shaolinfang3520]

By the way in episode 19, when Armstrong and Ed were at Xerxes ruins they were talking about a Xerxes survivor who taught Amestris alchemy and taught Xing alcahestry. Now we know that was Hohenheim. Essentially while father created the military in order for the transmutation circle Hohenheim was like a wanderer who was spreading his knowledge.

[@aaronking5640]

Father is the one who taught amestris alchemy

[@shaolinfang3520]

This is the best reveal in anime period. Not even the basement reveal in Attack on Titan matches up. This is what peak storytelling looks like.

[@root8able]

FMA is one of the most elaborate anime/manga

[@helinituhhh]

Welp, been waiting for this episode to pop up bc this is my go signal to binge your reactions lol watching people get stumped after seeing ep 40 never gets old lol Also, Pride IS the first homunculus in the context of the seven deadly sins, aka Father's 'children'

[@CertifiedSunset]

Can't wait for you guys to release the other episodes, I love rewatching this show.

[@huntress44]

If you watch the first opening it was Hoenheim in the first scene all along 😆

[@chandanv8769]

From here, FMAB transitioned from being great anime to Godly anime.

[@gabecajamarca]

I get chills every time I see this episode

[@icankickflipok]

The cool part about the code exchange between mustang and Hawkeye is, the first letter of every name she says spells out “Selim Bradley is a homunculus.”

[@icankickflipok]

I’ve been binging this series and i have been waiting ever so impatiently to get to their reaction of this one. So many questions about hohenheim get answered in this one. Turns him from what seems to be a cold and distant dad into an extremely tragic character who just wanted to find a way to become human again so he could grow old with his wife.

[@keinwarecliff4101]

The Dwarf in the Flask is not Pride. Pride simply looks like "Father/The Dwarf in the Flask" before he gained his "Hoheneim" flesh body. Father simply took out all of his 7 deadly sins to make the other Homunculuses. Lust Gluttony Envy Greed Wrath Sloth Pride

[@allengarcia6261]

This IS the episode I've been waiting for your reaction to this was a great episode one of my favorite of the series

[@ChaosArdor]

Lol. Y'all jumped in so much surprise at the end.

[@blueteller]

In my theory, the Homunculus made Hohenheim was prosperous mainly 'cause of their blood connection. They were connected the same way as Ed and Al: Hohenheim was providing nutritions the Dwarf needed to survive. Only after getting a Philosopher's Stone the Homunculus was able to live independently.

[@rooneyrangerstid]

Man I’m loving watching this series with you guys

[@sutureart2080]

Now you know why he pierced his chest a couple of episodes ago. He used some of the souls that were in him.

[@Jexorz86]

I cant wait for them to see Wrath go all out.

[@yakamen]

Pride is the first humonculus who split off from Father. In a way he's still the first. Just not The First. There was a philosopher named Kant in history who wrote that man was an end in itself, never a means to an end. The humonculus represent the philosophy in which man is only a means. Think about Envy asking Ed if he ever felt sad about putting logs in a fire. This show is very well thought out. Like on levels much much higher and deeper than other action anime. Author must have been very well read in psych and philosophy.

[@annieberardino8732]

OMG I thought he sounded familiar!!! Young Hoenheim is voiced by the same voice actor as alphonse from the 2003 FMA Series! omgggggg!!!!

[@memyself1670]

Amazing episode I remember watching and I have been waiting for you guys to get here.

[@BalikTrollbane]

Just wanted to say Hi from Canada...you beautiful people you! Thanks for the reactions as always!

[@hows_it_smoking]

Its more accurate to say that the dwarf took up Hohenheim's Dna and constructed himself a human body as well as the desires of one. :)

[@jasonmillsom2981]

And thus Hohenheim being a bad dad makes sense, even though he was by far a better dad then another dad in this show 😂

[@derekwhittom1639]

All you need to know is explained in episode 2: I am called by many names. Some call me the world, or the universe, or god, or truth. I am one, I am all, and I am also *you*

[@sutureart2080]

So you finally got the see there origin. Really nice

[@carloscastroteixeira5140]

I waited so long for this episode’s reaction!

[@daisuke910]

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery

[@XRP_fan]

You're both awesome!!! Love all the reactions.

[@scorpiongurlz89]

6:41 Xerxes was a country, not a town.

[@evandg13ify]

So my theory has been “the truth” is the physical embodiment of everyone and everything in the universe past, present, even future. “I am the world, I am god, I am also you”. Then what is inside the door is all the metaphysical, knowledge and memories and such. I believe hoenheim’s blood was used to partially open the door and grabbed a small piece of that knowledge which is why homunculus has so much information.

[@luutas]

Finally. I was waiting for this episode reaction 🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌

[@ThatRandomJ]

This episode showed us the destruction of Xerxes. And Ed and Al are half Xerxian because Hohenheim was from Xerxes. It also shows how "Father" was created. So, the souls of the people of Xerxes are split 50/50 between Father and Hohenheim and 2 philosophers stones were created inside them, one in each. And remember back in the episode when Ed was in the ruins of Xerxes and said the story about a blond traveller from the East came to Amestris and taught Alchemy, whereas Xing had a similar story of a blond traveller from the West teaching them Alchehestory. Xerxes was located between Amestris and Xing. There were 2 blond survivors of Xerxes. Father went west to Amestris first, which is why Amestris is the way it is now. Hohenheim went to Xing first and taught Alchehestory before making his way over to Amestris.

