Another Fullmetal Alchemist manifesto.
Title: The Flipped Tide
Author: Ambre [hieronymousb]
E-mail: perjautse@gmail.com
Fandom: Fullmetal Alchemist
Pairing: Ed x Envy.
Spoilers: End of series, series, movie.
Special Thanks: Thank you to cryogenia for looking over this essay and giving me a critical, unbiased opinion from a non-shipper; thank you to everyone who helped make this manifesto possible, and thank you to herongale for the title. I only hope I've done the pairing justice.
Word count: Just about 4000 words exactly, says my program.
Disclaimer
This ship manifesto is based largely upon my own opinions for the EdxEnvy pairing, although I will try to list some alternative views. EdxEnvy is a pairing which many different people write in many different ways, and it would be difficult if not impossible to catalogue the entire spectrum here. Specifically, my essay will only deal with fics which are based on either the anime or manga canon, primarily the anime canon. In other words, I am not including any AU representations of EdxEnvy in this manifesto.
Lastly, there will be **spoilers** scattered throughout this manifesto; it will contain series spoilers, end of series spoilers, and movie spoilers. Fullmetal Alchemist is no longer a new series, and all of its episodes have been broadcast on American television in dubbed format, so it's unlikely that you will be unfamiliar with much of what I present here. Nevertheless, here is your fair warning. Spoilers, spoilers, spoilers!
Characters and Story
Edward Elric is the titular character of Fullmetal Alchemist, the youngest person ever to pass the State Alchemist exam. Edward and his younger brother Alphonse were wounded in a failed attempt to revive their dead mother, Trisha, with alchemy. Edward lost one arm and one leg, thereafter replaced with automail (metal limbs attached to nerve endings--they function as do flesh limbs); Alphonse suffered the loss of his entire body, but Edward managed to bind his soul to a suit of armour. Together, they seek the Philosopher's Stone in the hopes of using it to bypass the law of equivalent exchange (aka the law of conservation of mass and energy aka touka koukan).
Throughout the series, Edward exhibits moments of profound anger and rage, gentleness and amicability, angst, and extraordinary intelligence towards matters of the scientific. Like a real human being, Edward is a mass of contradictions. He is both a cynic and an idealist, lauding science and alchemy while deeming religion a sham, yet all the while cleaving to his own personal ideal: equivalent exchange. Edward is disappointed when he finds himself unable to prevent harm to those he cares for, as we see with his despair over Nina's death. Indeed, the plot of Fullmetal Alchemist centres on Edward's journey to restore his lost limbs and--more importantly to him--to restore Alphonse to a flesh body.
Envy, the other half of this pairing, is an ancient homunculus (artificial humans created when people attempt to revive their loved ones with alchemy), estimated to be about four hundred years old. Envy is not exactly a sociable sort, given that he hates all humans, disdains his fellow homunculi, and follows his master only so he can kill more people. His hobbies include killing and genocide. He can shapeshift, and his master, Dante, uses him to run various spy and assassination missions for her. Envy is a sneaky, lying, murderous, hateful creature, seemingly a complete opposite from the noble and heroic Edward.
Seemingly.
Long lost brothers
In episode 50, we discover Envy's true form: Surprise, surprise! The Sin of Envy was created when Hohenheim attempted to revive his and Dante's deceased son. In other words, Envy's human predecessor was Edward's brother...in a sense. Hohenheim fathered his first son in a different body, and since homunculi presumably do not carry the DNA of the humans they were meant to be, Envy has no actual blood relationship to Edward.
What, then, was the point of giving Envy this identity?
To me, the answer is simple. I believe we are invited to compare and contrast Edward and Envy; while their "bond" is superficial and flimsy, it does serve to direct my attention to the fact that there is likely meant to be a kind of symbolic parallel between them. It seems reasonable to contend that Envy is Edward's Jungian shadow. Envy is the id to Edward's ego; he is pure drive and desire, unbridled anger and rage. Edward struggles against his own conscience at certain points during the series, such as in Laboratory Five and after the fight with Greed. Envy, like Edward, is prone to bursts of anger, but unlike Edward, he has no conscience, and he never attempts to restrain himself except when Dante orders him to do so.
Envy and Edward are not complete opposites. They both resent Hohenheim. They submit to masters in order to achieve their own desires (Edward joins the military and Envy serves Dante). They are both singleminded in their goals; Edward drives forward and does all that he does in the name of love, whereas Envy's "life" and days are all about hate. Both of them are determined, steadfast, obstinate. Edward is sensitive about his height; Envy is sensitive about the fact that he was abandoned by his father in the early stages of his existence. Granted, sensitive doesn't seem like a term one would apply to Envy, but I think his outbursts show a great deal of personal sensitivity; after all, a less sensitive person would just let things go, right?
As stated above, Ed and Envy possess certain similar qualities. In spite of this, Edward has a more socially acceptable sense of morality; he is a tamed spirit, whereas Envy is primal and wild. I feel they are complements, and I enjoy writing their struggles and watching them "check" and "balance" one another as the dark and light sides of a single wholeness. Because of the particular importance that Envy places on Edward, I think Ed has the capability to reach Envy in ways that no other human besides Hohenheim could manage. Envy may hate Edward, may be obsessed with him, may want his blood and life and everything which belongs to the boy, but I don't think he can ignore Ed. I don't think he's capable of that level of indifference.
