Manga and 2009 anime history[]
After losing her mother relatively early in life, Riza Hawkeye was effectively brought up by her father Berthold who, despite his meager earnings as a civilian alchemist, was able to furnish his daughter with a respectable education. As she approached adulthood, Riza became acquainted with her father's young apprentice alchemist, Roy Mustang. Though they were the only associable family members either Hawkeye could bring to mind, the father and daughter remained emotionally distant while sharing the steadily deteriorating family estate, with Berthold becoming increasingly obsessed with his alchemical work and Riza growing to fear her father's mania. Perhaps further straining - or serving as an indication of - their already shaky relationship, Berthold (afraid of documenting his findings in the usual fashion lest his Flame Alchemy expertise fall into the wrong hands) instead tattooed a large, coded Transmutation Array containing his secret discoveries onto her back, effectively making her very flesh the guardian of his life's work. In the year 1905, however, when Riza was in her mid teens, Berthold Hawkeye died of a mysterious illness.
Riza meeting Roy at her father's grave.
With no other known relatives to turn to, Riza accepted Roy's help in making all the necessary - yet meager - arrangements for her father's funeral. At the burial, Roy let her know that she could seek him out within the military if she were ever in need of assistance. In doing so, he inadvertently let slip his endeavor to strengthen the foundation of Amestris and protect its citizens as a soldier. Though Roy displayed embarrassment at his long-winded optimism, Riza deemed his dream charming and informed him that her father's alchemical secrets still survived upon her back. Hoping that he would take the knowledge and use it in the service of the Amestrian people, Riza showed him her father's code. After deciphering it, Roy left to prepare for the State Alchemy examination and a military career. Meanwhile, Riza furthered her education by entering the military academy within a year.
In 1908, as a result of her excellent progress at the academy as well as manpower shortages in the region, Riza was shipped out to the front lines of the ongoing Ishval Civil War to act as a sniper during her final year as a cadet. While there, her superb abilities earned her the name "The Hawk's Eye" and, even while she stained her hands with her targets' blood, she was forced to watch the massacres perpetrated by her fellow soldiers and the State Alchemists. It was only a matter of time before she encountered Roy Mustang - now a Major known as the "Flame Alchemist" - on the field. Greeting him after their long separation, she expressed her despair that the ideals to which she had clung in her youth had devolved into senseless slaughter; the military, which she had always believed to be in the service of the people, was being deployed for the purpose of murdering Amestrian citizens and alchemy, which she had always believed to be for the benefit of mankind, was being used to commit constant atrocities. In the manga only, there are a series of panels which imply that Riza may have pondered killing Roy in the war because of the destruction his flame alchemy was causing.[2]
Hawkeye during the events of the Ishval Civil War.
By the time the war ended in 1909, Riza had become wracked with guilt and regret over the countless lives she had taken, but more so by the fact that she had chosen to join the military and entrust her father's secrets to Mustang of her own free will. As she dug a small grave for a dead Ishvalan child on the final day of the war, she was approached by the Flame Alchemist and, expressing her grief, she asked him to burn the sigil off her flesh, so as to bury its secrets forever and prevent the creation of yet another Flame Alchemist. Reluctantly, Roy complied, burning the most dangerous parts of the array into illegibility and allowing Riza to continue the rest of her life as an individual person, no longer bound to her father's wishes. With peace's arrival, both Roy and Riza were deployed away from the battlefield. However, Riza chose to stay within the military and found herself assigned directly under Mustang's command in East City.
When asked by her new superior why she had opted against resignation Hawkeye responded that, in exchange for allowing future generations and the innocent to live their lives unencumbered by suffering, the soldiers - those who have chosen their painful path - must shoulder all of the suffering they can. Having heard this, Roy positioned Riza as his personal adjutant and bodyguard, stating explicitly that - as the person guarding his back - she would be responsible for protecting him from harm as well as for shooting him in the back if ever his march to power caused him to stray off of the correct path and use the alchemical knowledge she had entrusted to him with ill intentions.
Riza's tattoo after the burning.
