(no subject)

[skygiants]

OKAY. As of last night, I have both seen episode 64 of FMA:B and read the final chapter of the manga. And one month behind the rest of the fandom, I HAVE THOUGHTS.


First of all, I just want to say: not that I ever doubted it would, but FMA has absolutely taken its place as one of my favorite complete narratives of all time. I love everything. I love everyone. I LOVE ARAKAWA THE MOST.

. . . I just wanted to make that clear.

There was only one scene that I desperately wanted in the finale and did not get: I wanted a final scene between Scar and Marcoh scene LIKE BURNING. I realize that no one else in the world is as invested in the Team Scarcoh dynamic as I am (look, I assert my right to make terrible portmanteau smush names for things that are not romantic pairings if I want to) but all the same! I mean, okay. Their relationship goes from "killing you would be too easy for you" to "WACKY WORLD-SAVING ROAD TRIP." I feel like this deserves some resolution! In my heart, they are totally taking another road trip to visit Mei sometime postcanon. It will be awesome.

Which is not to say that I did not love the Scar-Miles-Olivier scene, because I did. So very much. I do love that in the end, Scar's continued purpose came from his dynamic with another Ishvalan, and I love Arakawa maybe most for this: that the efforts our guilty and well-meaning white dudes put forth with regard to resurrecting Ishval are going to be useless without the actual Ishvalans.

(BECCA: And I am firmly convinced that, as Olivier stalks off, even Scar has a two-second flash of thinking, "I'd hit that."
GEN: We don't even have any evidence that Scar is straight!
BECCA: Like it even matters! OLIVIER ARMSTRONG TRANSCENDS SEXUAL ORIENTATION. It's the power of The Hair.

Which is to say, I'd ship it.)

Some other things I loved beyond all reason:

- Ed's MOST HILARIOUS PROPOSAL EVER. I will LOL FOREVER, oh my god. (And hugs! So many hugs! I will admit I would not have minded some more shipperbait regarding certain other couples *cough*RizaRoy*cough* but all of Kids from Resembool hugs filled me with joy, especially given that I have spent half the series chanting "JUST HUG" at the screen.)

- Ling is going to learn how to be a big brotheeeeer. (I loved especially that in the manga it was Lan Fan who asked it of him, and that it was triggered by remembering Knox. I loved that so much.) You know that when Al finally gets to Xing, Ling is going to have way too much fun annoying him and Mei by playing Overprotective Big Brother at them and Demanding To Know Al's Intentions. (It will distract him from missing Greed. WHOM I ALSO MISS but I am not thinking about that because his death was perfect and fitting but still fills me with sorrow.)

- speaking of: I love not only that Al is going to Xing, but that he's taking JERSO AND ZAMPANO. They are learning alchemy! They are figuring out how to get their bodies back! And also babysitting Al while they're at it, oh my god, I love them all so much. (Meanwhile, Darius and Heinkel get stuck babysitting Yoki for all time.)

- I would desperately like fic in which the reason that Mei is hanging out in Rush Valley in that final photo from the anime after she and Al come back from Xing is because she is TRAINING WITH IZUMI IN DUBLITH. *___* Seriously, how awesome would that be? I would also like fic in which Paninya and Mei become BFF. Alas, fandom will not provide me with either of these.

- I can't decide which version of the Havoc-and-Breda photo I love better: the one in the manga, with the physical therapy, or the one from the anime with REBECCA AND HER HAREM.

- GRUMMAN AND MRS. BRADLEY. Oh, man. In my heart, she has totally used her popularity and status as the Grieving Widow to become a politician in the aftermath of everything that went down, and Grumman has proposed to her at least three times because a.) she's hot, b.) it would be an excellent PR move, and c.) he wants to keep an eye on Baby Selim. And Mrs. Bradley smiles sweetly, flirts with him, and stomps his dreams every time, because a.) she prefers to lead the opposition, b.) she does not trust him anywhere near Baby Selim, and c.) he's not anywhere near as hot as her previous husband (though she does appreciate a man with a fine moustache.)

And okay. SPEAKING OF FACIAL HAIR. The time has come, the inevitable time, to discuss the all-important topic of the hairstyling decisions of certain cast members in the finale, and I am about to assert an Unpopular Fandom Opinion here.

To put it into context, I have to relate another conversation between myself and genarti, as both of us found it completely impossible to avoid spoilers of THE STACHE.

GEN: But I don't actually think it's that bad! It's small and period-appropriate and kind of reminds me of my grandfather's. It's not, like, an Armstrong-stache.
BECCA: . . . what do you mean? It's TERRIBLE. It's WORSE than an Armstrong-stache!
GEN: Are you crazy? It doesn't even curl!
BECCA: IT SO DOES CURL. And it's RIDICULOUS.
GEN: It does not! It has tiny points!
BECCA: Gen, LOOK AT THIS. THAT IS CURL.
GEN: . . . Becca, I don't know how to tell you this, but that's - not the real moustache. That's a parody.
BECCA: . . .
GEN: The monocle wasn't a clue?
BECCA: I DON'T PUT MONOCLES PAST ARAKAWA OKAY.