Quoting kalliel:
One of the reasons I think Ed x Envy fic works better than other pairings of equally unlikely canonic appearance does have to do with the notion of hurt/comfort-fic-without-the-comfort. Characterisations aside, the two supply endless situations where they could beat each other into the ground, but also ones where they might find it necessary to spare the other, be it born out of necessity, or simply because he wants to prolong the pain. >.> Seeing a drawn out struggle between the two makes readers want to do things pretty much akin to what you mentioned up there - swaddle them in blankets and give them cups of tea.
Then, of course, some fics actually give the reader exactly what they want - in Roy x Ed sick!fics, or blanket scenarios, or what-have-you, Roy (or Ed) might seriously swaddle his love interest in blankets and administer hot tea.
For Ed and Envy, it ain't going to happen. (And when it does, most of the time the fic ceases to 'work,' in my eyes.) The suspense is kept, and the intense feeling of cooing over an injured/tortured/beat-into-a-puddle-of-goo character remains.
I agree with these statements. I have come to realize, during my time writing this pairing, that I really do love seeing Ed and Envy placed into situations which are so desperate that they must rely on one another for aid and comfort. I think Ed can challenge Envy's beliefs, make him work for his own idiosyncrasies. While we never saw this happen between Ed and Envy in the series, we know that Edward doesn't put up with emotional nonsense (though he has a lot of his own); remember Ed's speech to Rose in episode two? Ed can be very blunt with zealous, ludicrously emotional people, and I feel that Envy needs a "master" like that, someone who won't simply tell him what he wants to hear, as Dante is prone to doing.
To quote asingulargirl:
It is my belief that Envy is pretty much like an attack dog. He has been trained to be vicious and cruel. Both Dante and his own experience have conditioned him to be hateful and antagonistic to the extreme. However, just like an attack dog, the right person can control him if they show enough dominance to do so: someone who is not afraid to kick Envy in the head, as you said earlier, and send him yelping if necessary. Ed, with the right set-up, can definitely be that person.
And given Envy's "attack dog" mentality, if he is provided for, he is naturally going to be drawn to that provider, even if it goes against every fiber of his being. Because Envy has really, for all his spite and vitriol and power, always been dependent on someone for his basic needs-whether he admits it or not.
And what would this do for Edward? Primarily, I believe it would enhance his own patience and maturity. A friend once told me she thinks Ed "acts up" and rants about things like his height when he's in comfortable situations, when he's around people who won't chastise him for his immature outbursts. I believe this is probably true, given that we see Ed acting far more adult when confronted with serious conflict. Ed is growing up, but having to deal with someone like Envy might just push his limits; I think overcoming his own flaws and weaknesses and having to look those in the face would give Ed great personal growth.
But don't they hate each other?
It would be more accurate to say that Envy hates Edward. Edward, for the most part, seems not to think of Envy when the two are not in close physical proximity. And why should he? In the anime canon, he has no idea why Envy hates him so much. In episode 22, Envy informs Edward that, "I'll never forgive you for carrying that bastard's blood in your veins!"
Assuming Ed was even paying attention to this statement (he was on the ground coughing at the time it was spoken), he knows that Envy hates him and Hohenheim, but there's no way he could know why, and it's not a matter that the anime ever shows Edward giving any thought to. Envy, on the other hand, gives Edward much thought. When we are first introduced to Envy, in episode 14, he mentions Edward; in his next appearance, episode 19, he mentions Edward again. In episode 22, one of the Laboratory Five sequences, Envy and Ed meet for the first time, and Envy seems to completely lose control of his temper. Indeed, Lust has to tell Envy to stop kicking Edward, because Envy seems to have no intention of ceasing.
Perhaps you, like many, feel that Envy's hatred of Edward is detrimental to the appeal of the pairing. I do not. I actually believe that Edward's apathy towards Envy is a greater obstacle to overcome, but I'll get to that momentarily.
The reason I prefer the anime over the manga when it comes to EdxEnvy is because I think Envy's feelings toward Edward are much more specialized in the anime. In both, they are enemies, but in the anime, Envy has a strong personal reason for hating Edward: Ed replaced him. Ed stole his identity. Envy regards Hohenheim as his father (in the last episode, he tells the Gate to, "Take me to my father!"), and with Ed now in the position of Hohenheim's rightful heir, Envy thinks Edward has stolen everything which should be his. In episode 50, Envy informs Edward that he "doesn't like being replaced", thus making it apparent why Dante named him after the Sin of Envy. While he despises all humans, his hatred of the Elrics seems far more consuming and obsessive, to the point that he loses control of himself and his emotions when faced with them.
But why does this particular hate spring up around the Elrics? Let's consider this.
If Envy hates being replaced, then that means he actually wants Hohenheim, his creator, to be there for him. From this, one can easily believe that Envy's rage is a form of acting out, like a spoiled child who craves attention. Homunculi do not physically age (save for Pride, a special case, and I have no idea about Wrath; I consider this an anime oversight), and it may be logical to assume that they are also incapable of growing mentally and emotionally. Gluttony certainly exhibits toddler-like tendencies, and Envy's petty selfishness seems to reflect someone who has been a teenager for four centuries. If Envy sees Hohenheim in Edward--and indeed, he does refer to him as "the son of that bastard"--then Envy's obsession with Edward could easily include (or turn into) a desire for validation, the same validation that he wants so desperately from Hohenheim.
I feel that Envy's most sympathetic quality--perhaps his only sympathetic quality--lies in the fact that he sees himself as a victim, someone who has been mistreated. Others may disagree, but I feel that Envy has been mistreated, yet I feel it has mostly been at the hands of Dante, who has (as we see in episode 46) nurtured Envy's grudge against Hohenheim, Edward, and so on and so forth. I do not blame Dante, as I feel she is not in control of her own hatred, either; that is to say, I believe the woman is certifiably mad, and I think she most likely does believe in the hatred she encourages Envy to feel. In episodes 46-51, Envy serves Dante loyally, although in episode 49, he tells Alphonse that this is simply because it allows him to kill more people; he says he doesn't want to be human, and he writes humans off as worthless.