In the aftermath of the war, as several State Alchemists had thrown away their licenses as penance for the atrocities they had been ordered to commit, Lt. Col. Mustang was assigned to investigate and recruit possible candidates for the State Alchemist program. One such lead brought him, along with 2nd Lt. Hawkeye, to the rural eastern town of Resembool in pursuit of an alchemist named Edward Elric. Upon arriving in town, they discovered not only that this Edward Elric was only eleven years old, but also that the boy's empty home held the horrific telltale signs of a Human Transmutation attempt. Rushing to next door neighbor's house to confront young Edward, Mustang and Hawkeye made yet another discovery - that the boy had miraculously survived the Rebound from a failed Human Transmutation and managed to bind the disembodied soul of his younger brother Alphonse to a suit of armor (two unheard-of alchemical feats) at the cost of his right arm and left leg. Faced with this information, Mustang offered Edward the chance to join the program under his command, mentioning that the boy might even find a way to restore his and his brother's bodies with the resources at his disposal as a State Alchemist. Meanwhile, Hawkeye made the acquaintance of the boys' young friend Winry Rockbell, assuring the little girl that no one would force her friends to join the military - the choice would be up to them. A year later, after Edward had replaced his lost limbs with automail, Hawkeye escorted Mustang and Edward to Central City, where the twelve-year-old achieved his certification.
Eastern Headquarters[]
First Lieutenant Hawkeye accompanies Colonel Mustang to the East City train station to greet Edward and Alphonse after their capture of a terrorist. After it becomes apparent that the ex-State Alchemist Shou Tucker has been murdered by a mysterious serial killer wanted in the capital, Lt. Hawkeye explains the situation to the young Elrics and warns them to stay away from the murder scene. When it becomes apparent that the mysterious suspect - a State Alchemist-targeting serial killer known only as "The Scarred Man" - is loose in East City and attacking the Elric brothers, Mustang orders his men onto the scene to back the boys up. They arrive in time to protect Edward from being killed, but when Scar goads Roy into engaging him in combat, Riza is forced to intervene with gunfire, as the Colonel has apparently forgotten the fact that the pouring rain would render his combat alchemy useless. With the help of Lt. Hawkeye and Major Alex Louis Armstrong - who happens to be the "Strong Arm Alchemist" - the East City forces manage to prevent Edward's demise as well as ascertain a bit more about Scar before his flashy escape: namely that his strange method of execution is a brand of alchemy that stops at the deconstruction stage and, perhaps more importantly, that the man is an Ishvalan survivor of the Civil War bent on taking vengeance for his slaughtered people.
As Ed and Al leave town under escort to have their injuries tended to, Lt. Hawkeye and her comrades are ordered to initiate a citywide search for the alchemist killer with Scar's capture or execution a top priority. Though two weeks go by without a solid lead, Riza is summoned to the scene of a sewer tunnel collapse where a bloodstained jacket identical to that worn by their elusive quarry has been found. Identifying the artifact as the Scarred Man's jacket, Hawkeye discerns from the apparent stains that the Ishvalan fugitive must have been seriously injured - if not killed outright - when the tunnel collapsed. But as the search continues for further signs of Scar's possible demise, Eastern Command is shaken by the sudden news that the Colonel's close friend and ally Lt. Colonel Maes Hughes has been mysteriously murdered in Central City.
Lt. Hawkeye accompanies Roy to Hughes' military funeral in the capital where she consoles him and assists in his quick investigation of the events surrounding his friend's death. They learn that Hughes had been attacked in one of the records rooms after uncovering something vital to the military, but decided against relaying this information via the military phone line instead venturing to a public phone booth, where he was shot dead. Mustang and Hawkeye encounter Major Armstrong, who mentions that his men have a rough idea of the identities of Hughes' killers, but refuses to give the Colonel any further information aside from the fact that the Elrics had recently been in the capital on their search. Riza expresses her disappointment that Armstrong was so unhelpful, but Roy explains that their friend Alex had been quite informative - he had let them know with his deliberately cryptic speech that Hughes' death was most likely orchestrated by a mysterious group or organization, that a higher-ranking officer (most likely within Central Command) had apparently placed a gag order on the finer details of the incident and that the Elric brothers' search for the Philosopher's Stone is somehow involved. Roy informs Riza that he will soon be transferred to Central and, vowing to get to the bottom of this mystery on his way to the top of the country, asks her if she will follow him. She agrees, reminding her commander that there is no need for him to ask.
