system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
[Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood] If Alphonse lost his entire body to the Gate of Truth, then why wasn't his alchemy any stronger than Edward's, who only lost a leg?
gpt
I don't think it was that kind of relationship. Like Ed got 1 limb worth and so Al must have gotten 3 times as much. The thing that is taken is based on what you want most. A leg was taken so Ed could never stand with his family because Ed considered himself the man of the family. An arm was taken so that he could never hold his brother's hand because he felt protective of his younger brother. Al's body was taken so he could never feel the warmth of his family, because that's what he wanted. Thus, they gave the same amount (ie. their greatest desire) and received the same amount of knowledge through equivalent exchange.