Envy

Envy (エンヴィー Enbī) is a Homunculus who has the ability of shape-shifting. This unique ability can be used to assume the form of any existing person (or original personas that Envy itself creates) and can even modify its own voice to directly copy other's.

Envy is most comfortable in the "adorable" and "beautiful" form of an androgynous teenager. It usually serves as a spy, but its abilities are also extremely useful for assassinations, as demonstrated by the murder of Maes Hughes. Envy's most frequently used assassination technique is to imitate either one of its victim's loved ones or close friends, and use their hesitation as a chance to kill them. Envy may not be as intelligent as some of the other Homunculi, but is by no means stupid. In fact, it can be just as good a puppet master as Lust, but this attribute is overshadowed by its cockiness and bad temper. It can easily be set off by insulting its large and delicate ego, thus causing it to make mistakes.

Personality
Envy is one of the cruelest Homunculi to appear in the series. In its usual manner, Envy will joke around and will laugh with a sadistic glee upon seeing others in pain or misfortune. It will kill without hesitation, as seen when it not only murdered Maes Hughes, but also toyed with his 'human' emotions before finishing him off. Envy usually does not regret any of its past actions and always looks forward to seeing others fight. It will even create pointless human conflict solely for its own enjoyment. Beneath this cruel exterior, however, Envy is secretly jealous of humans' inner strength and the mutually beneficial friendships that they share, as most of its kind show little real concern or emotional support for one another.

Powers and Abilities
Envy has the ability to shape-shift into anything or anyone, should it be real people or human aspects that it made up. It can transform to anything that doesn't exceed the size and weight of his true form, which is very large, not creating much of an issue. This power comes in handy to go anywhere unnoticed or to travel fast, allowing it to shape-shift into an average citizen to blend into a crowd for stealth, or a fast moving animal, such as a horse or dog. Additionally, Envy can transform parts of its body, often using this ability in battle to transform its limbs into weapons.

Even in its preferred human form, Envy's weight is that of his huge form, granting it enormous strength and durability. In spite of its immense weight, Envy is very fast in all forms it assumes.

Under its monstrous form, Envy can use its strength to its maximum and becomes even more dangerous, being able to crush rock under his limbs or jaws. It is also able to manipulate the human remains that cover its body and make them appear and disappear, and to elongate its tongue to use it like a harpoon or a binding rope, a continuation of its transformation ability.

Under its true parasitic original form, Envy's only remaining ability is to take control of the body of a human or Homunculus host. The host then becomes an extension of Envy's parasitic body, being able to take control of additional host bodies, using their soul or Philosopher's Stone to increase its strength, up to a point where it can regain its preferred form and array of powers, which is similar to Pride; although it's unknown whether or not it can do this to its Homunculi siblings.

In the manga & 2009 anime
Envy was the fourth Homunculus created by Father, though often referred to as a 'he', Envy is apparently genderless; although when Greed and Envy argued after Bradley captured Greed in Dublith, Father stopped the argument with the words 'brotherly quarrels' (while in the manga, it said 'sibling quarrels'). Envy can take almost any form it chooses. In its usual human form, it has long, wispy hair, a semi-muscular build, a skimpy, form-fitting bodysuit, and always goes barefoot. Referred to by Lust as the most cruel or sadistic of the homunculi, Envy shows the most open disdain of humans and relishes in any opportunity to hurt, humiliate, or even insult them. It is also quite vain and short-tempered and dislikes anyone insulting its appearance. Beneath this cruel exterior, however, Envy is secretly jealous of humans' inner strength and the mutually beneficial friendships that they share, as most of its kind show little real concern or emotional support for each other.

