Roy Mustang

Subject: Roy Mustang Fri Sep 11, 2009 10:16 pm

Roy Mustang
Roy Mustang Vlcsnap-5524525

Outwardly arrogant and playfully manipulative, Mustang is intelligent and adaptable. These traits usually ensure that he is always one step ahead of his opponents. He also likes to feel in control of the situation. He is one of the superiors of Edward Elric. At the beginning of the series, he appears to be nothing more than a ruthless careerist and a shameless womanizer. However, he is 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 friends. Riza Hawkeye and Roy seem to share a closer relationship in all adaptations of Fullmetal Alchemist; she identifies him as her most precious person and says she will lose her resolve to live if he dies. He also feels obligated to look out for the Elric Brothers, though he and Ed maintain an antagonistic relationship; he is the only one to commonly refer to Ed as "Fullmetal" after they become fellow "dogs of the military". This stems from his experience in the Ishbal War where he was forced to kill using his flame alchemy, despite having learned it to help people. After the war ended, however, his fellow soldiers thanked him for saving their lives. Mustang resolves to protect his subordinates and feels personally responsible for their well being, placing their safety above his own. Though a hero of the Ishbal War, he remains haunted by the horrors of war and suffers great remorse for the lives of civilians he took.

A powerful alchemist in his own right, Mustang wears gloves with transmutation circles on them that are made of a material called "pyrotex/ignition cloth" 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. He has also been shown to have full control over his flames, such as being able to cause both fatal and non-fatal burns.

Mustang is often considered "useless" on rainy days because when his ignition cloth gloves are wet they cannot create sparks. However, in the manga his alchemy is actually achieved by using the transmutation circle on his gloves to split water molecules in the air, which means as long as he has some way to call up flame, such as a match or a lighter, and a transmutation circle, he can use his alchemy.

Following Hughes's death, Mustang investigates the incident in secret despite the military closing the case after convicting Maria Ross. Trusting in Ross's innocence, and with the help of Barry the Chopper, Mustang uses his alchemy skills to fake Ross's death and engineer her escape from Amestris. While breaking into a military laboratory with Barry's help, Lust confronts Mustang and Havoc. Mustang proceeds to mercilessly shoot flames at Lust, to the point where her Philosopher's Stone is unable to fuel her regenerative powers, killing her. Mustang later helps in transporting Ed's friends and a tied-up Gluttony to a deserted house in the woods. However, Gluttony does not hold long, and breaks free. Mustang manages to escape by car, leaving Ed, Al, and Lin Yao to battle Gluttony.

Since discovering that King Bradley is a homunculus, he tries to expose him to the top echelons of the military. This move costs Mustang and deprives him of his subordinates - King Bradley places Riza Hawkeye under his command and authorizes the transfer of Mustang's remaining personnel to the far reaches of Amestris. Mustang is later contacted by Major General Olivier Armstrong through an old flower-seller, who reveals that Olivier is intending for the "sword" of East Area troops under Mustang's command to join with the "shield" of the Briggs mountain range troops in order to protect Briggs, and wants Mustang's cooperation. He finally manages to meet Hawkeye in person, who manages to tell him that Bradley's son is a homunculus. He then meets up with his subordinates and the four attack Central's military while Führer Bradley is "gone." Mustang later confronts Envy after he discovers he was Hughes' murderer. As Roy prepares to kill Envy, Hawkeye, Ed and Scar convince him not to kill Envy, as revenge is not the way. Later, Bradley and Pride attack Roy and forcing him to use alchemy to become the fifth human sacrifice for Father's plans. This results in Roy losing his eyesight as part of the sacrifice.