Roy Mustang

Roy Mustang (ロイ・マスタング Roi Masutangu) is a main character from the Fullmetal Alchemist anime and manga series. Holding the title of the Flame Alchemist, he is a skilled State Alchemist who ambitiously strives to become the next leader of Amestris.

Character Outline
Outwardly arrogant and playfully manipulative, Mustang is intelligent and adaptable. These traits usually ensure that he is always one step ahead of his opponents. He also likes to feel in control of the situation. He is one of the superiors of Edward Elric. At the beginning of the series, he appears to be nothing more than a ruthless careerist and a shameless womanizer. However, he is eventually shown to be a rather paternal commander who greatly cares for the emotional and physical well-being of his men. He's even endangering his life-long goal to become Führer of Amestris, to avenge his best friend's Maes's untimely death. This earns him the fierce loyalty of his friends (Hughes, Hawkeye, Armstrong) and subordinates (Jean Havoc, Vato Falman, Kain Fuery, Heymans Breda). He also feels obligated to look out for the Elric Brothers after they become fellow "dogs of the military". This stems from his experience in the Ishval Civil War (referred to as the Ishval Massacre) where he was forced to kill with his flame alchemy and an incomplete philosopher's stone despite learning it to help people. After the war ended, however, his fellow soldiers thanked him for saving their lives. Mustang resolves to protect his subordinates and feels personally responsible for their well being, placing their safety above his own. Though a hero of the Ishval War, he remains haunted by the horrors of war and suffers great remorse for the lives of civilians he took.

History
Roy learned elementary alchemy from Riza Hawkeye's father. When he was a teenager he met his best friend Maes Hughes in a military training school facility. It is during this time that Roy decides to become a State Alchemist so that he may help the common people, despite the protests of his mentor. Upon the realization of Roy's intentions, his mentor states that he will pass on his greatest and most powerful alchemy to Roy, but only if he uses it in the course of doing good. Before he can explain further, Mr. Hawkeye begins to choke from coughing up blood and can only tell Roy that he has passed his knowledge on to his daughter, he also makes Roy promise to look after his daughter. (The strange markings on Hawkeye's back is the method chosen by her father to pass these secrets on).

When Roy was 23 he was already a State Alchemist working for the Military. He like others at the time were sent to completely raze a region Amestris was unable to subdue. He runs into Maes Hughes and they reminisce briefly about the past and discuss the State's involvement in the War before they are ambushed by an injured Ishvalan. They were saved by a sniper, later revealed to be none other than Riza Hawkeye. Mustang continues through the war with a pessimistic view and considers himself to be a killer, unable to help people as he had previously hoped.

However, Mustang discovers that while he thought he was alone in the war, simply murdering people, he was saving the lives of the men in his unit. This new idea appears to spur him into making an attempt to become the Führer, which he explains to Hughes at the end of the war. He then surrounds himself with people he knows he can trust; Hughes, Fuery, Falman, Havoc, Breda, and lastly Hawkeye. He orders Hawkeye to watch his back, and that if he ever strayed from the path of wanting to help people, of wanting to change the government, it was her role to shoot him.

Ranks Mustang has been showed with are a Major (Flashbacks of the Ishval massacre), Lieutenant Colonel (Episode three-eight), Colonel (Most of the anime), Brigadier General (Episode fortyfive-fiftyone) and finally a Corporal (The Conqueror of Shamballa film, after he refuses his commission).

Anime
Mustang makes his first appearance in the series in To Challenge the Sun (episode 1), when the Elric Brothers attempt to resurrect their mother. Subsequently, Mustang is formally introduced in Mother after Alphonse brought Edward to the Rockbells' home. As a lieutenant colonel in the State Military, he came to the Elrics' hometown of Risembool in search of their father, Hohenheim. It is also implied that Roy was seeking out Winry Rockbell, the girl he had orphaned during the Ishval Rebellion, in order to see how she was doing That Which is Lost. Recognizing Edward and Alphonse's talent for alchemy, he offered them a chance to become State Alchemists and to seek him out at Central City, where he was currently stationed.

Athough appearing in episode one, the first time he speaks is in episode three "Mother" albeit only one sentence.

The Elrics take up his offer and Edward reluctantly becomes his direct subordinate when he becomes a State Alchemist. Mustang is transferred to the Eastern Territories to clean up Lieutenant Yoki's mess (Episode 9) and is promoted to colonel. He remains at Eastern Headquarters for the early portions of the series until he is transferred back to Central after Hughes' death.

