Over the year, the anime and manga series of Fullmetal Alchemist has given us many character quotes that have left us speechless. Here, we bring you 10 Roy Mustang quotes that might have left goosebumps on you. Talking about the anime and manga series, the story revolves around the early 20th-century era where alchemy was practiced on a regular basis. At this time, two brothers, both alchemists, are on a journey to gain the philosopher’s stone in order to get their original bodies back. Both brothers, Edward and Alphonse Elric, lost parts of their bodies due to a failed alchemy experiment to resurrect their mother.
The fun part about this anime is that the storyline makes you ship not only for the main characters but the side characters as well. One of these characters who has gained that popularity from fans is Roy Mustang. The character is known for Flame Alchemy and is shown to be quite a charismatic guy in the anime. The character is responsible for some of the amazing action sequences in the anime. Owning to the fact that he has some of the best moments in the anime, it’s only fitting that he has some of the best dialogues in the story.
So without Further Ado Here are 10 Roy Mustang Quotes from Fullmetal Alchemist.
1. “Killed in action and promoted two ranks for it. Brigadier General Hughes. You were the guy who was supposed to work below me and to push me to the top. Then you get yourself killed and surpass me in the ranks. I don’t know what’s more absurd, You or the State”
One of the most emotional deaths in Fullmetal Alchemist was the one of General Hughes,’ but apart from fans, the event had a huge impact on Roy Mustang. This led him to deliver one of his most memorable quotes, “Killed in action and promoted two ranks for it. Brigadier General Hughes. You were the guy who was supposed to work below me and to push me to the top. Then you get yourself killed and surpass me in the ranks. I don’t know what’s more absurd, You or the State,” which was targeted when there was a change in ranks after Hughes’s death.
The dialogue was to make people realize the fact that those who died have no clue as to how much they are worth. Just an example for it would be when a musician does, and his track sales go over the roof. Similarly, when a soldier dies, he gets promoted by two ranks. Mustang claimed that such an idea would have been absurd in Hughes’s eyes.
2. “Nothing’s Perfect, The World’s Not Perfect, But It’s There For Us, Trying The Best It Can.”
One of the Charming aspects of Roy Mustang would be his positivity towards everything. One of which in words would be his perspective to view the different way than others, and he was often looked up for that. The character used to see the world with its good and bad sides. He saw the imperfections that the world offered and found beauty behind it, which honestly not everyone can do.
Roy’s dialogue, “Nothing’s perfect, the world’s not perfect, but it’s there for us, trying the best it can. That’s what makes it so damn beautiful.” clearly indicates that not everything in this world will be a piece of for you. The message continues to show that a person can go on and work hard to overcome all the trials and tribulations that come across, just like the rest in this world. Now that’s a piece of wisdom that can only be given by someone as saint as Roy.
3. “There’s no telling when this war will end. No matter how many troops the country deploys, the desert just absorbs them like water. We suffer, conquer, and what’s left? Nothing but sand”
The third quote on this list helps us get an idea of how motivational and strong-headed Roy Mustang is. The quote, “There’s no telling when this war will end. No matter how many troops the country deploys, the desert just absorbs them like water. We suffer, conquer, and what’s left? Nothing but sand,” signifies how the character helps to motivate people around. Giving out statements like these, he just means nothing should stand in a person’s way.
The outcome behind this line only shows that just like sand absorbs all the water thrown at it, we people should also stay strong and face every challenge head-on and find outcomes to deal with it, rather than worrying about it. Such a saying can only be delivered by Roy.
4. “Do you think it’s possible to send Flame Alchemy through the phone and burn someone’s ears off?”
While we all remember many funny moments that happened in Roy Mustang’s storyline in the anime but the dialogue, “Do you think it’s possible to send Flame Alchemy through the phone and burn someone’s ears off?” still keeps on being one of the most hilarious moments of the series.
Well, the message does tell that Roy was pissed off at someone indicating that he wanted to burn him through the phone itself if it was possible. But the way he delivered the dialogue made each and everyone laugh till our belly ached.
