#hc; model of a modern major general | combat

[flameleads]

Upon further analysis of his transmutations, there is a pattern to what fingers Roy uses when he transmutes. A previous analysis, which is GIF heavy, can be found here. I’m making some slight adjustments to it in this post.

Roy does not actually snap his fingers when he performs his transmutation. The snap sound itself comes from the alchemical reaction when he manipulates the oxygen atoms in the air. What he actually does with his fingers is rubs or taps them together. However, which finger he uses matters: his index versus his middle.

This post is going to get image heavy, so I will put it under a readmore.

(Chapter 4: Battle on the Train)

In the manga, this is the first transmutation we ever see Roy perform. Roy taps his fingers before rubbing them together. He uses his index finger and thumb to perform what he would consider a simple transmutation and create a small explosion. From what we can see, he did not use his alchemy directly on Bald (his target) but in front of him in order to knock him back.

Most of the time, when we see Roy transmute, he uses his index finger. Here are some examples:

(Chapter 35: Sacrificial Lamb; Chapter 49: A Monster Among Men; Chapter 59; The Immoral Alchemist; Chapter 89: Soldiers’ Return; Chapter 93: Archenemy; Chapter 94: Flames of Vengeance; Chapter 107: The Last Battle)

It’s his default, and there is a reason for it: restraint. Even against Immortal Soldiers, Envy, and Father, Roy used only his index finger. In the case of Father, there are two good explanations: pain and lack of sight. With Envy, however, he used two hands because, while he still wanted to temper his flames, he wanted a lot of them and quickly. Outside of someone who has gone through the portal (the Elrics and Izumi), or those such as Father and Hohenheim, Roy has the fastest transmutations in Fullmetal Alchemist. Kimblee comes in a close second.

Addition to that: When going through the manga, I will say I couldn’t analyze several of Roy’s transmutation scenes too closely simply because Arakawa drew his hand moving too fast. If you watch him in 03 or FMAB, you run into a similar problem. Roy has incredible reflexes, likely developed during his time in Ishval.

Now, is there ever an instance in the manga where he uses his middle finger to transmute? I found one, and it is telling:

(Chapter 38: Signal to Strike)

The circumstances at play that cause Roy to react stronger: PTSD and his first interaction with a Homunculus. We know from the previous chapter that he recalled his last phone call with Hughes as he heard Hawkeye not answer. His emotions are heightened. He’s triggered. He enters the scene to see Hawkeye and Fuery fighting for their lives, and he did not hesitate to use more force. They were not going to take anyone else from him today.

From what I could find, that is the only time in the manga we see him use his middle finger to transmute. Why does the finger difference matter? My theory is that the middle finger gives him more ignition cloth to work with. No, it’s not a big difference to us, but Roy’s alchemy requires a lot of finesse, fine control, and pinpoint accuracy. The slightest change makes a huge difference.

My not-serious theory is he’s flipping off his enemies. Anyway.

When it comes to 03 or FMAB, Roy continues to use his index finger for most transmutations. I’m going to try and go chronologically here starting in Ishval.

In Ishval, where he was ordered to be at his full strength, he refused to do more than simple transmutations. Yet, look at how powerful those simple movements were. Two fingers can cause that much damage.

From the 03 anime, this is Roy during Fullmetal vs. Flame, which is canonical to the manga. He has quick movement, makes upturn of the wrist, and he’s using his index finger and thumb to transmute.

From the same fight, this is another simple transmutation, and he did it with the intent of not hurting Edward. Again, he uses his index finger.

Against Freezer’s ice in the first episode of FMAB, he uses his index finger and thumb to transmute. Artillery fire and guns couldn’t handle it. Roy’s flames could.

This is on the Promised Day. It’s hard to see because he’s moving so fast, and the camera pans as well, but he’s using his index and thumb. His goal is not to cause injuries, but to disable his enemies.

Ignore the text. I didn’t want to go hunting for new GIFs, and I think it’s funny anyway.

That one is against Father. Again, he is still using his index finger and thumb, but for good reason. He can’t see what he’s doing, and it would hurt him more to use his middle finger. The only person he wants to aim his flames at is Father, so he still restrains himself. He still holds back.

Now, there are fourinstances in particular that stand out for him using his middle finger to transmute in FMAB. None of them are against Gluttony like in the manga, and they line up chronologically.

#1: When Roy “kills” Maria Ross, this particular transmutation is a performance. To everyone else, Roy brutally kills the person who killed Brigadier General Maes Hughes, his friend. The transmutation could be seen from a distance: Edward could see the fire and smoke from the explosion in the sky when he was streets away. According to Knox, who performed the autopsy, the corpse was burned almost beyond recognition save for the dental records.

Why does Roy do this? He does this to make a point to everyone watching, especially the Homunculi. He’s aware that something is foul in the state of Amestris when Maria Ross is named the primary suspect in Maes Hughes’s murder, but he is not aware the Homunculi are behind it. So, he sets out to control the narrative. He wants there to be no questions possible about whether or not Maria Ross is dead, and he wants to show that he is willing to do that to his friend’s killer.

This was not meant to be okay. It was meant to be upsetting and alarming because he wanted it to be. And it worked.

Directly after, we know that Roy makes his moves against the Homunculi. But, it all started here.

(I did not have a GIF for this one, so I used stills)

#2: Episode 49: Filial Affection: Roy blows up a car near a Central soldier. It does not appear to be the same vehicle that he and the team drove in with, but another vehicle used by military police. The aim here is likely to send a message: "pay attention to me and what I'm doing." He wants eyes on him because he has Mrs. Bradley with him, and he wants to make it clear that the military is corrupt. The military does the rest of the work for him from there.

Now, as this is not a human, he needs to use more force. Cars are made of much tougher material, and he needs the transmutation to be more powerful. The explosion is loud, but short. It's not a showy transmutation by any means.

#3: The Immortal Soldiers. I emphasized this in my previous post about Roy’s alchemy, but I think it bears repeating: this is an incredibly powerful transmutation. The Immortal Soldiers were not weak enemies. Edward and Co, along with the soldiers upstairs like Olivier, struggled with them. They are powered by Philosopher’s Stones. Edward Elric is a skilled fighter, and so is Scar. So is everyone there. The fact that it took Roy seconds to take the Immortal Soldiers out with a single transmutation should not only be impressive, but it should be terrifying. Edward’s reaction encapsulates the proper reaction to Roy’s alchemy (and what’s to come).

