<Moving from FMA Character discussion forum to FMA Anime American Audience sub-forum where other episode story threads are being collected, and IMO "what if" situational story thread fits there as well. 02/24/07 ~Tombow>

Have you ever thought about certain decisions or events in the anime or manga that could possibly change many things later on? Okay, I did not word that well. I'll give an example of some of mine:

What if Greed got to Wrath before Envy? (Other than having a much better taste in fashion.)

What if Wrath didn't eat the red stones?

What if Greed teamed up with Ed and Al?


And so on and so forth.


Please no questions that you know would result in no story. (Like What if Ed and Al never tried to bring their mom back)

I dunno, if one thought about it a lot, I imagine there would be a story, albeit quite different.



Ah, more reminders on that plotbunny I must attend to someday. Let's see, we'd have fluffy father/son or big brother/younger brother relationship, either one or both--just a strong family bond. (Clings to the idea that Greed wants a child of his very own, but of course, can't have one; clings to the idea that Greed has soft spot for kids.) Wrath would be HAPPY, well-taken care of, on the road to recovery...steadily moving away from his screwed-up state in canon.

What if Envy didn't kill Maes?

Then Maes would have tagged along helping Roy and stuff to put it bluntly. Archer would never take the position so Kimblee wouldn't rejoin the military, same goes for Tucker. Greed wouldn't have been betrayed by Kimblee and may have lived. Maes would also find out the secret about the homunculi or whatever verge of a breakthrough he was on before he had died.

Basically, a lot could change.

Good enough of a reason for me >_>


I thought about putting that, but I figured it would change to story too much.


But loads of lives may have been saved if he lived.

What if Russel and Fletcher were the main characters? O.O

Ummm....then it wouldn't be the "Fullmetal Alchemist"


(Manga One)
What if Al never picked Ling up off the road??

[note: this is going to rant off-topic a bit, it's on-topic in it's content, but this topic itself compels me to type this]
that's it right there, that's the reason Hughes had to be killed... it sucks and it's unfortunate (he's my favorite character, even now that he's gone) but in order for both the manga and the anime to go the way they're going right now, Hughes had to be killed...
it's the plot twist that the whole story and one of the protagonists (Roy) depends on and follows... Ms. Arakawa, however she feels about killing off Hughes (a character who, it's rumored, her co-workers and publishers really liked also), made this decision to make the story of Fullmetal Alchemist the way it is today

asking if Hughes had stayed alive is like asking what if Rome never fell, if America failed in it's revolution, if WWI and WWII didn't happen, if the U.S. didn't involve itself in Vietnam, If JFK wasn't assasinated, If man never made it to the moon, if John Lennon wasn't killed, if Gore won the election instead of Bush etc.

clearly the question would be asked, and so too will more, but i feel compelled to say that certain specific "what if's" are just too "out there" and would change not just a little bit of the story-line, but the entire story itself

maybe Ling would enter the manga by trailing Ed and Al or maybe he'd get to Amestris and meet with them through a battle or through his investigation of the ppl. of the town - or maybe he'd just not be in the manga for a long time

Kimbley would find another way if that was his goal..
I really miss Hughes, that's why I asked this....

Do you think much would change if

[spoiler]Izumi didn't die in the movie[/spoiler]

Awww, man! Now I'm really liking the idea of Greed getting to Wrath first. Stop fic-inspiring me, you whores! *Shakefist*



Yes.

[spoiler]Because Wrath probably wouldn't have been so Emo and suicidal. He may have considered sacrificing himself to help Al, since it was clear that he cared about Al's wellbeing and that he didn't want him to die attempting to get his brother back, but I don't think he would have had the conviction if he hadn't already gone through that little revelation about Izumi and accepting her, going off to die with her.[/spoiler]

Here's a ponderance for you Manga fans:

[spoiler]What if Bradley and/or Ling had fought against the power of the Stone...but won?[/spoiler]

Sorry.


If you make a fic about that though, I will read it =D


Nepharski- [spoiler]I think they'd just be homunculi, but with full control over their bodies?[/spoiler]

I don't think so. Seems to me that the Stone is it's own being. Ling changed when he became Greed. I might think that, if they were to survive, they would retain their original nature, but be endowed with spectacular abilities.

We don't know is Wrath ins't acting like he used to.He said he wasn't sure if he did retain his original soul or not and Ling is still in his body but "in the back seat."

what if Greed never died?

What if Ed and Al's mom never died?

What if Greed never died?

If he never died n the anime it would mean he killed Ed.He'd then try and get some red stones and kick ass.
In the manga Ling wouldn't become Gring.

What if Ed and Al's mom never died?

No show.

What if Scar's sacrifice at Lior hadn't been enough to make the stone?

What if Scar's sacrifice at Lior hadn't been enough to make the stone?

Then Al would have blown up by Kimblee's bomb.

What if Ed and Rose got married O-o

Winry would settle for Al(aka:second place )
Also some cool fan art We need more Rose fan art.

Read the first freaking post!




...

They'd have a quaint, but awkward and distant celibate marriage.




Al is not second place.

She might just embrace being a single working woman. Why does nobody consider that?

Or she'd marry Al because she loves him and they'd have a secure happy lifestyle. Or perhaps come out of the closet with Shezka.

Here's a thought I've been tossing around for some time: When we first meet Bradley (In both the Manga and the Anime), he's cheerful and eccentric but always on the ball. Could that, perhaps, be the person he once was, trying to resurface?

You may be right.....


I always wondered why Bradley also had bizarre mood swings.

he does the mood swings to keep his opponents off gaurd and confused.
Roy said he could never understand Bradley and understanding allows destruction.
If you don't understand you can't destroy.

