Summary
Bard was a former soldier turned bandit who hijacked a train bound for Central City, attempting to trade the safety of the passengers—specifically General Haruko—for the freedom of his group’s leader. His descent into outlawry began after he sought an Automail arm to enhance his combat abilities, a procedure prohibited by the State as unnecessary. Following his discharge, he harbored a deep-seated revenge against the military. His modified Automail arm featured two gun barrels and a concealed knife blade. During the train hijacking, he was confronted and defeated by Edward, who disabled his arm and subdued the remaining bandits. This victory earned him the recommendation to take the State Alchemist entry exam. He later reappeared in "Curse of the Crimson Elixir" within the Eastern City sewers and in "Stray Rondo," repeating his crimes only to be incarcerated by the Elric brothers both times. In the manga, Bard is depicted as a rebel fighting against Amestris, possibly hailing from a southern bordering nation whose territory was annexed by Amestris during the war. The anime portrays these events as a flashback preceding Edward’s status as a State Alchemist, where defeating Bard allows the Elrics to sit for the exam following a referral from a grateful Haruko. Conversely, in the manga, Edward is already a fifteen-year-old State Alchemist returning from Lior; after defeating Bard, Mustang refers him to Shou Tucker for advice on alchemically constructing new limbs.