A few days later, the Colonel's transfer goes into effect and he opts to take a handful of subordinates along with him to the capital, including 2nd Lt. Jean Havoc, 2nd Lt. Heymans Breda, Warrant Officer Vato Falman, Sergeant Major Kain Fuery and, of course, Hawkeye.
"Fishing" in Central[]
Barry falls for the lieutenant immediately upon meeting.
As soon as she arrives in the capital with her squad, Lt. Hawkeye is swamped with administrative paperwork and transfer procedures - so much so that she is unable to unpack her belongings in her new apartment or take a single day off for quite some time. However, on her way back from grocery shopping on her first night of rest, Riza is accosted on the street by a man in a suit of armor claiming to be the infamous (and long-dead) serial killer Barry the Chopper. Unfazed, Hawkeye draws her sidearm and opens fire on her assailant, who is shocked but not deterred by her lack of fear. When the Chopper removes his helmet to reveal that the armor is empty inside, just like Alphonse, it is Riza's turn to be shocked - though she regains her calm and resumes firing in short order. When the Chopper inquires as to why not even his inhuman body is able to frighten her, the lieutenant responds cryptically that she knows someone with a similar body; but when the armored attacker mentions Alphonse himself, Hawkeye realizes that this mysterious madman may have even more to him than meets the eye. She immediately places Barry under her custody (an act made all the easier by the Chopper's sudden infatuation with her nerve) and heads to a phone booth in order to summon Colonel Mustang.
Together with Warrant Officer Falman, the Colonel and Lieutenant take Barry to a warehouse in the military district for clandestine interrogation. Falman takes charge of verifying Barry's identity, cross-checking his encyclopedic knowledge of the Chopper murder cases against the armor man's own memory, but when Barry accurately describes all his crimes and even passes Falman's trick question, they've no choice but to believe he is the real deal. Mustang begins to interrogate him about his body and Barry counters with a questions of his own, wondering why they don't already know about his body when they're part of the military that experimented on him and asking if they knew anything about recent incident involving Central Alchemical Laboratory #5. When Mustang responds in the negative, Barry agrees to tell them everything he knows if Roy promises not to report him to the higher-ups.
With a deal brokered, Barry explains that he was torn alchemically from his human body and bound to his current armor form to stand guard at Lab 5 - a supposedly abandoned military facility which was in actuality being secretly used to manufacture imperfect Philosopher's Stones using military personnel as researchers and live prisoners as ingredients - and had met Alphonse Elric when he and Fullmetal snuck into the compound a short time ago. With this information adding further meaning to the cryptic snippets given by Major Armstrong after Hughes' funeral, Roy deduces that Central Command is likely behind the experimentation at Lab 5 as well as the sudden destruction of the facility. As for any lingering evidence, the Chopper explains that all the researchers at Lab 5 were executed just days before the facility mysteriously collapsed - turned into a fresh Philosopher's Stone by two individuals named Lust and Envy who appear to have been in charge of Lab 5's personnel. Having exhausted the Chopper's wealth of information, Mustang poses another question, asking Barry if he had murdered Maes Hughes. Along with Falman, Riza senses and becomes alarmed by the strange, furious mania that comes over Roy's frame as he asks this question, but when Barry reveals that he knows nothing about the incident, the Colonel drops the subject and regains his composure. Before leaving, Mustang assigns Falman to keep an eye on the ex-murderer and Hawkeye - whose orders Barry seems willing to follow - tells him not to chop anyone else up.