What’s to come:

#4: Envy.

It’s difficult to see because of the speed, but, if one looks closely, what fingers are Roy using on both of his hands when he transmutes against Envy? His middle fingers. Not only is Roy using two hands, which we have never seen him do throughout the entire series, but he is not holding back. Like I mentioned in my previous post as well, Roy is also putting in every bit of effort he has to transmute with his arm movements.

This isn’t a show. This is pure, untamed fury. Envy killed a man he loved, so they deserved the worst death possible.

Slower, but you can see the middle finger as he transmutes. There is no restraint or mercy here like there was with Lust. In his mind, Envy doesn’t deserve it.

Now you see what had Edward concerned and why it took three people to talk this man down, and it was a good thing they did. A good leader shows restraint. Edward, Scar, and Hawkeye reminded Roy who he needed to be.

So, what have we learned today?

Roy Mustang restrains himself when he transmutes most of the time. In the manga, it looks like the only time he didn’t was with Gluttony. In FMAB, we see it at least twice, and those two instances are also telling of what’s going on and what kind of man he is. All of that should also tell just how powerful flame alchemy is.

From the creator of flame alchemy himself: “My technique is the GREATEST and most powerful form of alchemy, but in the wrong hands, it would bring naught but ill fortune.”

There can only be one Flame Alchemist, and that Flame Alchemist has to be Roy Mustang.

[flameleadsarc]

Upon further analysis of his transmutations, there is a pattern to what fingers Roy uses when he transmutes. A previous analysis, which is GIF heavy, can be found here. I'm making some slight adjustments to it in this post.

Roy does not actually snap his fingers when he performs his transmutation. The snap sound itself comes from the alchemical reaction when he manipulates the oxygen atoms in the air. What he actually does with his fingers is rubs or taps them together. However, which finger he uses matters: his index versus his middle.

This post is going to get image heavy, so I will put it under a readmore.

(Chapter 4: Battle on the Train)

In the manga, this is the first transmutation we ever see Roy perform. Roy taps his fingers before rubbing them together. He uses his index finger and thumb to perform what he would consider a simple transmutation and create a small explosion. From what we can see, he did not use his alchemy directly on Bald (his target) but in front of him in order to knock him back.

Most of the time, when we see Roy transmute, he uses his index finger. Here are some examples:

(Chapter 35: Sacrificial Lamb; Chapter 49: A Monster Among Men; Chapter 59; The Immoral Alchemist; Chapter 89: Soldiers' Return; Chapter 93: Archenemy; Chapter 94: Flames of Vengeance; Chapter 107: The Last Battle)

It's his default, and there is a reason for it: restraint. Even against Immortal Soldiers, Envy, and Father, Roy used only his index finger. In the case of Father, there are two good explanations: pain and lack of sight. With Envy, however, he used two hands because, while he still wanted to temper his flames, he wanted a lot of them and quickly. Outside of someone who has gone through the portal (the Elrics and Izumi), or those such as Father and Hohenheim, Roy has the fastest transmutations in Fullmetal Alchemist. Kimblee comes in a close second.

Addition to that: When going through the manga, I will say I couldn't analyze several of Roy's transmutation scenes too closely simply because Arakawa drew his hand moving too fast. If you watch him in 03 or FMAB, you run into a similar problem. Roy has incredible reflexes, likely developed during his time in Ishval.

Now, is there ever an instance in the manga where he uses his middle finger to transmute? I found one, and it is telling:

(Chapter 38: Signal to Strike)

The circumstances at play that cause Roy to react stronger: PTSD and his first interaction with a Homunculus. We know from the previous chapter that he recalled his last phone call with Hughes as he heard Hawkeye not answer. His emotions are heightened. He's triggered. He enters the scene to see Hawkeye and Fuery fighting for their lives, and he did not hesitate to use more force. They were not going to take anyone else from him today.

From what I could find, that is the only time in the manga we see him use his middle finger to transmute. Why does the finger difference matter? My theory is that the middle finger gives him more ignition cloth to work with. No, it's not a big difference to us, but Roy's alchemy requires a lot of finesse, fine control, and pinpoint accuracy. The slightest change makes a huge difference.

My not-serious theory is he's flipping off his enemies. Anyway.

When it comes to 03 or FMAB, Roy continues to use his index finger for most transmutations. I'm going to try and go chronologically here starting in Ishval.

In Ishval, where he was ordered to be at his full strength, he refused to do more than simple transmutations. Yet, look at how powerful those simple movements were. Two fingers can cause that much damage.

From the 03 anime, this is Roy during Fullmetal vs. Flame, which is canonical to the manga. He has quick movement, makes upturn of the wrist, and he's using his index finger and thumb to transmute.

From the same fight, this is another simple transmutation, and he did it with the intent of not hurting Edward. Again, he uses his index finger.

Against Freezer's ice in the first episode of FMAB, he uses his index finger and thumb to transmute. Artillery fire and guns couldn't handle it. Roy's flames could.

This is on the Promised Day. It's hard to see because he's moving so fast, and the camera pans as well, but he's using his index and thumb. His goal is not to cause injuries, but to disable his enemies.

Ignore the text. I didn't want to go hunting for new GIFs, and I think it's funny anyway.

That one is against Father. Again, he is still using his index finger and thumb, but for good reason. He can't see what he's doing, and it would hurt him more to use his middle finger. The only person he wants to aim his flames at is Father, so he still restrains himself. He still holds back.

Now, there are three instances in particular that stand out for him using his middle finger to transmute in FMAB. None of them are against Gluttony like in the manga, and they line up chronologically.

When Roy "kills" Maria Ross, this particular transmutation is a performance. To everyone else, Roy brutally kills the person who killed Brigadier General Maes Hughes, his friend. The transmutation could be seen from a distance: Edward could see the fire and smoke from the explosion in the sky when he was streets away. According to Knox, who performed the autopsy, the corpse was burned almost beyond recognition save for the dental records.

Why does Roy do this? He does this to make a point to everyone watching, especially the Homunculi. He's aware that something is foul in the state of Amestris when Maria Ross is named the primary suspect in Maes Hughes's murder, but he is not aware the Homunculi are behind it. So, he sets out to control the narrative. He wants there to be no questions possible about whether or not Maria Ross is dead, and he wants to show that he is willing to do that to his friend's killer.

