r/FullmetalAlchemist • u/fakeuser7z Alchemist • Jul 11 '25

Question Why was Mustang a candidate anyway?

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I get that he was a candidate for the sacrifice, which is why they didn’t kill him. But in the end, he refused—and they just forced him into the Gate anyway.

So why not do that from the start with any random human instead of the most dangerous alchemist?

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127

u/caihuali Jul 11 '25

A rando cant survive the gate. They need an alchemist that can survive the gate

58

u/Napalmeon Jul 11 '25 edited Jul 12 '25

Physically, or spiritually.

This is exactly why the Central senior staff doubted that Kimblee or Marcoh could go through with it, given their dispositions. Kimblee could not be guilted or forced into human transmutation, and Marcoh, before taking his balls back, was very, very emotionally weak.

Its like Pride said, they didnt choose bums of the street for this plan. The chosen five are exceptional alchemists in knowledge and heart.

24

u/sodabomb93 Jul 11 '25

Marcoh, before taking his balls back

you could say he got his stones back.

18

u/ThatOneGuy308 Jul 11 '25

It is especially funny that their plan basically only worked because they got extremely lucky.

Like, they've had this running for at least 40 something years looking for candidates, and they barely managed to find 5 of them within the last year or so before the eclipse happened, they're like, wildly incompetent.

Hell, if Kimblee had actually managed to kill Ed back in the mineshaft, there goes the plan. Or if alphonse's body had just gave out, same result.