Envy (Fullmetal Alchemist)

Envy, also known as Envy the Jealous and Cobbled-together Envy, is a character from the Fullmetal Alchemist series.
== Charactah Account ==
A misanthropic, psychopathic little shape-shifter. If Envy can kick the dog, Envy will. Father's chief spy and instigator. They specialize in causing discord and being a dirty coward when things don't go their way.
Envy is by far the cruelest Homunculus, joking around and delighting in human misery. Envy will kill without hesitation, usually playing on their target's emotions to have a psychological advantage, with no remorse for what they have done. They even take pride in the suffering they inflict, going so far as to boast about starting the Ishvalan War and ruining the reputations, lives, and souls of thousands with only a single, effortless move. Envy's only personal intention is to make humans fight each other and suffer.
Beneath this cruel and aggressive exterior, however, Envy is secretly jealous of humans' inner strength and the mutually beneficial friendships that they share, as most of Envy's kind show little real concern or emotional support for one another. This jealousy motivates Envy to hate and mistreat humans very personally; more personally, in fact, than any other homunculus.
== Appearance ==
=== Anime ===
* Fullmetal Alchemist
* Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
* Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood - 4-Koma Theater
* Fullmetal Alchemist: Premium Collection
* Fullmetal Alchemist: Reflections
* Fullmetal Alchemist: The Movie - Conqueror of Shamballa
=== Manga ===
* Fullmetal Alchemist
=== Video Games ===
* Crash Fever
* Full Bokko Heroes X
* Fullmetal Alchemist 2: Curse of the Crimson Elixir
* Fullmetal Alchemist and the Broken Angel
* Fullmetal Alchemist Trading Card Game
* Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
* Fullmetal Alchemist: Daughter of the Dusk
* Fullmetal Alchemist: Dual Sympathy
* Fullmetal Alchemist: To the Promised Day
* Monster Strike
* The Alchemist Code
* Unison League
== Trivia ==
* How Envy changes forms is slightly different in the two anime versions. In the 2003 anime, Envy takes a new form by having a line of light go over their body at a rather quick pace. However, in the 2009 anime, the color of the morphing process is red, discharges some electricity, and is slower, looking very similar to a transmutation (red sparks are common for transmutations with the Philosopher's Stone).
* Despite having the same powers and preferred appearance, Envy's fighting styles and the reason for their invidiousness are extremely different between the 2003 anime and its manga counterpart. However, both share the same sadism and hatred toward humanity.
* In the English Dub, Envy initially had a low and calm voice. During the last few episodes of the 2003 series, it changes to the louder and snarky tone that is used in the 2009 series.
* Envy's power to shape-shift, as well as having no constant gender, is very similar to the physical traits of Loki, the evil Norse god of trickery (which is sometimes referred to as a demi- or anti-god), who can change his shape to anything, including women. Envy's instigation methods are similar to the actions of Eris, the Greek goddess of discord and chaos, who took delight in causing mortals to fight among themselves and eventually brought about the Trojan War.
* Envy's hairstyle mimics the leaves of a mandrake, a plant with human-like roots associated with magic. In Chapter XVI of Eliphas Levi's findings, the Dogme et Rituel de la Haute Magie, alchemists were said to attempt the creation of Homunculi using mandrakes.
* Envy's true, monstrous form is loosely similar to the somewhat iconic Devilman antagonist Jinmen, another reptilian manga and anime villain. Jinmen was a demon turtle that grew the still-living faces of those he had eaten, with all of them appearing on his back shell, as manifestations of their own grudge against Jinmen for eating them and leaving them to scream in agony, much to his pleasure. In a failed plan to defeat the eponymous Devilman, Jinmen used one of Devilman's friends, a young child named Sachiko, as a distraction, not unlike how Envy distracted Edward with the Xerxian bodies.
** Also of note, in the sequel series, Devilman Lady, it is revealed that after being mortally injured Jinmen would revert to his true form, that of a normal sized fresh-water turtle. While in this form he could take possession of any life form that touches him, and by assimilating more bodies Jinmen would eventually reform to gargantuan size.
* In both continuities, the homunculus Envy dies in the form of a green non-human creature:
** Manga and 2009 anime - Envy dies (via suicide) as a miniature reptile-like creature after Edward had noticed their overall insecurity.
** 2003 anime - Envy dies in the form of a large draconic serpent after being transmuted alongside Hohenheim to activate a permanent portal.
* Envy is an incredibly popular character, coming higher on the fan poll than any other homunculus, making them the most popular.
* Envy was the only Homunculus to commit suicide.
* Discounting Pride (who can grow larger than Envy, but whose size is too dependent on light), Envy is the largest Homunculus, with their true form being about the size of a building.
* During their final fight with Roy Mustang, Envy's eyes are repeatedly boiled away by Roy's flames. This bears some similarity to the second terrace of Dante Alighieri "Purgatorio," in which the envious are cleansed by having their eyelids sewn shut.
* In many scenes during the second anime, Envy's hair has a greenish tint to it, albeit much darker. This is most likely referencing the first anime, where Envy's hair is green instead of black like in the manga. It, and the green skin color of their monstrous form could also be a subtle nod to the phrase "green with envy."
* Both the Japanese and English (2009 anime) voice actors for Envy voice a character in Claymore called Ilena ("Irene" in English).
* Envy seems to share a close bond with Lust, as she is one of the few Homunculi they regularly converse with in a friendly manner. After Lust is killed by Colonel Mustang, Envy protests Wrath's decision to let Mustang and his subordinates live, saying that they killed her and made fools out of them (suggesting that they are genuinely upset by Lust's death).
* Although they seemed to bicker, Envy and Greed shared two preferences: both of them would rather avoid fighting if possible and both enjoyed their respective human form's good looks.
** Envy's closeness to Lust and similarities to Greed make sense, as the concepts of envy and lust are similar sins, and envy goes hand-in-hand with greed.
* In Envy's playable appearance in Monster Strike, they are categorized as Male.
== Gallery ==
File:Envy (Fullmetal Alchemist) Render 01.png
File:Envy (Fullmetal Alchemist) Render 02.png
File:Envy (Fullmetal Alchemist) 01.png
File:Envy (Fullmetal Alchemist) 02.png
File:Envy (Fullmetal Alchemist) 03.png
File:Envy (Fullmetal Alchemist) 04.png
File:Envy (Fullmetal Alchemist) Fan Art 01.png
File:Envy (Fullmetal Alchemist) Fan Art 02.png
== External Links ==
* Envy at Fullmetal Alchemist Wiki
Category:Characters
Category:Gender-Neutral
Category:Fullmetal Alchemist