This was not meant to be okay. It was meant to be upsetting and alarming because he wanted it to be. And it worked.

Directly after, we know that Roy makes his moves against the Homunculi. But, it all started here.

The Immortal Soldiers. I emphasized this in my previous post about Roy's alchemy, but I think it bears repeating: this is an incredibly powerful transmutation. The Immortal Soldiers were not weak enemies. Edward and Co, along with the soldiers upstairs like Olivier, struggled with them. They are powered by Philosopher's Stones. Edward Elric is a skilled fighter, and so is Scar. So is everyone there. The fact that it took Roy seconds to take the Immortal Soldiers out with a single transmutation should not only be impressive, but it should be terrifying. Edward's reaction encapsulates the proper reaction to Roy's alchemy (and what's to come).

What's to come:

It's difficult to see because of the speed, but, if one looks closely, what fingers are Roy using on both of his hands when he transmutes against Envy? His middle fingers. Not only is Roy using two hands, which we have never seen him do throughout the entire series, but he is not holding back. Like I mentioned in my previous post as well, Roy is also putting in every bit of effort he has to transmute with his arm movements.

This isn't a show. This is pure, untamed fury. Envy killed a man he loved, so they deserved the worst death possible.

Slower, but you can see the middle finger as he transmutes. There is no restraint or mercy here like there was with Lust. In his mind, Envy doesn't deserve it.

Now you see what had Edward concerned and why it took three people to talk this man down, and it was a good thing they did. A good leader shows restraint. Edward, Scar, and Hawkeye reminded Roy who he needed to be.

So, what have we learned today?

Roy Mustang restrains himself when he transmutes most of the time. In the manga, it looks like the only time he didn't was with Gluttony. In FMAB, we see it at least twice, and those two instances are also telling of what's going on and what kind of man he is. All of that should also tell just how powerful flame alchemy is.

From the creator of flame alchemy himself: "My technique is the GREATEST and most powerful form of alchemy, but in the wrong hands, it would bring naught but ill fortune."

There can only be one Flame Alchemist, and that Flame Alchemist has to be Roy Mustang.

[etruatcaelum]

📂

send 📂 for excessively granular hcs

The mainstream, modern practice of auralerie taught in the BASH curriculum follows a five-step process known as the AEGIS model.

Amplification, sometimes alternately referred to as awakening, is the first stage. It involves the conscious release of aura from the soul, and aside from the final stage it is widely considered to be the most difficult: many would-be auralerists never progress beyond the basics here. It takes incredible focus to draw aura out of one’s soul. Traumatic amplification, or in lay terms the spontaneous ‘unlocking’ of aura in response to acute trauma, is almost always dissociative in nature: auralerists who learn to amplify this way are often more powerful than their trained counterparts, but they are also prone to entering altered states of consciousness while amplifying. In extreme cases, traumatic amplification can result in the auralerist experiencing dissociative fugues, mania, or hallucinations whenever they work with aura.

The second stage, extension, focuses on controlling the motion of aura through the body and tools. Once mastery of the first stage is achieved, auralerists generally find extension to be markedly more intuitive and less mentally and physically taxing, although those who experienced traumatic awakenings often struggle to to master the steadiness of control that is desirable here.

Third comes gathering. This is the development of deeper ‘reserves’ by bringing aura up to pool or build up under the surface of the skin—in lay terms, this may be referred to as engaging one’s aura or as raising ‘defensive aura’ or an ‘aura shield.’ In contrast to the continual flow of extension, gathered aura is held still. Its defensive utility is derived from the accumulation of potential energy in the form of trapped aura, which is released when a blow lands and serves to disperse or absorb the incoming force.

Ignition, the fourth stage, takes gathered aura on the offensive. Instead of relying on gathered aura as a mostly passive defensive measure, the auralerist can gather and then release large amounts of aura to propel themself forward or augment their natural strength with auraleric force. These techniques have quite a lot in common with dust-based arts, which likewise require aura to be projected outward.

Within the Vytal League, the third and fourth stages are exclusively taught in combat schools and the huntsmen academies for the same reason that weapons ownership is restricted among civilians: they are, the thinking goes, only of use in battle. (In the sporting realm, ignition is a frequent source of controversy that has led to bans on auralerie in most major sports leagues, comparable to bans on performance-enhancing drugs. Conversely, part of the public appeal of BASH tournaments lies in watching highly-trained auralerists pummel the shit out of each other.)

The fifth stage is simulation, and it concerns the manifestation and cultivation of one’s semblance. Because semblances are unique and intensely personal, little standardized guidance exists for this stage; the BASH curriculum mainly incorporates a variety of meditation exercises. Outside of that curriculum, there exists an enormous array of mystical and esoteric approaches—which has a direct influence on the sheer range and versatility of semblances, as the discovery and development of an auralerist’s semblance will be guided by their understanding of what a semblance is: for example, in cultures where semblances are regarded as expressions of one’s fate, erratic or unpredictable semblances are more common; strong belief and pride in family legacy or community history can produce hereditary semblances; and so forth.

[flameleads]

Points of reference: - Calculations - Tattoo Analysis (written by soterianyx) - Vigenère Cipher (Wikipedia)

As noted in canon, Berthold Hawkeye did not keep any paper records of his flame alchemy research. Roy, on the other hand, does keep physical, paper records. His alchemy journal is on his person at all times when awake and under lock and key when asleep. As he’s been practicing this particular alchemy for years, he’s gone through multiple journals, which are also under lock and key. The only other person who has a key to where he keeps his journals is Riza Hawkeye.

In the journal itself, Roy does what all noteworthy alchemists do: he codes it. For one, he doesn’t use Amestrian as a language base, but common Cretan, which he is fluent in. Based off that, his code is a variant of the Vigenère cipher, and he keeps the key for it separate from the journals themselves. Again, Riza is the only other person who has access to that key. As for units he uses, he generally sticks with the metric system and Celsius when noting temperature. He can automatically translate such units to the imperial system, a skill he gained before he learned alchemy.

Should anyone get their hands on his research journal, and Roy perceives them as an enemy, he’ll burn it without hesitation. It’ll piss him off to do so, but he will always err on the side of extreme caution when it comes to flame alchemy.

