#ooooops I spent way too long writing this XD

[kingofthewilderwest]

Cor the character meme: Roy Mustang

Bless. You are making me way too happy, prompting me this character. There’s honest to goodness no one I’d rather talk about more than Mustang right now.

Give me a character and I will answer:

Roy Mustang

Why I like them: Frankly, it would almost be better if someone sent me a prompt (hint hint) asking me to list The Top 10 Things I Love About Roy Mustang. But given as I don’t want to make this prompt three hundred dissertations long, I’ll try to be brief…

Roy’s calm, level-headed, sometimes cold disposition is alluring. I love how some of it is his personality, but he uses it as a facade, too, in masterful manipulations and maneuvers. I love when Roy starts acting like a grouchy, six year old child when he bickers with Ed, and I love when he becomes terrifying in anger and vengeance. I love the slip of softness he gets around Riza. I love the unique reason behind his ambition to gain the Fuhrer position: it’s out of a desire to protect everyone around him, a much less selfish reason than one might originally expect given Roy’s outwardly portrayed persona and reputation. As said during the flashback in “The Ishvalan War of Extermination”:

“The power of one person does not amount to much. As such, I will do all I can, however little that may be, to protect those who are dear to me. Those below me will protect those below them. We tiny humans should be able to do that much, at least.”

Now, that’s already a “Wow, damn,” moment, but then I fall into the utmost respect at this remark:

I mean, I get a chilling amount of EXTREME respect when that conversation happens. It’s not that such a trial will be the case that when Roy reaches Fuhrer, but there’s still the notable chance it could happen. Roy’s willingly moving forward to make the country a better place with knowledge it could lead to his death.

And then I have to love how badass Roy is. How much initiative he has. How he still wants a better future but isn’t youthfully idealistic. And I admit I how pretty he is. And two hundred other amazing things about this character.

Why I don’t: Everyone in the English dub did a wonderful job and they’re full of talent. I’m not someone who ever watches dubs anyway, because I feel like getting the original voice actors gets closer to the emotion and intent of a story, because I’m a linguist who loves to experience more than my limited English world, and because I feel like I’m closer to the culture of the story, too. But I will give credit where it’s due that the FMAB English cast was good. Give them applause for their love, effort, and contribution to the fandom, please!!!

This is all about my preference. Most of the voices I’m fine with, but I absolutely cannot watch the dub SPECIFICALLY for Roy’s voice. Like, it makes me want to scream. Not to be mean to Travis Willingham, but his voice timbre is NOT one I’d ever associate with Mustang, and it’s so disjointing to me that I can barely watch five seconds before switching back to my beloved Japanese VAs. I read the manga before watching any of the anime, so I got a strong headcanon about what Roy’s voice sounded like. When I started watching Brotherhood, I literally gaped the first time I heard Shinichiro Miki voice him. This was exactly how I imagined him sounding!!!

Favorite episode (scene if movie): I have to pick one???? FUCK. You know what, fuck that. I’m listing more than one. DEAL WITH IT.

Cold Flame

Death of the Undying

Flame of Vengeance

Sacrifices

Lost Light

A Fierce Counterattack

Favorite season/movie: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. FMAB slightly softens Roy’s character, as it does with some other personalities like Al, by emphasizing a little more of his best side. It’s not that FMAB ever deletes the less glamorous, darker, or more selfish traits of characters, but due to time, it does have to shave off lines. And so we tend to see a slightly more better-tinted Roy Mustang in FMAB than in the manga. His care for his subordinates is brought even more to the forefront. And, in a scene that isn’t present in the manga, we see Roy practicing with his subordinates for information about Ishval so that he can better help the state (whereas in the manga he agrees to help Ishval after the idea being presented to him). Roy’s final words in FMAB are even a lot more considerate than in the manga - in the manga it’s about himself being ambitious, whereas in FMAB it’s about not getting healed until Havoc is healed first.

I mean, I love all flavors of Roy Mustang. But I do admittedly enjoy how FMAB colors him, too.

Favorite line: It’s a statement that somewhat appears only in the manga. As I already mentioned above, the final scene with Roy is rather different in the manga versus the anime, and I like some characteristics of both. This particular line I feel carries so much depth and great applause to his character. Whether Roy has the power to get the presidency or not, he’s talking about what he wants to do most, and what’s ultimately most important: help as many people in the country as possible.

Favorite outfit: Excuse me? All of them???

The military uniform:

The military uniform plus his legendary, omnipresent coat:

I also believe that Mustang has really good taste in fashion when he’s not in uniform? Like, it always looks really good and classy on him.

He’s just cobbled together his jacket plus the shirt under his uniform, still looks awesome:

Like, even when he’s just in hospital garb, it looks good on him and shows off his arms?

There is only one thing that is unacceptable for Roy in the world of fashion, and that’s a mustache. I hate that mustache more than I hate every other hate-able character combined. Kill it kill it kiiiillllllll ittttttt.

OTP: Royai. magnificent way to write a romantic pairing. And, honestly, very refreshing, compared to lots of hot, fast-paced, physical romances seen in blockbusters. I much more love this unstated but ever-present tenderness and loyalty between these two.

Lately, I’ve gone from “Like Royai” to “Absolutely love Royai.” To the point that a good friend of mine and I may or may not be writing a fanfiction on this topic. ^.^

We are. We definitely are.

BROTP: Roy and Hughes’ friendship. Such. an. amazing. friendship. I. love. this. friendship.

Headcanon: Roy grays relatively early in life. He hasn’t exactly lived a stress-less life, and especially once he hits Fuhrer, there’s going to be signs of fast aging. 

Unpopular opinion: As much as I love Royai, I do agree with Arakawa to not marry Roy and Riza in canon. She said she “can’t get them to marry because of Military Regulations. If they got married, they could no longer stay as superior officer and subordinate.” It’s much more in Roy and Riza’s characters to continue along with the decade-long status quo they’ve created for their relationship, than to enter a new romantic territory. 

A wish: Arakawa said that if she wrote one more thing for FMA, it’d be how Roy becomes Fuhrer. Can you please fucking do that Arakawa??? I AM BEGGING YOU. I WANT TO KNOW. I DON’T CARE IF IT’S STICK FIGURES I WANT TO KNOW.

An oh-god-please-dont-ever-happen: Nothing coming to mind, given as the story’s complete!

Five words to best describe them: Badass ambitious protective fire colonel

My nickname for them: “This Idiot.” Or “That Idiot.” Basically, a lot of affectionate “Idiot” calling.