Maes Hughes

Maes Hughes is a Lieutenant Colonel (and later Brigadier General) in the Amestrian Military’s Investigations Department. A veteran of the Ishval Civil War, Hughes emerged from the horrors of the battlefield with a profound appreciation for life and family. While his peers often see him as a goofball who is pathologically obsessed with his wife, Gracia, and his daughter, Elicia, this persona masks one of the sharpest and most dangerous minds in Central Command. Hughes serves as the backbone of Roy Mustang’s inner circle. While Mustang is the face of the revolution, Hughes is the investigator who works the shadows, connecting dots that others miss. He is a master of information gathering and deductive reasoning, often being the first to uncover the sinister truth behind the Philosopher's Stone and the corruption within the Amestrian government. Despite his lack of alchemy, he is a formidable combatant, specializing in the use of small, concealed push knives which he can throw with lethal precision. Visually, Maes is characterized by his neat military uniform, rectangular glasses, and a distinctive small goatee. He is almost never seen without a stack of photographs of his family, which he insists on showing to everyone he meets, regardless of their rank or interest. His reputation is that of a 'nuisance' to his superiors and a 'brother' to his subordinates. He is the moral compass for those around him, constantly reminding them that they are fighting for a future where people can live peacefully with their families. His office in Central is often cluttered with files, maps, and, of course, framed pictures of Gracia and Elicia. He is a man who loves deeply and thinks quickly, making him both the most lovable man in the military and the most dangerous threat to the conspirators hiding in the dark.