[flameleads]

Strap in, folks. This will be a post on how Roy Mustang uses his flame alchemy: which hands he uses, how much he moves, how much fire he produces, et cetera. This will be image heavy with GIFs. Because of that, I’m putting most of this under a readmore. As a side-note: iIf you want to see how I broke down the science of his alchemy, I’ve got a headcanon post about it here: link.

Let’s get started!

First and foremost, let’s look back to the 2003 anime and Conqueror of Shamballa. We’re going straight to where Roy’s alchemy really shines through for both the audience (us) and those around him: Fullmetal vs Flame.

This is the first transmutation he does when “fighting” with Edward. There’s a bit of a flourish as he flicks his wrist, and he uses three fingers. The result is a large, flashy explosion that sends Edward backwards; after all, Roy doesn’t actually want to use his alchemy on Edward. In fact, Roy generally tries to avoid using his alchemy on other human beings. He almost always uses it adjacent to others, creating explosions to impair the enemy, not kill.

In that episode in particular, Roy is doing one thing that’s worthy of note: he’s using this as a teaching opportunity. It’s a mock battle, so he turns it into a training to teach Edward things he needs to know when fighting. All of his dialogue makes that clear as well when he quotes from The Art of War by Sun Tzu (something he did in the manga as well with this fight and with Lust).

Another note: he makes it dramatic with his taunts and general tone of voice because he also views this as a way to show off what he could do to everyone watching. Flame alchemy is the reason people are afraid of getting on this man’s bad side and why the war in Ishval ended quicker once Fuhrer Bradley issued Order 3066.

The problem with that, as Edward quickly finds out, is that gloves come in pairs. Roy shows that he is capable of using both hands to transmute, and he makes a show of it. He’s just as skilled using his left hand. Three fingers, a bit of a flourish as he flicks his wrist and creates a large and tightly controlled explosion. It’s smaller than the first one due to the distance, and he only wants to destroy the cannon. Nothing else.

And, of course, he’s smirking at this. Someone underestimated him again, and he loves it. He loves showing people that there’s more to him than what they see.

Now, let’s look at another, albeit smaller, transmutation from the 2003 anime:

For those unaware of the context, that piece of paper contained intelligence Roy’s date gathered, and he wanted to ensure no one else got their hands on it. This time, there’s nowhere near as much of a flourish as he raises his right hand, uses three fingers, and creates a small, controlled fire. He’s making a small show out of using his alchemy for this purpose, hence the flourish, but nowhere near as grand as when he fought with Edward.

Again and again, I will emphasize that Roy Mustang is an actor. He’s putting on a show for everyone around him so others don’t see that cunning ambition. He makes his alchemy look dramatic because that’s what he wants other people to see. It’s not just limited to the 2003 anime either.

In the first episode of Brotherhood, Roy goes out to contend with Isaac McDougal, the Freezer Alchemist, head on. With both of these transmutations, Roy puts his entire upper body into it without really needing to, thus putting on a show for the other soldiers watching him. His gestures are dramatic when he only actually needs two or three fingers to make his transmutations happen. He wants others to view him as someone who likes showing off and someone who acts without thinking.

And Hawkeye backs him up. During the first episode, we hear her say, “When will he learn?” She’s reinforcing that belief, and we see her do it again when he faces off with Scar.

Before this moment, Roy does a few things to set the stage:

1. He shoots off his gun to get Scar’s attention. This gives him time to see just how close Scar is to Edward and Alphonse, who are in horrible condition. 2. He confirms that Scar was behind Shou Tucker’s murder. In doing so, he prompts Scar to share some of his motive. 3. He asks Scar why he’s going after State Alchemists in particular. Scar doesn’t give a direct answer to that, instead choosing to tell Roy that if he’s going to interfere, he’ll kill him too.

While he’s doing this, Roy is not wearing his gloves. He knows that getting his gloves wet will make it impossible for him to use his alchemy. As this post mentions, Roy is a war veteran with years of experience as an alchemist. He’s not about to put on his gloves to fight when he can’t use them. That’d be downright foolish.

So, when he puts on one of his gloves after tossing his gun to Hawkeye, it’s yet another show, and it’s a tactical one. This scene has layers to it, and I’ll try and tackle all of them.

Hawkeye instantly knows what he’s about to do when he tosses her his gun, and thus she does one thing: she says his name. Scar didn’t recognize him on sight as a State Alchemist, after all, and they needed to shift his attention off Edward and Alphonse to keep them safe. Roy reinforces that he’s the Flame Alchemist, and he purposefully hams this up to make Scar come at him. He even begins to close the distance between the two of them to encourage Scar to do what he wants.

This transmutation obviously doesn’t happen. He moves forward, stands still, and rubs three fingers together to create a puff of smoke. Scar tries to take him out right then and there, but can’t because of Hawkeye. She backed up Roy without hesitating, and she started shooting with two guns once she had the chance. There was distance between the Elrics and Scar now. Shooting earlier ran the risk of Edward getting hurt more than he already was or killed. No one wanted to risk that.

What we didn’t know when this scene happened is Hawkeye’s deep connection to flame alchemy and Roy Mustang. She may not be an alchemist, but she knows the strengths and weaknesses of Roy’s alchemy, the alchemy her father created. The amount of trust Roy placed in her during this encounter is off the charts.

One last thing: Roy didn’t move his arms much when doing this transmutation. No flourish. No extra dramatics. He kept it simple. There wasn’t a need to make it more complex. When Roy isn’t trying to put on a show, and he’s focused solely on the mission in front of him, he doesn’t move much at all.

Barely flicks his wrist as he transmutes, and he creates a powerful explosion that engulfs part of what appears to be a city. This attack is devastating.

Obviously the circumstances behind him using his alchemy are different in this case. With Lust, he had to rely on using a lighter as ignition. There was also the fact that he was seriously injured and in excruciating pain. Had that last one not been a factor, I doubt he would’ve acted differently. Lust even comments in both the manga and Brotherhood that Roy is calm and focused. Again, he barely moves when unleashing a devastating attack, and he kills a creature that supposedly can’t die.

The only dramatic part of this transmutation was the fact that Roy needed to turn to see his target. That’s it. He started the transmutation as he turned, not giving his enemies enough time to try and strike back. Quick, and he disabled them with ease.

Not a lot of movement on this one either. He only moves his hand to direct his shot while using three fingers. In seconds, he kills the Immortal Soldiers that gave Edward and co. a lot of trouble. These were beings that seemingly couldn’t die, and Roy kills them off while making it look effortless. 

