Winry Rockbell FMA Guide: The Tale of Winry Rockbell

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Asad Mehmood

Asad is a curious Capricorn, who with his undying love for knowledge accumulation, can always be found reading, researching, or writing about something new. Of course, that is when he’s not busy watching anime, playing league of legends, farming Ancient Fruits in Stardew Valley, and reading manga, novels, and novellas. His history with Anime and Manga runs goes way back to the early 2000s. He grew up watching Anime like Dragon Ball Z, Beyblade G-Revolution, Pokémon, Naruto, and sort.

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Fullmetal Alchemist is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Hiromu Arakawa. Square Enix published it in Monthly Shonen magazine from July 2001 to June 2009.

It has two anime adaptations produced by Studio Bones and two subsequent movies. The first anime series titled Full Metal Alchemist aired from 2003 to 2004. After that, a remake called Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood aired in 2009. 

Fullmetal Alchemist is fictionalized in the 20th-century industrial world. It has mixed genres like action, drama, fantasy, adventure, science fiction, and comedy. It focuses on the two Elric brothers, Edward and Alphonse, and their relationship lies at the heart of the series. Alchemy is another integral part of the story which directs the plot.

This series is a dark tragedy and addresses different social aspects, such as family, politics, sacrifice, and revenge. Besides that, it speaks on topics like greed, power, and its abuses, war and wreckage, justice, etc.

It has a great blend of action, drama, and comedy. The rip-roaring and riveting action scenes, unexpected plot twists, well-built characters, and staggering character moments have made it popular among children and adults alike. 

One of the aspects that makes this manga stand out is the beautiful and realistic portrayal of characters. Each character is well developed and has a distinctive quirk. One of them is Winry Rockbell, who is the childhood friend of Edward and Alphonse.

She is an expert in mechanics and automobiles and became a favorite of young children, especially girls. Before we explore this enthralling character of Winry Rockbell, let us go through a brief summary of what happened in the series to help you recall its main events.

Plot Summary of Fullmetal Alchemist

Edward and Alphonse were two young brothers who lived in Resembool. Their father, Van Hohenheim, abandoned them a long time ago. Trisha Elric, their mother, succumbed to illness caused by the endemic, and her death left a traumatic impact on their lives. They were left alone with no one except their mutual friend Winry Rockbell and her grandmother.

They started to learn the science of alchemy under the tutelage of Izumi Curtis. After finishing their training, they attempted the forbidden act of human transmutation to bring back their mother.  As a consequence of failed attempt, Edward lost his right arm and left leg while Alphonse’s soul got trapped in an armored suit. Pinako and Winry Rockbell, the automail engineers, made an automail arm and leg for Edward.

Edward, later on, became the youngest state alchemist at the age of 12 at the invitation of Colonel Roy Mustang. The Elrics burned down their home with the intent to never return. They set out on the journey to find a philosopher stone, the most powerful stone believed to have the power to create anything desired, to restore their bodies.

On the clue about a laboratory where stones were created, provided by Dr. Maroch, the Elrics began to investigate. They were thwarted by Homunculi during their search. The Homunculi were the seven sins personified as lust, wrath, greed, envy, sloth, pride, and gluttony.

“The Father” created them using his blood. Colonel Roy Mustang and his subordinates uncovered the Government and military High command involvement and set out to take them down. Later, they discovered “The Father’s” plan of achieving godhood by assimilating all beings beyond the gate of truth on the Promised Day.

Edward, along with others, battled him on the Promised Day. Edward defeated him by dragging him into the gate of truth. Al’s armor was destroyed, and he sacrificed his soul to retrieve Ed’s right arm. Ed surrendered his alchemy skills to bring him back and restore his original body.

The Elric brothers returned home, and two years later, Edward proposed to Winry Rockbell. They got married in 1917 and gave birth to two beautiful children.

Characters that Were Closest to Winry Rockbell

Winry Rockbell was a young, dedicated, and passionate automail engineer who shared a beautiful bond with Ed and Alphonse. She was their friend, confidant, cheerleader, and supporter. She worried about their safety, and she was the one who pushed them to move forward in their journey of redemption. 

To understand Winry in a better way, let us take a look at people who were closest and meant the most to her.

Edward Elric

Edward is a young Alchemist who lost his leg and an arm due to failed attempt at human transmutation. He was a close childhood friend and neighbor of Winry Rockbell. Winry and Edward grew up together and shared a relationship of friendship, trust, care, devotion, and love.

She always complained about Ed and Al not telling her their secrets and keeping things from her.

Winry and her grandmother made an automail arm and leg for Ed. Winry was his personal automail mechanic for life. Ed would always rush to her whenever some problem arose with his arm or leg. The scenes of Winry getting angry at Ed, and throwing a wrench towards him, whenever he messed up or broke his arm were hilarious.

