Scar

Known as Scar, this Ishvalan survivor hunts State Alchemists in revenge for the devastation inflicted on his people. He wields a destructive form of alchemy through the tattooed arm taken from his brother, making him a formidable opponent for Edward. Scar’s pursuit is driven by grief and anger, yet his encounters with the brothers expose the limits and cost of vengeance.

Scar is a broad-shouldered man with a powerful build, pale hair, and a prominent cross-shaped scar across his forehead. His red eyes stand out against his dark facial markings. He wears a loose, dark cloak over simple clothing, giving him a severe, anonymous appearance. The right arm he uses for alchemy is covered in an intricate tattoo of transmutation designs inherited from his brother's research. He often keeps the arm concealed beneath his clothing until he is ready to fight. His expression is stern and guarded, reflecting his life as a hunted fugitive.

Scar is driven by grief, anger, and a rigid conviction that State Alchemists are responsible for the destruction of his people. He sees them as military weapons rather than neutral scholars and makes their deaths the focus of his revenge. His actions are brutal, but the series shows that his violence comes from a history of persecution and loss, not simple cruelty. He can be wary and solitary, yet he is capable of recognizing the humanity of people outside his own community. As events unfold, he begins to question whether revenge can restore what was taken or only create more victims.

Scar is an Ishbalan survivor of the military campaign that devastated his homeland and its people. His brother was an alchemist who pursued research connected to the Philosopher's Stone and the principles of destruction and reconstruction. After Scar was gravely injured, his brother transferred his own alchemical research onto Scar's arm, giving him the ability to break down what he touches. Scar survived the conflict with a distinctive facial scar and became a fugitive. He began targeting State Alchemists, whom he viewed as agents of the military's violence. His lost family, ruined community, and brother's final act define both his powers and his pursuit of revenge.

1. Liore and the State Alchemist Hunt

   Scar enters the story as a fugitive who targets State Alchemists, making him a serious threat to Edward and other military alchemists. His method of killing with a destructive touch sets him apart from ordinary opponents. The pursuit of him also introduces the consequences of the Ishbal war and forces the Elric brothers to confront the human cost of their country's military campaigns.

2. Ishbal History and Hidden Research

   The series gradually reveals Scar's connection to the Ishbal conflict, his dead brother, and the transmutation designs on his arm. His actions are placed in the context of a community devastated by military violence, while the research inherited from his brother links him to the wider pursuit of the Philosopher's Stone. These revelations complicate the brothers' view of him.

3. Liore and the Philosopher's Stone

   Scar's choices in Liore bring him into contact with the people and religious unrest there, as well as the homunculi's manipulation of the region. In his attempt to create a Philosopher's Stone, he makes a catastrophic sacrifice involving the people gathered in the city. The act alters the course of the conflict and marks a turning point in his understanding of revenge.

Scar's brother

Brother and alchemical mentor

Scar's brother was an alchemist whose research became the source of Scar's power. When Scar was near death, his brother transferred the designs for his own alchemy onto Scar's arm. That sacrifice binds Scar's ability to his family's loss and to the research that drives later events.

Edward Elric

Enemy and reluctant counterpart

Scar initially sees Edward as a State Alchemist and therefore a representative of the military that destroyed Ishbal. Their encounters are shaped by the clash between Scar's revenge and Edward's determination to protect others. Each comes to understand more about the other's motives as the conflict deepens.

Alphonse Elric

Adversary and fellow survivor of loss

Alphonse encounters Scar as a dangerous opponent but also recognizes the grief behind his actions. Their exchanges complicate a simple division between victim and enemy. Alphonse's compassion and Scar's growing doubts create moments in which violence is not the only possible response.

The Ishbalan people

Survivor and avenger

Scar's identity and actions are inseparable from the destruction of his community. He acts in the name of the people harmed by the military, though his campaign risks causing further suffering. The series uses his connection to Ishbal to expose the consequences of State Alchemist violence.

• Scar establishes himself as a dangerous fugitive by hunting State Alchemists.
• The story reveals that his right arm carries alchemical research passed down by his brother.
• He confronts the Elric brothers over the military's violence against Ishbal.
• Scar's attempt to make a Philosopher's Stone in Liore exacts a devastating human cost.

• Scar is the name by which the character is known, rather than a revealed personal name.
• His forehead scar gives him his common name.
• His right arm bears transmutation designs originating with his brother.
• His Japanese voice in this series is performed by Ryotaro Okiayu.

• Edward Elric
• Alphonse Elric
• Winry Rockbell
• Roy Mustang
• Riza Hawkeye

Back to the Fullmetal Alchemist guide