While I do not doubt Envy's urge for bloodshed, I do not think he was being wholly honest, not even with himself. All three of the younger homunculi--Lust, Sloth, and Wrath--express profound desire to become humans. I believe this is a natural need which Dante nourishes with her promises, rather like a parent telling her children that Santa Claus is real. If wanting to become a human is an innate part of being a homunculus, then surely Envy also once wished for humanity, and in some long-buried part of himself, he probably still does, however much he may deny it. I theorize, based on the evidence of Hohenheim, that Envy's anger and rage is born from his namesake emotion; the more he realizes he has been denied what he really wants out of existence, the more he resents everyone around him for simply being happy and being loved; Envy is older now, jaded. He knows he's caught inside of a prison of limitations, one he can never escape, and he deals with his bitter disappointment by projecting it onto his surroundings, as those who cannot look within themselves and accept their true feelings are prone to doing.
Quoting ranty_rie:
I do think Envy could be capable of tender emotion, not just in the mushy "let's turn a new leaf and start over" way that just kills his character. Seeing him as a creature that has been raised in a violent, aggressive environment, his first reaction to anything less than contempt thrown his way would be explosive. I don't think he craves it, the contrary, in fact, but I do think he shares that need along the rest of the homunculi. Being created, only to be abandoned and rejected as a faulty experiment, I think the possibility of being more than just a tool would be appealing. Envy's got a lot of issues of self confidence. He's confident on what he wants, what he fights for, but I doubt he's sure of who he is. Being forced to confront with Ed, who in that respect is very sure of himself, who he is and why, it would be a nasty shock.
What EdxEnvy comes down to, for me, at its very core, is wanting Edward to acknowledge Envy in a way that Hohenheim never did. I want Edward to look at Envy, to see him, to even understand him somewhat (perhaps eventually see past his lies to the hidden truths); it's not about wanting Ed to love Envy. Hell, he could even hate him. It's just about wanting Ed to pay attention to him, to give him the recognition that he seems to hunger after.
The crux of this ship is that relationships can exist for anyone, not only those who are "worthy" of them.
But why should Ed care?
Since Envy's obsession with Edward is already established in the series, the question becomes, how do we get Edward to even look in Envy's direction? Perhaps more pertinently, why should Edward give a damn about Envy?
Different authors tackle this in various manners. One popular method is forcing Edward to pay attention to Envy by having Envy rape him. Usually, this method doesn't really delve into the "pairing" as a pairing, but I will recommend one fic arc which contains the above theme and manages some depth out of it: lykomancer's Shakespearean Arc, or, individually-- Quintessence of Dust, More Sinned Against, To Thine Own Self, and Seem the Saint, Play the Devil.
Although each of these fics is smut-focused and claims to be "PWP" or "semi-PWP", I believe they (especially the final one) do a fantastic job of illustrating the psychological relationship between Ed and Envy, as well as showing what Edward means to Envy, and how Envy can affect Edward's mind and drag him into darkness. Lyko's done a number of EnvyxEd and EdxEnvy fics; you can find more on her fic journal, metamorphe, and on her Scimitar Smile archive, but I do believe the above series to be her most intriguing take on the EnvyxEd/EdxEnvy pairing.
The other style of EdxEnvy that I favour is taking away Envy's powers and forcing him to accept Edward's mercy. This is situationally more difficult, but it does make for good plots, and there are many ways you can manage this feat. One fanfic which employs this method is chauni's Between Pluto and God, a short but wonderful plotfic.
For a special, unique, and hilarious example of "Ed taking Envy in out of sympathy", see Dark Humor, an mpreg by absolut_artemis/felisdeityus. DH is witty, entertaining, and very moving in places; besides that, it goes the distance to give Envy a developed backstory. If mpreg doesn't squick you and you love novel length stories, this one is definitely worth a look. Alternatively, the author also wrote a one-shot fic, Mundane, which deals with Edward taking in an ailing Envy for a very different reason.
Each of these fics shows why Edward should give Envy his time and attention, and they show it better than I can say it, but for the sake of this essay, I will simply contend that I think Envy can either force Edward to give him recognition, or else Envy can be stuck in a situation where he needs help and Ed, being a good person, would be likely to step up and do what he can for Envy--who is, after all, his "brother" after a sort.
And for more quoting? psycholullaby said it well:
Envy needs to be cared for and Edward needs to have someone to care for. Ed has never really lived for himself. When his father left, it was Ed’s responsibility to look after his mother and younger sibling. After her death and their failed transmutation, Edward’s attachment to Alphonse intensified to the point that he put all of his brother’s needs above his own. I really like stories where Ed’s health and mental stability suffers on account of his constant concern for Al. If he were to restore Al and Al began his own life (or if Al were no longer present) I feel that Edward wouldn’t have a clue what to do. Even in the manga, Ed and Al briefly discuss what their plans are after they get their bodies back, and Edward confesses he hasn’t really thought much about it.
