there is no reason for you to pity me. my life was put back together with alchemy by my brother. i believe in the potential that alchemy holds. i want to believe in it.
when do we get to discuss how als determination to study alchemy and equivalency to get his brother back at the end of 03 is just. The cycle starting again. The snake eating its tail. There is nothing new under the sun. This story will repeat and repeat and repeat and there is nothing we can do to stop it
And the fact that everyone just… lets him. Izumi can’t say no to him, the rockbells let him run off in search for clues about his brother, exactly the same as they’ve done before.
It’s exactly what Ed meant when he said there is no war that we don’t all play a part in. All of them are pushing that boulder back up the hill again and again.
Its exactly what Envy meant when they introduced “the new Sloth” to Greed. Just like the ouroborus, they’re all destined to repeat and repeat because that is the nature of those who create a homunculus.
In 03, the boys don’t get to grow up and live past the events they fought through, they are stuck in their mistakes and the circularity of their decisions, facilitated by those who have made those decisions before them.
(Just like Liore, finding one false idol after another after another. Like Scar, who lost a brother and sought to take a brother. Like Dante and Hohenheim, repeating life ad infinitum together.)
Adding onto this, I think this is *exactly* why Edward chooses to go back to Earth at the end of CoS instead of staying in Amestris. His whole life has been a vicious cycle. He saw the cycle in Al, and it was fueled by his and specifically Edward’s past actions and dreams. Now that Al knew he was alive, and Ed knew Al was alive, the fight could stop and they could both just *stop.*
Of course, the power of alchemy and bending rules largely aided in Ed’s cycle. At least on the other side of the gate, he couldn’t be tempted to reach farther than his own limitations anymore. But he can’t just stop either.
So instead of extending beyond himself for personal dreams and goals, he’s set on playing a positive role in the world. Like he says to Al, they can’t keep living their lives like their dreams are the only things that matter. Everyone plays a part.
Edward finally, finally understood all is one and one is all. I can only hope things will go right for them this time.
in fma 03, ed and al start out with their well-known and iconic personalities, but it turns out over time that ed is secretly clingy, sensitive, and insecure while al is secretly full of rage.
Roy Mustang and his crew on promised day: We’re making sure to only injure the central soldiers non-fatally so there’s no deaths from our attacks :) we dont wanna kill nobody :)