Ironically, that wrench made contact with his head more than any other form of attack. Winry and Ed were hot-headed and stubborn, and their love language was fighting each other over as simple things as not drinking milk.

Ed used to call her engineering otaku for her love for automail engineering and devotion towards her patients. Ed cared deeply for Winry. He protected her, and he was the one who saw how good of a heart Winry had. Edward hated seeing her cry and the mere thought of her tears made him sad.

That was one of the reasons he did not tell her his plans. When Ed got to know that Scar was the one who killed her parents, he felt devastated and could not bring himself up to tell her the truth. He was the one who said to her that her hands were meant for healing and not killing. 

Ed hesitated in telling Winry about how much he cared for her. He did so by saying to her while seeing her off at the train station that the next time she would cry, it would be tears of joy. He promised her that he would bring his and Al’s body back to normal at any cost.

Winry loved Ed. She always had. The way she cared for him and scolded him for hurting himself was just a pure form of love and care. Winry was one of the people Ed did not want to upset.  She was his best friend and confidant. Winry knew his heart better than anyone else and was the one who believed in Ed from the beginning. She was his biggest supporter.

Winry protected him, healed him, cried for him, and loved him till the end. She knew she was falling for him all along. Ed and Winry’s indirect confession of love for each other and constant blushing when someone else mentioned their love was the best part. 

Ed did confess his lover for Winry in the end. Being the crazy Alchemist that he was, he did it by referring to the law of equivalent exchange. 

Alphonse Elric

Alphonse was the younger Elric brother. He lost his body and got his soul trapped inside metal armor because of a failed attempt at human transmutation. Winry was his childhood best friend and neighbor. He was kind, soft-hearted, devoted, and caring. He valued his friendship with Winry and loved her.

When he was younger, Al developed a crush on Winry. Ed and Al used to fight over who would marry Winry when they would grow up, but she refused both of them every time. Later, his love for Winry faded away, and their bond developed stronger as friends. He liked teasing Winry about her love interest.

Winry and Al cared deeply for each other. She felt the pain Al was going through because of sleepless nights and lack of ability to eat food. Winry was the one who pushed both of them to go forward and find a solution to get their bodies back.

Winry always took a promise from them to come back safely whenever they left for a mission, and she worried for their safety.

Lin once mentioned to Al that his metal armor was not an inconvenience and that he should be happy that he was immortal. When Winry heard it, she got angry and left the room after scolding him for his insensitivity and stating that it was not easy for Al to live like this. 

After an encounter with Barry, Al started to doubt his existence and memories. He suspected that the boy named Alphonse Elric did not exist in real life, and he was just a doll created by Ed to play with.

Ed felt devastated after hearing his doubts and left the room crying. Winry reprimanded Al for doubting his intentions and told him that the only thing that worried him was whether he blamed him for his loss or not. Winry was their home, and she was the one they wanted to protect and were afraid to upset. 

The first thing Al wanted to eat after he got his body back was apple pie made by Winry. Their relationship portrayed love, care, and devotion. 

Hughes Family

Maes Hughes was a Colonel in the Amestrian military. He lived with his wife Gracia and daughter Elicia. He loved them to pieces and never failed to mention his love to everyone he met. When Winry visited Ed and Al in the Central, Maes insisted (somewhat forced) Winry to stay with his family during her visit and took her home.

He was forcefully hospitable, and Ed even called him a kidnapper for this. Winry met Gracia and Elicia and developed a beautiful bond of friendship and love. Winry adored Elicia, and she was her playmate. Gracia treated Winry as her child and taught her how to bake. Their bond was familial, and it remained so throughout the series.

Winry felt devastated when she learned about Maes death and consoled his wife and daughter. She even baked apple pies for him to try and cried when she realized that she would never be able to see him again. Winry’s ties with Gracia did not break after Maes death, and her relationship grew closer to the family.

Pinako Rockbell

Winry had a close relationship with her grandmother Pinako Rockbell, and she was the one who practically raised her. Winry lived with Pinako after her parents left for the service in the Ishvalan war. After their tragic death on the battlefield, Pinako was her sole caretaker and closest blood relation. 

They shared a cordial relationship and ran their automail atelier together. Pinaki was the one who taught her basic automail engineering.

When Winry left home to begin a journey of her own in Rush valley, Pinako got worried about how a child-like Winry would survive in the dangerous world. But she was proud of her for choosing her path and excelling in what she loved to do.

Winry worried about leaving her old grandmother alone and managed to communicate with her or visit her whenever she could. Their relationship was that of a doting grandparent and adoring grandchild. Pinako was her home, and she always knew that she could come back to her whenever she wanted.

Winry Rockbell, an Engineering-Otaku!