As much as I initially rejected the Ed/Envy Envy/Ed pairing, I’m intrigued by how these characters interact with one another. Envy’s hate reflects a desire for Ed, Ed representing what Envy feels should have been his, and if Ed were to step outside himself for a moment and really think about what a homunculus is, he would realize that while he doesn’t justify their actions, he can’t fully blame them for what they’ve done. Resent them, yes, but his logical self would rationalize their nature and his emotional self would probably jump at the opportunity to take responsibility for Envy, as his father never did. I mean, Ed said he had to take responsibility for the homunculus he and Al created by killing her, but after meeting Lust, I think he began to view these creatures as more than just science experiments gone wrong. Al definitely feels this way, and he has a powerful impact on Edward so played right, I can totally see Ed’s despise for Envy turn into something resembling compassion. Given how extreme these two characters are in very aspect of their personalities and goals, I can only imagine how this ‘compassion’ would develop.
I guess that brings up the question: What about Alphonse?
Well, this is a question which any Ed ship besides Elricest has to answer. RoyxEd and EdxWinry also have to account for Alphonse's whereabouts and the nature of his own relationship with Edward, or else submit to VAS (Vanishing Al Syndrome). EdxEnvy authors frequently write Ed having an illicit relationship with Envy unbeknownst to Al; I'd be ignoring a great many EdxEnvy fics if I didn't point this out. Personally, I find that this route leaves too many unanswered questions. Instead, I think EdxEnvy functions better in a movie or post-series alternate future environment, which fits Edward's canonical Al deprivation. Plus, it would make sense for Ed to be lonelier in such a situation. One could even turn Edward into a homunculus and have him ally with Envy. That'd make sense, too.
Or better yet, why avoid Al at all? Why not bring him into the conflict? Some of the fics I linked above had Al in them, or else his presence was certainly felt. Since much of my argument has been about Ed's need to be a caretaker, one could also observe that Al has a soft spot for vulnerable animals, so I think some dynamic involving the three of them (whether EdxEnvy+Al or EdxAlxEnvy) would be sensible.
Is it all about the pretty?
There is a general sentiment that Ed/Envy is a shallow pairing, a pairing enjoyed by people whose only concern is the aesthetics of the coupling. I cannot speak for anyone else, but for me, this is completely untrue. I'll not deny that I find both characters physically attractive, but then, I find many characters in Fullmetal Alchemist to be physically attractive. For me, the pairing is anything but shallow. I see it as a tremendous undertaking to explore this pairing fully, to keep both characters true to themselves while expanding upon their personalities and drawing forth from what canon gives us.
This pairing, at least in my eyes, holds a trace of idealism, despite its cynical and violent nature: Envy never had a chance; his obsessive and hateful personality makes him his own worst enemy, though he does not realize it, and I root for him because he is a tragic case; I see him and I want so much for him to pull through, just as I root for Edward against his own self-destructive tendencies. Both of them inspire in me such an overwhelming desire to see them achieve something against the odds.
Envy is not human. But he lives, breathes, feels; he has much of Edward's anger and ill temperament. To look upon him is *not* to see an entirely foreign creature, something that no human can understand. We can see humanities' own worst flaws in all the homunculi, and especially in Envy; the homunculi are, after all, named after the Seven Deadly Sins. For me, this pairing is all about breaching the divide between what man understands and what is alien to him, his "shadow self"; it is about looking at someone and realizing that no matter how different you think you are, no matter how little you see eye to eye, you realize that in this way, you are alike, you do share some of the same feelings that all sentient creatures share: hope, hate, fear. This pairing is not about what we see on the surface, but what lies beneath, what you get when you push aside so many years of conditioning, and I find nothing at all superficial about that.
Do I believe that Envy should be converted? That he should change his evil ways and become purely "good"? I'm not sure that's possible, and I am pretty sure that I have no interest in seeing such a transition. But I enjoy good drama, and I enjoy seeing Envy struggle against the outside world and his own inner conflicts. Same for Edward. This pairing is pure drama, pure tension, pure restlessness, arguments and grudging hate!love!sex and the odd "spent" moment of utter exhaustion. I can't even begin to express the different emotions that this pairing inspires me to feel, but I can tell you that I love writing it and reading it (when it's done well), because it just sits in my mind and takes up residence, makes me ache in the best possible way. The greatest praise I can give the ship is that it cuts me to the core, makes me realize my own preternatural hopes, fears, and anxiety; it is anything but a skin-deep interest of mine.
And that's why I love it so damned much.
Fanfiction recs
Aside from the fics which I recced in the course of the manifesto, here are some others:
It Ends With Swords and Knives by yuuo. Mindscrewy, parallelism, and very poetic. Interesting fic. yuuo has done some other EnvyxEd fics; they can be found on chaotic_library. This one was my personal favourite.
Desiderata by ranty_rie. Rieka has done several EdxEnvy fics; you can find more on her LJ, but this was my favourite work of hers (and not just because I inspired it). Another take on the "Ed takes in a sick Envy", this one with a dark twist.
Me Fausto Philos by devils_devotion. Unfortunately, this is a WIP and will never be updated, but I'm still putting it here because the concept intrigued me. Envy wants to be the devil on Ed's shoulder, so to speak.
A Sin of Omission by asingulargirl. Hilarious non-con; posits the question, "What if Ed really drew his array wrong?"
Bright Young Things by theladyfeylene, and the sequel. Movie AU; "trueform Envy".
Drink It Up by gelfling8604. "Envy plays cupid". This author has several EdxEnvy fics; you can find more in her memories.
I'm sure I probably overlooked something. There isn't much good Ed x Envy fanfiction out there. If you're interested, the LiveJournal community is envy_x_ed; you can also try searching on FanFiction.net, though I'm not enamoured with most of the FFN fics.
Alas, Ed x Envy is sorely lacking in good fanfiction. If you ever wish to contribute, I'll surely be waiting--and so will many of the people quoted in this essay.