From this, we may take two things: a.) I am the most gullible person alive and b.) by the time I saw the real moustache, I was prepared to agree, it was not actually that bad! I mean, it is a hilarious decision on the part of both Roy and the animators. I will never deny this. However, it was far from the worst hair-related decision displayed in the final episode. FAR FROM. Even leaving Falman's tiny scrub-beard aside, observe:



The Roystache.



THE SCAR-MULLET.

WHY IS NO ONE TALKING ABOUT THE HILARIOUS TERROR THAT IS THE SCAR-MULLET.

Fandom, once again, I am disappoint.

Comments

[genarti]

Ummmmmm. Well, in the show we only got that quick snapshot of Darius and Heinkel and Yoki; the manga had the same content, but was clearer about it. And... you know, I have this vague feeling there must be someone, but heck if I can remember anyone we missed. WELL PLAYED, ARAKAWA. Geez.

(It's true; on the other hand, Scar is stubborn. And, uh, has not been seen to ever grow more facial hair than minor stubble, so maybe he's briefly tried sideburns and given up based on inability to grow any credible ones? I would find that kind of hilarious.)

[skygiants]

Rose? She is about the only person I can think of who appeared more than once who did not get followed up with. Oh, and Sheska. And Paninya also only got a brief snapshot, but it was a snapshot of awesome team bonding so I'm okay with that.

(HAH. Okay, I would find that hilarious as well. Extra because it means he will forever be kind of bitter about the Roystache.)

[genarti]

True for all! And Pinako only got a brief snapshot too, although she did get a fair amount of screen time (DESERVEDLY) compared to some.

I still ship Sheska/Fuery in my secret heart. Imagine the earnest geekiness!

(Ahahaha. And if he were someone else, he would make dry comments about it, but Scar does not lower himself to commenting on other people's fashion choices. So he just grunts sardonically.)

[skygiants]

Here is my secret: I accidentally read a spoiler that turned out to be a lie that Pinako was not going to survive the series. So when she did make it through, I was SO HAPPY I did not even notice she just got a brief screenshot.

You know this is something I can totally support! Earnest adorable geekiness for the win.

(And somehow that makes Mustang feel more ridiculously defensive about it than he does around ANYONE ELSE.)

[genarti]

:O :O :O That is a HEARTBREAKING AND TRAGIC LIE of a spoiler! Oh lordy. :( Is that the one that ages and ages ago you mentioned having read, and that I wouldn't want to hear and you were kind of sorry you had? If so I am DELIGHTED IT WAS WRONG. (If not, I am still delighted it was wrong.)

I do know! I restate it anyway. They would be so adorable. Though either of them would also be adorable in any other relationship that made them happy, it must be admitted.

(Hahaha. Well, he does have sort of a leg up on feeling defensive here... But yeah, and then he'd be cranky because WHY IS HE FEELING DEFENSIVE ABOUT HIS FASHION CHOICES OF ALL THINGS AROUND SCAR WHO IS GROWING A MILES-MULLET, and Hawkeye just facepalms. Inside her head. Outside her head she just blandfaces and says something sardonic-but-obliquely-reassuring.)

[skygiants]

Actually the one I read ages and ages ago was the Roy-blindness one, before it became so unavoidable that we both knew it anyway, but I told you that already! Because it was giving me Jane Eyre flashbacks. :O That was another one that fell into the same category, though.

This is equally true! Basically, in short: I support lots of lolarious counter-regulation military dating. GO FOR IT, GUYS.

(Perhaps THAT is why Hawkeye cut off all her hair. SHE'S NOT EVEN GETTING INTO IT, GUYS. Have ridiculous hair-growing bitchface contests if you must. Hawkeye will continue to content herself with short hair and her dignity.)

[genarti]

Ahhhh, okay. This is a reason to be glad I've never read Jane Eyre, perhaps? But I remain very very glad that Pinako survived. :( Uh, aside from that brief temporary death everybody got, I guess.

ME TOO. Or dating outside the military! You guys can have lives, too! THERE ARE MANY OPTIONS. GO GO GO. Hughes is cheering you on from the afterlife!

(*cracks up* Mental canon. Okay, not really, but mental canon as side benefit of short hair.)

[skygiants]

Yeah, I suspect the temporary death is where the Pinako-death spoiler may have come from? BUT STILL.

This also works! In short: now that the crisis is . . . still a crisis that involves a lot of work but no longer involves the imminent destruction of everything, EVERYONE, GO HAVE SOCIAL LIVES.

(Millicanon? >:D)

[genarti]

I suspect so also, as that's the only remotely similar instance I can think of. BUT STILL INDEED.

Yesssss. GO FORTH AND PROSPER, EVERYBODY.

(...We'll see. *laughing* It depends on the rest of what we Millicanon!)