Synopsis:
There was a story about 2 brothers who had a natural talent for alchemy called Fullmetal Alchemist. This story was originally told in a manga, but before the manga was finished an anime was put out. The anime had to change and create some original story elements because the manga was still ongoing at the time.
After the manga had finished they wanted to revisit the anime with a version closer to the actual story told in the manga. This would be known as Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. The only thing was due to retreading some story elements told in the original anime, they shortened some story beats for FMAB.
Intentions:
Online fans had come up with ways to watch some episodes of each mix and match FMA and FMAB to get the full story. One of these was told on Anime Planet here: https://www.anime-planet.com/users/Halex/lists/fullmetal-alchemist--watching-guide-191736
So I figured why not create replacement episodes for FMAB by combining the required viewing from FMA into longer episodes to create an actual manga cut for rewatching based on the Anime Planet article.
Change List:
Ep 1 – Those Who Challenge the Sun (43 Min)
FMA episodes 1 & 2
A lead on the Philosopher's Stone leads the Elric brothers to a remote desert city whose citizens worship a sun god and are led by a prophet who is purported to perform miracles. Knowing the truth behind the prophet's power, the Elrics seek to unseat him and reveal the truth to the citizens of that desert city. They also seek to steal the source of the power for themselves, until they discover a secret about it that even the prophet didn't know.
Ep 2 – A Story of Family (49 Min)
FMA episodes 3 & 5 with a little of FMAB episode 2
A young Ed and Al are determined to bring back their dead mother, who was their pillar of strength in light of their absent father and war struck country. After being found by Colonial Mustang, the Elric brothers hop aboard a train to Central City and quickly find themselves defending the passengers -- including General Haruko -- from terrorists.
Ep 3 – Crimes of Passion (64 Min)
FMA episodes 6, 7 & 8
Once in Central City, Ed and Al move into the vast mansion of the Sewing-Life Alchemist Shou Tucker and begin to prepare for the Alchemy exam. After passing the exam and becoming an official state alchemist, Ed takes a closer look at Tucker's chimera experiments and begins to realize that something wrong has been going on. A disheartened Ed resigns from his position as State Alchemist just as Winry arrives into town to visit. Winry however, may end up as the next victim of the city's serial killer.
Ep 4 – The Other Brother Elric (43.5 Min)
FMA episodes 11 & 12 I know the article said to skip this but this is how the Elric’s find out about Dr. Marco and that comes into play later on.
The Elric brothers head to Xenotime in hopes of finding the Philosopher's Stone, but instead find two brothers who've stolen their identity and are poisoning the town with strange red water. Ed and Al uncover a conspiracy involving the Tringham brothers' father, his involvement with the red water and the disease that's stricken Xenotime.
Ep 5 – An Alchemists Challenge (63 Min)
FMA episodes 13, 14 & 15 Removed any reference to their Mom as Bradley’s secretary. Removed any reference to episodes that are no longer in this continuity
Just in time for his annual Assessment, Ed challenges Mustang to a fight. If Ed wins, Roy must tell the truth about the traveling Dr. Marcoh who saved children in Xenotime. While the shape-shifting Envy disguises himself as Cornello, Ed and Al find Dr. Marcoh and learn about the Stone's involvement in the Ishbal Rebellion.
Ep 6 – That Which is Lost (44 Min)
FMA episodes 16 & 17.
As Dr. Marcoh faces a deadly encounter with Lust, Armstrong and the Elrics flee to Resembool. Ed however, gets sent into a rage when they lose Al in the process. The hobbled Elrics return to their childhood village for the first time in four years. As the Rockbells construct Ed's new limbs, the boys sift through the ashes they left behind. While Al comes to the fearful realization that his memories are fading, Ed visits his mother's grave, and both must redefine their view of family and home.
Ep 7- The Truth Behind Truths (43 Min)
FMA episodes 18 & 19 Cut reference to Lust being a part of Scars past.
Ed and Al are forced to go in search of another source for Dr. Marcoh's books after Lust, Gluttony and Scar burn the first Branch Library to the ground. Once they find a way to read Dr. Marcoh’s book, Ed and Al are horrified when they learn what the key ingredient in making a Philospher's stone is, but they forge ahead to explore an abandoned lab.
Ep 8 – The Fifth Laboratory (43.5 Min)
FMA episodes 20 & 21 Cut reference to Lust being a part of Scars past.
Ed and Al square up against two guards that are just like Al; souls bound to armored suits. Ed however, may be in trouble as his auto mail malfunctions. Barry sets off explosions that inadvertently free the homonculus Greed and the other prisoners. Shou Tucker returns from the dead in a surprising new form.
EP 9 – Fullmetal Heart (43.5 Min)
FMA episodes 22 & 23 Cut Juliet (Bradley’s secretary).
After the explosive finale to Lab Five, Ed and Al wake up in the hospital, once again in pieces. Winry travels to Central to make repairs, and is enraged by the brothers' refusal to tell her the truth about their lives. Meanwhile, Al's recurring questions about his existence come to a boil. Was there ever an Alphonse Elric? Or are his memories and soul alchemically created lies?
EP 10 - Words of Farewell (44.5 Min)
FMA episodes 24 & 25 with a little of FMAB episode 10 Cut Juliet as an Homunculus.
As Al runs from Ed and Winry, desperate to know the truth about what he is, mercenaries swoop into the Ishbalan encampment where Scar is recovering and massacre helpless refugees. Al finds himself side by side with Scar, on a renegade mission against the state that Ed represents. Afterwards, Ed and Al claim they've quit their search for the Philosopher's Stone and board a train heading south. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Colonel Hughes' investigation of Lab Five leads him to a startling discovery of military corruption and conspiracy that could topple the entire national government.