Author: Ambre [hieronymousb]
E-mail: perjautse@gmail.com
Fandom: Fullmetal Alchemist
Pairing: Ed x Envy.
Spoilers: End of series, series, movie.
Special Thanks: Thank you to cryogenia for looking over this essay and giving me a critical, unbiased opinion from a non-shipper; thank you to everyone who helped make this manifesto possible, and thank you to herongale for the title. I only hope I've done the pairing justice.
Word count: Just about 4000 words exactly, says my program.
Disclaimer
This ship manifesto is based largely upon my own opinions for the EdxEnvy pairing, although I will try to list some alternative views. EdxEnvy is a pairing which many different people write in many different ways, and it would be difficult if not impossible to catalogue the entire spectrum here. Specifically, my essay will only deal with fics which are based on either the anime or manga canon, primarily the anime canon. In other words, I am not including any AU representations of EdxEnvy in this manifesto.
Lastly, there will be **spoilers** scattered throughout this manifesto; it will contain series spoilers, end of series spoilers, and movie spoilers. Fullmetal Alchemist is no longer a new series, and all of its episodes have been broadcast on American television in dubbed format, so it's unlikely that you will be unfamiliar with much of what I present here. Nevertheless, here is your fair warning. Spoilers, spoilers, spoilers!
Characters and Story
Edward Elric is the titular character of Fullmetal Alchemist, the youngest person ever to pass the State Alchemist exam. Edward and his younger brother Alphonse were wounded in a failed attempt to revive their dead mother, Trisha, with alchemy. Edward lost one arm and one leg, thereafter replaced with automail (metal limbs attached to nerve endings--they function as do flesh limbs); Alphonse suffered the loss of his entire body, but Edward managed to bind his soul to a suit of armour. Together, they seek the Philosopher's Stone in the hopes of using it to bypass the law of equivalent exchange (aka the law of conservation of mass and energy aka touka koukan).
Throughout the series, Edward exhibits moments of profound anger and rage, gentleness and amicability, angst, and extraordinary intelligence towards matters of the scientific. Like a real human being, Edward is a mass of contradictions. He is both a cynic and an idealist, lauding science and alchemy while deeming religion a sham, yet all the while cleaving to his own personal ideal: equivalent exchange. Edward is disappointed when he finds himself unable to prevent harm to those he cares for, as we see with his despair over Nina's death. Indeed, the plot of Fullmetal Alchemist centres on Edward's journey to restore his lost limbs and--more importantly to him--to restore Alphonse to a flesh body.
Envy, the other half of this pairing, is an ancient homunculus (artificial humans created when people attempt to revive their loved ones with alchemy), estimated to be about four hundred years old. Envy is not exactly a sociable sort, given that he hates all humans, disdains his fellow homunculi, and follows his master only so he can kill more people. His hobbies include killing and genocide. He can shapeshift, and his master, Dante, uses him to run various spy and assassination missions for her. Envy is a sneaky, lying, murderous, hateful creature, seemingly a complete opposite from the noble and heroic Edward.
Seemingly.
Long lost brothers
In episode 50, we discover Envy's true form: Surprise, surprise! The Sin of Envy was created when Hohenheim attempted to revive his and Dante's deceased son. In other words, Envy's human predecessor was Edward's brother...in a sense. Hohenheim fathered his first son in a different body, and since homunculi presumably do not carry the DNA of the humans they were meant to be, Envy has no actual blood relationship to Edward.
What, then, was the point of giving Envy this identity?
To me, the answer is simple. I believe we are invited to compare and contrast Edward and Envy; while their "bond" is superficial and flimsy, it does serve to direct my attention to the fact that there is likely meant to be a kind of symbolic parallel between them. It seems reasonable to contend that Envy is Edward's Jungian shadow. Envy is the id to Edward's ego; he is pure drive and desire, unbridled anger and rage. Edward struggles against his own conscience at certain points during the series, such as in Laboratory Five and after the fight with Greed. Envy, like Edward, is prone to bursts of anger, but unlike Edward, he has no conscience, and he never attempts to restrain himself except when Dante orders him to do so.
Envy and Edward are not complete opposites. They both resent Hohenheim. They submit to masters in order to achieve their own desires (Edward joins the military and Envy serves Dante). They are both singleminded in their goals; Edward drives forward and does all that he does in the name of love, whereas Envy's "life" and days are all about hate. Both of them are determined, steadfast, obstinate. Edward is sensitive about his height; Envy is sensitive about the fact that he was abandoned by his father in the early stages of his existence. Granted, sensitive doesn't seem like a term one would apply to Envy, but I think his outbursts show a great deal of personal sensitivity; after all, a less sensitive person would just let things go, right?
As stated above, Ed and Envy possess certain similar qualities. In spite of this, Edward has a more socially acceptable sense of morality; he is a tamed spirit, whereas Envy is primal and wild. I feel they are complements, and I enjoy writing their struggles and watching them "check" and "balance" one another as the dark and light sides of a single wholeness. Because of the particular importance that Envy places on Edward, I think Ed has the capability to reach Envy in ways that no other human besides Hohenheim could manage. Envy may hate Edward, may be obsessed with him, may want his blood and life and everything which belongs to the boy, but I don't think he can ignore Ed. I don't think he's capable of that level of indifference.
