Grumman

Grumman is the Commanding Officer of the East City headquarters. A very influent military officer, Grumman is consider one of the most powerful man in Amestris, along with his fellow Generals from the Amestrian Military Top Brass. For reasons unknown in the early story, he was relegated to a position in the Eastern Area of Amestris for years, never assuming a leadership position in Central Command.

He was Colonel Roy Mustang's commanding officer prior to the latter's transfer to Central.

In the manga and 2009 anime
He is first introduced playing chess with Roy Mustang when the transfer to Central has come for Roy. Mustang then bests the Lieutenant General in the game of chess (for the first time), and the General gives him the board as a farewell gift. When Roy Mustang transfers from East City HQ to Central, Grumman authorizes the transfer of Mustang's subordinates, including his own granddaughter, Riza Hawkeye.

Later on, Mustang recalls Grumman's instructions as he tries to find allies in the top brass of the Military, relying on Grumman's contacts in Central, especially to General Raven. Grumman was said to have saved Raven's life in the past and, in telling so to Mustang, makes him believe Raven might be a good starting point in his plot. However, it is revealed Raven was actually conspiring along with the Homunculi, which results in Mustang being blackmailed by the military.

After the Homunculi strip Mustang of his subordinates, he secretly contacts Grumman through Madame Christmas for aid, using a small paper placed by Grumman inside the King's piece in the chessboard he gave Roy. Grumman comes to Central under disguise (as an old woman) and meets with Mustang at Maes Hughes' grave to exchange intelligence and form a plot against the military.

Grumman reveals that Raven has actually tried to lure him to conspire with the top brass, by asking if Grumman was interested in building an immortal army, and that, after he refused the offer, he was put aside in a "dead end" position at the Eastern Headquarters.

But, though a willing and powerful ally, Grumman is reluctant to openly work against the military, as he is afraid to jeopardize his image and ruin his changes of ascending and, as such, only helps Mustang in a secluded, secret way, leaving the spotlight for "the young people".

He plays an important role there on, being the contact point of Mustang's and General Armstrong's troops with the Eastern Army. During the preparations for the final story arch, he receives a call from Falman, in Briggs, informing him of the "Promised Day". He proceeds in sending his subordinate, Lt. Rebecca Catalina to Central and pass on the message to her friend, Riza Hawkeye.

During the coup, Grumman aids behind curtains, exploding the Führer’s train but deciding to leave the upfront to Colonel Mustang and General Armstrong. He does so because it would make it easier for him to take control of Amestris and become the next Führer once the struggle is over as being branded a traitor would make it difficult to become the next leader of Amestris.



Grumman falls victim to the Nationwide Transmutation Circle, but is later revived thanks to Van Hohenheim's counter plan.

As the struggle finishes, Mustang asks Grumman to assume control of Amestris due to his blindness, much to Grumman’s contempt. It’s left implied Grumman would later pass on the position to either General Armstrong or Mustang once he decides to retire.

In the last chapter, two years later, Grumman is still Führer and is shown having a conversation with Mrs. Bradley. He has allowed her to keep Selim despite harsh opposition and wonders if humans and Homunculi can truly coexist. This makes him marvel at the fact that life can teach people so many things.

In the 2003 anime
Grumman's introduction is exactly the same as in the manga, but he plays no further importance to the plot after Roy's transfer to Central City, other than being present in meetings with the Fürher and commenting a few times.

He does make a brief cameo in the series epilogue seen addressing the soldiers when the Assembly who are the new leaders of Amestris are introduced and at Central Command in Conqueror of Shamballa.

Trivia

 * The kinship between Grumman and Lt. Hawkeye (Riza) is not declared at any point during the course of the manga, but it is stated in the Perfect Guidebook 2. The book reveals that he's her grandfather on her mother's side (and therefore, they don't bear the same surname). It's unclear whether Riza is aware of this kinship, since she states she doesn't know about any relatives (to Mustang, in Chapter 60 of the manga), but it's implied that he's aware; he tells Mustang that "what would really make me happy would be if you took my granddaughter as your First Lady." Whether Mustang is aware that this granddaughter is his own right-hand subordinate is also unclear and the subject of considerable speculation.
 * Like nearly all military personnel in the Fullmetal Alchemist series, Grumman is named after a military vehicle, vessel or weapon, in his case, the Grumman E-2 Hawkeye, a carrier-based tactical Airborne Early Warning (AEW) aircraft used in the US Navy. Interestingly enough, his granddaughter's name was also taken from the same aircraft, perhaps as a hint to their connection.
 * Grumman's record for playing chess with Mustang is 97 wins, 1 loss and 15 draws.
 * Due to working under him, Mustang parallels Grumman in many ways. Both are thought to be womanizers and are often scolded for flirting with women at work (though the 'women' are usually undercover agents). Both are also regarded as laid back and procrastinating officers, when they are in fact extremely intelligent, calculating, and wily.
 * Although the manga shows no signs of who might succeed Grumman in the position of Führer, the author has stated in interviews that, "if things continue down this path," the natural choice would be Grumman to appoint Roy Mustang as the next Führer.