Following the transference to Central, the Homunculi began to realize the Colonel's moves to investigate Maes Hughes’ death could lead to him discovering more than he should. With that in mind, they create a diversion, blaming Second Lieutenant Maria Ross for the death of the Brigadier General. Thinking the accusations sound suspicious, Hawkeye reports the news to Colonel Mustang, who, in return, asks her to investigate further into Maria Ross. Looking over her files and information, Riza reinforces her first impression that Maria would have no reason whatsoever to kill someone. When she confers with Mustang, he asks Hawkeye to hide her discoveries and to collect Maria Ross’ dental information, erasing them from the military archives.
While Mustang leaves to fake Maria Ross’ death, Hawkeye stays in the office for cover up.
Wanting to confirm Barry's information about the Military being involved in the 5th Laboratory incident, Mustang asks Major Armstrong to take Edward to the East with him since, in Mustang's words, Ed was “too passionate and can ruin the plan”. Mustang's unit begins the plan to use Barry to capture a Homunculus for information.
Pretending to be upset with Mustang for killing Maria Ross, Hawkeye asks for a small vacation. Instead, she goes into hiding in a tower near the apartment where Barry the Chopper is being guarded by Falman, waiting for the Homunculi to come after Barry. With the help of Fuery, who builds a small communication network, Hawkeye then proceeds to call Mustang several times as if she were one of Mustang's flirty girls, under the codename Elizabeth, and passing him coded information about the situation at the hideout.
Helping Havoc and Falman once Barry's body attacks, Riza gets ambushed by Gluttony. Mustang, hearing the commotion over the telephone, explodes in an uproar and rushes down to the scene to save her, only to get scolded by Riza for being foolish and risking compromising their position. Despite this, Riza thanks Roy later on.
Hunting Immortals[]
They begin chasing Barry’s body, which they believe could lead them to the Homunculi's lair; passing Alphonse in their car, they agree to let him accompany them. Barry and his body enter the 3rd laboratory; Mustang, Hawkeye, Havoc and Alphonse follow, discovering a network of tunnels which lie beneath the buildings.
Mustang decides to split up to cover both directions of the tunnel, sending Riza with Alphonse and taking Havoc with himself. While Mustang and Havoc meet up with and are attacked by Lust, Al and Riza discover Barry with his body, standing in front of engraved gates. Short after, Lust appears, blasting Barry's armor to pieces and claiming to have killed the Colonel.
Riza's emotional breakdown
Upon hearing this, Riza completely loses her normal stoic demeanor and, in something of an echo of Mustang's own reaction to her being attacked by Gluttony, fires continuously at Lust until she runs out of bullets. Her ammunition exhausted, Riza falls to her knees, weeping, and urges Alphonse to flee. He refuses, shielding her body from Lust's attacks, only to be interrupted by Mustang's arrival. The Colonel, having used his flame alchemy to cauterize the wounds Lust inflicted on him, turns the same powers on the Homunculus herself. While Alphonse protects Riza, Mustang burns Lust to death.
In the hospital after the battle with Lust, Roy harshly scolds Riza for believing the enemy's words that he was dead, and tells her to never give up no matter what. He then asks her to continue watching his back, to which she agrees. As an apology, Riza produces a map to Central City, explaining she counted the steps while their party was traversing the underground facility, but because the hallways were slightly curved, she was unable to calculate the exact location of that large white room, and could only confirm that they had ended up somewhere within a circle she had drawn on the map with the 3rd Laboratory at the center. Complimenting the lieutenant's exceptional work, Roy gets right to the task of examining the evidence they had gathered. He notices that both the Central Command and the Führer's executive residence lie within the circle and begins to wonder whether King Bradley is an enemy or an ally. Though the path ahead seems daunting, he vows to get to the bottom of the conspiracy that Hughes had uncovered and asks Riza and Jean to continue following him loyally. Riza complies wholeheartedly, but she and Roy are shocked when Havoc suddenly bows out, stating that he can no longer feel his legs and must retire from the service.
Concerned with Havoc and Roy, who starts to obsess over the guilt of making Havoc paraplegic, Riza continues to attend both at the hospital without rest. When he discovers that Havoc has been discharged from the Military for his injury, Mustang demands to be released from the hospital, against Riza's better judgment.
