Hiromu Arakawa's hit anime series Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood transports us to a steampunk world of high-tech prosthetic arms, shadowy plots, powerful alchemy, and fantasy action, all in an Edwardian-style setting. Brothers Edward and Alphonse Elric are on a quest to restore their bodies, but they soon get wrapped up in a sinister plot that puts the entire world at stake.
Fortunately, Ed and Al have many allies, and chief among them are Roy Mustang and his trusted Lieutenant, Riza Hawkeye. She isn't an alchemist, but she's a tough and loyal soldier who can take charge of any situation. Often, Roy sees her as his better half, and for good reason. What else should we know about Lieutenant Hawkeye?
10 She favors the emotional detachment of shooting
Lieutenant Hawkeye is a veteran of the horrific Ishval Civil War, and there, she served as a sniper. In her own words, pulling the trigger from such a long distance allows her to remain emotionally detached from her gruesome work.
This may have helped her stay sane after that campaign, and it contrasts to what the Joker said in Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight. In that movie, the Joker comments on how guns are too impersonal and quick, and killing someone with a knife allows you to "savor all the little emotions." Well, Hawkeye has other ideas on guns vs knives!
9 She's a disciplinarian
Hawkeye isn't a total stick in the mud. She is, after all, Roy's good friend, and she has a kind and nurturing side. But as a whole, she puts duty first and always adheres to decorum. In other terms, no goofing off on the clock!
She's not above fussing at Roy to quit making a fuss at HQ, and in a side comic, she hada pretty scary and stern way to discourage a dog from relieving itself in the wrong places. How strict!
8 Fearless in action
A melee fighter might argue that a sniper is a coward, hiding from a long distance and killing from afar. But don't mistake Hawkeye for someone who can't get down and dirty during combat. No matter what kind of danger pops up, she marshals a counter-attack right away.
Not even an ambush courtesy of Barry the Chopper fazed her at all, and when monsters like Gluttony or Envy appear, Hawkeye won't hesitate for a second. She empties her magazines into them!
7 She is clever and deceitful
Hawkeye may not look like a schemer, but she does have a clever mind that can work its way right out of traps. No, she's not a mastermind like Father or General Grumman, but she does have a few tricks to offer.
Pride threatened her to keep his identity secret, but over lunch, Hawkeye slyly used code to tell Roy "SELIM BRADLEY IS HOMUNCULUS." Later, she fooled Envy (who had assumed Roy's form) to give himself away. Not bad!
6 She's a great friend
We mentioned earlier that Hawkeye and Roy are good friends. Indeed! They sometimes tease each other, but they are tightly knit, and Riza is almost certainly Roy's better half. What would he be without her?
She is also gal-pals with Rebecca Catalin, and they often meet for tea or lunch during Riza's off-hours. Put simply, they have a great time together, and Riza is comfortable enough around her friend for some gentle teasing. It's one of her most charming personality traits.
5 She's a part of the comedy
No, Riza Hawkeye isn't one to crack jokes very often, and she isn't prone to throwing tantrums or getting a chibi face or making funny voices. But her allies and friends totally do that, and she's a part of the routine, in a way.
Hawkeye plays the role of straight man (okay, woman) in these scenarios, a foil for the more energetic and goofy characters for some great comedy all around. Such as when she got annoyed and fussed at Roy to set the phone down gently rather than slamming it down after talking to Maes Hughes.
4 Her last name
As with most characters in Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Riza Hawkeye got her last name from a piece of military hardware. In this case, the Grumman E-2 Hawkeye AEW (early warning aircraft). Picture a propeller plane with a big sensor disk on its back.
As a bonus, "Hawkeye" is a great name for a sniper, as hawks and other birds of prey have excellent telescopic vision to spot prey from afar. That kind of vision is a must if you're sniping!
3 Her name and her ship
This gentleman is none other than Colonel Roy Mustang, and we've mentioned him a few times so far. What's his relationship to Hawkeye? Well, officially, Roy is her superior officer, but it might get a little steamier than that!
It is hinted many times that Riza and Roy are meant to be, and the fans sure think so, too. Popular ships/pairings have nicknames drawn from both characters' names, and this ship is known as Royai. The "ai" comes from Hawkeye, but conveniently, "ai" is a Japanese word for love. Sounds pretty conclusive, doesn't it?
2 She will contradict orders if need be
This is part of what makes Riza Hawkeye a dynamic and fun character to watch. As we said earlier, she puts duty first and is strict with protocol and rules. She will follow orders carefully and put the mission first... 99% of the time.
But if Roy gets reckless, or if a bad order is given, Hawkeye will disobey and it take charge. Fortunately, she does this with careful discretion, and the results speak for themselves. Remember that time she hauled Roy into a car and away from Envy and Gluttony? That was not the right time for Roy to fight, and Hawkeye knew it.
1 The name "Riza"
So, Hawkeye was named after a cool plane. That makes sense. But what about her first name? Hiromu Arakawa was careful when naming her characters, and Riza's name clearly was not chosen randomly from a baby name book. It means something.
"Riza" is the Hungarian version of "Theresa," and it means "guardian." No kidding. Riza pulled Roy back from the brink when he tried to kill Envy in a fit of rage and hate, and she keeps him safe from homunculi and rogue soldiers and all kinds of things. She has your back, 100%!