In addition to the standard regeneration, longevity, and apparent immortality of the Homunculi, Envy can also shift its form into anyone or anything, even changing parts of itself into several different beings or objects simultaneously. Although already formidable in its human form, it can assume a much larger, monstrous shape with a long tail, an elongated face, a long black mane, four arms and four legs, and a multitude of human bodies and faces protruding from its flanks and shoulders. These are physical representations of the dozens of souls of Xerxes within its Philosopher's Stone, all saying independent things which Envy uses to distract and unnerve its opponents. However, Envy can only change its size and shape, but not its mass, therefore it weighs much more than a normal sized being and often creates cracks or deep impressions in the ground that are easily recognizable. If it suffers too much damage, Envy is reduced to a tiny parasitic lizard-like form, which resembles a fetal version of its full sized body. In this state, it can merge with and control other organic beings and use them as its host body. In the case of lesser homunculi (i.e. Father's artificial soldiers), it can absorb them and their Philosopher's Stones, completely reforming its original body. Envy's fighting skills are questionable, however. While it does have great physical strength and some fighting ability, it was easily beaten down by Lan Fan and Ling Yao when it fought them. It seems to be unable to deal with skilled fighters in general, and is usually not used for combat purposes. In its monstrous form, it can inflict and resist a great deal of physical damage, but is still extremely weak to certain attacks, such as Mustang's flame alchemy. It uses shape-shifting well in combat, but even then, its skill is lacking against stronger opponents (although this is possibly more due to its sadism to physically or emotionally torment its opponents rather than directly fighting them as well as its anger and frustration clouding its judgment). Envy operates mainly as an assassin and manipulator, using its shape-shifting abilities to impersonate and manipulate unsuspecting humans. Disguised as a state military officer, it shot an Ishvalan child that started the uprising, which eventually lead to the Ishval massacre. While masquerading as Gracia Hughes, it also shot and killed Lt. Col. Maes Hughes when he discovered the secret of the founding of Amestris, an act which earned itself the unknowing hatred of Roy Mustang. After Lust's death, it replaced her as Father's messenger.

Envy's unleashed, monstrous form was first revealed when it, Ed, and Ling were all swallowed by Gluttony, who was in a rage knowing that Roy Mustang, the man who killed Lust, was nearby. Thinking that the situation seemed so hopeless, it figured that it would do no harm and it could have a bit of fun. It almost killed Ed by swallowing him alive, but then Ed saw the Philosopher's Stone at its core, which gave him an idea. Ed managed to placate the monstrous Envy and let it allow him to use its Philosopher's Stone to open Gluttony's fake Doors of Truth to pass through the true doors back to the real world. This drained many of the souls from Envy in the process, but it was evidently not enough to kill it.

Envy later released Solf J. Kimblee from jail and asked him to work for the homunculi, giving him an extra Philosopher Stone to supplement the one he had kept since the Ishval Massacre. Later, the chimera, Zampano, pretends to betray his comrades to lead the Homunculus into a trap and Tim Marcoh succeeds in destroying most of the souls in Envy's Philosopher's Stone, reducing it to a tiny parasite that is revealed to be its true form. After an unsuccessful attempt to hold Yoki hostage, Scar gives the jar with it inside to May Chang and tells her to bring it to the Xingese Emperor. But Envy convinces her to bring it back to Central instead by telling her to help her friends. There, it directs her into Father's subterranean lair where it frees itself from the jar and absorbs enough lesser Homunculi to return to its normal human state.

Soon after, Envy is confronted by Mustang, and revealed that the one who murdered Hughes is Envy. For killing his dead friend, Maes Hughes, he begins a ferocious battle with Envy. However, Envy is at a huge disadvantage since its new body is highly flammable, and the revelation drives him into a furious desire for revenge. Envy attempts to catch him off guard by transforming into Hughes, but this only infuriates him even further. After fleeing again, Envy makes an attempt on Riza's life by disguising itself as Mustang, but is quickly found out and shot repeatedly with her many weapons. Although Envy does manage to catch hold of her, Mustang reappears and continues the decimation of its new body until it's reduced back to its parasitic form once again.

Demise
Envy is saved from execution by Mustang's hands through the combined intervention from Riza, Scar, and Edward in order to cease his quest for vengeance. After unsuccessfully trying to tempt the group into fighting each other, Envy is enraged and dumbfounded by how former enemies can put aside their hatred and work together. Edward Elric then suggests that Envy is in fact jealous of human friendships and their ability to support each other. Moments later, a tearful Envy commits suicide by pulling out and crushing its own Philosopher's Stone, ashamed that only Ed knew how it truly felt. As its decaying body begins to disintegrate, it whispers 'Goodbye, Edward Elric' with tears in its eyes. Envy was the third Homunculus to permanently die.

