revolutionary girl » riza hawkeye

If you know anything about Fullmetal Alchemist, you will be aware about the title character being one kid called Edward Elric, alchemist extraordinaire with a couple of automail devices attached instead of his right arm and left leg. In reality, his little brother, Alphonse, is as much of a main character as Ed is. Not only that, but as time goes by and the story grows more intricate, the series turns into a surprisingly ensemble-ish one.

One of the main players in this ensemble is Riza Hawkeye. Showing up for the first time in the first volume of the series, her relevance has done nothing but grow, and her character is endlessly richer now compared to how she began.

When we meet her, Hawkeye is already a First Lieutenant within the Amestris military. She works under the command of Colonel Roy Mustang and is, in fact, his right-hand woman. They're stationed at East City Headquarters, along with a close-knit group of subordinates formed by Second Lieutenant Jean Havoc, Second Lieutenant Heymans Breda, Sergeant Major Kain Fuery and Warrant Officer Vato Falman. Of course, there's loads more to the Mustang group than what we're able to see at first.

Hawkeye ended up serving under Mustang after she was dispatched to the Ishval War during her final year at the Military Academy. An ace sniper, Hawkeye excels not only in the field, but also intelectually. She's also greatly valued and respected by her comrades, be it her superiors or subordinates. She wasn't, however, prepared to be sent to the front at such an early age and that period of her life became a dark and bleak one.

However, you could also say that her involvement in the Ishval massacre and the events right after helped to shape the person she would end up becoming. Hawkeye may look stern and serious, but she holds a heart than was once deeply hurt and fought to recover. She set herself a purpose years ago, and will do anything to pursue it to the end.