Homunculus

Homunculi are artificially created humans that have no soul. In the anime, they are the by-product of failed Human Transmutations by alchemists. In the manga they are created using Philosopher's Stones as their nucleus by the enigmatic atagonist Father.

In the Anime
Envy, in "Human Transmutation," is seen in his preferred form. An androgynous figure with a dry wit, Envy (エンヴィー, Envī?) has the ability to shape-shift. He lives up to his namesake by revealing his envy towards other people's happiness in general, but particularly towards Hoenheim' affection towards his sons, the Elric brothers.

Normally, he used this power to assume the form of any person and copy their voice, but he has also shown the ability to transform into non-humanoid shapes and change his limbs into blades. Like most other Homunculi, he had strength and agility beyond what his body should be capable of, largely thanks to the red stones. He used attacks ranging from simple punches and kicks to capoeira-like techniques. Envy was most comfortable in the "adorable" form of a young androgynous human. Envy usually served as an impostor who gathered information unnoticed, using his shape shifting ability to carry out efficient assassinations. Envy's favored technique for murdering humans was to impersonate someone the target cared deeply for, and use their natural hesitation as the opportunity to kill them. His English voice actor is Wendy Powell,[2] and the Japanese voice actor is Mayumi Yamaguchi.[1]

Envy is first seen at the end of episode 2, where he starts to impersonate the tarnished Father Cornello. Envy 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, Envy claimed that he had forgotten what he originally looked like; this was a lie stemming out hatred for his "father", Hohenheim. This was because Hohenheim was the one who created Envy, trying to bring back his first son (who died of mercury poisoning around the age of eighteen months). Envy hated all humans and followed Dante mostly for the opportunity of killing as many people as he could. This was what drove Envy in all that he did; unlike other Homunculi, Envy 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 he impersonated Second Lieutenant Ross, Envy transformed into Hughes' wife Gracia, using Hughes' hesitation to fatally shoot him. Envy was also key in imprisoning Greed, against whom he had a long-standing grudge, within the 5th Laboratory. It is notable that Envy had no love for his homunculi brethren, antagonizing his first "brother", Greed, and quickly turning upon Gluttony, Wrath, and even the higher ranked Pride. The only character that posed the possibility of a relationship with Envy was Dante herself. Envy was usually Dante's enforcer, carrying out her whims more directly than most of the sins, and he was apparently more comfortable in her presence than the others. However, Envy 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 Dante's legion.

Envy's true form, from "Death".It is revealed in the penultimate episode that Envy was created four hundred years ago by Hohenheim in an attempt to resurrect the son he and Dante had, who had died from mercury poisoning when he was eighteen years old. Envy held a great hatred toward Hohenheim 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 Envy himself never received. When learning from Dante that Hohenheim was gone, Envy snapped at being denied his wish to kill him. The fact that the Elrics possessed the stone and would gain back all that they had lost made Envy more "envious" of the Elrics and on making them suffer as he had. However, Edward managed to see through Envy's 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 Envy to successfully kill Edward, as the distraction gave Envy enough time to pierce Ed through the heart. Envy is then transported to the gate by Alphonse, meeting up with Edward again. Upon learning Hohenheim still alive on the other side of the Gate, Envy was able to successfully open and make his way through the doors. Once inside the gate, the creatures 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, probably as a way to get the creatures in the gate 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.

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 Ourobouros 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 Snake" 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 Envy as material to create a gate between the two worlds.

Interestingly, it is revealed in the game Fullmetal Alchemist: Dream Carnival, that Envy enjoys chocolate parfaits.

Last Words: Like hell there isn't! I'll tell it exactly where to take me! (opens the doors of the Gate) I've come to kill him! Take me to Hohenheim of Light! (enters Gate, black babies attach themselves to Envy) Stop messing with me! You'll do as I tell you! (Transforms into Edward Elric) You're taking me to see Hohenheim! To that bastard! (Transforms into his original human form) TO MY FATHER! (Transforms into a winged dragon).

In the Manga
The fourth Homunculus created by Father, the dry and effeminate Envy has the ability to take on any form it chooses.

