Roy Mustang - Appearances

Appearances

Roy Mustang is introduced in Fullmetal Alchemist as a State Alchemist working for Amestris' State Military and as Edward Elric's superior. Outwardly arrogant and playfully manipulative, Mustang is intelligent and adaptable. At the beginning of the series, he appears as a ruthless careerist and a womanizer. However, he is known to bear strong feelings of love towards Riza Hawkeye, although he seldom shows it. He is also eventually shown to be a rather paternal commander who greatly cares for the emotional and physical well-being of his men. This earns him the fierce loyalty of his subordinates. This paternal nature stems from his experience in the Ishbal Civil War where he was forced to kill using his flame alchemy, despite having learned it to help people. After the war ended, Mustang resolved to protect his subordinates. Angered with how he was used in the war, Mustang decided to become the country's next leader. A powerful alchemist in his own right, Mustang wears gloves with transmutation circles that create sparks or flames when he rubs his fingers together. By adjusting the oxygen densities in the surrounding atmosphere through alchemy, he can create flames anywhere in the surrounding area at will and manipulate them as he desires. While it is often commented that Mustang is unable to produce fire with his gloves wet, he can as long as he has some way to call up flame.

Following the death of his best friend, Lt. Colonel Maes Hughes, Mustang investigates the incident in secret despite the military closing the case after convicting Maria Ross. Trusting in Ross's innocence, Mustang fakes Ross's death and engineer her escape from Amestris. While breaking into a military laboratory, Mustang kills Lust, an immortal creature known as homunculus, who was investigating his actions and was going to kill subordinates. Recovering from his wounds, Mustang learns that the Führer King Bradley is also a homunculus and tries to expose him to the top echelons of the military.

This move costs Mustang and deprives him of his subordinates - Bradley places Hawkeye under his command and authorizes the transfer of Mustang's remaining personnel to the far reaches of Amestris. Mustang is later contacted by General Olivier Armstrong, who is intending to join forces with various troops to attack Central City. He then meets up with his subordinates and the four attack Central's military while Bradley is gone. Mustang later confronts the homunculus Envy after learning that he was Hughes' true murderer—fueled by rage, Roy easily defeats Envy. As Roy prepares to finish Envy, he is convinced by Hawkeye not to kill him, not allowing his thirst for vengeance to consume him. Later, the homunculi attack Mustang, forcing him to use alchemy to become the fifth human sacrifice needed for their leader. This results in Mustang losing his eyesight as part of the sacrifice, although he continues to fight with Hawkeye to help him direct his attacks. However, after the final fight is over, a former comrade, Tim Marcoh, appears with a Philosopher's Stone and offers to use it to restore Mustang's eyesight on the condition that he promises that he will be a part of a movement to restore Ishbal. Mustang accepts and is put in charge of the East region, as Brigadier General.