In episode 15 (Ishbal Massacre) it is revealed that Roy had executed Winry Rockbell's parents in place of Scar in the manga. He was devastated by his cold-blooded actions and tried to kill himself, but to Hughes, Edward, and his subordinates, Roy explains his failure to do so by saying that he "was too much of a coward" to pull the trigger Words of Farewell, The Stray Dog. Instead, Roy decides that he is going to work to reach a position where he would not have to obey orders like that: becoming the Fuhrer.

When Hughes dies, Mustang is devastated. When pursuing the Elrics after the Stone's creation in Liore, Mustang learns that the Führer is a Homunculus, and tries to expose him to the top brass of the military by revealing the truth about the Führer's secretary, Juliet Douglas (Episode 45).

Although Bradley intends for him to die in combat during the Northern Campaign, Mustang instead stays in Central, making his move to avenge Hughes' death. He explains his actions to Edward in the end of Goodbye, saying that he has given up his goal of becoming Fuhrer to avenge Hughes because Hughes' life is more important to him, much like Edward has given up restoring Al with the Stone, because to Ed the lives of the people who went into the Stone's creation are more important. He points out his and Ed's similarities in the scene, and Edward finally comes to respect and understand him. Roy then moves on to the Fuhrer's mansion and stages his fight. Mustang is only able to defeat King Bradley when Bradley's son, Selim, unwittingly brings the skull of the man from which the Führer was created and weakens Bradley. As Mustang escapes the Führer's burning mansion, he is confronted by a maniacal Frank Archer, who shoots him. Hawkeye arrives in time to save him and kills Archer.

Roy loses an eye from the battle with Bradley but keeps an optimistic attitude. When Hawkeye despairs at him that she should have been there to stop Archer, Roy says that "the world's not perfect" and that's what makes it so damn beautiful." He seems to not be unhappy with what transpired in the Fuhrer's mansion, and that the loss of his eye only showed that "nothing is ever perfect."

He has a cameo in a later episode in which Envy shapeshifts into him in a failed attempt to guilt trip Ed into keeping him alive. When he does this, Ed laughs and shouts "You couldn't have picked an EASIER target!"

Fullmetal Alchemist: The Conqueror of Shamballa
In Conqueror of Shamballa, Mustang resigns from both alchemy and his rank to become an ordinary enlisted man in a remote outpost. The events of the series are shown to have taken a heavy toll on Roy, since he says he has not used his alchemy since killing Fuhrer Bradley; Roy says that he can still see the people he had killed in Ishval with his blinded eye. However, when Central is under attack by armies and airships, Mustang steps up and takes command, using his alchemy to defend Central. Mustang and Armstrong are able to find a hot-air balloon to reach the airships, where he is reunited with the Elric brothers, and helps them gain entry into the airship. Roy is glad to see Edward alive and well, and it is implied that it is Roy seeing Edward again that galvanizes Roy into taking charge and giving orders and using his alchemy again. When Edward leaves, he is the one to hold Alphonse back but he lets Al go in order for the younger Elric to follow his older brother. At the end of the movie, Al says that Mustang and his team are now responsible for destroying the Amestris side of the Gate.

Manga
In the beginning, Mustang is heading to Resembool to meet with a talented alchemist named Edward Elric, who he was told was around 30 years old. He's corrected by Riza Hawkeye when she tells him it was just a mistake. The two go to find the Elrics anyway. When they arrive at the house, Mustang stumbles upon the human transmutation circle. Enraged, he heads to the Rockbells house, as it was said in his information that they could be there, and pushes his way past Pinako to find the brothers. He picks Ed up by his collar and starts to yell at him about what he did, at which point Al begins to apologize profusely. Mustang then offers them a chance to become state alchemists in order to have access to greater resources and be able to get their bodies back.

Following Hughes' death, Mustang investigates the incident in secret despite the military closing the case after convicting Maria Ross. Trusting in Ross's innocence, and with the help of Barry the Chopper, Mustang uses his alchemy skills to fake Ross's death and engineer her escape from Amestris. While breaking into a military laboratory with Barry's help (Chapter 39: Complications at Central), Lust confronts Mustang and Havoc. In the ensuing fight, Havoc is stabbed in the spine; while Lust sets off to find the rest of the intruders, she leaves Mustang and Havoc to bleed to death. After she slices Barry to pieces and is setting on Hawkeye (with Alphonse trying to stop her), she is almost blown off her feet by an explosion. Mustang had cut a transmutation circle into his skin and seared his wounds closed with fire, using a lighter in place of his ruined gloves. He then proceeds to mercilessly shoot flames at Lust, to the point where her Philosopher's Stone is unable to fuel her regenerative powers, killing her. Mustang later helps in transporting Ed, Al, Hawkeye, Dr. Knox, Lin, an injured Lan Fan, and a tied-up Gluttony to a deserted house in the woods. However, Gluttony does not hold long, and breaks free. Mustang manages to escape by car, leaving Ed, Al, and Lin to battle Gluttony.

