Father: YOUR FATHER? I'm surprised. So he had children. Hahahahahahahahahaha. If I'm not mistaken, your surname is Elric, is it not? He's alive... That's right... There's no way it would die... But to think it's even have children... But why?! I just wanted to understand this world's knowledge. I wanted to experience it, free. I just wanted to be free! FREE TO KNOW!

At the very beginning when he was only named "Homunculus", Father looked like an orb of dark matter, (likely pure, physical knowledge) who could form an eye, a grinning mouth, and some small tendrils. He had to remain in the flask in which he had been created, otherwise, he would have died. Lust: No, I still haven't heard from them. But I'm sure they'll successfully pinpoint the rats' hideout. He is both the original homunculus and a living Philosopher's Stone, created by Van Hohenheim; the father of the series' primary protagonists Edward and Alphonse Elric. Father remains unseen during the first part of the story. He is the secret builder and leader of the nation of Amestris, to sacrifice its population to pry open the Gate of Truth and become the new God. He is also the one who is responsible for the fall of Xerxes, he is both arch-nemesis of Van Hohenheim and Edward Elric. However, Father only has flawless control over these abilities thanks to the souls of the 50 million people Amestrians he'd consumed and when Hohenheim counteracts this with his own country-wide transmutation circle, Father is left only with the souls of the initial Xerxeans he'd consumed centuries prior leaving his body unstable and eventually leading to his defeat at the hands of Greed and Edward.

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As such he regards mankind as insignificant and treats people with extreme indifference. He states that his level of conscience is too different (and much higher) for humans to grasp, demonstrating huge levels of egomania. He caused countless gory slaughters, killed hundreds of thousands, trapping their souls in endless agony, and would have killed millions without so much as a qualm, but cannot bear the idea of not being in control of the situation. Father (in Japanese: お父様, Otō-sama), originally known as Homunculus or The Dwarf in the Flask (in Japanese: フラスコの中の小人, Homunkurus or Furasuko no Naka no Kobito), is the main antagonist in the Fullmetal Alchemist manga series and its second anime adaptation Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. Father's primary power is his seemingly limitless knowledge. He came to the world knowing already every existing concept. When he was first confronted with something, he demonstrated said knowledge by giving a dictionary-like definition of it. Since he comes from the Truth itself and was created through Alchemy, he knows everything about it and can put into practice Alchemic rituals of which mankind has never heard of. At the present, after expending his own supply of souls to create the Homunculi, Father looks like a tall, elderly man with long, platinum blond hair (unlike Hohenheim's golden blond hair) and a beard, golden eyes, and a wrinkled face with a third eye that can open on his forehead. Father is dressed in white royal garments which he took from the King of Xerxes' corpse. It would appear that you’re injured. And you’re missing your left hand, aren’t you? There and how’s that for you? Your arm is broken…

Father: Hohen… The name you said! By any chance do you mean Van Hohenheim? And how is it the two of you are acquainted with him?

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Father's original flask-bound form was most likely inspired by real-life concepts of Homunculi. Supposedly, if an alchemist was successful in creating such a being, he was to keep it inside of a glass flask for a certain period of time, as it would die in its "infancy" stage outside of it.

Edward Elric. Alphonse Elric. And... Van Hohenheim. The brothers' teacher, Izumi Curtis, has the potential. When he became a living Philosopher's Stone, he used the blood he received from Hohenheim to create a duplicate of the latter's body to inhabit as well as escape his flask. Immediately after the transmutation of Xerxes, Father was fully identical to the physical form of Hohenheim.Yet, he only cares about Hohenheim and the Elrics because they are useful for his goals. Even his "children" are nothing but tools to his eyes, as evidenced when he did not pay the slightest bit of attention to Pride's highly weakened state, which he could have fixed in a matter of seconds, at the time of the final battle. This proves he is willing to cast aside his "love" for his children if it means attaining the knowledge he desires. Father: Are you mistaking me for someone? Hm? Wait... Hohen... Do you mean Van Hohenheim? What is your relation to him? Homunculus: Slave? "Humans with no rights or freedom who are bought, sold, and exchanged between other humans in legal conveynence", right? Kid, hey kid. Hellooooo. Anyone home? Ah, you're ignoring me. Come here. C'mon, over here. On the shelf. Here. Father's image bears a striking resemblance with the image concept of God as an old man with robes in multiple religions. Ironically, the nature and symbolism of his origin, methods, and goals actually make him the closest analog the Fullmetal Alchemist franchise has to Satan.

Father: … He’s your father?! I had no idea he had children! Haha! … If you are indeed his progeny, then why is it your family name is Elric? Foolish"? I do not think that. Do you humans see a beetle crawling on the ground and think of it as "foolish"? Even when an insect is struggling, aren't your levels so different that you don't spare any emotion? What I feel towards you humans is the same as that.The gate that Father appears in front of is completely blank, indicates that he never learned anything, just like Truth stated. I only wanted to obtain perfection. I wanted this world's knowledge for my own. Why should I be punished for that? What's wrong with craving knowledge? What's wrong with seeking perfection?