lies of P’s Alchemy Reveals a Forgotten God, Challenging Full Metal Alchemist’s Secular Vision
On October 3rd, National Full Metal Alchemist Day, a deep dive into the lore of Lies of P revealed a fascinating contrast in how both narratives approach the concept of alchemy and its relationship to the divine. While Full Metal Alchemist presents a largely secular view of alchemical science, Lies of P taps into a historical understanding of alchemy deeply woven with alchemical principles, literary allusions, and a unique theological framework.One enthusiast even dedicated six hours to a podcast dissecting the game’s hidden depths.
The key to unlocking Lies of P‘s alchemical secrets lies in the figures of Paracelsus and Hermes Trismegistus. While the game deliberately avoids explicit explanations to preserve its mysteries, understanding these names is crucial.Philipus Paracelsus, a historical alchemist credited with attempting to transmute metals – a feat mirrored by the Elric brothers in Full Metal alchemist – was also a devout believer in God. “He is the one who is credited with transmuting metals into gold,” a source noted, “traveling around the world as a war doctor and having said that the dose makes the poison.”
This is where a fundamental divergence from Full Metal Alchemist emerges. Arakawa’s work often positions alchemists in opposition to organized religion, exemplified by Ed’s declaration: “Alchemists are scientists and as such we do not believe in God or the creator or any ambiguous being like that.” He further asserts, “Everything that exists on the face of the earth has a demonstrable origin.” However, this perspective clashes with the historical reality of alchemy.
“Alchemists did believe in a god; They believed in it so much that they invented their own,” one analyst observed. This “god” is embodied by Hermes Trismegistus, a legendary figure central to Hermeticism. According to the Herder Encyclopedia, Hermes Trismegistus is not a single author, but rather a pseudonym used by various writers of Hermetic texts – philosophical and religious writings that profoundly influenced antiquity, the Middle Ages, and the Renaissance.
The Hermetic Texts themselves offer a radical concept of the divine. As stated on page 128 of a published edition, “What is god, the father and the good but the being of all things, even those that no longer exist? This is god, this is the father and this is the good… Thus, the universe, like the sun, is also a father.” This conception of God as the universe itself – the origin of all things – is central to Lies of P‘s lore. It’s a pursuit of the divine through science, a driving force behind the ambitions of characters like Simon Manus.
This understanding elevates the importance of elements within Lies of P, imbuing Paracelsus, Simon Manus, the “Arm of God,” and other key components with a deeper, alchemical meaning. The game’s intricate symbolism, thus, distances itself from comparisons to titles like Bloodborne by grounding itself in this unique theological framework.
interestingly, this exploration of Hermeticism left one enthusiast feeling that Full Metal Alchemist, while engaging with themes of God, sin, and the scientific pursuit of the divine, ultimately fell short.”It would have been fantastic if the God that Hermes proclaims had been more present in the work,” they admitted. While Full Metal alchemist offers homunculi, doorways to other realms, and the philosopher’s stone, the longing for a connection to the universe – the true God of the alchemists – remained unfulfilled.
Ultimately, Lies of P‘s success lies in its ability to tap into a forgotten understanding of alchemy, one where the pursuit of knowledge is not merely a scientific endeavor, but a spiritual quest to understand the very fabric of existence.