After discovering that King Bradley is a Homunculus, he tries to expose him to the top echelons of the military. This move costs Mustang and deprives him of his subordinates - King Bradley places Riza Hawkeye under his command and authorizes the transfer of Mustang’s remaining personnel to the far reaches of Amestris.

In chapter 69, he is contacted by Major General Olivier Armstrong through an old flower-seller, who made Mustang buy all her flowers for the information. The old flower seller, said to have served the Armstrong family for generations, revealed that Olivier is intending for the "sword" of East Area troops under Mustang's command to join with the "shield" of the Briggs mountain range troops in order to protect Briggs, and wants Mustang's cooperation. He finally manages to meet Hawkeye in person, who manages to tell him that Selim Bradley is a Homunculus. He later passes that message to Olivier Armstrong, as she takes over the residence of the Armstrong family to herself. He then meets up with his subordinates and the four attack Central's military(wounding but not killing anyone) while Fuhrer Bradley is "gone."

In chapter 93-4 Mustang's gang arrives at Central. While Mustang and Hawkeye meet up with Edward, the other subordinates send out a radio transmission of how the upper brass of the military is corrupted, although they say it in believable terms and do not mention the Homunculi or their real intentions. Mustang encounters Envy, who after being questioned, reveals he was Hughes' killer. Edward, Scar, Mei, and the chimera all move on to get to Father, leaving Hawkeye and Mustang to fight Envy. Envy, realizing that Mustang could easily kill him, attempts to escape. Mustang orders Hawkeye not to come with and goes off after Envy, but she comes anyway. Envy makes another dash for it when Mustang mercilessly continues to burn him, and discovers Hawkeye searching for him. He shifts into Mustang and deceives her (most likely planning to do so for just long enough to kill her) momentarily. Hawkeye, however, understands that it could be Envy and tricks the homunculus by saying that Mustang never calls her "lieutenant" but Riza when the two of them are alone. Envy falls for the trap which confirms that it was indeed Envy. She is able to take him on with her guns for a little while even with injury, however, Envy eventually is able to get the upper hand and ensnares her in his elongated arm. Just as he is about to kill her, Mustang blasts him from a side entry, and warns Envy that Riza is one of his dearest subordinates. He burns Envy one final time which causes the homunculus to revert back to his ugly parasitic form from before. He is one spark away from killing him when Hawkeye, although injured to an unknown extent, gets up and puts her gun to his head. She refuses to put her gun down and tries to persuade Mustang to stop, and he explodes at her, going into a fit of rage and refusing to give up his vengeance. Ed and Scar arrive, and Ed uses his alchemy to grab Envy; Mustang then demands that Ed to give him back.

When Edward refuses, Roy threatens to burn his arm off. Edward accepts the challenge, but asks for him to look at himself first, claiming "You think you can lead a country looking like that?!". Edward then reminds him of his goal and Mustang's temper subsides partially.

Scar partially agrees with Edward that Roy couldn't lead others the way he is now, but shows no opinion if Roy does exact his revenge on Envy.

Roy then begins to scream about the time it has taken to get this far and how close he is to killing Envy "for Hughes". Riza yells back that she understands, but what he's doing right now is not helping anything, rather, it is just satisfying Mustang's need for revenge. She begs him, "Don't go where I can't follow."

Roy tells her that if she was going to shoot, she should have shot, and then asks her what she would do if he were to die. She replies that she wouldn't continue living and would die with him. Roy, still somewhat aggravated, blasts a hole in the wall.

Finally, as it seems his anger has mostly subsided, he comments about how he cannot lose her too. He laments on his recent behavior and actions and apologizes to her for how he forced her to act. He sinks to his knees, defeated. She follows suit.

Envy then cuts in, mocking their apology. He antagonizes everyone, bringing up events that he hopes might bring themselves to fight amongst each other and taunting others with the things they have done. When they show no response, Envy wonders why his words aren't affecting any of them.