As it likes to brag, Envy, parading as a State soldier, shot the Isvaran child that started the uprising which lead to the Ishvar massacre. She also, masquerading as 2nd Lt. Maria Ross, shot and killed Lt. Col. Maes Hughes when he discovered the secret of the founding of Amestris. Her ability to shapeshift is an excellent tool for assassination.

Envy was created from tens of thousands of the souls Father took from Xerxes. His true form is giant monstrous beast with a Philosopher's Stone at it's core, all the souls of Xerxes sticking out all saying independent things which Envy uses to distract and unnerve it's opponents.

Envy's true form was first revealed when it, Ed and Ling Yao were all swallowed by Gluttony, who was in a rage knowing that Roy Mustand, the killer of Lust, was near. Thinking that the situation was hopeless, Envy figured it would do no harm and it could have a bit of fun.

Envy almost killed Ed, swallowing him, but then Ed saw the Philosopher's Stone at his core, giving him an idea. Ed managed to placate the monstrous Envy and let it allow him to use it's Philosopher's Stone to open Gluttony's fake Doors of Truth to pass through the true doors back to Amestris. This drained many of the souls from Envy in the process, but evidently not enough to kill it.

President Fuhrer King Bradley (Wrath - Manga / Pride - Anime)
As head of Amestris, Fuhrer King Bradley must protect and control the country to prevent it from becoming unstable. As president and head of the state military, the Fuhrer is a very powerful and respected man. Although there are those who hate him and the state like the citizens of Youswell for example. The Fuhrer is a friendly and laidback man who does the most oddest things in both the anime and the manga. He lives in a large manor with his wife and adopted son Selim, who is the manga version of Pride. He is a master swordsman although he rarely resorts to combat. He is actually the Homunculus Wrath (in the manga)/Pride (in the anime), with the ability to see the outcome of a situation using his Ultimate Eye, hidden behind the eyepatch he wears. Even though he is a Homunculus, Bradley has the amazing ability to age, which is a trait not shown with the other Homunculi (except the anime's equivalent of Wrath.

In the Anime
The Fuhrer maintains his role as the president of the country. Although he is a carefree man, he has a mind like a steel trap and his personality can change rapidly. It was he who finished the Ishbal War by sending in the State Alchemists to end it, although it was Bradley who started the war in the first place.

Pride was created by Dante as the fourth Homunculus in existence. He was made the president of the country by Dante to keep an eye on things. Despite his power, it never known why he did not rebel against Dante and take charge of things, but it is possible loyalty had something to do with it. Bradley made Edward Elric the Fullmetal Alchemist, and in secret made Sloth his secretary, under the guise of Juliet Douglas. Bradley and the rest of his group in Central fled east and took command of the Eastern Command Centre to escape the wrath of Scar, although Bradley apologised to Roy Mustang for the hassle that was being caused. The Fuhrer later returned to Central.

The Fuhrer accompanied Hughes and his team to save Edward and Alphonse from Laboratory Five, allowed Hughes to continue his investigation into the Homunculi, and also permitted the capture of Scar in Lior. However, Martle, the snake chimera found him talking about the deliberate destruction of Lior with Frank Archer. She cornered him and soon discovered him to be the Homunculus Pride.

With his identity exposed and now his role as the Fuhrer on the line, Pride hunts Martle who he finds hiding in Al's armour and stabs her with his sword. However, Al already has learnt the truth about Pride and quickly tells Edward about it. Mustang, Armstrong and other members of the military discover the truth as well. Roy decides to avenge Hughes with the help of Lt. Hawkeye.

A final battle between Pride and Mustang occurs in the Fuhrer's estate. As Pride is on the verge of defeating Mustang, Selim appears with a sack, which in fact contains the skull of the person Pride was created from. Pride mindlessly kills his son. Mustang uses this opportunity to seize the skull and paralyze Pride. He repeatedly sets fire to Pride, until he is no more. In the aftermath, Pride has been reduced to a puddle of red liquid. Mustang drops the skull onto the puddle and sets fire to it, melting the skull and ending Pride's life.