Tropes present in this episode include:
- Character Development: Like many of her half-siblings, Mei started out wanting nothing more than the Philospher Stone at any cost, even if it meant trying to kill someone for it (Lan Fan, anyone?) Ironically, her growth comes full circle with her ignoring the only Philospher Stone within reach, to save a life, Hawkeye.
- Dangerous Forbidden Technique: Pride mentions that forcing someone to open the portal was his last resort, because it takes a huge toll on his Philosopher's Stone. Pride admits he didn't want to resort to it, but since the homunculi are almost out of time and they've exhausted their other options to make the fifth sacrifice, he is forced to do it.
- Eyecatch: Riza Hawkeye and Darius in the first, Scar in the second.
- Friend-or-Idol Decision: At one point during the episode, Mei finds herself at a crossroad between helping herself and helping someone else. She could either taking hold of the only Philospher Stone in the foreseeable future and be on her merry way, or she could take the time to heal a dying Hawkeye with her Alkehestry. She ultimately saves Hawkeye, forgoing her only foreseeable chance to bring the Emperor immortality.
- Forgot About His Powers: When Pride and Wrath force Mustang to perform human transmutation, Scar never considers breaking the floor to interrupt it, nor when the others resolve to find Father's lair.
- Hope Spot: For a moment, it appears like Mustang may have made it through the Gate of Truth unscathed, as he still has all his limbs and organs, but then...
- I Shall Return: Al has the chance to reunite with his body but refuses for the moment because his body is so thin and weak. However, he promises that he will return.
- Laser-Guided Karma: For his sadistic ways, the gold-toothed doctor is used by Pride to force Mustang through the Gate of Truth. He ends up coming back as... something else.
- Screw Your Ultimatum!: The episode begins where the previous episode left, with Mustang choosing... not to perform the transmutation. It turns out Hawkeye managed to tell Mustang via eye body language that help is on the way, so Mustang doesn't have to perform the transmutation to save her life.
- Wham Line:Mustang: Fullmetal, I don't understand how you can expect to see my physical condition when it's so dark in here.
- You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: Pride uses the Gold-Toothed Doctor as transmutation material while forcing Mustang to open the portal, deciding that he's no longer needed at this point.
