Post by Raven Onyx Armstrong on Feb 19, 2013 20:28:16 GMT -5
Homunculus (Latin for "Little Human", plural Homunculi) refers to the mythological concept of an artificially created human, presumably brought into existence by certain means of alchemy. Though a common concept, well known and understood by alchemists in Amestris, the idea of homunculi is regarded as no more than a farce or faraway fantasy as no individual or group of alchemists has come anywhere close to successfully creating such a being in officially recorded history. Even so, alchemists have been forbidden by the Amestrian government to attempt or research in the transmutation of humans and State Alchemists have such a restriction as part of their creed.
However, off the official record, not only one, but several of these creatures have been created in arcane, sinister secrecy. In the most relevant sense of the word, "Homunculus" refers to the eight individuals who make up the main antagonistic group of the Fullmetal Alchemist series. These created humans, named for the seven deadly sins (Pride, Lust, Greed, Envy, Sloth, Gluttony and Wrath), along with their Father, are beings with incredible longevity, astonishing regenerative properties and a host of varied superhuman abilities. The Homunculi usually carry the mark of the Ouroboros upon their bodies and are identified as such by said mark.
Characteristics
Homunculi all carry the form of human beings, albeit some of them with exaggerated features. Some of them have cat-like slits for pupils, pointed teeth, pale skin, and each are marked with an Ouroboros tattoo somewhere on their body. The placement of their tattoo is often in accordance with the sin they represent (Greed's is on his hand, Gluttony's on his tongue, and Lust's right above her cleavage).
Despite being replicate humans, however, Homunculi are still aberrations of nature created by violating the flow of the natural universe, and as such, have no souls. This property gives them many physical dissimilarities to ensouled humans:
However, soullessness also acts as a disadvantage for the Homunculi.
Psychological Characteristics
Homunculi are depicted as amoral, sadistic, sociopathic, and harboring superiority complexes. They derive pleasure from seeing and inflicting human suffering and death, and see themselves as better than humans—in some cases as the next step in human evolution. Homunculi are portrayed as clearly evil characters, but toward the end of the series' run, they are each revealed to be very layered, complex individuals capable of love, grief, guilt and despair.
fma.wikia.com/wiki/Homunculus
However, off the official record, not only one, but several of these creatures have been created in arcane, sinister secrecy. In the most relevant sense of the word, "Homunculus" refers to the eight individuals who make up the main antagonistic group of the Fullmetal Alchemist series. These created humans, named for the seven deadly sins (Pride, Lust, Greed, Envy, Sloth, Gluttony and Wrath), along with their Father, are beings with incredible longevity, astonishing regenerative properties and a host of varied superhuman abilities. The Homunculi usually carry the mark of the Ouroboros upon their bodies and are identified as such by said mark.
Characteristics
Homunculi all carry the form of human beings, albeit some of them with exaggerated features. Some of them have cat-like slits for pupils, pointed teeth, pale skin, and each are marked with an Ouroboros tattoo somewhere on their body. The placement of their tattoo is often in accordance with the sin they represent (Greed's is on his hand, Gluttony's on his tongue, and Lust's right above her cleavage).
Despite being replicate humans, however, Homunculi are still aberrations of nature created by violating the flow of the natural universe, and as such, have no souls. This property gives them many physical dissimilarities to ensouled humans:
- Super-Human Abilities: Homunculi are physically superior to humans in every way. Their bodies are faster, stronger, and far more resilient than normal human bodies. They do not age (in most cases), are immune to all sicknesses and poisons, and can heal from any injury—even those resulting in death—as long as the energy from the red stones they consume is not depleted.
- Molecular Mutability: Because their bodies do not have souls, the constituent molecules that constitute the Homunculi's bodies can be rearranged to form other substances or to grant shape-changing abilities. The Homunculus Greed is able to rearrange the carbon bonds in his skin to turn it into diamond-hard armor; Gluttony's saliva is acidic enough for him to bite, chew through and digest substances of any hardness; Lust is able to change the shape of her fingers and form them into long-reaching lance-like weapons; and Envy can change the shape of his body into the form of any person or animal, or even into simple weaponry. For some reason, this ability gives all of the Homunculi the ability to create their own clothing. It is black and can either cover or remain beneath the red circle patterns that decorate their limbs. These 'nodes' likely serve as the key circulatory systems that supply them with their seemingly limitless energy.
However, soullessness also acts as a disadvantage for the Homunculi.
- Non-Alchemists: Because Homunculi do not have souls, they are incapable of opening the Gate inside them and are thus unable to perform alchemy. The sole exception to this is Wrath, who is only able to perform alchemy because he possesses Edward Elric's lost limbs. However, Wrath eventually loses Edward's limbs, along with the ability to perform alchemy.
- Artificiality: Because the Homunculi are creatures created to replace certain persons who have died, coming into proximity with that person's remains results in the Homunculus becoming weakened to the point of immobility. Lust is shown to even faint when brought close to a lock of hair belonging to her original identity. Wrath is the only exception to this rule because he was actually transmuted from his own remains.
- The severity of reaction to their respective human-based remains appears to differ between Homunculi. Sloth and Lust were shown to be completely paralyzed when even near a small remnant of their original beings. In contrast, the homunculus Pride was revealed to handle his remains and would retain this ability, although being greatly troubled physically, so long as he couldn't directly see them. In his battle with Mustang he possessed enough strength to strangle his son with the nearby skull hidden, but was immobilized entirely when Mustang brought it into view (it's possible that he used up his remaining strengh murdering his son). Greed was also shown to show at least some maneuverability when exposed to bodily remains in Dante's mansion, although he was still greatly weakened. It's unknown how severely Envy and Gluttony would react to their original bodies if in their proximity, although it can be assumed that Envy possesses a similar capacity to Pride based on his strength and high ranking in Dante's faction. Gluttony's outcome is even more enigmatic, as it's insinuated that his body has undergone numerous changes over his existence and may experience a different physical response to his counterparts.
- Depleted Life Energy: If a Homunculus is depleted of the energy of the red stones they consume, they are reduced to having a single life, making them as vulnerable as any other creature. This can be done by killing them repeatedly or by utilizing the Flamel transmutation, which causes the red stones in the Homunculus to be regurgitated and then disintegrate, leaving the Homunculus with only its original life intact. Homunculi reduced to this vulnerable state are no less dangerous than usual, however, but can be killed with one lethal blow, the same way as any human.
Psychological Characteristics
Homunculi are depicted as amoral, sadistic, sociopathic, and harboring superiority complexes. They derive pleasure from seeing and inflicting human suffering and death, and see themselves as better than humans—in some cases as the next step in human evolution. Homunculi are portrayed as clearly evil characters, but toward the end of the series' run, they are each revealed to be very layered, complex individuals capable of love, grief, guilt and despair.
fma.wikia.com/wiki/Homunculus