Also Read: Will Van Hohenheim Die in Fullmetal Alchemist? The Father Of Elric Brothers
5. “One human only has the power to do so much. That’s why I’m going to protect…even if it’s just a handful of them…the ones most important to me”
Apart from his other attitudes, one that stands out the most is his way of observing each and everything around him. According to him, each and everything in life can make a difference. The quote “One human only has the power to do so much. That’s why I’m going to protect…even if it’s just a handful of them…the ones most important to me” only explains that the smallest moment in your life to the beautiful love and protection that you share with others makes quite a difference in life.
The meaning behind the dialogue shows us how Roy Mustang treats life without resorting to negativity. The character always sees potential for good in anyone and never loses sight of it in his timeline. The character never lost sight of what he did and always was on the road to truth and purity. Taking these things into consideration, the character went on to become the greatest flame alchemist there ever was.
6. “If Your Opponent Is Of Choleric Temper, Seek To Irritate.”
It is known that anger can be a great energy booster that gives us more strength and adrenaline, but on the contrary, anger can easily put us on our negative path and make it the biggest weakness for us. On the other hand, one can take advantage of an enemy with a bad attitude and temper just by screwing with them. In the heat of the battle, common sense is lost, and at that moment, one who has a clear mind can win the bout.
The words, “If Your Opponent Is Of Choleric Temper, Seek To Irritate,” best describe how Roy Mustang is during a battle. The character is levelheaded and mild-tempered, which gives him the advantage on the battlefield.
7. “My Pawn. My Bishop. My Rook. My Knight”
Among the many amazing quotes given by the character, this is one of them that really pushes you to cross your limits. The line said by Roy Mustang is one of the iconic ones as he is someone who goes through a complete string of bad luck and believes that he can bounce back from any situation. The main motive behind this quote is to make people understand that life sometimes may block you from all the directions, but there’s always a way out.
As we talk about the characteristics of the character, one of these was how resilient of a person he is and how thoughtful he is to keep a backup plan for his backup plan. With these virtues, even though he was a side character, he was considered to be one of the best.
8. “Life that has been lost cannot be brought back again. That very truth is what shows us the meaning and value of living”
Roy Mustang’s words, “Life that has been lost cannot be brought back again. That very truth is what shows us the meaning and value of living,” only help us understand that people get only one life, and they have to cherish that no matter what. There are times when things happen, and people just lose sight of how short of a time they have in their life.
Mustang understood the value of life more than anyone in the whole series. Owning to that, he participated in the Ishvalan War of Extermination and perpetrated the deaths of many civilians.
9. “You can call me Roy Mustang, or just Lieutenant Colonel. Hell, you can call me the Flame Alchemist. Whatever you do, remember the pain”
If there was a list of perfect entry quotes then this one would go up there. The quote, “You can call me Roy Mustang, or just Lieutenant Colonel. Hell, you can call me the Flame Alchemist. Whatever you do, remember the pain,” shows pure power from the character. This was the part of the anime that took Roy Mustang to a whole different level.
This statement came when he showed a glimpse of his Flame Alchemy abilities in a fight against an antagonist during the first season. Though it was just a glimpse, it went on to be one of the greatest anime moments in history.
10. “Ed believes he saved that town, it’s one of the first successes he’s had. I’ll let him keep thinking that for a while. He’ll learn the truth soon enough: we always do”
This statement from Roy Mustang explains how understanding and considerate he was towards our protagonist Ed. The line, “Ed believes he saved that town, it’s one of the first successes he’s had. I’ll let him keep thinking that for a while. He’ll learn the truth soon enough: we always do,” showed how simple-minded he was keeping his friends joy before anything and hence keeping the truth from him.
Where To Watch Fullmetal Alchemist?
The anime Fullmetal Alchemist is available on streaming platforms like Crunchyroll, Hulu, Amazon, Netflix, Funimation, and many more.
Also Read: Fullmetal Alchemist Live-Action Movie Sequels: New Information Revealed