Quoting kalliel:
One of the reasons I think Ed x Envy fic works better than other pairings of equally unlikely canonic appearance does have to do with the notion of hurt/comfort-fic-without-the-comfort. Characterisations aside, the two supply endless situations where they could beat each other into the ground, but also ones where they might find it necessary to spare the other, be it born out of necessity, or simply because he wants to prolong the pain. >.> Seeing a drawn out struggle between the two makes readers want to do things pretty much akin to what you mentioned up there - swaddle them in blankets and give them cups of tea.
Then, of course, some fics actually give the reader exactly what they want - in Roy x Ed sick!fics, or blanket scenarios, or what-have-you, Roy (or Ed) might seriously swaddle his love interest in blankets and administer hot tea.
For Ed and Envy, it ain't going to happen. (And when it does, most of the time the fic ceases to 'work,' in my eyes.) The suspense is kept, and the intense feeling of cooing over an injured/tortured/beat-into-a-puddle-of-goo character remains.
I agree with these statements. I have come to realize, during my time writing this pairing, that I really do love seeing Ed and Envy placed into situations which are so desperate that they must rely on one another for aid and comfort. I think Ed can challenge Envy's beliefs, make him work for his own idiosyncrasies. While we never saw this happen between Ed and Envy in the series, we know that Edward doesn't put up with emotional nonsense (though he has a lot of his own); remember Ed's speech to Rose in episode two? Ed can be very blunt with zealous, ludicrously emotional people, and I feel that Envy needs a "master" like that, someone who won't simply tell him what he wants to hear, as Dante is prone to doing.
To quote asingulargirl:
It is my belief that Envy is pretty much like an attack dog. He has been trained to be vicious and cruel. Both Dante and his own experience have conditioned him to be hateful and antagonistic to the extreme. However, just like an attack dog, the right person can control him if they show enough dominance to do so: someone who is not afraid to kick Envy in the head, as you said earlier, and send him yelping if necessary. Ed, with the right set-up, can definitely be that person.
And given Envy's "attack dog" mentality, if he is provided for, he is naturally going to be drawn to that provider, even if it goes against every fiber of his being. Because Envy has really, for all his spite and vitriol and power, always been dependent on someone for his basic needs-whether he admits it or not.
And what would this do for Edward? Primarily, I believe it would enhance his own patience and maturity. A friend once told me she thinks Ed "acts up" and rants about things like his height when he's in comfortable situations, when he's around people who won't chastise him for his immature outbursts. I believe this is probably true, given that we see Ed acting far more adult when confronted with serious conflict. Ed is growing up, but having to deal with someone like Envy might just push his limits; I think overcoming his own flaws and weaknesses and having to look those in the face would give Ed great personal growth.
But don't they hate each other?
It would be more accurate to say that Envy hates Edward. Edward, for the most part, seems not to think of Envy when the two are not in close physical proximity. And why should he? In the anime canon, he has no idea why Envy hates him so much. In episode 22, Envy informs Edward that, "I'll never forgive you for carrying that bastard's blood in your veins!"
Assuming Ed was even paying attention to this statement (he was on the ground coughing at the time it was spoken), he knows that Envy hates him and Hohenheim, but there's no way he could know why, and it's not a matter that the anime ever shows Edward giving any thought to. Envy, on the other hand, gives Edward much thought. When we are first introduced to Envy, in episode 14, he mentions Edward; in his next appearance, episode 19, he mentions Edward again. In episode 22, one of the Laboratory Five sequences, Envy and Ed meet for the first time, and Envy seems to completely lose control of his temper. Indeed, Lust has to tell Envy to stop kicking Edward, because Envy seems to have no intention of ceasing.
Perhaps you, like many, feel that Envy's hatred of Edward is detrimental to the appeal of the pairing. I do not. I actually believe that Edward's apathy towards Envy is a greater obstacle to overcome, but I'll get to that momentarily.
The reason I prefer the anime over the manga when it comes to EdxEnvy is because I think Envy's feelings toward Edward are much more specialized in the anime. In both, they are enemies, but in the anime, Envy has a strong personal reason for hating Edward: Ed replaced him. Ed stole his identity. Envy regards Hohenheim as his father (in the last episode, he tells the Gate to, "Take me to my father!"), and with Ed now in the position of Hohenheim's rightful heir, Envy thinks Edward has stolen everything which should be his. In episode 50, Envy informs Edward that he "doesn't like being replaced", thus making it apparent why Dante named him after the Sin of Envy. While he despises all humans, his hatred of the Elrics seems far more consuming and obsessive, to the point that he loses control of himself and his emotions when faced with them.
But why does this particular hate spring up around the Elrics? Let's consider this.
If Envy hates being replaced, then that means he actually wants Hohenheim, his creator, to be there for him. From this, one can easily believe that Envy's rage is a form of acting out, like a spoiled child who craves attention. Homunculi do not physically age (save for Pride, a special case, and I have no idea about Wrath; I consider this an anime oversight), and it may be logical to assume that they are also incapable of growing mentally and emotionally. Gluttony certainly exhibits toddler-like tendencies, and Envy's petty selfishness seems to reflect someone who has been a teenager for four centuries. If Envy sees Hohenheim in Edward--and indeed, he does refer to him as "the son of that bastard"--then Envy's obsession with Edward could easily include (or turn into) a desire for validation, the same validation that he wants so desperately from Hohenheim.
I feel that Envy's most sympathetic quality--perhaps his only sympathetic quality--lies in the fact that he sees himself as a victim, someone who has been mistreated. Others may disagree, but I feel that Envy has been mistreated, yet I feel it has mostly been at the hands of Dante, who has (as we see in episode 46) nurtured Envy's grudge against Hohenheim, Edward, and so on and so forth. I do not blame Dante, as I feel she is not in control of her own hatred, either; that is to say, I believe the woman is certifiably mad, and I think she most likely does believe in the hatred she encourages Envy to feel. In episodes 46-51, Envy serves Dante loyally, although in episode 49, he tells Alphonse that this is simply because it allows him to kill more people; he says he doesn't want to be human, and he writes humans off as worthless.
