Season 1 ep 9 when Al is questioning his whole existence. I know it’s a hospital and ed has the same wrapping. But idk. I’m on like my 15 th watch and I wonder if envy is pulling another trigger

Why didn't Al just carve The Alchemy Runes into his Palms?

So I just started watching FMAB (so good). I'm halfway through the first season, and I can't help but notice some similarities between Chuuya Nakahara from BSD and Edward Elric!

1. theyre both short, and teased for being short
2. some of the most powerful in their universe, specifically, for their age, they are pretty powerful
3. 'artificially created', Edwards arm and leg, Chuuya being turned into a weapon (project Arahabaki)
4. Human weapons of respective organizations
5. fiery personality, super aggressive (but its endearing)
6. good hearted
7. long hair

i can't think of anything else, but I just found it pretty funny.

First - I haven’t really watched the series 100 times, but I do start it every year on 10/3 and am finishing it Today…

My silly observation:
Let’s say you are a traveling merchant coming into Amestris from Xing during the eclipse.

You just got done making your way through the desert, your hungry, your thirsty, and you start to see Amestris in the distance.

All of a sudden, you see the light of a country wide transmutation circle start to glow… then you see these black hands rise up from the earth…

Then the freakin sky opens up!!!

At this point you are about 30 yards away from the Border from the country witnessing all this.

Holy shit! Of that was me, I’d be turning around and running as fast and far as I can. What a horrible thing to witness 🤣🤣🤣🤣

It might be because I haven't studied the original material enough, but I don't recall anywhere where the question is answered. Cite your answer, if possible, I'd love to touch up.

Why can some people do alchemy and some not? I remember that at certain points it is implied that anyone could do it by studying and understanding the work of tectonic plates and understanding physics and chemistry to "nudge" already feasible reactions into being.

However, we also know what Ed did at the end of Brotherhood, which cost him permanent access to transmutation.

So, is it an inherited ability or not? Can anyone learn it or is it locked behind a wall of a certain predisposition? Is Ed specifically banned from commiting/initiating transmutations as a consequence of his choice? Or is his inherited ability taken away?

Also, an additional tidbit: if certain people understand the science but can't initiate transmutations, does drawing a correct and detailed matrix allow an alchemist to activate it without completely understanding what it does?

Art source: https://www.deviantart.com/ilmaitar/art/Fullmetal-Alchemist-1366811142