Can we talk about how Riza must have felt when her father decided to let Roy practice alchemy? Instead of simply teaching it to her, she had to fight for her life to protect that knowledge. And why on earth did she join the academy right after her father died, fully aware that she had his dangerous research on her back?* That’s some risky behavior! The military health service doctors would have seen that tattoo during assessments, and there’s no way Riza didn't get injured; she would have had to undergo physical exams to enlist in the military.
Also, I just realized that her back tattoo remained unburned and unmarred throughout the entire Ishval War. Can you imagine if someone had taken an interest in it? What chaos would have ensued?
I would also love to discuss the stark contrast between Roy’s inherent need for control and Riza’s relentless desire for personal agency. She is often seen as the safe option—the "girl nobody expects to carry the potential catalyst of human destruction." Then there's Roy, who seems condescending as he believes he was the one who brought her into the military and the war. Meanwhile, Riza consistently emphasizes that it was her choice all along.
Kimblee recognizes Riza for who she truly is: frightened, yet still a potentially powerful weapon. It's amusing that their only interaction involves him pointing out her satisfaction after she makes a clean headshot. This contrasts with Roy, who at that time struggles to reconcile the cognitive dissonance between his vision of what Riza could have become (perhaps in a life away from the military, away from war like how she used to all her life) and what she is trying to be.
I believe Riza was trying to be her own moral compass, especially during the war. She may have hesitated to rely too much on Roy and confide in him, particularly after witnessing his shock at seeing her in the military during the Ishval war. She grapples with the same questions he does: now, alchemy is seen as a reason for people to run away rather than as something that offers protection? Additionally, I think Roy is the kind of person who would have preferred Riza to stay away from this godforsaken path. He may not have fully processed or accepted the guilt that drew her into it, even if he didn't intend for that to happen. Ultimately, the last thing Riza wants is to be a burden or liability.
Regarding her decision to join the academy, I believe a part of her felt that she couldn't remain still and hidden, similar to how her father kept her away from the world and made decisions on her behalf. Perhaps she wanted to actively choose those who would inherit her father’s research, and what better place to find ambitious intellectuals than the military? However, the war changed her perspective. As the beacon of flame alchemy, she understands that she must protect her knowledge and not rely on others for protection. She is not a damsel in distress. While she may be delicate, she isn’t fragile like a porcelain figure in a perfectly crafted cupboard; rather, she is as fragile in a ‘careful, she might blow’, like a ticking bomb (sounds like a corny Instagram caption but hey it makes sense)
