(L) Fullmetal Alchemist Manga Discussion

[mechalord]

Mustang will get his vision back. The truth was probably too much for Mustang to absorb at one time and his eyes just have to take a break for a second... that's my guess.

[GaimeGuy]

Originally Posted by mechalord

Mustang will get his vision back. The truth was probably too much for Mustang to absorb at one time and his eyes just have to take a break for a second... that's my guess.

Why do people continue to have this idea that mustang just isn't good enough to perform human transmutation or handle the truth or perform advanced alchemy?


The guy became a state alchemist either in his mid-late teens or around the age of 20 (He's 29 after Ed becomes a state alchemist, which means he was probably 28 when he first met him in Risembool, which was six years after the Ishval war ended IIRC, meaning Mustang was 22ish when Ishval ended). He was a state alchemist BEFORE he learned flame alchemy, and by the time the Ishval conflict occured, he had already mastered flame alchemy (or rather, controlling the composition, density, and flow of the air and energy in the atmosphere to manipulate a spark produced by his gloves. That's a pretty fucking complex and delicate form of alchemy from the sound of it.).

He has the knowledge to create a human simulacrum on demand (Remember, Maria Ross had already escaped from prison, so he didn't have any time to research or perform any prep work for the fake corpose).

I still maintain that Mustang is at least as good of an alchemist as Ed, Al, Izumi, and Marcoh, and possibly better.

[fizzmaister]

I agree with you in general, but I need to point out that he did have prep time when he made the fake corpse. He even had time to order someone to pull Maria's dental records. Yes it wasn't enough time for him to learn the theory of making a fake corpse, but he did mention that he had seen enough real ones to pull it off.

[Haladflire65]

Originally Posted by fizzmaister

I agree with you in general, but I need to point out that he did have prep time when he made the fake corpse. He even had time to order someone to pull Maria's dental records. Yes it wasn't enough time for him to learn the theory of making a fake corpse, but he did mention that he had seen enough real ones to pull it off.

I don't think that was GaimeGuy's point... I think that post was more saying that Mustang is one of the better alchemists (putting together actual alchemical skills and intelligence) and I agree. Even if he had prep time, I think it's pretty amazing that he managed to think up a plan like that, and he actually didn't have all day to do it, either. His eyesight was taken away from the Truth, and it's not because of some shock factor that he can't see. That's where I'm standing.

[quigonkenny]

Mustang's paying of the toll for opening the gate even though he did it unwillingly is something that should strike us as odd. Ed's calling it out tells us that. It likely has to do with the "strangeness" of Amestrian alchemy, which means we'll find out why in the next few chapters when our heroes figure out how to take out Father. What is obvious is that Pride had to pay some kind of toll as well (my guess is his darkness body, which one would assume he is very "proud" of). Will Mustang be able to get his sight back? Insufficient data.

[zebra]

Well, I hope Ed and Al (!) get their bodies back at the end of it all and since Roy and Izumi are there, why no returning of lost goods for them, too?
There is a walking philosopher's stone with them who's tired of living after all.

Even so, I wouldn't mind Roy staying blind. He's one of the few characters who would cope with it and find a way to become just more badass with a hinderence like no eyesight ..
None of the characters until now gave up because of a disability, they end up stronger in the end. There's no automail for eyes I guess, but I'm sure there is a way for Roy to overcome it. Plus he has the Hawkeye on his side, she's an ace at aiming *getting sudden image of Riza taking Roy's arm over her shoulder like a rifle* .

Speaking of opening the gate unwillingly .. that's true for Hohenheim too isn't it? He was dragged in the transmutation of Xerxes by father and didn't participate with free will. He is the fifth sacrifice so he must have seen the gate. It does seem like he himself didn't have a toll to pay ... besides losing ALL his fellow countrymen of course . But I guess he's a special case .. since he became a philosopher's stone and all.

I'm thrilled to find out what Father means with 'becoming the perfect being'. Does he want Truth-kun's job?

[quigonkenny]

Originally Posted by The Small One

The thuth – or better: the fake truth – doesn't really have such a good position.
But concerning this issue, I have a theory I'd like to hear your opinions on:

Let's assume a few thousand years ago there was a really powerful evil beeing. In order to get rid of it, someone (maybe a god or something similar) sealed it deep into the earth with some seal, consisting of five parts (=doors).
The knowledge about this was lost and after some thousand years passed, someone from Xerxes incidentally discovered a way to tap into the power of this beeing to perform miraculous things he called alchemy. Then a few hundred years later, when alchemy became commonly used, someone accidently freed a small part of this beeings consciousness (=father). Since then this part seeks for a way to get back his body. The first attempt failed. Xerxes got wiped out, but he managed to open only one of the file doors. His power got greater and he gained himself a body, but the bigger part was still sealed.
Hohenheim brought the knowledge of alchemy to Amestris and Xing and father planned for a way to open all doors at once. In Xing they evolved their alchemy to draw the power of the world itself, instead of the sealed beeing and after another few hundred years the story beginns.

