16675


Why can't Roy Mustang bring his eyes back using his gate?

In the final chapter of the Fullmetal Alchemist manga, Roy Mustang said "I'd
readily sacrifice my own gate like Fullmetal did, but then I'd have no way
back".

Why he couldn't come back like Ed did?


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fullmetal-alchemist-series fullmetal-alchemist-manga
Why can't Roy Mustang bring his eyes back using his gate?


I'm not completely sure if my answer is any good, but I feel like it was worth
putting this out.

We do indeed see that being blind would have prevented Roy from staying in the
military (according to the manga), and that in theory he could have regained
his sight by giving up his gate. But as pointed out in the question he would
"have no way back". This doesn't seem to be related to the fact that his
responsibilities as a state alchemist might be affected if he took that route,
particularly when we see Grumman, who isn't a state alchemist, become the
Fuhrer (although he admittedly is a lot more experienced). Rather, I
interpreted it as follows:

  * Ed's gate has some sort of connection to Al's. We see this when Ed ends up in front of Al's gate (after he is swallowed by Gluttony) and sees Al's body. It's thus possible to conclude that Ed can "exit" via Al's path, instead of his own. This was stated to probably be related to the fact that they both put in blood into the mix of ingredients used in their human transmutation attempt, somewhere probably midway through the seres.

  * Consequently, Ed can give up his alchemy without being unable to escape the realm of the gate, as he has two possible exits (Al's gate, and his own) prior to giving up alchemy, and giving up alchemy only means giving up one of them.

  * Comparatively, Mustang hasn't had an experience akin to Ed and Al's - he does not "share" a gate with anyone. He can only enter and exit the realm of Truth through one means, but since it seems that entering (and presumably exiting) rely on there being a Gate, he would be unable to leave that place if he gave up alchemy (and consequently, his gate).


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answer


This is just a supplement to [Maroon's
answer](https://anime.stackexchange.com/a/16675/274) which is far too long to
be a comment.

In the raw manga, the original text is not akin to the English phrase "to go
back" (as in, to return to the way things used to be; the metaphorical sense).
It actually is a literal remark that he will be unable to return [to the real
world] after destroying his gate.

[![The manga
page](https://i.stack.imgur.com/tqUqA.jpg)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/tqUqA.jpg)

> 「鋼のがやったように自分の扉を通行料にできれば良いのだが帰りの通路が無くなる」

Which translates somewhat more literally like,

> If I could, I would do what Fullmetal did, and use my gate as the toll; but
> then, the path for me to return home would disappear.

Additionally, the reason Edward was able to give up his gate is, as Maroon
said, because Ed and Al's gates are somehow connected. After Edward destroys
his gate, he turns around and Truth points him toward Alphonse's gate, where
Al is sitting. The two boys return through that to the real world.

[![The manga
page](https://i.stack.imgur.com/4egRa.jpg)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/4egRa.jpg)

Since Mustang could have done no such thing, it makes sense he would have
concluded there to be no way to return once he had destroyed his gate.

_Note: Please don't accept this answer; it's just here to
support[Maroon's](https://anime.stackexchange.com/a/16675/274); if you agree
with it, please accept that one instead.~_


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