VirtualSex

Envy

AntagonistFullmetal Alchemist

A pale, androgynous figure with long green hair and a confident, taunting expression.
Also known as
The Ultimate Shapeshifter
Team
The Homunculi
Occupation
Homunculus; infiltrator and agent of the Homunculi
Japanese voice
Mayumi Yamaguchi
English voice
Wendy Powell
Affiliation
The Homunculi
Series
Fullmetal Alchemist

Who is Envy?

Envy is a cruel, volatile homunculus who takes pleasure in manipulating people and provoking conflict. Their shapeshifting ability makes them useful for deception and infiltration, and they repeatedly obstruct the Elric brothers. Envy’s deep resentment of humans fuels much of their malice, while the story gradually reveals that their hostility is connected to a more personal sense of rejection.

Appearance

Envy has a lean, androgynous build and a strikingly long mane of green hair, which falls past the waist and frames a sharp, expressive face. Their usual outfit combines a cropped black top with dark shorts, a belt, and tall boots, leaving much of the midriff and legs exposed. A red Ouroboros mark is visible on the upper thigh. Envy's appearance is deliberately ambiguous, and their facial expressions shift readily from playful amusement to open contempt. Their body can change completely when they use their shapeshifting ability.

Personality

Envy is taunting, theatrical, and cruel, and often treats other people's distress as entertainment. They relish deception and use a borrowed face or voice to provoke confusion, mistrust, and violence. Their mockery is especially pointed toward Edward and toward Hohenheim, whom Envy hates with an intensity that goes beyond ordinary antagonism. Beneath the swagger is a bitter fixation on human identity and family. Envy resents the humanity they associate with Hohenheim and reacts badly when confronted with their own origins. They are cunning and patient when a plan requires it, but spite and rage can overwhelm their judgment.

Background

Envy is a homunculus formed through Hohenheim's attempt to bring his dead child back to life. The child was Hohenheim's son with Dante, and the failed transmutation produced the being who became Envy. Hohenheim could not accept the result and left, while Dante remained connected to the homunculi and their schemes. Envy grew to hate Hohenheim, interpreting his departure as abandonment and carrying that grievance across the long span before the series. The details of Envy's intervening life are not fully shown, but they establish a practiced deceiver who serves the homunculi and pursues opportunities to hurt Hohenheim's family.

Role in Fullmetal Alchemist

  1. Early investigations

    Envy operates behind the human conflicts that draw Edward and Alphonse into the homunculi's plans. Disguises and misdirection let Envy influence events without exposing the larger conspiracy. Their interventions make it difficult for the brothers to distinguish genuine allies from fabricated identities, while Envy treats the resulting confusion as a weapon and a source of amusement.

  2. The military conspiracy

    As the brothers investigate the Philosopher's Stone and the military's secret work, Envy appears in forms that conceal their role in the homunculi's operations. They help preserve the conspiracy and exploit the turmoil surrounding the brothers. Envy's ability to impersonate others makes them an especially dangerous presence in a story where official authority and personal trust are both compromised.

  3. Dublith and the homunculi

    Envy remains aligned with the homunculi as Edward learns more about how they were made and what can threaten them. Their contempt for human attachments is sharpened by the revelations surrounding Hohenheim and the homunculi's origins. Envy's own history is a crucial exception to their usual mockery, because it explains why Hohenheim is a personal target rather than merely an obstacle.

  4. The final confrontation

    In the closing struggle, Envy's connection to Hohenheim becomes explicit. Envy reveals the family history behind their hatred, then pursues Hohenheim through the Gate and takes on a monstrous dragon-like form. The conflict leaves Envy separated from the main action in the human world, while their choice to chase Hohenheim brings the personal feud to its culmination.

Abilities and techniques

Shapeshifting

Envy can transform into other people, changing their face, body, clothing, and voice well enough to pass as a specific individual. This lets them infiltrate guarded places, mislead witnesses, and set people against one another. Their original appearance is not the limit of their physical form.

Homunculus regeneration

As a homunculus, Envy can recover from injuries that would incapacitate or kill an ordinary person. Their body draws on the Philosopher's Stone within them, though the reserves are not limitless. Damage and repeated use of their powers can exhaust those resources.

Combat strength and agility

Envy is a capable close-range fighter, combining speed and strength with the advantage of an unpredictable body. They can attack while shifting shape and use their flexibility to evade or surprise opponents. Their confidence sometimes makes them careless when a target resists.

Disguise and impersonation

Envy uses shapeshifting as a tool of long-term deception, not merely as a combat trick. They can adopt identities that influence investigations and exploit the trust people place in familiar faces. Their skill at manipulation helps them conceal the homunculi's involvement in events.

Dragon-like transformation

During the finale, Envy assumes a huge dragon-like form after passing through the Gate. This transformation is distinct from their ordinary impersonations and gives them an imposing, nonhuman appearance. It accompanies their pursuit of Hohenheim beyond the brothers' world.

Relationships

Hohenheim
Father and enemy
Hohenheim is Envy's human father, whose failed attempt to restore their dead child created the homunculus. Envy blames him for leaving and pursues him with deep resentment. Their feud is personal, rooted in abandonment and Envy's rejection of their human origin.
Dante
Mother and former ally
Dante was Envy's mother and Hohenheim's partner before the homunculi's creation. Envy works within the network of homunculi that Dante directs, though their strongest emotional fixation is on Hohenheim. Dante's role in their origins links Envy to the larger plan involving the Philosopher's Stone.
Edward Elric
Adversary
Envy repeatedly obstructs Edward and uses deception to complicate his search for the truth. They provoke him and exploit his loyalty to his brother, while Edward becomes increasingly capable of recognizing the homunculi's methods. Their conflict also draws Edward into the history Envy shares with Hohenheim.
The Homunculi
Ally and fellow homunculus
Envy serves alongside the other homunculi in advancing their plans, but their relationships are shaped more by shared purpose than affection. Envy's sharp tongue and self-interest make them an unsettling teammate. They use their special abilities to support the group's infiltration and manipulation.

Notable moments

  • Envy impersonates other people to mislead the Elric brothers and interfere with their investigations.
  • Envy's hatred of Hohenheim is traced to their origin as Hohenheim's dead child, brought back through failed human transmutation.
  • Envy reveals the family connection behind their feud with Hohenheim during the series finale.
  • Envy passes through the Gate and takes on a dragon-like form while pursuing Hohenheim.

Trivia

  • Envy's Ouroboros mark is on the upper thigh.
  • The series presents Envy as androgynous, and their form-shifting reinforces that ambiguity.
  • Envy's standard outfit includes a cropped black top, shorts, and tall boots.
  • Envy's personal history in this adaptation differs from the later manga-based continuity.

More Fullmetal Alchemist characters