Themes of Devotion and Sacrifice in Edward Elric's Fullmetal Alchemist
Sacrifice Your Whole Heart: FMA's Edward Elric's Journey
If you ask any fan of Fullmetal Alchemist to name one of Edward Elric’s core ideals, they’re sure to bring up his strong commitment to “equivalent exchange”. This concept binds together all of Edward’s memorable actions throughout the series- from his compassion and empathy towards humans, to his intimidating strength during battles. But what’s often easy to forget regarding this exchange is that, under its premise, sacrifice is a key driver. If there is an equivalent return, the expected exchange for Elric is his own personal devotion after giving up that which is most valuable to him.
Increasingly throughout the show, we witness that Ed is not often granted the same level of commitment back. It may be a strong-willed friend, a capable partner, or his beloved brother- in each case, Edward is met with his own unrelenting loyalty but is met with responses driven by pettiness, morality, and regret. We notice the cycle, and perhaps all too familiarly, the underlying when it comes to Edward’s heart: Elric gives up without an expectation of equivalent exchange.
Themes of Sacrifice: What We Get Out of Edward
So what can we take away from Edward Elric’s life-defining pursuits of devotion? We can learn that one’s strength comes from their capacity to help others, most especially those closest to them, even if they don’t get the same commitment back. Edward teaches us that it’s ok to give our whole hearts to something even though there is no guarantee as to what our returns may be. Additionally, he shows us that there’s power in persistence; Elric’s determination to achieve his mission will prove unshakeable, no matter the obstacles he’s met with.
A Symbol of Devotion & Strength
At his core, Edward Elric is a symbol of what we can achieve when we strive for excellence in our pursuits. He teaches us all how to be unbending when it comes to following our dreams, no matter how much is asked of us in return. After all, sometimes the greatest sacrifice we can make is to be our most loyal. We should embrace this message and allow ourselves to be inspired by Edward Elric’s unwavering commitment to what’s most important to him, with the same full heart and ambition.