Father (Fullmetal Alchemist)/Synopsis

The story of the original homunculus himself, "Father". This follows the chronological order from how he started as the Dwarf in the Flask known as Homunculus, to becoming the godlike being he is today.

NOTE: This story is exclusive to the manga and the 2009 anime series known as Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.

Creation
Father was the first homunculus ever created, or at least the first that history remembers.

He was created around four hundred years before the start of the events, during the fifteenth or sixteenth century of the Fullmetal Alchemist world.

He was born directly from the Truth, the source of all the alchemic power and knowledge of the universe, and was created in the highly developed kingdom of Xerxes, mostly from the blood of one of his creator's slaves, a young man called "number 23." This makes him the young slave's "son" of some sort (or offspring at the very least).

Sometime later, the Homunculus recognized "Slave number 23" as the one from whom he was born and attempted to talk to him. (Believing at first that the young slave was not very smart, given his lack of interest in anything else than his work.) The Homunculus offered to name the slave Van Hohenheim, (he initially offered Theophrastus Bombastus Van Hohenheim, but the slave refused as it would be too long to remember) and taught him reading, writing and mathematics, as well as basic Alchemy.

With his newfound knowledge, Hohenheim caught his master's attention and was appointed as his personal assistant. Over the years, Hohenheim perfected his mastery of Alchemy, still under the tutelage of the Homunculus with whom he had long conversations about their respective goals and ideals.

The Fall of Xerxes
The elderly king of Xerxes eventually heard of the Homunculus' vast knowledge and had it brought before him to learn the secret of immortality. Upon the Homunculus' advice, the King ordered his soldiers to dig a gigantic alchemic transmutation circle all around the country, and later sent them disguised as bandits to slaughter the population of several villages located at certain points of the circle, (following the circle's pentagram-like pattern) as the slaughters were necessary to activate the alchemic ritual to create a gigantic Philosopher's Stone, which would make the King Immortal. Or so he thought...

In fact, the Homunculus had no intention of making the King immortal and the friendliness and helpfulness he had displayed until now was just a facade to enact his own agenda. When the King activated the ritual, little did he know that it was, in fact, Hohenheim, carrying the Homunculus' flask, who was located at the center of the transmutation circle? The ritual killed the more than 1 000 000 inhabitants of the country, whose souls were absorbed into Hohenheim's and the Homunculus' bodies, turning them into living Philosopher's Stones and granting them immense alchemic powers. (In the Fullmetal Alchemist universe creating a Philosopher's Stone requires to sacrifice human souls. The more souls are sacrificed, the bigger and more powerful the stone will be.)

Horrified by what he had helped to do, Hohenheim fled in the desert and was brought by travelers to the empire of Xing. There, he taught Alchemy to the population and led to the creation of Alkahestry, the Xinese form of Alchemy which uses the flow of ki running all over the world. This earned him an important place in the Xinese legends as the "Philosopher of the West".

The Founding of Amestris
After the destruction of Xerxes, Father headed towards a small settlement, that would become under his impulse the powerful nation of Amestris, and began to teach Alchemy to its population. This earned him a messiah-like status in the Amestrian legends as the "Philosopher of the East". (The same as what Hohenheim did in Xing but with more selfish purposes.)

However, Father taught a form of Alchemy of which he is the source of power, in order to control it. At some point, before even coming to Amestris according to the Characters Guide Books, Father gave birth to Pride the first-born of the Seven Homunculi.

Father quickly gained control of the entire nation of Amestris and had it attack its neighbor countries and expand its borders in a huge politic of expansion, turning it into a military dictatorship. At some point, he stepped back into the shadows to secretly manipulate the events, in order to prepare his real goal. Amestris appears to have a proper government, composed of the head of the military and his highest-ranking subordinates, but in fact Father pulls the strings from behind the scenes and all the countries' rulers are nothing but puppet-kings obeying his every command. Father had a subterranean lair constructed in Central City, the capital of Amestris, with a throne room built at the exact center of the country, below the Central Military Headquarters.

