Krispy Kreme and the Conqueror of Shamballa

It has been some time since I had watched the Full Metal Alchemist series (Fullmetal Alchemist: The Complete First Season and Fullmetal Alchemist: The Complete Second Season) and it felt good to finally close the book and see the ending. The Conqueror of Shamballa gives closure to the series' ending by tying up the loose end and reuniting the brothers.


While watching though, I had a case of the munchies and decided to take a Krispy Kreme from the box the missus had brought home. Lest I forget, I must thank my kumare Sharon for the Krispy Kreme gift certificate! Okay, so going back. while biting down on the rich, scrumptous, lemon creme-topped donut, I wondered. How can something that tastes so good be so bad for you? Ah, the contradictions of life!


As the movie went on, it became more obvious that the message of the whole thing was the most basic thing that makes us people human is the capacity for choice. We have a choice of right and wrong. And when people come together as is a society or culture, they may even define what is right and wrong. 


We could choose to follow our principle or compromise it for whatever reason we deem fit. We can choose death as a way to free ourselves of the burden of the world or we could choose to live adn fight on to overcome those burdens. We can choose to be the hero that sacrifices everything or we could cower in for the rest of our lives. 

The movie ended with what could have been the most ultimate sacrifice a brother could ever had done. At the end of the series, he was transported to our world in trade of 'equivalent exchange' for Al's life. Eduard Elric had done nothing but find ways of getting back to his own world. There came a chance in the movie and by a confluence of events he was able to go home to his home world and see Al. They fought the invading our-world army tainted by the evils of the gate. In the end, Eduard decided to go back to the pre-Nazi Germany of our world to close the gate from that end, leaving Al with his last wish to close the gate from their world.

The end of the movie was just as much a reflection of the power of choice. Al finds a way of going with his brother. His counterpart in 1923 Germany, Alfons, died a hero. Reunited, the brothers decide to start anew in this other world of ours and make it their home.

The movie felt so good I just had to get another Krispy Kreme. And again the thought came to me, "How can something that tastes so good be so bad for you"? We live and make choices. Our ultimate realization of life's value come from the appreciation of choice. We live with the consequences of our choices. Mistakes have their own value as well, if we learn from them. Doing the right thing isn't always the same thing for everyone. Choice, my friend. And yes, I did have that 2nd chocolate donut.