He’s not trying to put on a show. There’s no need for it. He’s in the mindset of ending the fight quickly while only using the necessary amount of force. Every single one of these transmutations have that in common: they’re controlled and precise. His face also makes his purpose clear. In all of those shots, he’s frowning or otherwise keeping a serious expression.

In general, we can assume that if Roy’s using his alchemy to stage a performance of sorts, he’s going to be more dramatic with his movements. If he’s using his alchemy with his focus solely on the fight in front of him, he’s going to limit his movement. There are only three exceptions to this. One takes place in Conqueror of Shamballa while the other two are in Brotherhood during the Promised Day.

Let’s tackle CoS first, specifically with this gifset. In that moment, we have to consider all of the circumstances surrounding it. For starters, Roy cannot see out of his left eye, and he hasn’t used his alchemy in years. He’s a bit out of practice. It takes effort to transmute, hence why he puts almost his entire upper body into it. Alchemy transmutations do take energy to perform. Most of the time, Roy only needs to expend mental energy. But, again, due to the surrounding circumstances, he had to expend physical energy too.

Now, onto the Promised Day. Y’all knows what happens right after the Immortal Soldiers. Envy enters the scene, and they reveal the truth that Roy’s spent the last several months searching for: they were the one to kill his best friend, Maes Hughes.

Up until this specific moment, Roy never uses both hands at once. He might wear both gloves, but he’ll only use one hand to transmute. Using both hands is excessive force, lacking in mercy, and it requires him to spend more time on calculations. He killed a Homunculus and the Immortal Soldiers with one hand already. He’s proven that he doesn’t need both gloves to get the results he wants. This is the only time he ever uses both.

Not only that, but, unlike with his fight with Lust or the Immortal Soldiers, he doesn’t stay still. He’s putting his entire body into doing these transmutations. Is it because he’s trying to put on a show? Trying to emphasize to Envy that their actions had consequences? Showing off just how powerful he is?

The answer is none of the above. What makes his fight with Envy unique is that he’s also vocal during it. He usually only has dialogue during his transmutations if it’s a performance. When he’s focused on his mission, he hardly says a word. With Envy, not only does he get vocal, but he gets nasty with his dialogue. He goes into graphic detail about what he’s doing, doesn’t hold back with his threats, and he lets emotion come through his voice.

Those emotions—all of that grief that he’s kept buried and masked with anger—are what triggers his need to expend physical energy on this fight. He can hardly contain those emotions anymore, and thus he lets them out with his movements and alchemy in tandem. He stops holding back, and he loses complete control. He gives all of himself to this fight.

His hand shakes before he can get that transmutation out. His breathing is heavy. He’s yelling. This is physically straining him because he refuses to hold back for Envy. He wanted to give them the worst punishment possible.

Flame alchemy is complex and difficult to perform. In order to be effective, Roy needs to maintain tight control, account for many factors in his calculations, and he must never use more force than needed. In Ishval, he saw the consequences of using too much force, and he made the conscious decision to never allow himself to go that far again. He doesn’t even use his alchemy that much save for when he needs to. When he does, he keeps himself calm and focused.

Even later during the Promised Day against Father, Roy has that logic going. Look at this gifset from when he has Hawkeye directing his transmutations. During that scene, she has to tell him not to hold back, to not throttle his flames against the most powerful enemy he’s ever faced. Yes, he’s hesitating because he can’t see what he’s doing, but it’s also because he doesn’t ever want to use more force than needed. He’s careful, and he just saw what happened when he lost control.

We can also tell by his facial expression as he transmutes that it hurts. Fuhrer Bradley put his swords through Roy’s hands, so of course it’s going to hurt to move them. He moves as little as possible against Father. He fights through that pain because it’s important, and because Roy Mustang never backs down from a fight unless he’s forced to (i.e. Gluttony).

All right, let’s wrap this up. What have we learned from all of this?

Roy makes a show of using his alchemy for tactical purposes (short and long term).

He can use both hands to perform with alchemy and get the same results. We can safely assume that he’s ambidextrous.

When focused solely on completing the mission, he makes his transmutations quick.

He tries to keep his emotions out of combat.

Most of the time he transmutes, he only really moves his wrists, not his arms like other alchemists. He doesn’t need to do more.

With the exception of his fight with Envy, every transmutation he performs is tightly controlled.

Thanks for reading through my post overanalyzing Roy’s alchemy. This was fun to write, and I hope you like it!

[flameleads]

Roy’s flame alchemy may look easy to perform based on how he does it–just a snap of the fingers with a glove on, and one can summon a pillar of fire. However, that sort of thinking doesn’t account for two things: Roy doesn’t actually snap his fingers, and he’s doing a lot of calculations to make his alchemy precise. Every time he transmutes using his gloves, he has to account for the following:

air flow

boiling point(s) of his target(s)

distance

heat temperature

humidity/how much water is present

hydrogen density

melting point(s) of his target(s)

other flammable elements/objects

oxygen density

speed of his target(s) combined with the transmutation

volume of the area

In order to produce fire, three things must be present: oxygen, heat, and fuel/combustible material (Source). Roy is manipulating those three things to transmute while accounting for all of the above (and probably more). How does he do it so fast, and how is he so precise?

Simple: adeptness for math and science along with an incredible memory.

One part of it is being exceptional at understanding physics while possessing the ability to quickly do mathematical calculations. Another part is having certain facts and temperatures memorized. For example, he knows every calculation necessary to give someone every type of burn by heart. He also knows how to manipulate hydrogen density to create bombs (on demand, as Havoc put it in the 2003 anime). Never mind that he knows exactly how long it takes for the human body to turn to ash (skeleton included).

His heavily coded alchemic journal contains these calculations. Good luck finding it, much less making sense of its contents. Due to how he codes it, it would likely take a group effort to decode it.

“What about when it’s raining? Isn’t he useless in the rain?” Yes and no. Rain changes the humidity levels in the air, and he has to be a lot more precise with his calculations. However, if he keeps his ignition dry (his glove), he can be quite deadly in a rainy or wet environment. Humidity increases the hydrogen and oxygen density in the air, thus giving him more material to work with.

Don’t believe him when he says he’s useless in the rain. It’s just another act of deception on his part. He wants his enemies to underestimate him.