Father's goal is to make Amestris prosperous and populated so that he would one day be able to sacrifice its entire population in the exact same fashion as he did in Xerxes but to a much higher scale. He is no longer interested in turning himself into a Philosopher's Stone and now aims to use the souls of the population as a power source to absorb the Truth itself so that he would become the new God of the Fullmetal Alchemist world.

Preparation of Father's goal
Over the centuries, Father created five other "children." After Pride came Lust, Greed, Envy, Sloth, and Gluttony. Sloth was created in order to dig an underground transmutation circle that followed the border of Amestris. Father needed to cause huge bloodsheds at several points of the border (and the circle) in the exact same fashion as it was done back in Xerxes.

To do so, he ordered the Amestrian army to orchestrate violent wars with neighbor countries, making sure that Amestris would remain in a state of permanent war against at least one nation, both to cover things up and to have the bloodsheds spilled where he needs them.

The most infamous slaughter caused by the Amestrian army was the Genocide of Ishval, which began around twelve years before the start of the story when Envy impersonated a pacifist soldier to shoot an Ishvalan child and cause an insurrection. After several years of fighting, the State Alchemists (alchemists working for the military) were sent on the battlefield and tasked to wipe out the entire ethnic. One of the few survivors would later use the alchemic powers inherited from his late brother to kill many State Alchemists and would earn a gloomy reputation under the nickname of Scar, unknowingly putting a thorn to Father's side.

60 years before the start of the series, Father gathered many nameless orphans in a secret center and had them raised in swordsmanship, politic and military arts, with the intent of fusing one of them with a Philosopher's Stone to create a homunculus born from a human. Several of them died in the process but one survived the metamorphosis and became Wrath, the seventh homunculus. Father then gave him the alias "King Bradley" and made sure that he rose in rank to become the ruler of Amestris.

Contrary to the sacrifice of Xerxes, Father also needs five alchemists who had seen the Truth, (which happen when performing or being involved in a human transmutation) to be used as catalysts when he would sacrifice Amestris. Because of this, few years before the start of the story, he had Wrath create the function of State Alchemist, so that they would be able to spot the most talented ones and ensure that they would see the Truth. He also needed to perform the ritual during a solar eclipse, to use the crown of light around the sun as a second transmutation circle that would enable him to absorb the Truth itself.

The faceless leader of the homunculi
Father remains unseen for most of the first part of the events. Whenever he interacts with his "children" he remains hidden in the shadows and his face is only partially seen. Yet, what is seen of is face looks strikingly similar to what is seen of Van Hohenheim's face in old pictures, leading the reader to believe that the father of the homunculi and the father of Edward and Alphonse Elric are one and the same. An assumption rendered even more plausible knowing that Hohenheim left his family ten years before the start of the story, never to be seen again. (In fact, Father can somehow be considered as the Elrics' "kin" of some sort, given that he his Hohenheim's alchemic offspring/clone.)

Father first appears when King Bradley is revealed to be the homunculus Wrath, as Wrath has captured the renegade homunculus Greed and brought him to Father. Father asks Greed if he wants to work for him once again, and upon his refusal, he plunges him into a pool of acid to dissolve his body, before absorbing back his Philosopher's Stone.

Father is next seen talking with Lust, shortly before the latter's death by the hand of Colonel Roy Mustang, one of the main protagonists. After Lust's death, Father asks Wrath why he spared Mustang who was at his mercy and is told that Mustang would be a suitable candidate for the sacrifice, should he see the Truth. Pleased with this answer, Father smiles and walks away, ordering his "children" to let Wrath handle Mustang.

At the same time, Van Hohenheim returns to his village and meets both his old friend Pinako Rockbell, who took care of his sons in his absence, and Edward himself. Hohenheim appears as someone gentle and somehow clumsy, but he forces his son to face his own mistakes and ominously warns Pinako to flee the country to escape an impending disaster. He later describes himself as a "monster" after having been shot several times by mountain bandits without flinching. All this further leads the reader to believe that he is the villain of the story.

