Frank Archer

Frank Archer (フランク・アーチャー, Furanku Āchā) is a character exclusive to the 2003 anime, introduced as the replacement of Maes Hughes. Archer first appeared in a cameo in Episode 26 accompanying Major General Hakuro, but was not properly introduced until Episode 29. Lt. Colonel Archer is cool, calm, and collected, with a love for violence and war. He dreams of becoming a hero on the battlefield, viewing it as a way to rise up the ranks of the military. To this end he does whatever is necessary to please his superiors and always ensures that his actions earn him some publicity. As the series progresses, Archer develops an interest in the military's various projects, such as the homunculi, the chimera, and the Philosopher's Stone. His ambitions of gaining the latter cause the left half of his body to be used in its creation, forcing him to undergo automail modification to regain his mobility. The operations leave him mentally unstable, after which he rages through Central while carrying out Führer King Bradley's ordered executions. Archer fights against Izumi Curtis, and later Maria Ross and Denny Brosh with a small military task force in battle, surprising Archer that lower ranked officers are opening fire on him. In the end, Archer witnesses Roy Mustang exiting the Führer's mansion, only to be gunned down by Riza Hawkeye who opened fire on him from behind, but not before Mustang is injured and lost his left eye in the process.

Lt. Colonel Archer is one of the few military figures that know of the Führer's secret. He doesn't mind that his country's leader is a homunculus and merely takes orders as if he were taking them from a human. Colonel Archer is all for war, and dedicates himself to starting another. After meeting the sadistic Solf Kimblee at the Southern Military Headquarters, he gives him an offer to have Kimblee exonerated for his past crimes and being reinstated back into the military. Ultimately, Kimblee accepted the offer when he leaks info on Greed's hideout, and Lt. Colonel Archer sends his troops to the Devil's Nest. Archer then makes Kimblee his assistant, along with recruiting Shou Tucker, and Pride later sends the Crimson Alchemist after Ed.

Given the rank of Colonel, Archer was the one who led the military assault on Reole which caused the deaths of thousands when the city itself turned out to be a giant transmutation circle. He also lost 7,000 troops, as well as half of his body.

South Amestris Arc
Archer is shown on the train with Major Armstrong discussing the Lab 5 incident and his tactics to "get to the bottom of it" Archer and Armstrong speak to Sig Curtis at his shop while Winry Rockbell and Mason talk in the back about Armstrong not being himself. Winry runs in and says Edward is here but Armstrong and Sig have already come to peace. Archer quickly interrogates her finding Edwards location. After Edward Elric attacked by Bido, Archer and approach him and request him to come down to South HQ for questioning. Edward refuses and leaves to pursue Bido. When Archer and Armstrong catch up to them while there with Wrath. Archer looks through the scpe of his shotgun and sees the Ouroboros on the heel of Wraths foot. Armstrong uses alchemy to detain Wrath and simply tells Edward and Alphonse to leave, taking Wrath to South HQ. There while toturing and interrogating Wrath, Izumi Curtis breaks in and saves Wrath. Archer and Armstrong pursue her and attempt to stop her, Envy (disguised as King Bradley.) takes Wrath and tries to run. Ed and Al fight Kimblee and Bido, the fight ends with a destroyed South HQ and Wrath having tasted Red Stones. Archer gives Kimblee the offer of rejoining the military, which he accepts.

Siege of The Devils Nest
Archer and King Bradley lead the attack on the Devil's Nest which is a sucess and Archer saves Edward Elric and Izumi. It concludes with Archer gaining Kimblee and Shou Tucker as allies and having them reinstated into the Amestrian Military.

Liore incident
Archer becomes Colonel and leads 7,000 men to take over Liore, Archer meets with Ed and tells him to sneak in and hunt dwn Scar. Later on Archer orders Tucker to to make chimeras, which he plans on sending wih Kimblee to kill Scar so the soldiers can go in unchallenged. Archer is later approached by Mustang, Hawkeye, and Armstrong. Who attempt to detain him, but he has Tucker and the chimeras distract them so he can escape and leave with the 7,000 soldiers. Which he leads to their deaths, and barely escapes alive himself.

Final Arc
King Bradey reveals to Mustang before he heads to the north, Archer is still alive and defending Central with the troops staying behind. When Ed and Izumi meet up with the Tringham Brothers, Archer in his new automail enhanced body attack the place with his mouth machine gun. Izumi then orders Maria Ross and Denny Brosh along with the Tringham brother and Ed to escape. Later on Izumi is overwhelmed by Archer and a division of troops at Central HQ, she is then rescued by Maria Ross and a group of rebel soldiers loyal to Mustangs coup d'etat in the north. As Archer and his troops have a shoot out with the rebels he eventually captures one of his own troops who tells him that the Furhers mansion has been attacked. Archer then leaves Central HQ, riding in a car he crashes into a group of MPs and the Furhers family along with the now prisoner Hawkeye. Archer is restarined but still attempts to exectue her. Archer then leaves, and heads off to the Furhers mansion. He encounters Mustang and shoots on of his eyes out, Riza right after the shot is fired shoots Archer multiple times in the organic part of his body. Killing him.

Trivia

 * Despite having the same canon for Automail as the manga (in which it says it takes at least 2-3 years for mere limb rehabilitation, half a year at the absolute least), Archer is somehow able to replace more than half of his entire body in a very short amount of time. It could possibly be the reason as to why he became so unstable, but he technically shouldn't even be able to move his new body.