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I don't remember seeing any reasoning behind why Major Armstrong sparkles
(although I've only ever seen the first anime series; I haven't read the manga
nor seen the Brotherhood anime series).

> Also, when we meet other members of his family, they also sparkle, if I
> remember correctly.  
>  And later on Breda even lampshades the sparkles, when he's cosplaying as
> Major Armstrong.

**Was there any in-universe explanation ever given for Major Armstrong's
sparkles?**

![Sparkles](https://i.stack.imgur.com/GAYeP.jpg)


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fullmetal-alchemist-series
Why does Major Armstrong sparkle?


There is no in-universe reason for it, in the 2003 anime, the 2009 anime, or
the manga. None of them give a reason for it, nor does any [Word of
God](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/WordOfGod). In fact, Sig
Curtis in _Brotherhood_ sparkles a couple times as well, in addition to the
rest of the family.

It's worth noting that there is a
[trope](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Trope) called "[Bishie
(bishōnen)
Sparkle](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BishieSparkle)". I doubt
many people would classify Armstrong as bishōnen, but that article does
mention that it does represent the personality of the one who sparkles (as a
bit of a cutesy "he's beautiful inside" fluff). Here's an excerpt from that
very article:

>   * In _Fullmetal Alchemist_ , THE ART OF SPARKLING BEAUTY HAS BEEN PASSED
> DOWN IN THE ARMSTRONG LINE FOR GENERATIONS! And it _really_ has, although
> Major Armstrong is more 'manly' than pretty.
>     * It's not just Major Alex Louis Armstrong who has this trait, but THE
> ENTIRE ARMSTRONG FAMILY THROUGH THE GENERATIONS.
>     * Not just the entire family: the sparkle is possessed by a _flower
> woman_ whose family has SERVED THE ARMSTRONG LINE FOR GENERATIONS. And one
> of her hairs has the Armstrong curl, too.
>     * Sig Curtis also develops a sparkle when he's doing manly things with
> Armstrong. Curiously enough, his sparkle isn't pink, but brown-ish.
>     * May's Inner-Mind Theatre version of Edward and later Alphonse have
> this.
>     * Roy Mustang gets some sparkles in the 13th episode of the 2003 anime
> adaptation during his duel with Edward.
>     * As does Envy in the Chibi Wrap Party OVA, to hilarious effect.
>     * Lampshaded by Breda when he's impersonating Armstrong to prank his
> colleagues: He's got small pink paper cutouts that look like Armstrong's
> sparkle, suspended on wires. Armstrong also sculpted a statue of himself in
> The Movie from the 2003 anime series; it had a small four-pointed piece of
> stone for a sparkle suspended by a strip of metal coming from the body.
>     * _Fullmetal Fantasy_ , the Fan Film produced by the English vocal cast,
> has Real Life Armstrong complete with sparkles, quite possibly the film's
> Crowning Moment of Funny.
>

Also, inarguably, it's funny. And the [Rule of
Funny](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/RuleOfFunny) applies.


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