First confrontation
Father is first fully seen when Alphonse Elric is led into his throne room by Gluttony, who accidentally swallowed Edward, the Xinese prince Ling Yao, and Envy. (Hohenheim is seen miles away at the same moment.) Seconds later, they escape from the dimensional void inside Gluttony's belly and the Elrics meet Father, whom they mistake for Van Hohenheim. Upon learning that the intruders are the Elric brothers, valuable candidates for the sacrifice, and Hohenheim's sons, Father laughs enthusiastically and heals their wounds.

Despite this warm (albeit disturbing) the first contact, Father shows his true colors when he notices Ling Yao, whom he calls a "useless trash" before ordering Gluttony to dispose of him. Infuriated, Edward (who heard about Father and began to deduce his plan to become a god) engages a fight against Father, backed up by Alphonse and Ling. Unfortunately, they are absolutely no match for him and they end up subdued by Envy and Gluttony after he cancels Alchemy. Noticing Ling's vitality, Father decides to use him as a vessel and resurrects Greed in his body.

As things seem lost, Scar and the Xinese princess Mei Chang, who spotted and followed Alphonse and Gluttony, storm into the throne room. Edward tells Scar that Father and the homunculi are responsible for the Ishval Genocide, prompting Scar to attack Father. As Mei uses Alkahestry and Scar uses a mix between Amestrian and Xinese Alchemy, they can still use their powers but they end up defeated nonetheless and Scar is forced to escape while Mei hides inside Alphonse's armor.

Father then orders Envy to bring the Elrics to Wrath before absorbing back Gluttony's Philosopher's Stone to recreate him, as Gluttony died too many times and can no longer regenerate.

Preparing the plan
While escaping, Scar enters the cell where Father is keeping the State Alchemist Tim Marcoh prisoner. They fake Marcoh's murder and escape from Father's subterranean lair, but Father later notices that one of the chimeras who guarded the prisoner was transformed via Alchemy to resemble Marcoh's corpse. Suspecting that Scar and Marcoh escaped together, he orders the homunculi to track them down and Wrath has Solf J. Kimblee, a psychotic State Alchemist who sides with the homunculi, released from jail to do the work.

Later, Greed and Pride notice that Father is asleep, dreaming of his creation and his rise in power back in Xerxes. (Miles away, Hohenheim is having the exact same dream.) Father plans to use the Elric brothers, their master Izumi Curtis and Van Hohenheim for the sacrifice, as they have all seen the Truth and is wondering who could be the fifth (Roy Mustang and Tim Marcoh being the primary choices).

When Hohenheim enters the nation-wide Transmutation Circle and tells Pride that "Slave number 23" will soon come to see Father, the villain is pleased to hear this and states that he is eager to see the one from whom he was born again.

After Wrath has gone missing, Father appears before the corrupt officials who form Amestris' government and takes direct control of the country, stating that Amestris is under his protection. Shortly after, they learn that Mustang and his most trusted subordinates have defected. Father asks them what they think Mustang would do, as they know him better. Upon learning that they took Wrath's human wife hostage, he appears unimpressed, as he considers it a waste of time.

As the solar eclipse that Father needs to enact his plan is drawing near, Pride is defeated and trapped under a huge dome of the earth by the protagonists. However, Pride manages to send a Morse code that Father receives. The villain then orders Kimblee to go and free him. A while later, Roy Mustang starts an insurrection and Brigadier General Olivia Armstrong, another ally of the Elrics, takes one of the corrupt official's hostage. Father then orders Sloth to go and kill her but the giant homunculus is destroyed in the ensuing fight.

Gaining godhood


As the protagonists invade Father's lair to kill him, Hohenheim is the first to reach his "little friend from the flask." After launching several attacks, Father turns the ground liquid and plunges into it, striking Hohenheim from behind to absorb his alchemic power, but instead his entire body gets destroyed from the inside. Hohenheim explains that he managed to communicate with the more than 500 000 souls that make him a Philosopher's Stone, allowing them to retain their self-awareness, and gained them to his cause. The reaction triggered by Hohenheim's souls destroys Father's humanoid body, but the villain has evolved and no longer needs it. He exits his container and devours it, before quickly defeating Hohenheim and absorbing him within his body.