Appearance

Winry is a young girl with blonde hair and deep blue eyes. She is slender and tall. Her being taller than Ed is a constant gag throughout the series (though in the end, Ed grew up to be taller than her). She wears her waist-length hair in a ponytail with bangs on the front and long fringes framing her face. 

Winry got her ears pierced in an Avant-grade style. She wears two identical pairs of hoop earrings on each earlobe and an additional two cuff studs vertically on her right ear. 

Winry has tomboyish looks and loves to wear her work uniform. She usually wears a jumpsuit with the top half open and tied around her waist to reveal her usual black tube top and bare midriff. After moving to Rush valley, she swaps out her tube top for a black and white halter and has a large zipper down the front.

She ties her hair back with a green mantilla and is usually seen wearing slippers and light brown suede craftswoman gloves while working. Except for her work attire, she likes wearing a blue jacket with a white shirt, a blue skirt, and brown boots. In the end, Winry appears with her hair loose open and in a pink coat with a black shirt and blue jeans. 

Personality/Character

Winry cared deeply for everyone around her. She had a heart made of gold. She was selfless and was always ready to help others in need. She was emotional and felt the pain of people around her.

For that reason, she was often referred to as a crybaby by Ed, considering how often she shed her tears over small things and how deeply she felt the pain of her loved ones. But she was great at hiding her own pain. The death of her parents shattered her, but she rarely complained about it.

Winry often complained that Ed and Al did not share their secrets with her and, when she said this to Major Alex Armstrong, he replied that they did not do it because they did not want her to get hurt. Winry already knew it, and she just wished that they shared their sorrows with her.

Winry could not help them in combat or alchemy but gave her best in other things. She became Ed’s personal automail mechanic and was always ready to go to any lengths to repair it. Winry wanted to learn auto-mail engineering just so she could make an arm that was lighter weight and better for Ed. She once pulled three all-nighters just so she could repair his automail arm. 

Winry was emotive and soft-hearted. She cried for Al’s suffering, and she was the one (other than Ed) who truly understood the pain he was going through. She never failed to speak up for her friends, as she did before Lin, and she was the one who made Al shed away his doubts and stop questioning Ed’s intentions. 

Winry was cheerful and empathetic and made everyone around her simply fall in love with her gentle, kind, and calm persona. Rush valley missed her when she was in the Central and often called her to come back, and she became a favorite of everyone she ever met. 

Winry was hard-working and full of dedication. She even moved to Rush valley, commonly known as “The Boomtown of the Broken-Down,” to learn automail engineering. It was a land of automail engineers.

She was proficient in her work and had an unparalleled work ethic. She was genuine and appreciated and admired the work of other people. She gushed over the shops in Rush valley, and her love for prosthetic limbs could be evident from the way she went crazy on seeing them.

Winry was humble and never liked boasting about her work. She underestimated herself and was always ready to learn new things and improve herself. She was a fast learner and had great respect for her teacher.

Winry inspired the people around her to do better and be better. In her encounter with Paninya, a pick-pocketer with high-quality prosthetic limbs, she asked her to take her to the one who created her limbs. When Winry learned that Paninya was an orphan who had lost her legs in an accident, Dominic gifted her prosthetic limbs.

She became a thief to repay his debts/favor; she scolded her for choosing this path. Winry told her that she could only repay her favor if she used those legs for good and earned honest money by working hard. Her hard-earned money would make Dominic happy and satisfied, not the one that she stole from other people.

Her words inspired Paninya, and she left pickpocketing and started working on high-altitude buildings where her limbs were beneficial. 

Winry was forgiving and humane. When she overheard Ed’s confrontation with Scar about killing her parents, she felt devastated. The person who had taken her loved ones from her was right in front of her. She picked up a gun and wanted to shoot him, but she could not bring herself to. Her hands started trembling, and she gave up.

Ed said to her that her hands were meant for healing people and not killing them. She later thanked Ed for stopping her, as she would not have been able to face the people who loved her if she shot a man. Later, she once took care of the injured Scar, saying that her parents would have done the same. 

Winry was just like Ed, hot-headed and stubborn. Her wrath befell on Ed several times whenever he broke his arm. Her passion ran hot, which was a real boon for her career. As Ed demonstrated that crossing her meant suffering a wrench to the head. 

Abilities

Automail Engineer/Mechanic!

Brought up under the tutelage of an automail engineer Pinako Rockbell, Winry was with automail master for most of her youth and was almost a mechanist prodigy. She built a complex pair of limbs at the tender age of 11 for Ed.

She worked day and night and gained the title of “Pantheress of Resembool” for her outstanding mechanical abilities and services in the field. Winry was a gifted and passionate mechanic. She excelled in the repairing of machines of widely varying complexity.

She started working at Atelier Garfiel in Rush valley and gained a fair bit of notoriety in her position there. She became famous immediately for her skills. It was not long before she became a household name and necessity for the people there. 

