What makes you, you? Is it your body? Your mind? What part of you can remain when you lose your whole body? Alphonse Elric knows that he still exists thanks to his brother’s quick thinking and a nearby suit of armor, he now walks around in a new body. So, who is Alphonse and his brother and what in the world happened to him? Let’s find out!
Alphonse Elric is the second child to Van Hohenheim and Trisha Elric. He would grow up, happily, along with his older brother Edward. While the whole family seemed to be living joyful lives, their father would disappear one day, leaving Trisha to raise the boys on her own. Things were still pleasant for the family until an illness that was spreading throughout the country had found the Elrics, killing Trisha, leaving the boys orphaned.
While Alphonse would begin to fall into despair at what was happening but he would rally when Edward would explain that they were going to get their mother back. The boys had been excelling at alchemy and Edward believed the two of them could use it to resurrect their mother. Both of them would make a journey to travel around to learn from a teacher, instead of just from the books their father had left behind.
As Alphonse and Edward trained their bodies and minds to further their alchemy training beyond that of most people twice their age. Then came the big event, the forbidden alchemy of human transfiguration. It was forbidden for a reason, Alphonse lost his entire body but thanks to quick of Edward, who had lost a limb in the process, was able to sacrifice another limb to bind Alphonse’s soul to nearby suit of armor their old family home had as decoration. Now, Alphonse could use the armor, as if he were inside wearing it but he was actually bound to it by an alchemical sigil inside the armor, the sigil being made from his brother’s blood.
The two brothers would take time to recover and learn to deal with their new bodies, Edward getting automail replacements of his arm and leg while Alphonse would deal with his new predicament. A new mission became clear, to get Al his body back and the best way to do this was with the ultimate goal of alchemists, the Philosopher’s Stone, a creation that would allow them to perform human transfiguration safely one last time.
To help the two get the resources and information they would need to get the Stone, they would have Edward join the government as a State Alchemist. This allows the two greater assets and access to things that could help them greatly. They did have to go on missions for the government to get use of these perks, though.
This led to many adventures for the two brothers as they would deal with all manner of strange and horrifying crimes dealing with alchemy and the atrocities their government had and were still performing. The two would uncover a vast conspiracy around the pursuit of the Philosopher’s Stone and the horrors that must be committed to create it. Putting to the test, what Alphonse and Edward were willing to do for their goals.
There you have it! There’s much to be told about Alphonse’s story, does he get his body back? How do he and his brother deal with the truth of the Philosopher’s Stone? You’ll have to read the rest of Full Metal Alchemist to find out! There’s also two anime adaptations and live action one as well. There is currently no single animated one for the full experience, Brotherhood is great but it has lots of assumptions that you watched the first anime adaptation. Best of luck if you find it worth checking out! See you next time!
Suggested Reading
Full Metal Alchemist
Dr. Bustos
drbustos@comicattack.net