What do you think about it?

Already seen it, only Father's role was played by a little golden ring...

[Sannom]

Originally Posted by GaimeGuy

He was a state alchemist BEFORE he learned flame alchemy, and by the time the Ishval conflict occured, he had already mastered flame alchemy (or rather, controlling the composition, density, and flow of the air and energy in the atmosphere to manipulate a spark produced by his gloves. That's a pretty fucking complex and delicate form of alchemy from the sound of it.).

I still maintain that Mustang is at least as good of an alchemist as Ed, Al, Izumi, and Marcoh, and possibly better.

We don't know when he became a State Alchemist, and it is heavily implied that he became one only after learning the Flame alchemy thanks to Riza's tattoo. As for his age at the time, since he became a soldier before becoming a State Alchemist, I believe he must have been in his twenties...
For your second point, it is most likely that he learned Flame Alchemy when the Ishbal War was already well started. Remember that he entered the conflict only in the last year, and that he was only sixteen when it started.

I believe that Mustang is a skilled alchemist, but not on the level of scientific knowledge that the brothers, Izumi and Marcoh attained. He is mainly a warrior, and mainly respected for his deeds on the battlefield, not the level of his studies like Marcoh.

[Haladflire65]

Originally Posted by Sannom

We don't know when he became a State Alchemist, and it is heavily implied that he became one only after learning the Flame alchemy thanks to Riza's tattoo. As for his age at the time, since he became a soldier before becoming a State Alchemist, I believe he must have been in his twenties...
For your second point, it is most likely that he learned Flame Alchemy when the Ishbal War was already well started. Remember that he entered the conflict only in the last year, and that he was only sixteen when it started.

I believe that Mustang is a skilled alchemist, but not on the level of scientific knowledge that the brothers, Izumi and Marcoh attained. He is mainly a warrior, and mainly respected for his deeds on the battlefield, not the level of his studies like Marcoh.

He became a State Alchemist before he was 23, because that was when the Ishval war started... I think that's pretty much all we know. He has plenty of scientific knowledge - no average alchemist could have deciphered Riza's tattoo, as she mentioned in front of her father's tomb. His style of achemy's quite special and as a lot of the other posters said here, it really doesn't seem easy.

Ok, then, why were the Homunculi so intent on getting Mustang to open the gate if he was just an average alchemist? I think in FMA, the power of alchemists are measured not only in their skill level and studies but also by their mental strength. Mental strength is more important in human transmutation, I think, and Father picked Mustang for a reason. They could've used Kimblee or Marcoh, but they went for Roy instead. The simple fact that Father chose Roy means something - that he's quite a special alchemist.

[Sannom]

Originally Posted by Haladflire65

He became a State Alchemist before he was 23, because that was when the Ishval war started...

Ok, then, why were the Homunculi so intent on getting Mustang to open the gate if he was just an average alchemist? I think in FMA, the power of alchemists are measured not only in their skill level and studies but also by their mental strength. Mental strength is more important in human transmutation, I think, and Father picked Mustang for a reason. They could've used Kimblee or Marcoh, but they went for Roy instead. The simple fact that Father chose Roy means something - that he's quite a special alchemist.

The ishbal War started when Mustang was 16, it ended when he was 23.

The Homonculus had their eyes on Mustang because he was talented, but most importantly because he was strong mentally, we agree on this. Like Pride said, they needed alchemists that wouldn't flee if they were ever to learn about what was planned for them. And remember that Mustang wasn't a better candidate than Marcoh, they were equal before Father's eyes. Mustang just happened to be right here when they needed him, to fetch Marcoh would have taken too long.

[babohtea]

Just something I want to mention about this "final arc". Is it confirmed to be the final arc?

I can easily see a second arc involving other countries. Especially Xing. It's been hinted that the Emporor of Xing would gladly create a philosophers stone with his country.

Just speculation. I think they could go into more depth about the other countries such as Drachma as well. So what do you think? Confirmed to be the last arc? I think they started the anime to time it in with the ending of the manga, but other than that I see no reason why it is ending already.

[Haladflire65]

Originally Posted by babohtea

Just something I want to mention about this "final arc". Is it confirmed to be the final arc?

I can easily see a second arc involving other countries. Especially Xing. It's been hinted that the Emporor of Xing would gladly create a philosophers stone with his country.

Just speculation. I think they could go into more depth about the other countries such as Drachma as well. So what do you think? Confirmed to be the last arc? I think they started the anime to time it in with the ending of the manga, but other than that I see no reason why it is ending already.