[flameleads]

Roy didn’t use excessive force when serving as a State Alchemist in Ishval.

Flame alchemy is versatile, and Roy made a conscious decision to never do more damage than what his superiors considered necessary. He kept his attacks mostly limited to explosions and pillars of fire, and he preferred it if he only had to attack once or twice. It didn’t limit the number of casualties, but Roy knew that if he hadn’t limited his attacks, that number would’ve been even higher.

On the Promised Day, the senior staff at Central Command commented on Roy’s unusual actions: “We’re lucky no one died. Considering that they have ‘The Hero of Ishbal’ and the infamous ‘Hawkeye’… don’t you think it’s odd that we don’t have any casualties?” He didn’t use his alchemy unless he felt it necessary. All of his attacks were deliberate and controlled. Most of them involved temporary damage to soldiers’ hearing, blocking their path, or he used his alchemy to redirect them.

With how versatile flame alchemy can be, Roy will generally make kills as quick as possible. He’ll go for full body incineration, or using precision to hit a vital area. The former involves keeping the flames steady, and at a high enough temperature to burn down to the bone. Torture, or burning only parts of the body, is not his typical course of action.

That isn’t to say he can’t. He is intimately aware of how the various parts of the body react to fire. He chooses not to. It’s not necessary. He doesn’t want to overdo it, or use too much force.

Most tend to believe that Roy can’t use his alchemy in close range situations. The truth of the matter is that he and those fighting alongside him would be more at risk, and he has to be far more careful. He needs to take the time to make his alchemy skirt around his allies, and only hit his enemies. We see him doing this when fighting the Immortal Legion. He takes a beat to do the calculations, but, once he uses his alchemy, it’s precise enough to only hit the Immortal Legion, and none of his allies. It goes around them, not touching them once.

By himself, though? Fighting him in an enclosed space gives him an advantage. He can manipulate how much oxygen is in that enclosed space much easier than an open one, allowing the flames to be more lethal.

Beating Roy in a fight can either be very easy or incredibly difficult depending on the circumstances. Raining? If he’s by himself, and he can keep his gloves covered, then it’s dangerous. With his troops? He can’t attack with his alchemy; though, he’s a decent shot with a gun. Making it impossible to use his gloves is generally the easiest method: ripping them, making them damp, et cetera. That’s provided one can get close enough to him, or catch him off his guard. His mercy can also be considered a weakness.

That Uncle Ben “With great power comes great responsibility” quote? That sums up how Roy views his flame alchemy, and how he goes about using it.

[flameleads]

Roy’s intent in joining the military was simple: he truly believed he could do the most good from that position, especially considering Amestris’s status as a military state. He took his time at the military academy incredibly seriously, spending any and all free time studying, quizzing himself, and making sure he learned every bit of information he could get his hands on. History, battle strategies, tactics, maps, population density, weapons–anything that he could read, he studied it until he had the information memorized.

His spot at the top of his class wasn’t an accident. He worked hard to get there. On the way, he didn’t make many friends, keeping mostly to himself save for stepping in to stop bullying situations from escalating. Befriending Maes Hughes came out of a desire to best the other man–and he did, earning Maes calling him “golden boy” more than once. It took until he was in Ishval to realize how important it was to have camaraderie and good relationships with his fellow soldiers.

Once the war in Ishval ended, General Grumman snatched him up to help head Eastern Command. The eventual promotion to Colonel came with continued hard work, especially with the Eastern troops. He worked to improve their offensive capabilities while there, taking what he learned from the academy and Ishval and applying it. Grumman acted as his mentor in that regard, helping him perfect strategies and keeping his knowledge up-to-date.

One might think that he relies on his abilities as the Flame Alchemist to win in combat, and nothing else. He tends to rely on his alchemy as a last resort, or a way to quickly end battles that would otherwise see a casualty count. And, even then, he keeps his control tight, careful, concentrated, and never uses more force than he believes is necessary. Most of the time, he relies on understanding and manipulating the battlefield, or his standard-issue handgun. 

But, even with all that hard work, he leads others to underestimate him (more info on that here). “Let them think I don’t know what I’m doing, or that I schmoozed my way into getting to this rank. It’ll be their undoing.” He’s playing the long game, and he intends to win.

[flameleads]

tag dump #2

[flameleadsarc]

Should you fight Roy Mustang?

Pros:

Damaging his gloves, or making them wet, renders his flame alchemy useless.

He often won’t use his alchemy in close quarters.

He’s often overconfident in his own abilities, leading him to underestimate his opponents.

Unlikely to kill his opponents unless it’s necessary.

Cons:

Always carries at least one backup set of gloves with him.

Capable of reducing the human body to dust in seconds (and from a distance).

Carries a side-arm that he is proficient in using.

Fought in the Ishval Civil War and has a high kill count. 

High pain tolerance.

His overconfidence and lackadaisical nature is a lie. He doesn’t underestimate his opponents.

Lieutenant Hawkeye is usually with him. Then, you have the rest of Team Mustang.

Not using his alchemy in close quarters is for the safety of everyone else around him. He can and will do it if he needs to. His aim is precise.

Oxygen manipulation means he can make it impossible to breathe around him.

Possesses an extensive knowledge of human anatomy and physiology. He knows how the human body reacts. 

Quick transmutations, which only get quicker after the Promised Day.

Conclusion:

Do not engage in combat. He’s willing to explore diplomatic avenues, and he often refuses to use his alchemy unless he feels he’s exhausted every other option. If he’s putting even one glove on, run. The Flame Alchemist doesn’t typically leave survivors.

[flameleadsarc]

Strap in, folks. This will be a post on how Roy Mustang uses his flame alchemy: which hands he uses, how much he moves, how much fire he produces, et cetera. This will be image heavy with GIFs. Because of that, I’m putting most of this under a readmore. As a side-note: iIf you want to see how I broke down the science of his alchemy, I’ve got a headcanon post about it here: link.

Let’s get started!

First and foremost, let’s look back to the 2003 anime and Conqueror of Shamballa. We’re going straight to where Roy’s alchemy really shines through for both the audience (us) and those around him: Fullmetal vs Flame.