Edward looks at him, pointing out Envy's envy of humans. Ed goes on to explain that, even though humans are weak, and sometimes they fail, humans have their friends to help them up whilst homunculi don't have such a comfort. Envy frees himself of Edward and falls to the ground. Riza is about to shoot, but Scar stops her, pointing out that Envy doesn't have much time left. Envy comments on how pathetic he seems, on their "mocking nature", and how Edward, the one that he despises the most, is the only one that understands how he truly feels. He pulls out his philosopher's stone and disintegrates, bidding Edward a tearful farewell.

Roy looks on at Envy's apparent suicide, calling him "cruel".

Flame Alchemy
Flame Alchemy: A powerful alchemist in his own right, Mustang's combat alchemy is made possible by his custom made gloves. Made of "pyrotex/ignition cloth" and embroidered with unique flame alchemy Transmutation Circles, these gloves create a spark when Roy rubs his fingers together and allow him to manipulate the concentration of oxygen in the surrounding air, raising its density to a level at which it becomes combustible and creating pathways of oxygen through which he can direct the ensuing flame birthed by the spark.The 'snap' sound is because of how quickly the gases and sparks react together and pop (not his fingers actually 'snapping', to common belief.)

While Mustang's Flame Alchemy cannot be used on rainy days because the humidity makes it impossible for his gloves to produce sparks, it becomes clear that water itself does not make the Colonel entirely as "useless" as his subordinates assume. Using the transmutation circles on his gloves, Roy is able to separate oxygen atoms from the hydrogen atoms in water molecules, isolating the two combustible gases. Though this method can only be used when a large quantity of water is present in a relatively closed-off space (and not in the rain where the air is open and separating hydrogen and oxygen for the purpose of combustion would pose far too much danger to anyone in the vicinity), with an outside source of ignition such as a cigarette lighter or a match, Roy can produce extremely powerful, localized explosions.

It has also been revealed recently that Roy is able to delegate each hand to a different flame effect, possibly due to a difference in hand dexterity. The right hand appears to allow for large explosive attacks, while the left allows for smaller, but strong and very accurate pinpoint flame attacks, demonstrated when he used his left hand to evaporate the liquid in Envy's eyes causing excruciating pain, and the right to engulf Envy in a large explosion.

In the Book in Figure Red omake chapter, Roy reveals that he sometimes uses alchemy for the purpose of scoring a date. In his "Oxygen de Gentleman Strategy", he uses his gloves to raise the oxygen density around a specific woman to the point that she becomes dizzy. He then, rushes to her side to prevent her from falling, asks her if she is all right and follows up with other sweet words and an invitation for tea.

Very Brief Overview of Roy Mustang in the Anime
Roy Mustang comes off as a rather shallow character. His goal to become Fuhrer seems to start out as a need to change the women's military uniform to include a miniskirt, and also as to not take orders anymore. He's a state alchemist who controls the element fire using his pyrotex gloves, that have an alchemic array on the back. He seems to be a source of constant annoyance for Edward Elric, he makes comments about Ed's height and seems to be a rival. Constantly reminding him that without his help Ed woudn't have even got in and Al would have been hauled away for testing.

Despite his apparent cold nature, as the story progresses he shows a different personality. He participated in the Ishval Massacre and it wrought havoc on his young mind. Horrified with his actions he became suicidal. After shooting Winry's parents, he turned the gun onto himself. Marcoh came by at that time, as he was trying to escape, due to what cruelties he had done during his military times, and tells Roy Mustang not to commit suicide, but instead to focus his desires to getting to a position where he doesn't have to take orders, and then runs away after making Mustang promise to not tell anyone where he would go. Hughes knows of this and his vow is to assist Roy in getting to that position, no matter what it takes, Hughes found this out by bringing Roy some apple pie and finding he was about to commit the taboo of Human Transmutation.

Trivia

 * A Salamander can be found in Roy mustang's fire alchemy transmutation circle, this has significant meaning because in ancient mythology the salamander was considered the living symbol of fire and as such was completely fireproof and able to live in fire itself.


 * The eye Mustang lost after his battle with Pride was his left eye, coincidentally the one Pride wore an eyepatch over and the one that Archer had a cybernetic one inserted, both people having been people he confronted in that same episode.


 * Mustang's English voice actor, Travis Willigham, also does Portgas D. Ace in the Funimation dub of One Piece, the user of the Flame Flame Fruit.
 * Colonel Roy Mustang's comitment to a coup d' ta against the Fuhrer, and the symbolic loss of his left eye are eerily similar to the exploits of a World War II German Resistance member Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg who attempted to lead a small force of German soldiers in a coup against Hitler, who also lost his left eye.