In the 2003 anime
In the first anime, Homunculi are based on failed Human Transmutations intended to bring the dead back. Because of this, Envy, being based on Hohenheim's dead son, is male rather than being a genderless entity. Whether Envy is male or genderless in his typical Homunculus form is unknown.

Out of all the Homunculi, Envy serves as the primary antagonist of the group. He is first seen at the end of episode 2 of the 2003 series, where he starts to impersonate the tarnished Father Cornello. He is not seen in his preferred form until the beginning of episode 14, and he does not reveal his original form until episode 50. As the oldest Homunculus, he claimed that he had forgotten what he originally looked like. However, it was actually a lie stemming from his hatred towards his father, Hohenheim. This was because Hohenheim was the one who created him as an attempt to bring back his first son (who died of mercury poisoning around the age of eighteen) and abandoned him. Envy hated all humans and followed Dante mostly for the opportunity of killing as many people as he could. This is what drove him in all that he did; unlike the other Homunculi, he did not care about the Philosopher's Stone, nor about becoming human. His most prominent murder was that of Maes Hughes. After his cover was blown while impersonating Second Lieutenant Ross, Envy transformed into Hughes' wife, Gracia, and used his hesitation to fatally shoot him. He also served as a key in imprisoning Greed, with whom he had a long-standing grudge against, within the Fifth Laboratory. It is also notable that Envy had no love for his Homunculi brethren and mainly antagonized his first "brother", Greed. Also, he quickly turned upon Gluttony, Wrath, and even the higher ranked Pride. The only person that posed the possibility of a relationship with him was Dante herself. He was usually her enforcer and often carried out her whims more directly than most of his comrades. He was also apparently more comfortable in her presence than the rest of the Homunculi. However, he also lashed out at Dante with particular intensity when she impeded his ambition of death and revenge. Well aware of the power that Dante held over him, Envy was at once the most uncontrollable and the most reliable member of her legion.

Envy's original human form, from "Death", is revealed in the penultimate episode of the 2003 series that he was created three hundred and eighty years ago by Hohenheim in an attempt to resurrect the son he and Dante conceived, who died from mercury poisoning when he was 18 years old. Envy held a great hatred towards him for never being acknowledged as his son and for abandoning him and Dante. As a result, he also hated his younger "half-brothers", Edward and Alphonse, as they obtained the fatherly love that he himself never received. When learning from Dante that Hohenheim was gone, Envy snapped at being denied from his wish to kill him. Dante, however, remarked that the Elric brothers are still alive and now have the Philosopher's Stone, as a consolation prize to curb his anger. The fact that they possessed the stone and would regain everything they lost made him more jealous of them and more intent on making them suffer as he had. However, Edward managed to see through his disguises and tricks until the Homunculus revealed his true form (an imitation of Hohenheim's deceased son with Dante) and his connection to Hohenheim. That stunt was all it took for him to successfully kill Edward, as the distraction gave him enough time to pierce him through the heart. He is then transported to the gate by Alphonse, meeting up with Edward again. Upon learning that Hohenheim was still alive on the other side of the Gate, he was able to successfully open and make his way through the doors. Once inside the Gate, the Gate Children attacked him, but he fought them off by transforming into Edward. Then, just before finishing his demand to see his father, he changed once again into his original human form. This is probably a way to get the Gate Children to take him to Hohenheim faster, which might explain the Edward transformation. By the time he made his way through to the other side, Envy became a serpentine dragon.

Conqueror of Shamballa


During the two year gap between the end of the TV show and the movie, Envy was captured by the Thule Society. With Envy in his massive serpent form, the Society intended to use Envy as a literal Ouroboros to open a physical Gate and transfer their soldiers to the other side, to "Shamballa". Hohenheim was imprisoned and offered to Envy as a sacrifice; a human chew-toy to keep the "Great Serpent" calm as they formulated their plans. Around the time of Fullmetal Alchemist the Movie: Conqueror of Shamballa, Envy escaped and took shelter in an abandoned castle, only to cross paths with Edward once again. In their ensuing fight, Envy was attacked on all sides by the Thule Society, who recaptured him and managed to get a small regiment of soldiers to the other side for a short time. In the end, it was Hohenheim who took his own life using Envy as his means, enabling Ed to return to his own world in a final act of redemption for his sins, using him as material to create a gate between the two worlds. Thus, Envy finally realized his sole desire to kill his father, ultimately at the cost of his own life. He was the seventh and final Homunculus to die in the anime.

