Top 15 Most Emotionally Compelling Moments in Fullmetal Alchemist
Day 12: LAN FAN CUTS OFF HER OWN FUCKING ARM LIKE A BADASS
On a scale of 1 to badass, Lan Fan cutting off her arm to protect her future emperor and outwit Wrath skyrockets off the charts. This makes the top 15 in most compelling moments because, I mean, how dedicated, how fearless, how tenacious do you have to be to go off and chop off your own arm? One does not simply decide to chop off their arm one day just because they can, at least not without facing the consequences.
To me, this moment illustrates Lan Fan’s incredible emotional and physical resilience. She never affords herself the luxury of having that one moment of weakness. She immediately pulls herself together, not just for the sake of Ling, but herself. Even when placed in a position of immobility, Lan Fan does not allow herself to be beaten as a victim of circumstance. She manages to outsmart not just any Homunculi, but Wrath, who is pretty fucking hard to evade as far as Homunculi go (the guy did take out a freaking tank and dodged an entire infantry unit of bullets and explosions all by himself). Lan Fan, instead of resigning to her immobility, uses it to her advantage.
It’s this tenacity to willingly put your life on the line, to persist against the odds when enemies far beyond what you can handle with loom close and still find a way to beat those odds and come out on top. It takes a certain kind of willpower not to simply cave into your weaknesses, to not just endure the pain, but ultimately, overcome it.
(Source: hobbitin)