Father is next seen when an Alchemist Doctor under his command performs a ritual to teleport Edward, Alphonse and Izumi in his throne room. He is surprised that the fifth sacrifice has yet to see the Truth but confident that it will happen soon. Indeed Pride soon appears with Roy Mustang, whom he forced through the Gate of Truth. Shortly after, Mei Chang manages to barge into the throne room despite the fact that it has been engulfed within Father's body and should prevent all intrusion. Mei quickly attacks Father, demanding to be granted immortality, but he effortlessly blasts her away before pinning the sacrifices on a transmutation circle and performing the ritual. Greed then appears and attempts to hijack the ritual for his own gain, but to no avail.

The nation-wide circle rips the soul of the more that 50 million people all over Amestris (save from those who are near the throne room) which Father absorbs within himself, while the circle formed by the eclipse open the Gate of the World and allows Father to absorb the entire Truth. Father then re-emerges, having become a God and looking like a teenage Hohenheim, and sarcastically thanks the sacrifices for their help.

The final battle
Father nullifies the Amestrian Alchemy for good before sending a gigantic energy blast from the roof to dispose of the sacrifices, but Hohenheim manages to block it. Father then destroys the ground below them but Mei, who can still use Alkahestry, manages to use Father's own energy to cancel his attack.

As Father is preparing to obliterate the entire room, Hohenheim activates his backup plan and by using the umbra (the moon's shadow) and the Xerxesian souls that he spread in the ground at several points of the border, he performs his own ritual to send all the Amestrian souls that Father absorbed back into their unscathed bodies.

By doing so, he deprives Father of the energy he needs to keep the Truth within him. Shortly after, Scar activates the Alkahestry ritual that the protagonists prepared, which restores Amestrian Alchemy and makes it work from the energy of the world instead of Father's, making it much more powerful than before. With their power back, the protagonists start a counterattack.

In spite of the strain caused by the Truth, he can no longer contain, Father is still able to cancel all the protagonists' attacks. Knowing that his energy supplies won't last long, the villain heads towards the surface to absorb more souls, tailed by the protagonists. There, Father toys with Hohenheim by spawning several of the Xerxesian souls within him into new bodies, before unleashing a titanic energy blast that obliterates the Central Military Headquarters and the reborn Xerxesians, cripples Hohenheim and nearly destroys Alphonse's armor (as they protected the others).

As Father is about to absorb them all, he gets attacked by all the soldiers around, upon Brigadier General Olivia Armstrong's and Commander Alex Louis Armstrong's orders. All the remaining protagonists then enter the fray and unleash an endless onslaught of attacks on Father, so that he would waste all his energy by canceling it.They drive the villain into a corner but he lets Greed stab him, intending to absorb back his Philosopher's Stone to replenish his own strength.

However, it appears that Greed let himself get caught to lower Father's guard, allowing Edward to strike him. Father is still able to counter it, destroying Ed's prosthetic arm, but this finally makes him reach his limit. Exhausted by all these attacks, Father uses his last strength to blasts all his foes away with a tremendous surge of energy. Alphonse then sacrifices his soul to restore Edward's arm, as he is the only one still able to stand, and a livid Ed pummels Father with a barrage of alchemic attacks and punches that he can no longer block.

Desperate to survive, Father strikes Greed and absorbs him back from Ling Yao's body, but Greed uses his carbon power to turn Father's body into the weakest form of charcoal. Infuriated, Father destroys Greed's soul, only for Edward to punch a hole through his chest and finish him off.

With his body destroyed for good and all the power and souls he stole back where they belong, Father's soul is sent back to the Gate of Truth. He tries to justify his action stating that he was chasing his desire for knowledge. Despite his desperate and pathetic pleas, Father is dragged inside the Gate of Truth and gets dissolved back into the knowledge from which he was born.

It is implied that he will remain conscious there to meet his ultimate defeat and suffer for all eternity, with Truth stating that this is a fitting and ultimate punishment for those like him who trample on others to rise and believe themselves to be superior.