This is the first transmutation he does when “fighting” with Edward. There’s a bit of a flourish as he flicks his wrist, and he uses three fingers. The result is a large, flashy explosion that sends Edward backwards; after all, Roy doesn’t actually want to use his alchemy on Edward. In fact, Roy generally tries to avoid using his alchemy on other human beings. He almost always uses it adjacent to others, creating explosions to impair the enemy, not kill.

In that episode in particular, Roy is doing one thing that’s worthy of note: he’s using this as a teaching opportunity. It’s a mock battle, so he turns it into a training to teach Edward things he needs to know when fighting. All of his dialogue makes that clear as well when he quotes from The Art of War by Sun Tzu (something he did in the manga as well with this fight and with Lust).

Another note: he makes it dramatic with his taunts and general tone of voice because he also views this as a way to show off what he could do to everyone watching. Flame alchemy is the reason people are afraid of getting on this man’s bad side and why the war in Ishval ended quicker once Fuhrer Bradley issued Order 3066.

In that same fight, Edward tears the cloth of the ignition glove on his right hand to disable him. Roy started the fight using only that hand, his other hand staying in his pocket. It’s common knowledge by this point that if Roy generally can’t transmute without those gloves. If they get torn or wet, he has to find another way to use his alchemy. Edward saw an opportunity to make those gloves his weakness, and he took it.

The problem with that, as Edward quickly finds out, is that gloves come in pairs. Roy shows that he is capable of using both hands to transmute, and he makes a show of it. He’s just as skilled using his left hand. Three fingers, a bit of a flourish as he flicks his wrist and creates a large and tightly controlled explosion. It’s smaller than the first one due to the distance, and he only wants to destroy the cannon. Nothing else.

And, of course, he’s smirking at this. Someone underestimated him again, and he loves it. He loves showing people that there’s more to him than what they see.

Now, let’s look at another, albeit smaller, transmutation from the 2003 anime:

For those unaware of the context, that piece of paper contained intelligence Roy’s date gathered, and he wanted to ensure no one else got their hands on it. This time, there’s nowhere near as much of a flourish as he raises his right hand, uses three fingers, and creates a small, controlled fire. He’s making a small show out of using his alchemy for this purpose, hence the flourish, but nowhere near as grand as when he fought with Edward.

Again and again, I will emphasize that Roy Mustang is an actor. He’s putting on a show for everyone around him so others don’t see that cunning ambition. He makes his alchemy look dramatic because that’s what he wants other people to see. It’s not just limited to the 2003 anime either.

In the first episode of Brotherhood, Roy goes out to contend with Isaac McDougal, the Freezer Alchemist, head on. With both of these transmutations, Roy puts his entire upper body into it without really needing to, thus putting on a show for the other soldiers watching him. His gestures are dramatic when he only actually needs two or three fingers to make his transmutations happen. He wants others to view him as someone who likes showing off and someone who acts without thinking.

And Hawkeye backs him up. During the first episode, we hear her say, “When will he learn?” She’s reinforcing that belief, and we see her do it again when he faces off with Scar.

Before this moment, Roy does a few things to set the stage:

1. He shoots off his gun to get Scar’s attention. This gives him time to see just how close Scar is to Edward and Alphonse, who are in horrible condition. 2. He confirms that Scar was behind Shou Tucker’s murder. In doing so, he prompts Scar to share some of his motive. 3. He asks Scar why he’s going after State Alchemists in particular. Scar doesn’t give a direct answer to that, instead choosing to tell Roy that if he’s going to interfere, he’ll kill him too.

While he’s doing this, Roy is not wearing his gloves. He knows that getting his gloves wet will make it impossible for him to use his alchemy. As this post mentions, Roy is a war veteran with years of experience as an alchemist. He’s not about to put on his gloves to fight when he can’t use them. That’d be downright foolish.

So, when he puts on one of his gloves after tossing his gun to Hawkeye, it’s yet another show, and it’s a tactical one. This scene has layers to it, and I’ll try and tackle all of them.

Hawkeye instantly knows what he’s about to do when he tosses her his gun, and thus she does one thing: she says his name. Scar didn’t recognize him on sight as a State Alchemist, after all, and they needed to shift his attention off Edward and Alphonse to keep them safe. Roy reinforces that he’s the Flame Alchemist, and he purposefully hams this up to make Scar come at him. He even begins to close the distance between the two of them to encourage Scar to do what he wants.

This transmutation obviously doesn’t happen. He moves forward, stands still, and rubs three fingers together to create a puff of smoke. Scar tries to take him out right then and there, but can’t because of Hawkeye. She backed up Roy without hesitating, and she started shooting with two guns once she had the chance. There was distance between the Elrics and Scar now. Shooting earlier ran the risk of Edward getting hurt more than he already was or killed. No one wanted to risk that.

What we didn’t know when this scene happened is Hawkeye’s deep connection to flame alchemy and Roy Mustang. She may not be an alchemist, but she knows the strengths and weaknesses of Roy’s alchemy, the alchemy her father created. The amount of trust Roy placed in her during this encounter is off the charts.

One last thing: Roy didn’t move his arms much when doing this transmutation. No flourish. No extra dramatics. He kept it simple. There wasn’t a need to make it more complex. When Roy isn’t trying to put on a show, and he’s focused solely on the mission in front of him, he doesn’t move much at all.

Barely flicks his wrist as he transmutes, and he creates a powerful explosion that engulfs part of what appears to be a city. This attack is devastating.

Obviously the circumstances behind him using his alchemy are different in this case. With Lust, he had to rely on using a lighter as ignition. There was also the fact that he was seriously injured and in excruciating pain. Had that last one not been a factor, I doubt he would’ve acted differently. Lust even comments in both the manga and Brotherhood that Roy is calm and focused. Again, he barely moves when unleashing a devastating attack, and he kills a creature that supposedly can’t die.

The only dramatic part of this transmutation was the fact that Roy needed to turn to see his target. That’s it. He started the transmutation as he turned, not giving his enemies enough time to try and strike back. Quick, and he disabled them with ease.

Not a lot of movement on this one either. He only moves his hand to direct his shot while using three fingers. In seconds, he kills the Immortal Soldiers that gave Edward and co. a lot of trouble. These were beings that seemingly couldn’t die, and Roy kills them off while making it look effortless. 

He’s not trying to put on a show. There’s no need for it. He’s in the mindset of ending the fight quickly while only using the necessary amount of force. Every single one of these transmutations have that in common: they’re controlled and precise. His face also makes his purpose clear. In all of those shots, he’s frowning or otherwise keeping a serious expression.

