Fullmetal Alchemist: 5 Characters Who Deserved Better Endings

With its well-regarded storytelling, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood gave most characters satisfying conclusions that lived up to their initial promise. These strong endings added emotional impact and thematic depth, and many characters received the happy endings they deserved, making the anime’s conclusion memorable. However, a few characters didn’t receive the fulfilling resolution they earned, or their stories felt incomplete.

It’s common in action-packed anime like Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood for characters to be shortchanged at the end of their storylines – sometimes even killed off – if their arc doesn’t fit the overall plot. Often, the story needs to make room for more important characters, which is always disappointing. These shows are also prone to giving tragic endings to likable characters, leaving fans wishing for a different outcome.

Trisha Elric Met the Same Fate as Many Anime Moms

That Hairstyle is a Total Death Flag

I’ve noticed a really frustrating trend in anime – it feels like moms just don’t survive! We see it in shows like One Piece, where mothers are written out of the story way too often. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood did it too, and honestly, it bothered me. Trisha Elric felt like she existed only to give Edward and Alphonse something to feel sad about. I get that she wasn’t a powerful fighter or anything, being a simple country woman, but she deserved a better story than just being a plot device. It’s like a lot of shonen anime parents get the same fate – they’re killed off to make the main characters’ struggles feel more intense, and it’s getting old.

Trisha Elric’s death wasn’t dramatic or meaningful – she simply succumbed to an illness, seemingly to conveniently remove her from the story. It wasn’t a heroic sacrifice, and she didn’t die protecting her sons. Ironically, her death became the catalyst for everything that followed, as it led Edward and Alphonse to make the fateful decision to attempt human transmutation. This, in turn, set them on their desperate quest for the Philosopher’s Stone.

Lust’s Death Felt Forgettable Compared to What the Other Villains Experienced

Lust Died in Her Only Major Battle

Lust isn’t one of the strongest homunculi, which likely explains why Roy Mustang defeated her relatively easily in the first part of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. Although she did manage to injure Roy and Jean Havoc with her Ultimate Spear, proving her skills as an assassin, she was ultimately outsmarted. She lowered her defenses while trying to attack Riza Hawkeye, giving Roy the opportunity to counter with his powerful flame alchemy.

Once Roy Mustang began his attack, Lust was quickly defeated, reduced to almost nothing. Her powerful Philosopher’s Stone was completely drained, and surprisingly, Father didn’t try to save her, even though she was his only daughter. While he resurrected Gluttony and Greed after they were destroyed, he didn’t do the same for Lust, making it clear her role in Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood was over. It was a shame, as her skills as a seductive assassin were entertaining, and fans were left wanting more before her death.

Gluttony Died Without Feeling Like a Major Threat

Gluttony and Lust Were Both Done Dirty

In Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Gluttony is one of three homunculi who meet rather anticlimactic ends. Similar to his “sister” Lust, Gluttony lacked the power to pose a serious threat once the heroes learned how to fight them. The initial surprise faded, and characters like Ed and Roy developed strategies to keep the homunculi constantly defending themselves. Gluttony stands out as a clumsy villain who, according to Pride, was ultimately more helpful after he died than he was while alive.

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Once Ed and his allies learned how to counter Gluttony’s abilities, he became a liability during their fight with Gluttony and Pride in the dark forest. Lan Fan especially kept the two Homunculi constantly on the defensive with her speed and flash grenades. Gluttony quickly lost his intimidating presence, and Pride ended up consuming him, gaining his powerful sense of smell. It was a strangely fitting end, though it felt anticlimactic to see such a supposedly powerful being defeated so easily.

Maes Hughes Had to Die For the Crime of Truth

Not Even Roy Mustang Could Hide His Tears

Maes Hughes is often cited by fans as a character who deserved a happier outcome in Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. He wasn’t a powerful alchemist, simply a regular soldier devoted to his family, making him vulnerable. While Father and his homunculi likely would have ignored him, Hughes stumbled upon a crucial truth that Lust couldn’t allow to be revealed. His discovery of Father’s plan ultimately led to his tragic end.

Maes’ death served a powerful purpose in the story, delivering a shocking moment for viewers. Given what Lust and Envy are capable of, it made sense they’d eliminate anyone who discovered Father’s schemes. Fans aren’t upset with the writing itself, but rather wish a character as good as Maes had survived. His death was perfectly written – which is precisely why it’s so heartbreaking for the audience.

Greed Had to Give His Life to Prove His Redemption

Greed Could Have Survived as a Solo Homunculus in the Human World

Greed’s story stands out from the other homunculi because he truly changed for the better. Some fans feel his ending was particularly tragic, comparing him to Maes Hughes – a genuinely good character whose death served the plot. While not as purely innocent as Hughes, viewers were invested in Greed and wanted to see him thrive, especially after his rebirth and newfound outlook on life.

The storyline needed to resolve Greed’s character, and his departure provided a surprisingly heartwarming display of friendship. While many fans wished he’d survive the final battle with Father, it would have been fun to see him travel the world, continuing to be a hero and remaining the last of the major homunculi.

2026-05-03 02:05