The story of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood follows the two Elric brothers, Edward and Alphonse, on their quest to restore their bodies after performing taboo alchemy to revive their deceased mother, Trisha. Ed lost an arm and a leg to that forbidden alchemy, and Alphonse lost his entire body, with his soul being bound to a giant armor suit courtesy of Ed. Both boys are talented alchemists and quick thinkers, and they learned martial arts from Izumi Curtis, another alchemist.

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Alphonse gets into plenty of battles, and while he's a talented fighter, he can't win every duel. His assets are a clever scientific mind, martial arts skill, advanced alchemy, and an armored body that doesn't bleed, feel pain, or otherwise suffer from the limitations of the human body. So, let's figure out who he can defeat in a duel, and who would turn him to scrap.

10 Can defeat: Greed

Greed is a rogue Homunculus, representing the infinite desire for power, wealth, fame, and more. He has the Ultimate Shield, meaning he can arrange the carbon in his body to form a nearly indestructible skin from head to toe. He's also got some combat skills and has some serious guts. But alas, despite his age his skills fall short of both Elric brothers and their teacher.

What's more, Ed realized that he can use alchemy to turn Greed's diamond-hard skin into graphite-like carbon instead, making him easy to injure. It's easy to imagine that Alphonse would try the same trick, and keep pummeling Greed into submission.

9 Can't defeat: Pride

As the name suggests, Pride is supremely confident in his power and Homunculus status, and that arrogant attitude is well deserved. Pride emulates all the other Homunculi and their powers, from Sloth's speed to Lust's impaling spears to Wrath's all-seeing eyes. In the anime, Pride nearly always got the upper hand on Alphonse, easily using the shadows to possess Al's body and march around in it.

Pride could also destroy the blood seal on Alphonse's armor at any time, and thus kill him. Yes, Alphonse fought Pride and Kimblee well at some point, but it wasn't a total victory. Pride is the real winner here.

8 Can defeat: Scar

This is a pretty close one, since Scar is a tough fighter and knows how to use destructive alchemy to a great extent. If Al met him in a blind match, he'd lose. But over time in the series, Alphonse learned how Scar operates, and this clever boy would find a solution. Al's alchemy is more flexible than Scar's, and he won't suffer from bleeding or anything like that.

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After a fierce match, Alphonse would find and take an opportunity to bind Scar to a wall or floor and deliver the fatal blow. For example, a concrete spike to the throat.

7 Can't defeat: Father

This one isn't even close. As the boss of the Homunculi, Father wields alchemy that no one else can even imagine. Even if you exclude Father's temporary god state, he's too much for Alphonse to handle. Father's alchemy ignores the law of equivalent exchange, and he can create — or destroy — anything and subdue Alphonse without too much trouble.

Besides, even if Alphonse really did back Father into a corner, then Father could simply nullify Al's alchemy (as he once did in the series), and that would be "GG" right there.

6 Can defeat: Gluttony

This beefy Homunculus is scarier than he looks and he even houses a failed attempt at a Portal of Truth in his belly. But it can be safely argued that Gluttony is the least powerful of the Seven Sins siblings; Alphonse could outmaneuver him and keep killing him with all kinds of tricks.

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Even if Gluttony used his ace in the hole, his stomach portal, Al could create barriers or get out of the way. This slow, unwieldy Homunculus could die again and again in a duel until he died for the final time.

5 Can't defeat: Wrath

wrath fullmetal alchemist

Here is another Homunculus, one who's a whole different story from the slow, goofy Gluttony. Wrath is a master swordsman, using two sabers with incredible speed and skill to slice apart just about anyone. Just look at what he did to Greed and his minions in the sewers of Dublith.

Wrath could destroy or evade whatever alchemy-based attacks Alphonse could throw at him, and his Ultimate Eye would ensure that there are no blind spots. At some point in a duel, Wrath would get in close enough to slice Al apart, and if he so chose, also destroy the blood seal.

4 Can defeat: Lan Fan

Although not an alchemist, Lan Fan is a highly capable martial artist, hailing from the faraway nation of Xing. Like her grandfather Fu, she is prince Ling's bodyguard, and she can use smoke bombs, melee combat, pipe bombs and more to fight on par with Homunculi and alchemists.

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But it's not enough against the younger Elric brother. Alphonse's body won't suffer from flash bomb effects, and he can use alchemy and his own martial arts to capture Lan Fan after an extended battle. In the lore, both Elric brothers captured Lan Fan and Fu, and if it could happen there, it could happen in any hypothetical battle, too.

3 Can't defeat: Lust

And now for a lady who would totally turn the tables on Alphonse. In the anime, Lust proved herself a terrifying enemy, an assassin with extendable spear-fingers that can slice apart or impale just about anything. She cornered Al and Hawkeye this way.

It took repeated use of Roy Mustang's brutal flame alchemy to burn Lust to death, and Alphonse certainly can't do that himself. In a duel, he might kill Lust several times, but at some point, she would break through his alchemy attacks and slice his body apart. Then she can destroy Al's blood seal at her leisure.

2 Can defeat: Edward Elric

That's right. In a brother vs brother duel, Al would probably triumph — through attrition, that is. Al would have to take full advantage of his metal body, since Edward is probably more skilled and creative than his younger brother is. If Ed can't win the battle quickly, though, then his odds of victory decline fast, since he will get tired and start bleeding from injuries.

Al won't bleed or get tired, so he can drag out the fight and let Ed exhaust himself until he can finish him off. Besides, the anime makes it clear that Al's martial arts skills are slightly better than Ed's, and that can only help in a serious duel between them.

1 Can't defeat: Van Hohenheim

Van Hohenheim from Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.

If Edward can't take Al down, then Hohenheim, their dear old dad, will step in. Hohenheim is an alchemist nearly on par with Father, and he is a living Philosopher's Stone created when Xerxes fell. He is not to be trifled with.

No doubt, Hohenheim wouldn't enjoy beating his younger son into submission, but he could do it if necessary. This ancient alchemist would overpower any kind of alchemy attack or barrier Alphonse could muster, then blast Alphonse apart with alchemy that neither of his sons could even understand, let alone use themselves.

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