What if Envy never impersonated Father Cornello in Lior?

Then they might have come to terms with their condition, Rose would have done all in her power to influence the townspeople to stop clinging to the hope of miracles setting their lives straight for them, and they would have toiled to build and power their little town as best as they could. Then there would be no invasion of Liore, no Rose rape-baby, no philosopher's stone.

The Elrics would probably stop by to check up on all of them and wish them well.

Ah, my favorite question "What if."


What if Denny Bloch told Maria Ross how he felt about her?

Depends. Are we talking the Manga or the Anime. Bloch is useless in the Anime, so I'd say she's too good for him (by contrast, I really like Maria). In the Manga, though....

I'm sure you'd be super happy.
I'd think they would get along very well.(Although their life would be sit-comish)

Darn right I'd be happy. Maria x Denny are my OTP after all.


Anyways, here's a "what if" for the manga.

What if Gracia was accused of Hughes murder instead of Maria Ross?

That would not be pretty...

What if Ed was there to watch Hughes die?

As to the Gracia question, I doubt anyone would accuse Gracia, even if she was seen at the scene of the crime. They all saw her bawling at the funeral, and many of the military would stick up for her.

Ed wouldn't watch him die..he'd be kicking Envy's butt with Hughes, so that Hughes wouldn't die. However, if Ed was stuck in a situation where he couldn't move to fight and had to watch Hughes die....he'd quickly be out for revenge against Envy...and be extremely heartbroken to watch a friend die before his eyes.


What if Ed and Al escaped from that Island before Izumi came to get them?

Not sure about it at all. Just some people in the military know about the homunculi and, if Gracia was accused, then she would be put in jail. Why would they stand for her? Was it ever stated that they all, or just some of them, knew her personally?

Crime of passion, some call it, I think.


Or Envy would kill them both, or kick Ed's butt by using some emotional trick or just his fighting skills. That's way more plausible.


Izumi would have kicked their butts and brought them back to Rizenbool, and no FullMetal Alchemist!

Hum...What if Envy heard Hoho's explainations about why he abandonned him? (God, that's so random, especially because we don't really know why he abandonned him, even if I keep thinking he did not do it on purpose)

Hoho would probably give a stoic but simple recount about how he truly did love his son and didn't want to hurt him... something along those lines, and I think it would go in a pretty archetypal evil-villain denial sequence with a desperate, "No! NO I DON'T BELIEVE YOU! You're lying, you bastard! You hated me! You hated me and now I hate you!"(etc) And he would go to ridiculous lengths and try to go after Hoenheim several times, Hoenheim patiently blocking him, frustrating Envy, and in liklihood, Envy would have a complete mental breakdown and collapse realizing his entire non-life has pretty much been dedicated to a pointless, futile lie.

XD It makes sense. Even if I had another idea in mind. I think both are possible.

I don't think Envy would listen to any explanation Hoho had to give him, he'd just kill him.

What if the Ishvalans had succeeded in taking Ed hostage in the Xerxes ruins in the Manga?

Or if you want an Anime one:

What if Ed had been stuck in the suit of armor instead of Al? (yeah, I know it's an Omake but it works for the Anime too).

I think you're forgetting who Hoho is. He could probably tear Envy apart if he really wanted to.

I always wondered what would happen if Al and Ed learned Envy was thier half-brother long before episode 50.

Always wondered that too, Mini .

For Ed, I don't know, he would certainly be shocked but still wouldn't forgive Envy, even after discovering they both held the same hatred for their father. I'm not really sure but I'm more leaning towards this idea.

Al, on the other hand, would certainly 'forgive' him and try to convince him to not hate their father anymore, even try to make him join the good side, I think. That's just what I think, since he's very kind-hearted.

I could kind of see Envy and Ed bonding over the hatred of their father. I can see them having lengthy conversations about beating up/killing Hoho. Envy would be much more into the killing part of course.

You're right. Al would be trying to woo Envy over to the good side.

Hum, I guess Ed wouldn't be able to kill a 'member' of his family. That would really be funny to see them plot against Hoho!

I once read a pretty good fic about their relationship as brothers. Pretty touching, especially when Ed discovered Envy killed Hughes and forgave him. I recommend you to read it if you want to have an idea.

Anyway, OT, sorry.

I wish Ed or Al had found out Envy's identity earlier. I'd have liked to see them at least try to reach out to him.

Sinny, I thought Hoehenheim for all intents and purposes DID abandon Envy in a cold and heartless manner. From what I heard him saying, it sounded to me like he wrote off all humunculis as soulless beings that were pure evil, and took after he created Envy and he didn't turn out to be his real son. Am I missing something? You seem to imply that his abandonment wasn't as bad as I thought it was....*and I've never seen the movie, so...*

Ow, he must have a different opinion about Envy, it was his son, dammit! XD He has changed since Trisha, Ed and Al. He must at least feel guilty now...

But it's true that his speech about the homunculi annoyed me. He gave the same definition as his son, which means in an immature way. I always thought that Ed built his opinion from alchemy books/theories and not himself , and that is not the way an adult act. Or I think he does think by himself towards the end, even if he still believes that equivalent exchange crap...

Anyway, I would really have liked them to team up against Hoho. No forgiving for the bad daddy! Oh, the possibilities! XD

Do you a link for that story.

I think I may know the one she's talking about. It kind of deteriorated in some parts as the chapters moved on. But it was kind of cute in a rushedly OOC way...

Imo, Dark Humor handled that situation between them the best, but then again, Dark Humor is best at frikkin everything. *Waves banner*