ROY MUSTANG
RM
The Flame Alchemist. Colonel. His gloves create a spark through friction and the arrays on them do the rest. Useless in the rain, which the show remembers at the worst possible moments. Ishvalan war veteran who burned people alive on orders and has been climbing toward the Fuhrer's office ever since on the theory that getting there is the only way to make it mean something. Uses the Elrics as pieces in that climb. Genuinely cares about them. Both things are completely true and the show never lets either one cancel the other out.
ROY THROUGH THE ARCHIVE //
STATE ALCHEMIST SYSTEM //
Open page →Roy Mustang
Open →Flame · Combustion alchemy
Flame Alchemist. Ignition via specialized gloves and atmospheric control. Political climber, Ishval veteran, and one of the State's most dangerous field assets.
Interview
Open →Stage 2 · The State decides whether it wants you
After the written portion comes an interview. Edward advances; Alphonse does not continue because Mustang warns that a physical examination of an empty suit of armor would expose the secret the brothers are trying to protect.
Why it matters
The exam is already asking for more than alchemical skill. Becoming a State Alchemist means allowing the military to inspect the person behind the research, which is exactly what Al cannot safely do.