While I do not doubt Envy's urge for bloodshed, I do not think he was being wholly honest, not even with himself. All three of the younger homunculi--Lust, Sloth, and Wrath--express profound desire to become humans. I believe this is a natural need which Dante nourishes with her promises, rather like a parent telling her children that Santa Claus is real. If wanting to become a human is an innate part of being a homunculus, then surely Envy also once wished for humanity, and in some long-buried part of himself, he probably still does, however much he may deny it. I theorize, based on the evidence of Hohenheim, that Envy's anger and rage is born from his namesake emotion; the more he realizes he has been denied what he really wants out of existence, the more he resents everyone around him for simply being happy and being loved; Envy is older now, jaded. He knows he's caught inside of a prison of limitations, one he can never escape, and he deals with his bitter disappointment by projecting it onto his surroundings, as those who cannot look within themselves and accept their true feelings are prone to doing.
Quoting ranty_rie:
I do think Envy could be capable of tender emotion, not just in the mushy "let's turn a new leaf and start over" way that just kills his character. Seeing him as a creature that has been raised in a violent, aggressive environment, his first reaction to anything less than contempt thrown his way would be explosive. I don't think he craves it, the contrary, in fact, but I do think he shares that need along the rest of the homunculi. Being created, only to be abandoned and rejected as a faulty experiment, I think the possibility of being more than just a tool would be appealing. Envy's got a lot of issues of self confidence. He's confident on what he wants, what he fights for, but I doubt he's sure of who he is. Being forced to confront with Ed, who in that respect is very sure of himself, who he is and why, it would be a nasty shock.
What EdxEnvy comes down to, for me, at its very core, is wanting Edward to acknowledge Envy in a way that Hohenheim never did. I want Edward to look at Envy, to see him, to even understand him somewhat (perhaps eventually see past his lies to the hidden truths); it's not about wanting Ed to love Envy. Hell, he could even hate him. It's just about wanting Ed to pay attention to him, to give him the recognition that he seems to hunger after.
The crux of this ship is that relationships can exist for anyone, not only those who are "worthy" of them.
But why should Ed care?
Since Envy's obsession with Edward is already established in the series, the question becomes, how do we get Edward to even look in Envy's direction? Perhaps more pertinently, why should Edward give a damn about Envy?
Different authors tackle this in various manners. One popular method is forcing Edward to pay attention to Envy by having Envy rape him. Usually, this method doesn't really delve into the "pairing" as a pairing, but I will recommend one fic arc which contains the above theme and manages some depth out of it: lykomancer's Shakespearean Arc, or, individually-- Quintessence of Dust, More Sinned Against, To Thine Own Self, and Seem the Saint, Play the Devil.
Although each of these fics is smut-focused and claims to be "PWP" or "semi-PWP", I believe they (especially the final one) do a fantastic job of illustrating the psychological relationship between Ed and Envy, as well as showing what Edward means to Envy, and how Envy can affect Edward's mind and drag him into darkness. Lyko's done a number of EnvyxEd and EdxEnvy fics; you can find more on her fic journal, metamorphe, and on her Scimitar Smile archive, but I do believe the above series to be her most intriguing take on the EnvyxEd/EdxEnvy pairing.
The other style of EdxEnvy that I favour is taking away Envy's powers and forcing him to accept Edward's mercy. This is situationally more difficult, but it does make for good plots, and there are many ways you can manage this feat. One fanfic which employs this method is chauni's Between Pluto and God, a short but wonderful plotfic.
For a special, unique, and hilarious example of "Ed taking Envy in out of sympathy", see Dark Humor, an mpreg by absolut_artemis/felisdeityus. DH is witty, entertaining, and very moving in places; besides that, it goes the distance to give Envy a developed backstory. If mpreg doesn't squick you and you love novel length stories, this one is definitely worth a look. Alternatively, the author also wrote a one-shot fic, Mundane, which deals with Edward taking in an ailing Envy for a very different reason.
Each of these fics shows why Edward should give Envy his time and attention, and they show it better than I can say it, but for the sake of this essay, I will simply contend that I think Envy can either force Edward to give him recognition, or else Envy can be stuck in a situation where he needs help and Ed, being a good person, would be likely to step up and do what he can for Envy--who is, after all, his "brother" after a sort.
And for more quoting? psycholullaby said it well:
Envy needs to be cared for and Edward needs to have someone to care for. Ed has never really lived for himself. When his father left, it was Ed’s responsibility to look after his mother and younger sibling. After her death and their failed transmutation, Edward’s attachment to Alphonse intensified to the point that he put all of his brother’s needs above his own. I really like stories where Ed’s health and mental stability suffers on account of his constant concern for Al. If he were to restore Al and Al began his own life (or if Al were no longer present) I feel that Edward wouldn’t have a clue what to do. Even in the manga, Ed and Al briefly discuss what their plans are after they get their bodies back, and Edward confesses he hasn’t really thought much about it.