Upon his release, Mustang finds that Edward has grown very active and appearing more than necessary in the city. He follows Ed and learns of his plans to lure Scar out, as Fullmetal reasoned the Homunculi wouldn't allow Scar to kill him. Taking advantage of the situation, Mustang and Riza help Edward by confusing the Military Police and, when the Homunculi started to appear, Riza is sent to capture one of them. She disguises herself with Fuery's glasses and clothes and encounters Ling, who has just arrested Gluttony, picking both up with her car. However, she's spotted by King Bradley while doing so, which leads to consequences later on.
Ling then begs Riza for help, since his attendant Lan Fan is very injured and will die without a doctor's attention. Riza agrees to carry Lan Fan along to the shack they were using as hideout and asks Mustang to summon Dr. Knox to attend to her.
Arriving at the shack, Riza stays on guard outside while Dr. Knox works on Ran Fan and Mustang gets acquainted with Ling Yao. Hearing Mustang's name, Gluttony rages out to him, as he was the murderer of Lust. Destroying half the shack, Gluttony chases Mustang into the forest, where Riza attempts to sidetrack him and escape with the Colonel.
Ed and Al volunteer to stay behind to face the Homunculi while Riza takes both Lan Fan and Mustang to a secure location, along with Dr. Knox. Riza lends Edward one of her revolvers. Ed protests, saying it's a weapon to hurt and kill people. Riza insists, telling him that "it's a weapon of protection".
They go to Dr. Knox's house, leaving Lan Fan to his care and proceeding back to Headquarters, where Mustang wants to survey whether they can get any allies against the top brass and the Homunculi inside the Military. Mustang enters the HQ and Riza stays outside, on watch, for a whole evening, while Mustang is held in by the Führer.
The Belly of the Beast[]
The consequences of Mustang's activities and investigations arrive quickly, as he discovers all top brass of the Military are involved with the Homunculi. King Bradley holds Mustang at the Central Command for the night, stating that he will not kill the Colonel, but will not allow him to wander, either. To ensure Mustang's cooperation, Bradley reassigns his loyal subordinates; Falman is sent to the north, Fuery to the south, and Breda to the west. Havoc is already gone, having returned to his family's home.
For Riza, however, Bradley has something else in mind. Having deduced that she is the closest and most deeply trusted of Mustang's subordinates, as well as possessing superlative skills, Bradley has decided to make her his own personal assistant. In simplest terms, she is being held as a hostage for Mustang's good behavior, meaning that the Colonel cannot make a move to defy Bradley or defeat the Homunculi without placing his "queen" in grave danger.
With all his subordinates removed from his Command and with Riza as Bradley's hostage, Mustang is forced to lay low for a while and to stop his investigations in the Military. While he regroups, Edward and Alphonse plan to travel North to learn more about Alkahestry from May Chang. Before they do, however, Ed goes to visit Riza in her apartment just after her transfer to work under the Führer.
Riza tells Edward about Ishval Civil War.
Returning the pistol Riza loaned him during Gluttony's attack, they begin to talk about many important subjects: Edward's goal to return his body, about living and protecting those we love, burdens, responsibilities for their mistakes, and Ed's feelings towards Winry and his brother. Edward asks Riza if she could tell him about what happened during the Ishvalan war, a request with which Riza complies, telling him her view of the Massacre.
Edward thanks Riza for her openness and asks about the future of the country, saying he now understands why Mustang wants to become Führer. Riza explains the complex situation which she and Mustang both face; should they succeed in their aims to place him at the head of the country, they will both likely face trial and possible imprisonment for their actions during the Ishvalan conflict. Nevertheless, they are both committed to bringing peace and democracy to Amestris. She also urges Edward not to worry about their fates, as he has quite enough on his shoulders already. They part on friendly terms, urging each other to be safe.
After this conversation Riza starts her work under Bradley in silence, not meeting or talking to Mustang often. Nevertheless, she remembers Mustang's earlier injunction that she should never give up no matter what, and only obeys orders as far as is necessary to prevent further difficulties for herself or Roy. One day, while working with the Führer, Riza asks him if he has any compunctions about living such a lie. Bradley surprises her by telling her "...but my wife, I have chosen myself".