I'm not sure if it's official but I think most of us are sure that it's the last part of the story. Judging by the way things are going right now, with the five sacrifices gathered, all but two of the Homunculi dead (both of the survivors probably won't last long, either), pretty much all the main characters together in Central... And all these really intense things happening at once, like Riza nearly dying, Roy losing his eyesight, Al meeting his body again, Mei coming down to fight Father, Scar vs Wrath - I think it's pretty climatic. Correct me if I'm mistaken about it not being offically the last arc.

I'd also prefer it if FMA ended after this arc's over. As you said there's Xing and Drachma but they were never really a huge part of the main story, and unless it's gonna be a spinoff or something, it wouldn't really work. Wouldn't it be great to see FMA end spectacularly instead of dragging on and on like other Shounens? I personally don't see a point in another story involving other countries. We've already had Xingese characters and Drachma was never significant.

It's just my opinion, though.

[babohtea]

Makes sense. A spin-off focusing on Xing sounds plausible though. We'll just have to see.

[Arabesque]

Hiromu Arakawa stated in Volume 21 foreword (and confirmed it again in Volume 22) that starting from Vol. 21 onwards will be the final arc of Fullmetal Alchemist.

So yes, it is official that this is the finale.

[Tsuyoshi]

Originally Posted by Haladflire65

I'd also prefer it if FMA ended after this arc's over. As you said there's Xing and Drachma but they were never really a huge part of the main story, and unless it's gonna be a spinoff or something, it wouldn't really work. Wouldn't it be great to see FMA end spectacularly instead of dragging on and on like other Shounens? I personally don't see a point in another story involving other countries. We've already had Xingese characters and Drachma was never significant.

It's just my opinion, though.

Actually, I was just thinking that if Arakawa wants to make another arc focusing on Xing, it would be much better off as a short spin-off to give readers some limited fan service. But imo, she will probably tell the readers what happens on Xing after the homunculi are dead in couple of panels, as well as Drachma.

[GaimeGuy]

One thing I noticed in FMA: We never go to the west region of Amestris. Ever.

[quigonkenny]

Originally Posted by Haladflire65

...all but two of the Homunculi dead (both of the survivors probably won't last long, either)...

I'd be amazed if both of them are still alive at the end of the next chapter, and not surprised at all if both are dead. There's no doubt at all that the series is ending in the next few chapters. You could tell that just from the way the story was going. All the major loose ends are being tied up and the pace (and excitement) is ratcheting up. The announcement of the "manga-loyal" adaptation was just the final nail.

[babohtea]

Originally Posted by quigonkenny

I'd be amazed if both of them are still alive at the end of the next chapter, and not surprised at all if both are dead. There's no doubt at all that the series is ending in the next few chapters. You could tell that just from the way the story was going. All the major loose ends are being tied up and the pace (and excitement) is ratcheting up. The announcement of the "manga-loyal" adaptation was just the final nail.

You aren't counting Greed as a Homunculi, right?

Do you think that they're still going to go for immortality in Xing, or would they have learned their lesson?

[quigonkenny]

Originally Posted by babohtea

You aren't counting Greed as a Homunculi, right?

Do you think that they're still going to go for immortality in Xing, or would they have learned their lesson?

orz

Yes, I was talking about Wrath and Pride. I find it possible (if not likely) that Greed (or at least Lin) will survive the end of the manga.

[Tsuyoshi]

Originally Posted by quigonkenny

I'd be amazed if both of them are still alive at the end of the next chapter, and not surprised at all if both are dead. There's no doubt at all that the series is ending in the next few chapters. You could tell that just from the way the story was going. All the major loose ends are being tied up and the pace (and excitement) is ratcheting up. The announcement of the "manga-loyal" adaptation was just the final nail.

I can see Wrath dying in the next chapter, now that Scar has completed his brother's alchemy. He should be stronger than ever. Scar's arm is capable of human transmutation. He was able to destroy human bodies with his right. Now, he may be able to carry out more complex transmutations with the other to inhibit Wrath's movements (altering the flow of blood for instance). Wrath is in danger. If Scar touches him with either hand, he's screwed.

As for Pride, I don't know if he'll die that easily in the next chapter. He's in much better shape than Wrath and he has far more energy than him on top of that. Also, Wrath's fighting style is much more similar to a human's except for the fact that his eye enables him to react much faster. Pride's abilities are much more demonic on the other hand, so dealing with him won't be as easy. Ed and Al have a way of dealing with that, but there is also Homunculus to deal with at the same time, so it's not gonna be easy at all. The only way I see Pride biting the dust in the next chapter is if Homunculus absorbs him for more power. Pride was part of Homunculus at one time after all.