Surgical/Medical Knowledge

Winry’s parents were doctors, and from childhood, she had read a fair bit of books on surgery and other medical-related material. She gained a remarkable wealth of surgical knowledge for her age despite lacking any formal training. 

A Miracle in Rush Valley!

Winry stayed at Dominic LeCoultre’s house with Ed and Alphonse in Rush valley. His son’s wife, Satella, was pregnant, and during the night, her condition got critical, and she went into labor. Dominic rushed out to bring back the doctor. But due to heavy rain and storm, he got late.

Her condition worsened, and that was when Winry got the idea of delivering the baby herself. All depending on the knowledge she had gained from reading medical books.

She and Paninya were successful in safely delivering a healthy baby. Her medical knowledge became a blessing in moments of hardship. Dominic’s family thanked her, and it was the beginning of a familial relationship between them.

Why I Love Winry!

Winry Rockbell will always be one of my favorite female protagonists to ever exist. What I loved about her was that her character was not a meaningless one who was there just for the sake of being there. Her character had depth, and it was multi-dimensional. She had her own plot-line, and she grew up to be a strong woman whom everyone adored and inspired young children to be better. 

I loved her fearlessness and firm beliefs. She was the one who stood up for what she believed in. She had the strength of mind and confidence in her capabilities. Winry was not scornful, and she always kept room for improvement and never left the opportunity to learn new things.

I valued Winry for her great friendship qualities. She was trustworthy and genuine. She pushed Ed and Al in their journey for redemption and provided emotional and moral support. She wanted them to get their bodies back, but not at the cost of hurting themselves. They were her only family, and she did not want to lose them.

Her hands were that of a healer, as said by Ed. She healed people and was a ray of happiness for them. She had her weaknesses, but she did not let them get the best of her. She once almost entered the cycle of revenge but came out of it because it was not who she was. She was meant to give life and not take one.

I also loved her selflessness. Despite suffering so much in her childhood, she never let that come into her way of kindness. Her pain did not make her bitter, and it only made her stronger. She influenced the lives of people around her and became a beacon for them.

Trivia and Fun Facts!

Do You Know the Meaning Winry’s Name Holds?

Arakawa put a lot of research and thought into naming Fullmetal Alchemist characters. And so was the case with Winry Rockbell.

The name Winry means Reconciled, blessed in Welsh. It represents a strong-willed girl who stands up and fights for what she believes in. This name is a true reflection of her personality, and it suits her to perfection. 

Do You Know who Inspired Winry to Get Her Ears Pierced!

Winry appears wearing two identical pairs of hoop earrings on each earlobe. Additionally, she wears two cuff studs vertically on her right ear, above the others.

Winry got her ears pierced when she saw Riza having the same. Also, Riza started keeping her blonde hair long and open after seeing Winry doing it. They shared a deep and close bond and respected each other.

Do You Know that Winry was Also Well-versed in Medical Knowledge?

Her parents were doctors and served as medical aid in the Ishvalan war. She loved reading medical books from a very young age, and she remembered a lot of what she read in the books. Her reading came in handy when Satella went into labor, and Winry decided to oversee her delivery (and she did it well) 

Winry’s Surname was as Meaningful as her First Name!

Her surname was science-backed and represented her profession (and passion). Rockbell was a variation of the Rockwell scale used to measure the hardness of metals in real life. And I am sure it came in handy for her all the time.

Did You Know who Winry’s Character Reference/Inspiration was!

Generally, people believe that her character was a reference to Rosie the Riveter. She was a cultural icon of the United States who represented the women who worked in factories during World War II. As the series was set in the WW II era, this reference held quite a meaning. Winry herself was an engineer and well-versed in medical aid. 

FAQs

Winry Rockbell FMA Guide: Conclusion

Winry is a highly-skilled, talented, dedicated automail engineer with a humble, kind, caring nature. Her loving, forgiving, and dynamic personality make her one of the most loved female protagonists in any manga series.  Hiromu did not just make Winry a side character or someone who was a love interest of the hero in the series. She made her a complex and multi-dimensional character who played a significant role in the lives of others. 

Her character development, arc, and storyline are well-thought-out and executed to perfection. Winry was soft-hearted and cared deeply for Elrics. She was always by their side through thick and thin and wanted them to come out victorious.

She supported them in any way she could. She comforted them, motivated them, and acted as emotional support. The Elric brothers reciprocated her feelings. And they shared a beautiful bond of love and companionship which lasted for a lifetime. 

A friend who supports you but is the first to call you out for your mistake or whenever you are moving away from your path is what Winry was to the Elrics. She was the friend they needed in their lives to survive.

Winry was passionate about her work, and everyone valued and adored her. Her devotion towards her patients and customers made her a sweetheart. Her character traits and her lively personality made her a favorite of adults and children alike.