Dante

Dante is intelligent, patient and exceptionally manipulative. She possesses centuries of experience with alchemy and human behavior and prefers controlling events indirectly rather than exposing herself unnecessarily.

Her worldview is deeply cynical. Dante rejects the Elric brothers' belief in Equivalent Exchange as a universal principle, arguing that effort and sacrifice do not guarantee equal rewards. She points to inequality, random suffering and death as evidence that the world does not operate according to the neat moral logic they associate with alchemy.

She is also profoundly afraid of mortality. Much of her philosophy ultimately serves to rationalize her determination to extend her own existence regardless of how many other people must suffer.

Dante is an exceptionally knowledgeable alchemist with centuries of accumulated experience. She understands Philosopher's Stones, human transmutation and the mechanics governing Homunculi in the 2003 continuity.

Her defining technique is transferring her soul from one human body into another using a Philosopher's Stone. She and Hohenheim discovered the process centuries earlier and repeatedly extended their lives through new bodies. The method is imperfect: each transfer accelerates deterioration, meaning their borrowed bodies eventually begin to rot.

Dante can perform sophisticated transmutations and understands methods for controlling Homunculi. In the 2003 anime, a Homunculus becomes severely weakened when confronted with remains from the human whose failed resurrection created it, and Dante exploits this vulnerability to keep her servants obedient.

Dante first appears as Izumi's elderly former teacher. Edward and Izumi visit her mansion while investigating the Philosopher's Stone, where Dante's relationship with Lyra initially appears to be that of master and student.

The elderly Dante is actually one body in a succession she has occupied for centuries. After meeting Lyra, Dante transfers her soul into the younger woman's body and continues operating under Lyra's identity. She is subsequently revealed as the leader manipulating the Homunculi and much of the conflict surrounding Philosopher's Stones.

Dante and Hohenheim were lovers centuries before the series and had a son together. After discovering methods of soul transfer, they used Philosopher's Stones to move between bodies and prolong their lives. Hohenheim eventually rejected this existence and left her, while Dante continued seeking new Stones.

Dante engineers wars and social catastrophes because mass suffering encourages desperate alchemists to create Philosopher's Stones. She promises the Homunculi humanity in exchange for their service but principally intends to use newly created Stones to continue transferring herself into fresh bodies.

During the finale, Dante attempts to use Rosé as another vessel. After Edward's confrontation with her plans and the collapse of her control over the Homunculi, she enters an elevator with Gluttony, whom she has stripped of his mind. The anime strongly implies that the transformed Gluttony attacks and devours her.

Izumi Curtis is Dante's former student. Izumi respects her knowledge without initially understanding the full history and motives of the woman who taught her.

Van Hohenheim was Dante's lover centuries earlier. They discovered a method of using Philosopher's Stones to transfer their souls into new bodies, but Hohenheim eventually abandoned both Dante and their attempt to evade death indefinitely.

Lyra begins as an ambitious young alchemist associated with Dante. Dante later uses Lyra as her next vessel, transferring her soul into the young woman's body and thereafter presenting herself to others as Lyra.

Lust, Gluttony, Envy, Wrath, Sloth and Pride operate under Dante's influence in the 2003 continuity. She manipulates their desire for humanity and exploits their individual weaknesses to maintain control.

Edward Elric becomes Dante's principal ideological opponent. His pursuit of the Philosopher's Stone repeatedly intersects with the conflicts she engineers to produce one.

Alphonse Elric becomes central to Dante's plans once he is transformed into a living Philosopher's Stone, making him an extraordinarily valuable source of the power she requires.

Rosé Tomas is selected by Dante as a desirable future body once Lyra's body begins deteriorating.

Greed rebels against Dante and the other Homunculi. Dante seals him when he refuses to cooperate and later manipulates circumstances that lead Edward into killing him.