TV-Series
Description
Hohenheim Elric, also known as Hohenheim of Light, is the estranged father of the Elric brothers, Edward and Alphonse, and the husband of Trisha Elric. He is an alchemist of immense age and power, having lived for approximately four centuries by the time of the main story. His physical appearance is that of a tall, well-built man with blond hair and glasses, though his manner is often gentle, weary, and soft-spoken, likely a result of the immense burdens and the vast span of time he has endured. Despite his calm and seemingly absent-minded demeanor, he is deeply tormented by his past actions and choices.
His personal history is marked by tragedy and moral compromise. Around four hundred years before the series, Hohenheim successfully created the first Philosopher's Stone, using people who had been captured in witch hunts and those dying from the plague. The process nearly cost him his life, but his then-lover, Dante, used the newly created stone to tether his soul to another man's body. This event marked the beginning of their joint pursuit of immortality through the constant transfer of their souls into new vessels, a practice that continued for centuries. During this time, he and Dante had a son who died at the age of eighteen from mercury poisoning. In a desperate, forbidden act, Hohenheim performed a human transmutation to try and revive the boy. The transmutation failed, and instead created the first homunculus, Envy. Overcome with shame and regret for what he had created, Hohenheim fled from Dante, though he left her a portion of the Stone.
Eventually, Hohenheim came to the town of Resembool, where he met and fell in love with Trisha Elric. He has stated that she was the only woman he ever truly loved. They married and had two sons, Edward and Alphonse. However, the process of soul transference had a cumulative, erosive effect; his soul was slowly deteriorating and could no longer maintain a body without it beginning to decay. His current body was rotting, and he wore a strong perfume to mask the smell. Fearful of showing his deteriorating condition to his family and not wanting them to see him as a monster, he left Resembool when his sons were very young, offering no real explanation for his departure. His absence left Trisha to raise their children alone, and after her death, his sons grew to resent him, believing he had callously abandoned them.
Despite his peaceful and melancholic exterior, Hohenheim is driven by a few powerful motivations. The most significant is his profound, unwavering love for his wife, Trisha, and his sons, even though he is unable to be part of their lives. His primary motivation throughout the story is to atone for his mistakes, particularly the creation of the Philosopher's Stone and of Envy, and to protect his sons from the dangerous world he helped to create, especially from Dante. He directly confronts Dante, urging her not to involve his children in their ancient feud. His love for his family is his defining trait, and he ultimately seeks to make amends for the pain he has caused them.
Hohenheim's relationships are central to the tragedy of his character. He is the object of deep hatred and resentment from his eldest son, Edward, who blames him for the hardships Trisha endured and for her subsequent death. His younger son, Alphonse, is more curious and forgiving, seeking to understand his father. His relationship with Envy is one of horror and regret; the homunculus was born from his failed attempt to save a child, a constant reminder of his greatest sin. His relationship with Dante is a thing of the distant past, and he stands in opposition to her cruel and manipulative nature. The only pure relationship he has is with the memory of his late wife, Trisha, whose grave he visits to mourn.
As a character, Hohenheim is revealed to be neither a hero nor a straightforward villain, but a deeply flawed man. He is tired and worn down by his long, unnatural life, and he has accepted that the body he inhabits will continue to decay. He eventually ends up on the other side of the Gate in a parallel world that resembles Earth in the early 20th century. There, he reunites with the soul of his son Edward. In the conclusion of the series, he makes the ultimate sacrifice for his son. He uses his own body and Envy to create a gate, allowing Edward to return to his own world. He dies in the process, finally achieving a kind of peace and atonement.
Notably, his abilities as an alchemist are vast. He is known as Hohenheim of Light, a nickname that likely derives from his alchemical specialty which seems to involve the manipulation of light, potentially through the use of ice crystals. He is powerful enough to fight against Dante without much difficulty and does not appear to require a standard transmutation circle to perform alchemy.
His personal history is marked by tragedy and moral compromise. Around four hundred years before the series, Hohenheim successfully created the first Philosopher's Stone, using people who had been captured in witch hunts and those dying from the plague. The process nearly cost him his life, but his then-lover, Dante, used the newly created stone to tether his soul to another man's body. This event marked the beginning of their joint pursuit of immortality through the constant transfer of their souls into new vessels, a practice that continued for centuries. During this time, he and Dante had a son who died at the age of eighteen from mercury poisoning. In a desperate, forbidden act, Hohenheim performed a human transmutation to try and revive the boy. The transmutation failed, and instead created the first homunculus, Envy. Overcome with shame and regret for what he had created, Hohenheim fled from Dante, though he left her a portion of the Stone.
Eventually, Hohenheim came to the town of Resembool, where he met and fell in love with Trisha Elric. He has stated that she was the only woman he ever truly loved. They married and had two sons, Edward and Alphonse. However, the process of soul transference had a cumulative, erosive effect; his soul was slowly deteriorating and could no longer maintain a body without it beginning to decay. His current body was rotting, and he wore a strong perfume to mask the smell. Fearful of showing his deteriorating condition to his family and not wanting them to see him as a monster, he left Resembool when his sons were very young, offering no real explanation for his departure. His absence left Trisha to raise their children alone, and after her death, his sons grew to resent him, believing he had callously abandoned them.
Despite his peaceful and melancholic exterior, Hohenheim is driven by a few powerful motivations. The most significant is his profound, unwavering love for his wife, Trisha, and his sons, even though he is unable to be part of their lives. His primary motivation throughout the story is to atone for his mistakes, particularly the creation of the Philosopher's Stone and of Envy, and to protect his sons from the dangerous world he helped to create, especially from Dante. He directly confronts Dante, urging her not to involve his children in their ancient feud. His love for his family is his defining trait, and he ultimately seeks to make amends for the pain he has caused them.
Hohenheim's relationships are central to the tragedy of his character. He is the object of deep hatred and resentment from his eldest son, Edward, who blames him for the hardships Trisha endured and for her subsequent death. His younger son, Alphonse, is more curious and forgiving, seeking to understand his father. His relationship with Envy is one of horror and regret; the homunculus was born from his failed attempt to save a child, a constant reminder of his greatest sin. His relationship with Dante is a thing of the distant past, and he stands in opposition to her cruel and manipulative nature. The only pure relationship he has is with the memory of his late wife, Trisha, whose grave he visits to mourn.
As a character, Hohenheim is revealed to be neither a hero nor a straightforward villain, but a deeply flawed man. He is tired and worn down by his long, unnatural life, and he has accepted that the body he inhabits will continue to decay. He eventually ends up on the other side of the Gate in a parallel world that resembles Earth in the early 20th century. There, he reunites with the soul of his son Edward. In the conclusion of the series, he makes the ultimate sacrifice for his son. He uses his own body and Envy to create a gate, allowing Edward to return to his own world. He dies in the process, finally achieving a kind of peace and atonement.
Notably, his abilities as an alchemist are vast. He is known as Hohenheim of Light, a nickname that likely derives from his alchemical specialty which seems to involve the manipulation of light, potentially through the use of ice crystals. He is powerful enough to fight against Dante without much difficulty and does not appear to require a standard transmutation circle to perform alchemy.