The Original Homunculus[]
Selim Bradley reveals his true identity.
Not long after this conversation, Riza delivers some military documents to the Führer at his house, late at night. Mrs. Bradley attends to her, making conversation about her husband and his work. Riza feels a strange feeling, turning around to find Selim Bradley behind her. Mrs. Bradley then brags about Selim, telling Riza he's adopted from a relative of her husband, which raises Riza's suspicions. Sensing he is discovered, Selim reveals to Riza that he is in fact Pride, the first of the Homunculi. He threatens Mustang and her friends if she dares speak to anyone about him. He adds that he will be watching her from the shadows.
Frightened, Riza returns to her apartment, trying to decide what to do next. She is surprised by a phone call from Colonel Mustang, saying that he's got plenty of flowers and asking if Riza wants some. He can detect the uneasiness in her voice, although Riza tries to deny it, and looks for her in the canteen the next day.
Deciding to take a risk, Riza signals to Mustang that she will give him a coded message, continuing the conversation as if nothing has happened. Colonel Mustang notes down the names Riza mentions in the conversation, taking their initials to write “Selim Bradley is Homunculus.”
The Promised Day[]
Rebecca spending the afternoon with Riza in order to give her a message about the Promise Day.
Riza lays low until, when Hohenheim tells Alphonse about the plans of the Promised Day, which triggers a flow of messages from character to character about it. General Grumman receives the news through Briggs and sends Rebecca, one of Riza's best friends, to Central to pass on the message to Riza herself.
Rebecca, under the guise of having a “day off” at Central City, visits Riza and slips a note into Black Hayate's collar. She hints Riza to pass on the message by asking her to “Say hello to Havoc” for her. Later the same day, Riza visits Havoc at the hospital. Upon arrival, she notices Colonel Mustang is in the room, hidden, but chooses not to uncover him as to avoid the Homunculi to see them together and just talks to Havoc as if nothing is wrong. She gives him a pack of cigarettes with the note from Rebecca, which states the message from Gen. Grumman. After Riza leaves, Havoc passes the note to the Colonel.
As a preparation to the Promised Day, Riza deserts the Military, joining Major Sargent Fuery and 2nd Lieutenant Breda in a warehouse, waiting to meet Mustang to start a coup d'état during the Promised Day. Mustang join them in an underground passage after blowing up his foster mother's bar.
Mustang states they're going down a path with no return, as of that moment, and made his subordinates promise him they'll not get themselves killed.
They proceed to intercept Mrs. Bradley’s car, taking her hostage before the news of the Führer’s train being blown up at the East got to the Military. With Mrs. Bradley in tow, they enter the city only to be chased by Central soldiers.
Leaving the traumatized First Lady in the care of Breda and Fuery, Mustang and Hawkeye continue to move into the city, trying to get to the Central Command. After some struggle, they manage to reach the undergrounds of the 3rd Laboratory, eventually meeting up with Ed, Scar and the Chimeras at the engraved gates, while they fight the Immortal Army.
Aiding Edward to finish the enemies, Mustang finally comes face to face with Envy. Envy reveals to be Brigadier General Hughes’ murderer, setting Mustangs hatred alive. Scar and Ed decide to go on ahead with the chimeras, as Riza states she can take care of the situation with Mustang herself.
Mustang attacks Envy mercilessly, with Riza following behind them without him knowing. In an attempt to confuse his enemies, Envy disguises as Mustang to attack Riza. Asking her to “follow close behind”, Riza notes that Mustang might be Envy in disguise, and points her gun at him, remarking that Roy always calls her "Riza" whenever both of them were alone. Falling for her trick, Envy shifts back to his old form and is immediately shot by Riza as she reveals that she lied. However, Envy gets the upper hand in the encounter, almost killing Riza, but being stopped by the Colonel, who proceeds to burn him without end, relieving all accumulated anger into the homunculus.
Riza tries to stop Roy from killing Envy.