In general, we can assume that if Roy’s using his alchemy to stage a performance of sorts, he’s going to be more dramatic with his movements. If he’s using his alchemy with his focus solely on the fight in front of him, he’s going to limit his movement. There are only three exceptions to this. One takes place in Conqueror of Shamballa while the other two are in Brotherhood during the Promised Day.

Let’s tackle CoS first, specifically with this gifset. In that moment, we have to consider all of the circumstances surrounding it. For starters, Roy cannot see out of his left eye, and he hasn’t used his alchemy in years. He’s a bit out of practice. It takes effort to transmute, hence why he puts almost his entire upper body into it. Alchemy transmutations do take energy to perform. Most of the time, Roy only needs to expend mental energy. But, again, due to the surrounding circumstances, he had to expend physical energy too.

Now, onto the Promised Day. Y’all knows what happens right after the Immortal Soldiers. Envy enters the scene, and they reveal the truth that Roy’s spent the last several months searching for: they were the one to kill his best friend, Maes Hughes.

Up until this specific moment, Roy never uses both hands at once. He might wear both gloves, but he’ll only use one hand to transmute. Using both hands is excessive force, lacking in mercy, and it requires him to spend more time on calculations. He killed a Homunculus and the Immortal Soldiers with one hand already. He’s proven that he doesn’t need both gloves to get the results he wants. This is the only time he ever uses both.

Not only that, but, unlike with his fight with Lust or the Immortal Soldiers, he doesn’t stay still. He’s putting his entire body into doing these transmutations. Is it because he’s trying to put on a show? Trying to emphasize to Envy that their actions had consequences? Showing off just how powerful he is?

The answer is none of the above. What makes his fight with Envy unique is that he’s also vocal during it. He usually only has dialogue during his transmutations if it’s a performance. When he’s focused on his mission, he hardly says a word. With Envy, not only does he get vocal, but he gets nasty with his dialogue. He goes into graphic detail about what he’s doing, doesn’t hold back with his threats, and he lets emotion come through his voice.

Those emotions---all of that grief that he’s kept buried and masked with anger---are what triggers his need to expend physical energy on this fight. He can hardly contain those emotions anymore, and thus he lets them out with his movements and alchemy in tandem. He stops holding back, and he loses complete control. He gives all of himself to this fight.

His hand shakes before he can get that transmutation out. His breathing is heavy. He’s yelling. This is physically straining him because he refuses to hold back for Envy. He wanted to give them the worst punishment possible.

Flame alchemy is complex and difficult to perform. In order to be effective, Roy needs to maintain tight control, account for many factors in his calculations, and he must never use more force than needed. In Ishval, he saw the consequences of using too much force, and he made the conscious decision to never allow himself to go that far again. He doesn’t even use his alchemy that much save for when he needs to. When he does, he keeps himself calm and focused.

Even later during the Promised Day against Father, Roy has that logic going. Look at this gifset from when he has Hawkeye directing his transmutations. During that scene, she has to tell him not to hold back, to not throttle his flames against the most powerful enemy he’s ever faced. Yes, he’s hesitating because he can’t see what he’s doing, but it’s also because he doesn’t ever want to use more force than needed. He’s careful, and he just saw what happened when he lost control.

We can also tell by his facial expression as he transmutes that it hurts. Fuhrer Bradley put his swords through Roy’s hands, so of course it’s going to hurt to move them. He moves as little as possible against Father. He fights through that pain because it’s important, and because Roy Mustang never backs down from a fight unless he’s forced to (i.e. Gluttony).

Ever.

All right, let’s wrap this up. What have we learned from all of this?

Roy makes a show of using his alchemy for tactical purposes (short and long term).

He can use both hands to perform with alchemy and get the same results. We can safely assume that he’s ambidextrous.

When focused solely on completing the mission, he makes his transmutations quick.

He tries to keep his emotions out of combat.

Most of the time he transmutes, he only really moves his wrists, not his arms like other alchemists. He doesn’t need to do more.

With the exception of his fight with Envy, every transmutation he performs is tightly controlled.

Thanks for reading through my post overanalyzing Roy’s alchemy. This was fun to write, and I hope you like it!

[flameleadsarc]

𝐢𝐧 𝐛𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 [ … ] 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐞,

bold what applies - italicise sometimes. repost, don’t reblog.

fights honourably / fights dirty

prefers close - quarters / prefers range

chats during / goes silent

low pain tolerance / high pain tolerance

attacks in bursts / attacks steadily

goes for the kill / aims to disarm / fights defensively / strikes first

is provoked easily / provokes their opponent / teases

gets visibly frustrated / shouts while attacking

uses strategy / focuses on the battle / experiences conflicting thoughts during battle

rushes in recklessly / tries to read their opponent before engaging

fights wildly / fights calmly / fights apathetically / fights with anger / fights with excitement

fights because they have to / fights because they want to

fights without regard to wounds / runs away when wounded / hides wounds / takes a blow to protect another

prefers a blade /  prefers a gun / prefers hand to hand combat / prefers a bow / prefers a shield / prefers a personalised weapon / prefers magic alchemy or spells

their greatest weakness is physical / their greatest weakness is mental / their greatest weakness is emotional

transforms for battle / fights as they appear

relies on strength / doubts their strength / relies on speed

uses everything they have / proceeds with caution / hides their full potential

exhausts quickly / has high stamina

behaves arrogantly / brags after landing a hit / belittles their abilities

uses psychological tactics / uses brute strength

avoids civilians / strikes down civilians

damages surroundings / avoids damaging surroundings

signature fighting style / makes it up as they go

mastered skill - set / learning their skill - set

fancy footwork / sloppy footwork

messy fighter / elegant fighter

accepts defeat / refuses defeat / begs for mercy

compliments their opponent / insults their opponent

uses unnecessary movements / moves efficiently / barely moves

prefers to dodge / prefers to block

defends their blindside / has no blindside / leaves blindsides vulnerable

uses all available advantages / strictly uses one main method

plays around/holds back / fights ruthlessly / shows mercy

waits for an opponent to be ready / strikes when opponent isn’t ready

fears death / fears pain / fears killing

has ptsd / avoids fighting

has lost a fight / has won a fight

has killed / refuses to kill

wants to die standing / would succumb slowly

[flameleadsarc]

tag dump #2