Fullmetal edition vol 18 by hiromu arakawa

The major evil plans the Homunculi have been crafting for centuries finally come to fruition, but Ed, Al, and their motley crew of friends are there to stop the Father of the Homunculi. In the last volume, Father used his Human Sacrifices he's been gathering all series long, and performed a major feat of alchemy to try to achieve the power of a god. The fate is largely in the hands of all the Elrichs - including their father, Hohenheim, who unleashes his unnatural power as well. In the end, Mai and her Alkahestry from Xing, as well as Scar's tattooed arms that blend Alchemy and Alkahestry, that provide an edge for Ed, Al, and all of their friends against a godlike evil with immeasurable power.

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If you like endings where all the characters you've read about come together for one final battle, this is the volume for you. There is a lot of payoff for readers who have come this far - they'll finally see all the loose ends tied together (although a majority of them came together in volume 17), and there's a feel-good ending that will still leave some of the hopeless romantics unsatisfied but at least acknowledged. While Arakawa left things open for further adventures as the brothers continue to travel and explore, a sequel is not necessary, as readers are welcome to imagine all the treasures they will find throughout the world. This is a great last volume with a balance of giant boss-fight and falling action resolutions with character arcs neatly resolved.

Sara's Rating: 10/10
Suitability Level: Grades 7-12

Reviews of previous volumes in this series: vol 1, vol 2, vol 3, vol 4, vol 5, vol 6, vol 7, vol 8, vol 9, vol 10, vol 11, vol 12, vol 13, vol 14, vol 15, vol 16, vol 17

Publisher: VIZ Media
Publication Date: August 23, 2022
ISBN: 9781974700066 (Hardcover)

​​Tags: Rating: 10/10, Suitability: Middle School, Suitability: High School, Manga, Action Adventure, ​VIZ Media