Scar’s story and Winry Rockbell’s family intertwine, leading to one of the best moments in Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood.
Introduced in 2009, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood delivered a masterclass in storytelling through a series of different stories, from the journey of a pair of brothers in search of the Philosopher’s Stone to regain their bodies, to the journey of a young man who wants to become the King of Xingu to end conflict between many nations. At 64 episodes, derived from the 108 chapters of the classic Fullmetal Alchemist manga illustrated by Hiromu Arakawa, Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood topped the list in terms of popularity.
13 years later, its story and animation style still hold up today, while modern animation has seen drastic improvements, but pales in comparison to the simplicity of FMA: Brotherhood’s beautiful details and pace. In a series that features seven main characters and seven antagonists, with many side characters getting varying degrees of attention and over a dozen moving pieces that tie all the stories together in beautiful harmony, Arakawa does a phenomenal job of giving each the attention they deserve . However, one particular scene stands out as a defining moment where the line between good and evil is called into question.
In episode 22, titled “Backs in the Distance,” viewers are introduced to Scar’s full backstory and the events leading up to what motivates him to seek out and kill every alchemist in existence. Back in the city of Ishval, Scar’s older brother is a distinguished scholar who has decided to learn the ways of alchemy, and more importantly, alkahestra. In his final act of heroism, he sacrifices himself to save Scar and transforms his right arm as a final gift to his younger sibling – the gift of alkahestia and the ability to use it as he wishes.
Things take a darker turn when Scar wakes up at Camp Amestris in a disoriented state, his face bloodied and heavily bandaged. A brief moment of relief as he sees his brother’s arm turn into horror as he realizes the arm is now his own. In a blood-curdling scream, he denounces all alchemists and Amestrisians with venom in his voice and proclaims his plans for revenge against all who participated in the Ishvalan War. With a metal instrument in hand, he lunges at the pair of doctors who served as nurses and aided in his recovery, killing them both – an irreversible action taken in a state of heightened emotion that will haunt him.
The audience gets a gut punch when the pair of doctors are revealed to be Winry’s parents. After learning the truth from the source of the pain she’s endured since childhood, Winry collapses to her knees. At this point, the audience begins to understand the line between heroes and villains, and how Scar’s initial introduction of an antagonist full of rage and death brilliantly masks the motivations for his actions. On the opposite side of the spectrum, Winry’s inner purity and innocence is broken in this moment of weakness.
The gravity of the situation and what follows weighs heavily on the three characters – Scar, Edward and Alphonse – all of whom have different reactions. Scar, a man who spilled blood on the streets without a second thought, understands her pain and suggests that she shoot him to complete the circle of revenge. In the words of wisdom passed on to Scar by his elders, “Revenge only breeds more revenge.”
As he lunges forward, Edward jumps into the line of fire the same way Scar’s older brother did for him years ago, forcing Scar to relive the painful memory in real time. This scene reveals a vengeful and angry character portrayed as evil showing signs of good. At the same time, Winry shows that even the purest and kindest person can show darkness within themselves when childhood trauma festers and remains unresolved for too long. In a sense, Winry and Scar walked the same path at different times, but took different turns along the way. One was blinded by hatred, while the other chose to help those in need, just like her parents before her—one of the many complex dynamics depicted in Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.