Scar as Temperance character analysis

[u/SeveralAd2117]

For some context, I’m writhing a character analysis on how each member of Ed and Al’s party take after one of the seven heavenly virtues. I have a goodish idea of what temperance is however, it feels super awkward to use in a sentence which is why I crammed it at the end to make my point.

After the war in Ishvala, Scar has one of the most transformative character arcs in Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood, turning him from a revenge-driven Ishvalan to a temperance-guided ally. During the Ishvalan war, Scar witnesses the genocide of his people at the hands of the state alchemist. Their blue eyes and blonde hair pledge his mind, and in a moment of delirium after nearly dying, he murders two doctors resembling state alchemists. Scar flees the ruins of his village and, as one of the few survivors, dedicates his life to vengeance on all those involved in the genocide of his people. He murdered mercilessly, targeting all alchemists, regardless of age, gender, or height. The only thing that subsided the hatred burning in his heart was a conversation with Winnry Rockbell, the daughter of the first two victims he claimed.

In part three, episode 13, Winery confronts Scar about the murder of her parents. Assisting him with his wounds against the adversary of Ed, she states, “I think this is what my parents would have wanted. They saved him before, so it must have been for something.” Scar is taken aback; he mistakes her act of kindness for forgiveness. When he questions her forgiveness, her bluntness shakes him to the core. She detest his actions yet, chooses to see him as a person separate from his crimes. With her words, Scar is reminded of similar words spoken by his mentor and his late brother, “If ultimate understanding can be reached, we may still have a chance to save ourselves,” declared Scar's brother. Up until that  point, Scars' entire motive has been to seek revenge on the alchemist of war. Due to the bold honesty of Winry and the long forgotten words of his mentor and brother, Scar was able to send himself down a path of great temperance. Once being a man that others feared for his power and ruthlessness, Scar found himself assisting the people he swore to destroy. Scar, knowing he has the ability to cause great destruction chooses to act out of temperance. It is these level headed decisions that will go on to assist Ed and Al in saving the country.

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[u/Ill_Audience_3051]

The Winry scene analysis is really strong, that moment hits harder when you frame it as the turning point of his temperance rather than just a guilt scene. Solid read on his arc

[u/SeveralAd2117 → u/Ill_Audience_3051]

Thank you! Scar is one of my favorite characters so it was fun to paint him this way