As much as I initially rejected the Ed/Envy Envy/Ed pairing, I’m intrigued by how these characters interact with one another. Envy’s hate reflects a desire for Ed, Ed representing what Envy feels should have been his, and if Ed were to step outside himself for a moment and really think about what a homunculus is, he would realize that while he doesn’t justify their actions, he can’t fully blame them for what they’ve done. Resent them, yes, but his logical self would rationalize their nature and his emotional self would probably jump at the opportunity to take responsibility for Envy, as his father never did. I mean, Ed said he had to take responsibility for the homunculus he and Al created by killing her, but after meeting Lust, I think he began to view these creatures as more than just science experiments gone wrong. Al definitely feels this way, and he has a powerful impact on Edward so played right, I can totally see Ed’s despise for Envy turn into something resembling compassion. Given how extreme these two characters are in very aspect of their personalities and goals, I can only imagine how this ‘compassion’ would develop.
I guess that brings up the question: What about Alphonse?
Well, this is a question which any Ed ship besides Elricest has to answer. RoyxEd and EdxWinry also have to account for Alphonse's whereabouts and the nature of his own relationship with Edward, or else submit to VAS (Vanishing Al Syndrome). EdxEnvy authors frequently write Ed having an illicit relationship with Envy unbeknownst to Al; I'd be ignoring a great many EdxEnvy fics if I didn't point this out. Personally, I find that this route leaves too many unanswered questions. Instead, I think EdxEnvy functions better in a movie or post-series alternate future environment, which fits Edward's canonical Al deprivation. Plus, it would make sense for Ed to be lonelier in such a situation. One could even turn Edward into a homunculus and have him ally with Envy. That'd make sense, too.
Or better yet, why avoid Al at all? Why not bring him into the conflict? Some of the fics I linked above had Al in them, or else his presence was certainly felt. Since much of my argument has been about Ed's need to be a caretaker, one could also observe that Al has a soft spot for vulnerable animals, so I think some dynamic involving the three of them (whether EdxEnvy+Al or EdxAlxEnvy) would be sensible.
Is it all about the pretty?
There is a general sentiment that Ed/Envy is a shallow pairing, a pairing enjoyed by people whose only concern is the aesthetics of the coupling. I cannot speak for anyone else, but for me, this is completely untrue. I'll not deny that I find both characters physically attractive, but then, I find many characters in Fullmetal Alchemist to be physically attractive. For me, the pairing is anything but shallow. I see it as a tremendous undertaking to explore this pairing fully, to keep both characters true to themselves while expanding upon their personalities and drawing forth from what canon gives us.
This pairing, at least in my eyes, holds a trace of idealism, despite its cynical and violent nature: Envy never had a chance; his obsessive and hateful personality makes him his own worst enemy, though he does not realize it, and I root for him because he is a tragic case; I see him and I want so much for him to pull through, just as I root for Edward against his own self-destructive tendencies. Both of them inspire in me such an overwhelming desire to see them achieve something against the odds.
Envy is not human. But he lives, breathes, feels; he has much of Edward's anger and ill temperament. To look upon him is *not* to see an entirely foreign creature, something that no human can understand. We can see humanities' own worst flaws in all the homunculi, and especially in Envy; the homunculi are, after all, named after the Seven Deadly Sins. For me, this pairing is all about breaching the divide between what man understands and what is alien to him, his "shadow self"; it is about looking at someone and realizing that no matter how different you think you are, no matter how little you see eye to eye, you realize that in this way, you are alike, you do share some of the same feelings that all sentient creatures share: hope, hate, fear. This pairing is not about what we see on the surface, but what lies beneath, what you get when you push aside so many years of conditioning, and I find nothing at all superficial about that.
Do I believe that Envy should be converted? That he should change his evil ways and become purely "good"? I'm not sure that's possible, and I am pretty sure that I have no interest in seeing such a transition. But I enjoy good drama, and I enjoy seeing Envy struggle against the outside world and his own inner conflicts. Same for Edward. This pairing is pure drama, pure tension, pure restlessness, arguments and grudging hate!love!sex and the odd "spent" moment of utter exhaustion. I can't even begin to express the different emotions that this pairing inspires me to feel, but I can tell you that I love writing it and reading it (when it's done well), because it just sits in my mind and takes up residence, makes me ache in the best possible way. The greatest praise I can give the ship is that it cuts me to the core, makes me realize my own preternatural hopes, fears, and anxiety; it is anything but a skin-deep interest of mine.
And that's why I love it so damned much.
Fanfiction recs
Aside from the fics which I recced in the course of the manifesto, here are some others:
It Ends With Swords and Knives by yuuo. Mindscrewy, parallelism, and very poetic. Interesting fic. yuuo has done some other EnvyxEd fics; they can be found on chaotic_library. This one was my personal favourite.
Desiderata by ranty_rie. Rieka has done several EdxEnvy fics; you can find more on her LJ, but this was my favourite work of hers (and not just because I inspired it). Another take on the "Ed takes in a sick Envy", this one with a dark twist.
Me Fausto Philos by devils_devotion. Unfortunately, this is a WIP and will never be updated, but I'm still putting it here because the concept intrigued me. Envy wants to be the devil on Ed's shoulder, so to speak.
A Sin of Omission by asingulargirl. Hilarious non-con; posits the question, "What if Ed really drew his array wrong?"
Bright Young Things by theladyfeylene, and the sequel. Movie AU; "trueform Envy".
Drink It Up by gelfling8604. "Envy plays cupid". This author has several EdxEnvy fics; you can find more in her memories.
I'm sure I probably overlooked something. There isn't much good Ed x Envy fanfiction out there. If you're interested, the LiveJournal community is envy_x_ed; you can also try searching on FanFiction.net, though I'm not enamoured with most of the FFN fics.
Alas, Ed x Envy is sorely lacking in good fanfiction. If you ever wish to contribute, I'll surely be waiting--and so will many of the people quoted in this essay.