Trivia

 * Envy was the only Homunculus to commit suicide, as opposed to being killed in battle.
 * How Envy changes forms is slightly different in the two anime versions. In the 2003 anime, Envy takes a new form by having a line of light go over its body in a rather quick pace. However, in the 2009 anime, the color of the morphing process is red, discharging some electricity and is rather slow.
 * During its final fight with Roy Mustang, Envy's eyes are repeatedly boiled away by Roy's flames. This bears some similarity to the second terrace of Dante Alighieri "Purgatorio", in which the envious are cleansed by having their eyelids sewn shut.
 * Out of all the Homunculi, Envy bears the most cruelty toward humans, and is repeatedly described as a sadist. Despite that and having no notable positive traits, Envy is an incredibly popular character and comes in 6th place in the latest poll, making it the most popular of the Homunculi.
 * It is revealed in the game, Fullmetal Alchemist: Dream Carnival, that Envy enjoys chocolate parfaits, although this should not be taken as canon in any of the anime or manga.
 * Envy's power to shape-shift, as well as having no positive gender, is very similar to the physical traits of Loki, the Norse god of trickery (which is sometimes referred to as a demi- or anti-god), who can change his shape to anything, including women. Envy's instigation methods are similar to the actions of Eris, the Greek goddess of discord and chaos, who took delight in causing mortals to fight among themselves and eventually brought about the Trojan War.
 * Despite having the same powers and preferred appearance, Envy's fighting styles and the reason for its invidiousness are extremely different between the 2003 anime and his manga counterpart. However, both share the same sadism and hatred towards humanity.
 * Envy possibly has the most souls in his Philosopher's Stone than any of the other Homunculi. This is evidenced when Ed transmutes Envy in order to escape from Gluttony's stomach, yet Envy seems unaffected. It is also evidenced in Envy's encounter with Marcoh, despite draining Envy of all of his power, he is unable to kill the Homunculus entirely.
 * In many scenes during the second anime, Envy's hair has a greenish tint to it, albeit much darker. This is most likely referencing the first anime, where Envy's hair is green instead of black like in the manga. It, and the green skin color of its monstrous form could also be a subtle nod to the phrase "green with envy".
 * Envy seems to share a close bond with Lust, as she is one of the few Homunculi he regularly converses with in a friendly manner. After Lust is killed by Colonel Mustang, Envy protests Wrath's decision to let Mustang and his subordinates live, saying that they killed her and made fools out of them (suggesting that it is genuinely upset by Lust's death).
 * In the 2003 anime, Envy is said to be the first Homunculus ever created, making him the oldest in that continuity. Furthermore, Envy's true form somewhat resembles Father's third, "perfect" form - both resemble young Hohenheim who they were born of.
 * Both the Japanese and English (2009 anime) voice actors for Envy voice a character in Claymore called Irene.
 * It is a mystery as to why Envy's true form in the 2003 anime looks anything like Hohenheim, as Hohenheim is in the body of a different man to whom Envy would bear no resemblance. However, it may be possible Hohenheim chose a body that bore a heavy resemblance to his original one. Another explantion may be that, wary and regretful of his actions, he recreated his original body through alchemy, which explains the resemblance and how Dante was able to recognize him.
 * In the 2003 series, Hohenheim and Dante's son, Envy, died of mercury poisoning at the age of 18, possibly giving a nod to the fact that mercury was once believed to be the elixir of life, and one of the key ingredients for immortality. This could show that either Dante or Hohenheim might have been giving their son mercury in order for him to live an immortal life with them without using up any of the Stone's power.
 * In the movie, Conqueror of Shamballa, Envy is permanently stuck in his dragon form, unable to use his shape-shifting powers due to the lack of alchemy in our world.