[@Gabriel90000]

I love you guys 💙💙💙

[@clearykatie]

I've been so excited for this episode

[@maxdon2001]

Great episode reaction!

[@JosephSciola]

Aw, my absolute favorite episode of the series. ^_^

[@Luemm3l]

it is funny that in principle, Van Hohenheim is just a surname that has been split into first and last name. usually van in dutch or von in german used to describe descent from nobility, meaning you or your ancestors were a king, duke, what have you. Nowadays not necessarily true anymore, but that was always a little weird to me as a german in the show how they used the name. In this Show Van is the first name, Hohenheim last name, so the Elrics would be Edward and Alphonse Hohenheim if their father would not have taken on the last name of his wife (highly uncommon back in the days, today not anymore although most couples go also with double last names, at least here in germany).

[@rfmerrill]

Oh yeah, another bonus piece of trivia: Go back and watch the first opening credits sequence of the series. That person you might have assumed was Edward... wasn't ;)

[@stardmg]

The village slaughterings seem sort of random here, but in a few episodes you'll understand it.

[@rome4775]

If you notice after father got his body he took the kings cloths to wear for himself

[@CaneRossso]

Real fast in figuring out that the dwarf is the father

[@210rebelboy]

I've delayed on watching your guys' reactions because I couldn't stand the wait. But now that you know about the dwarf, I'm all in. You guys being in the dark was driving me nuts, but the events that will now unfold until the end of the series are so awesome that it's worth being in suspense every week. Gotta play catchup first though

[@210rebelboy]

You might say I shouldn't speak on future events, but the thing is.. I want them to be HYPED

[@austinnoliphant]

Has someone who bench watch this in 2008 see other react to it, find this comedic and wonderful.

[@mikemath9508]

my favorite episode. not sure if ever, but definitely a top FMAB 20 minutes

[@unclelink]

Mieruko-chan needs some love!

[@spikejr3113jr]

So the guy called father is basically a clone of Von which makes the sins/humonculie kinda like Ed and Als cousins. Von is a living human philosopher stone. Which is my theory of why Ed and Al are so good at alchemy even as young kids. Young slave von reminds me of Ed now, not that smart full of potential and kinda a brother without a body.

[@mihoteo]

In manga there is a family tree where father is marked as hoenhaim son and homunculus are children of father. So there is a gag scene where all homunculus asks their uncles (ed and al) for money

[@bphater31]

Wondering about his name? Check this out en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paracelsus

[@JeronisLeror]

And now I will say, Meet Father. For real this time.

[@manumudgal4988]

It's amazing how a small homunculus is a big bad of the show

[@mrsiimple]

Now the show get REALLY GOOD!

[@nilexinator5901]

I habe question. They have patreon only Shows? Will they release Them on KZbin At any given point of time ?

[@roberthall5580]

Im pretty sure pride is just the first of these homunculus

[@miguelosvaldofloresdomingu8911]

10:12 That theory were so close to became true.

[@bphater31]

Well the truth in the void already explained who he/she is in the 2rd episode. "Who am I? One name you might have for me is the world, or you might call me the universe, or perhaps God, or perhaps the Truth. I am All, and I am One. So, of course, this also means that I am you"

[@zac0918]

the entity in the doorway is god or truth, all the other like pride are just father getting rid of the "sins" to be more pure cause he wants to be god

[@zellrang]

finally you got here...

[@devonmarauder1388]

clue.. human has 7 sins ,, in this world human have those 7 big sins.. pride, wrath, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, sloth. Father dont like it , so he get rid his 7 sins and make homunculus from those.. like in the show.. this is not really a spoiler just in case you confused about pride being the first homunculus, he is the father's pride as the first homunculus.. thats why pride keep saying it,,

[@JaimeAGB-pt4xl]

Hohemhein is the True MVP of the series

[@edwardlee2231]

Recommad you can try a Taiwanese film "Seediq Bale" It's about a Taiwanese indigenous tribe fight Japanese colonial army with premitive weapons in 1931, It will be a totally new experience!

[@IKEMENOsakaman]

Who can sing Melissa in Karaoke!!!???

[@EddieDexterStewart]

I've been waiting for you to reach this point. Father's real name is Dwarf In The Flask Humunculous. He is NOT Pride. Father rid himself of Human Weaknesses (the Seven Deadly Sins) so he could become superior. To what end? Ha-ha! You have to wait!

[@user-iq7en1lg3i]

Watch 'train to busan' please

[@LUFFY-tn5rh]

Plz upload steins gate

[@monkeybusiness5657]

Please watch From the new world in the future

[@tarek_maza]

As you finish the show I recommend you watch these video which would give a deeper understanding of the story and the meaning of it: kzbin.info/www/bejne/j2nYmWybfqd6o6c kzbin.info/www/bejne/g6DLcn6agZmZqqc

[@swig_gigolo]

The being in the void isn’t out to do anything at all it is just there to uphold the laws of the universe don’t get it twisted

[@ZanathKariashi]

ehhh......He did technically admit to giving humanity alchemy and the ability to access the Gate of Truth just to see what they'd do with it. Similar to when God put the Trees of Life and of the Knowledge of Good and Evil in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve. Just to see if they'd follow orders or not.

PLS DO REACT OF KDRAM "MY NAME" IN NETFLIX💜🏡

[@jasoncaldwell5627]

While I dig this....I gotta say, I greatly prefer the 2003 version. It's more cinematic- and the ending is more bittersweet.