Dramatic Irony: Winry and the Elrics enjoy one of Gracia's apple pies on the train, and talk about looking forward to the next time they see Hughes again, unaware that he was murdered (and, in fact, they won't find out for six more episodes).
Fatal Family Photo: Lt. Colonel Hughes carries a photo of his fiancée with him during the Ishbalan war. Genre Savvy Colonel Mustang then points out that if they were in a war story, carrying a photo of her around and showing it off so proudly would be a sure-fire way to die ironically on the battlefield. It's initially subverted as this is a flashback and the audience knows that he does make it back to his girlfriend and marries her and has a kid. This is a reference to the fact that all through the series, he's showing off pictures of his daughter and occasionally of his wife. Eventually, it is Double Subverted as he dies in this episode. Plus, the family picture partially causes Hughes's death: he drops it in the phone booth, Envy sees it and is able to transform into his wife, and poor Hughes can't stab him to save his own life.
Foreshadowing: Bradley tells the Elric brothers that "I hope, for your sake, you don't know too much [about the Philosopher's Stone]". Later, Hughes uncovers a conspiracy involving the Stone and is murdered to keep it secret. Furthermore, four episodes later, Bradley is revealed to be a Homunculus.
He Knows Too Much: Maes Hughes discovers a conspiracy, and is murdered by the conspirators. Twenty-five episodes later, it is revealed that the Homunculi's end-goal is to transmute an enormous Philosopher's Stone using every human in the entire country of Amestris, which had been founded in the first place for that very purpose.
Imposter Forgot One Detail: When Envy disguises himself as Maria Ross, he forgets to include the mole below Ross's left eye. However, when Hughes points this out, Envy adds it to the disguise.
It Always Rains at Funerals: Subverted, as the funeral is on a relatively sunny day. However Roy claims this to be the case to justify the tears falling from his eyes.
Manly Tears: Armstrong during Hughes's funeral, and Mustang afterwards.
Please Wake Up: Elicia has a version of this after Hughes dies, telling her mother that they can't bury her father because he has so much work to do.