As Mustang prepared himself to release his final blow and kill Envy, Riza surprisingly points a gun to the Colonel's head, saying she couldn't allow him to kill the homunculus. Scar and Ed return just in time, Edward holding on to Envy and scolding the Colonel, stating he's blinded by hatred. In turn, Scar says he cannot stop Mustang, but is also curious about “what the world would be like with a vengeful man as its leader”. Riza then begs Mustang to see reason, saying she could kill Envy herself. She says she understands what he's going through, but cannot let him go down the road of becoming a beast. Mustang answers she can shoot him if she really felt like it, but asked first, what she would do after she had killed him, to which she answers:
- “I have no desire to live a carefree, happy life alone. After this battle, my body will leave this world together with the Flame Alchemy that only brings insanity”
Upon hearing this, Mustang ceases, sorrowfully stating that “it wouldn’t do” and that he would not lose Riza and apologizes to her for causing her pain.
They continue to follow the tunnels together, trying to find Father's Lair, but running into an old man with a golden tooth and doctor's clothes, instead. He activates a transmutation circle, that takes hold of Ed (and Al and Izumi), making him disappear. He states he was part of the process of creating the Führer and releases the former candidates to attack Mustang, Scar and Hawkeye, seizing them.
The consequence of Mustang refusing to perform a human transmutation.
The Gold-Toothed Doctor then asks for Roy to perform a human transmutation, to which Mustang refuses. With his refusal, a Führer candidate slits Riza's throat, to try and make him cooperate. Mustang attempts to save Riza but is held back. The gold-toothed doctor says he's now the only person who can save Riza's life, with a Philosopher's Stone in his possession, to which he will do if Mustang agrees to perform the Human Transmutation and become a Human Sacrifice.
Mustang then considers performing human transmutation to save Riza, but upon gazing into Riza's eyes, he gets the message from Riza not to perform human transmutation. Mustang reluctantly refuses to perform human transmutation, seemingly leaving Riza for dead.
However, they are saved by the appearance of May Chang and the other chimeras. May heals Riza's neck wound enough to stop the bleeding. Riza apologizes for worrying Mustang and states that he understood her eye signal well. Mustang replies that this is only because the two of them have been together for so long. Riza is then supported by Mustang until King Bradley arrives. Bradley states he's amazed by Mustang and that he believed the Flame Alchemist would do anything if faced with the danger of losing "someone important". Riza is left in the protection of the chimeras while she can only watch as Mustang gets his hands pinned to the ground inside a transmutation circle and sent through the gate.
She stays with the chimera while the Human Sacrifices fight Father in his lair and, as their position is directly above Father's room, she and the chimera are not affected when the transmutation circle is activated and all souls sucked into Father.
Shortly after, Major and General Armstrong appear, all of them meeting Izumi and the Colonel shortly after, as Izumi is going after Father. She leaves the Colonel to Riza, continuing her way up. Roy tells her he has been blinded by Truth, but dismisses any concerns, asking her how are her wounds. Riza scolds him for not worrying about himself only to be cut out by Mustang asking if she could still fight.
Greed, who arrived in the meantime, says he's going after Father but only allows for the fitted to join, dismissing General Armstrong and Riza for being hurt. Mustang intervenes, saying they need him to fight and he can only do that with Riza at his side. They go up to the surface to face Father, Roy now using Flame Alchemy without a transmutation circle. Riza takes the role of his eyes, supporting the Colonel and giving him the coordinates of where to direct his attacks.
As the fight comes to a close with Edward finishing off Father, Riza and Mustang are shown cheering on Edward as he takes advantage of the Homunculus’ unstable state.
Riza in the epilogue.
In the aftermath, she is taken to the campaign hospital for proper care to her injuries. Rebecca appears to deliver her the news that the plan has worked and that the population believed they were trying to save Amestris. When Mustang is about to be cured by Dr. Marcoh, he asks to Major Armstrong to tell his subordinates they would have "a heavy job ahead". In the epilogue pictures, Riza is depicted as still working with Mustang, with her hair now cut short again.
References[]
- ↑ Fullmetal Alchemist Complete Book: Story Side
- ↑ https://fma.fandom.com/wiki/Chapter_59:_The_Immoral_Alchemist