Although there aren’t many members of the Elric family in Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, their existence influences and shapes the majority of the story. Each Elric family member has a rich history and past behind them, and their family story is nothing short of tragic. In an anime filled with action and bloodshed, the Elric family shows viewers how beautiful their family once was. Each Elric family member, while vastly different from one another, is similar in their core values.
One thing they all have in common is their emphasis on the importance of family. Loyalty runs deep in the Elric family, and that’s evident through the impact that Trisha Elric had on Hohenheim’s life. Trisha’s influence and kindness also spread to her children, and their existence constantly fuels Hohenheim to continue doing the right thing. While they’re far from a perfect family and filled with trauma, their strength and loyalty is admirable.
4 Trisha Elric is One of the Kindest Characters in Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
Trisha Elric Influences the Elric Family the Most Because Their Motivations Stem From Her
While not the strongest of the Elrics in terms of alchemy, Trisha Elric is a titular character who greatly influenced the plot of the anime. Trisha’s a young woman and the mother of Edward and Alphonse Elric. Trisha Elric typically sports a side ponytail that rests on her shoulder. Whenever she appears in Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, she’s always described as someone loving. At just 21 years old, Trisha officially started the Elric Family by giving birth to Edward and Alphonse.
Trisha is a shining soul who spreads warmth and love to those she meets. Drawn by her positivity and hopefulness, Hohenheim fell in love with her, and she ultimately changed the cold person that he used to be. Not only is Trisha a pivotal influence on Hohenheim’s character, but she also remains a constant influence on Edward and Alphonse’s decisions. The main reason why the Elric brothers even dabbled in alchemy was because of their mother, Trisha. Seeing how happy it made Trisha to see her sons do something that reminded her of Hohenheim, Edward and Alphonse continued studying alchemy just to see her smile.
When Trisha dies from her illness, Edward and Alphonse’s desire to bring her back becomes the point of no return for the two of them. Trisha also waited for Hohenheim until the very end, though she never gets to say goodbye or meet Hoheinhem before she dies. Despite doing everything right until the very end of her death, her loving nature is something the Elric brothers just can’t let go of. The last thing fans get to see regarding Trisha is her mutilated body during the human resurrection attempt. This Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood moment is incredibly hard to watch, and what makes it worse is how the figure turns out not to be Trisha at all, but some sort of other entity that the brothers had summoned in the wake of their grief over her death.
3 Alphonse Has One of the Most Tragic Backstories in Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
Alphonse Elric Doesn’t Think Twice About Helping Those in Need
Alphonse Elric is a family member who most closely resembles Trisha. Out of him and Edward, Alphonse is incredibly empathetic, and his backstory is nothing short of tragic. During the Human Transmutation experiment, Alphonse suffered the most. Alphonse completely loses his original body and only survives due to Edward’s desperate attempt to save at least his soul. Despite being the younger of the two, Alphonse portrays himself as someone who’s much more level-headed and mature than Edward. The mere intimidation factor of Alphonse’s presence often gets him and Edward out of trouble.
Many fans are used to Alphonse in his suit of armor, which leaves him incredibly durable and strong in comparison to other alchemists. Since his body is gone, Alphonse doesn’t have to eat or sleep either. The main focus of the anime is to get Alphonse’s original body back with the Philosopher’s Stone. Although the Elric brothers are well aware of how difficult this will be, it still proves to be far more difficult than anyone could’ve ever imagined. Despite the difficulty of finding the Philosopher’s Stone, Alphonse continues to be a beacon of light throughout the anime.
Compared to Edward, Alphonse is the voice of reason in the group. Without Alphonse, Edward would find himself in far more trouble than he’s in already. His compassion and kindness are a double-edged sword, especially in a world filled with cruelty. Many characters in Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood have their own agenda and kindness is a thing that’s often used against characters. Despite all the trauma and harm Alphonse has gone through, he still manages to be one of the most human characters. This is ironic, especially since Alphonse lacks functions that humans need to survive.
2 Sheer Determination & Willpower Fuel Edward Elric the Hot-Headed Alchemist
Edward Elric Always Strives To Do the Right Thing in Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
Edward Elric, the oldest of the Elric brothers, is a hot-headed anime protagonist who acts first before thinking. Ed’s quick-wittedness is the thing that often saves him in times of peril, and living in a world like that of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, quick wit is necessary to survive. What makes Edward such a fantastic main character is his unyielding loyalty to his family and the people he cares about. Although Edward may seem brash at times, he’s a character that viewers can, without a doubt, trust to be loyal in his morals and goals. Ed’s stubborn ways are one of the many reasons he makes for an excellent protagonist.
Although Edward is young and may come off as naive at times, his heart is always in the right place. When the Human Transmutation experiment went wrong, he didn’t hesitate to sacrifice an arm and a leg to save Alphonse’s soul. Edward binds Alphonse’s soul to the armor at the very last moment, and the fear of losing his limbs hardly crossed his mind when it occurred. Edward’s determination and willpower to restore his brother’s body are evident in his efforts as an alchemist. At the age of 12, Edward became a State Alchemist and holds the record as the youngest person to achieve this feat.
Edward is easily one of the most stubborn Elrics. Ed’s youth shines through his immature actions, and it’s always Alphonse who has to reel him back before he does something he’ll regret in the future. While he may appear like someone who spites authority figures just to anger them, Edward is a character who doesn’t hide his emotions and always wears his heart on his sleeve. Ed constantly stands up for what he believes in, even if the majority of the masses are against him. While Ed can’t express his emotions clearly, he shows compassion through his actions and the lengths he’ll go to for those he cares about.
1 The Powerful Van Hohenheim Has a Long & Complicated History
Hohenheim's Love for the Elric Family Melts His Cold Exterior
Van Hohenheim is the most mysterious of the Elrics. Shrouded in mystery for the majority of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Hohenheim’s sons didn’t view him in a bright light, especially since he left them and didn’t return when Trisha passed. The thing that set off their dislike toward Hohenheim was his silence when they begged him to return home so that Trisha could see him one last time. For a while, viewers weren’t aware of why Hohenheim left, and fans were left to think he had abandoned the family. That’s far from the case, and Hohenheim deeply cares about his family, as marrying Trisha and having his sons changed his entire life.
Hohenheim is an incredibly powerful alchemist, easily surpassing many of them. Since he’s been alive for 400 years, Hohenheim has had centuries to hone his grasp on alchemy and the secrets behind it. Hohenheim is a human Philosopher’s Stone, which means he harbors incredible abilities that surpass anything a human alchemist is capable of. Due to the incredible regenerative abilities he has, Hohenheim can’t die or age. The Elric family’s father was the only alchemist who stood a chance against Father the villain.
While Hohenheim appears as a cruel man who abandoned his family at first, once fans discover the truth, they realize that everything he’s done was to protect them. Hohenheim is not only an incredible alchemist, but a human who has sacrificed a ton in the name of protecting his loved ones and the world with his enormous power. Hohenheim’s reunion with his sons is one of the anime’s most heartwarming moments and makes the entire journey of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood feel worth it in the end.
