Highlights
- The Homunculi in Fullmetal Alchemist met ironic deaths, reflecting the deadly vices they embodied.
- Characters like Roy Mustang and Scar played crucial roles in defeating the Homunculi.
- Each Homunculus faced a unique demise, showcasing the ultimate irony of their fate.
Fullmetal Alchemist’s antagonism was carried out by a group of artificial humans known as the Homunculi. Born out of the power of the Philosopher’s Stone, the Homunculi were based on each of the seven deadly vices that are characteristic of humans. While the reference to the biblical sins had no implication for the plot, these vices were symbolic of the Homunculi’s eventual fate.
The Homunculi fell one by one throughout Fullmetal Alchemist, with some being subjected to a clear demise, while others were defeated through obscure methods. The underlying subtext in each Homunculus’ death is the irony of their fate, as they became victims to the exact vice they reflected.
Lust
Killed By a Lustful Man
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First Appearance |
Episode 1 “Fullmetal Alchemist” |
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Air Date |
April 5, 2009 |
Lust was the first among the Homunculi to be killed off permanently, with her fiery death becoming an iconic scene in the series. Her regenerative powers were initially believed to be far too strong, which meant killing her off was next to impossible. However, Roy Mustang was able to defy all odds by using Havoc’s lighter and incinerating Lust through a flurry of flame attacks.
I hate losing, but there are worse ways to die than at the hands of a man like you.
Lust’s Philosopher’s Stone was unable to keep up with the flame’s incineration, eventually losing its power. Lust reflected the human vice of carnal pleasure, yet she was killed off by a womanizer who embodied the same deadly sin. Roy also held a lust for power, meaning he was the perfect character to eliminate the embodiment of this vice.
Envy
Took His Own Life Out of Jealousy and Resentment
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First Appearance |
Episode 5, “Rain of Sorrows” |
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Air Date |
May 3, 2009 |
Envy became another victim of Roy’s wrath after he revealed that he was the one behind Maes Hughes’ death. Roy’s rage fueled his attacks, and the intensity of the flames reflected his sentiments of anger and grief. After being burnt to a crisp, Envy’s real body is revealed to be a shriveled little gecko-like serpent creature.
Me, Envy, being understood by this kid? That’s the ultimate humiliation.
Envy was already defeated and on the verge of death at the hands of Roy, yet he decided to rip out his own Philosopher’s Stone to end his life. His jealousy and bitterness towards humans forced him to take his own life, an ironic death for a character based on the human vice of envy.
Gluttony
Eaten Up By Pride’s Shadows
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First Appearance |
Episode 5, “Rain of Sorrows” |
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Air Date |
May 3, 2009 |
Gluttony’s role in Fullmetal Alchemist is often overshadowed by the other Homunculi, though he still serves a crucial role in Father’s overall plans. Often accompanying Lust, Gluttony aids his fellow Homunculi through his sharp sense of smell and taste, making it easy to track his prey. However, the very same sense became the reason for his eventual downfall after he was of no use to the group.
No… don’t eat me… It hurts!
During Pride and Gluttony’s face off against Edward and Alphonse, Pride was unexpectedly overpowered, and the darkness rendered his vision useless against the brothers. Since Gluttony was already injured and of no use, Pride consumed Gluttony and his Philosopher’s Stone, gaining both his sense of smell and his strength. Gluttony devoured a number of characters throughout the series, making his death from being eaten alive quite befitting and ironic.
Sloth
Disintegrated Due to Overexertion
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First Appearance |
Episode 14, “Those Who Lurk Underground” |
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Air Date |
July 5, 2009 |
Sloth is the toughest one out of all the Homunculi, even serving as Father’s guardian due to his brute strength and easily-influenced nature. Naturally, defeating such a behemoth of a monster would not be an easy task, which was proven to be true after Olivier and Alex Armstrong battled the beast.
However, they were able to overpower Sloth only after Izumi and her husband Sig joined the fight. Sloth still had some fight left in him, yet his Philosopher’s Stone gave up and his body began to disintegrate. Sloth truly reflected the vice of laziness, as he was never exactly fond of fighting and preferred to sleep instead. However, he ends up dying by overexerting himself in battle, a demise that is laced with irony.
Wrath
Died with Content and Peace
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First Appearance |
Episode 14, “Those Who Lurk Underground” |
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Air Date |
July 5, 2009 |
Similar to a few other Homunculi, Wrath’s demise also came on the Promised Day after he fought Scar in a battle to the death. The two dealt lethal blows to each other, and while Scar was able to survive his injuries, Wrath succumbed to his bleeding wounds. However, Wrath’s death was unlike any of the other Homunculi, as his end was far less brutal.
Thanks to you humans, it was, to some degree, a good life, one worth living.
During his final moments, Wrath contemplated his life and came to the conclusion that the life he lived was worth living for. He passed away content and satisfied with his life, a luxury that none of his counterparts were fortunate enough to experience. As the embodiment of Wrath, such a peaceful demise is truly metaphorical, even more so as his killer was a man once consumed by vengeance.
Greed
Sacrificed Himself For Others
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First Appearance |
Episode 13, “Beasts of Dublith” |
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Air Date |
June 28, 2009 |
Greed was killed twice in the series, with his first death being at the hands of his own kin. After he refused to work for Father, Greed was melted in a pot of boiling gold, a death symbolic of the embodiment of human greed. However, he was later brought back after his Philosopher’s Stone was merged with Ling Yao’s body.
I don’t need anything more… they gave me everything I could want.
The second and final time, Greed died from self-sacrifice as he turned Father’s body into carbon brittle from the inside, an act that forced Father to kill him. Despite being the sin of selfishness, Greed’s final actions were truly selfless, as he laid down his life just to keep his friends safe. His death was quite poetic, as he had found what he wanted in life in the form of friends, meaning he died without any sentiments of greed.
Pride
Spared By Edward and Reduced to an Inferior Form
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First Appearance |
Episode 37, “The First Homunculus” |
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Air Date |
December 20, 2009 |
Pride is the only Homunculus that wasn’t killed off in the traditional sense. While Pride’s soul was destroyed by Edward, a fragment of his human form remained, which was revealed to be a fetus that could fit in Edward’s palm. Instead of destroying this final remnant, Ed decided to spare Pride, an action that is quite symbolic considering Ed was known for his ego.
The series’ final scenes showcase Pride’s remnant grown into the same Selim Bradley, but without any of his memories or evil intentions. He was even shown caring for an injured bird, which clearly indicates a kind soul. Pride’s only vice was believing he was superior to all others, yet he was eventually reduced to a human form that he once considered inferior.
Father
Dragged into the Gate of Truth For All of Eternity
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First Appearance |
Episode 1 “Fullmetal Alchemist” |
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Air Date |
April 5, 2009 |
Father’s demise was sealed at the exact moment he absorbed the power of god, as he lacked the strength to contain such an almighty power. To control this power, Father absorbed Greed, who ended up betraying him and causing his limbs to become fickle. In such a weakened state, a final punch from Edward defeated Father and released not only God but the souls of the people of Amestris.
Go back to wherever you were born, Dwarf in the Flask, Homunculus!
However, this wasn’t the end for Father, as he was then reduced to his original state — the Dwarf in the Flask. In this state, he had an encounter with Truth, who then dragged him into the Gate of Truth with no way to return. Unlike Edward, who was able to return from the Gate of Truth, Father’s soul was locked inside forever, sending him into a state of stasis of sorts.
Fullmetal Alchemist is available to stream on Prime Video.
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