Dr. Tim Marcoh (ティム・マルコー, Timu Marukō^?), formerly the Crystal Alchemist (結晶の錬金術師, Kesshō no Renkinjutsushi^?), was the leading researcher in the military's Philosopher's Stone creation project. After abandoning his duties with the State Military, he moved to a Hyde Village and lived under the alias Mauro-sensei (マウロ先生, Mauro-sensei^?), which in English versions has been translated as Master Mauro,^[1] Dr. Mauro,^[2][3][4] and Doctor Marlowe,^[5] and in some instances^[6] left untranslated.^{[note 1]}

Appearance

He is an elderly man with prominent wrinkles and a large jaw. He tends to wear lab coats though later in the series wears a coat. He has broad shoulders and a short stature (possibly due to his age). He has dark hair with white hair on the sides, demonstrating his age.

After Scar injured him, his face became slightly misshapen, and one eye half closed.

Personality

Outwardly, Tim Marcoh is seen to be a kind, honest, hardworking doctor. He was well-liked by the people of Hyde Village that he resided in and was known to use his expertise to treat everyday people.

However, deep-down Marcoh was haunted by his past. He acknowledges his role as a heavy participant in the abuse and suffering that took place in the Ishvalan Civil War and constantly grapples with the reminder of the over the atrocities he committed. Due to his actions, Marcoh suffers from a form of post-traumatic stress disorder, possessing extreme guilt and a deep sense of helplessness and self-loathing over his inability to stop the higher powers operating Amestris. This sense of guilt is so great that he considers his own death to be both a justice and a mercy, as well as his only way of fighting back against those in charge.

Over time, Marcoh becomes a person that, while he cannot forgive himself, works to make amends in any way he can by helping the people of Ishval. After his disfigurement, he is actually shown to be somewhat more cheerful and jovial, possessing a more positive attitude and is willing to stand up to those he once feared.

Marcoh is also shown to be somewhat of a skilled actor, able to lie and bluff to a convincing level, though he himself acknowledges that it isn't something that he often has to do.

Abilities

Dr. Marcoh is one of the oldest known alchemists of the series and as such has incredible knowledge regarding alchemy. His most notable feat is his knowledge and creation of the Philosopher's Stone, though his experiments and methodology were guided by the homunculi.

Due to his elderly state, Dr. Marcoh is not able to use alchemy in combat, but rather he proves to be skilled when it comes to supporting tasks such as healing or deciphering codes. He is also very skilled in medicine, as more than one person has asked for his assistance, although his healing abilities may be possible through the use of the Philosopher's Stone, rather than a unique ability like Alkahestry. Due to his extensive knowledge of the Philosopher's stone itself, he possesses the unique ability to destroy Philosopher's Stones with a single transmutation, giving him the power to cripple or kill Homunculi with a single touch.

What his epithet as the "Crystal Alchemist" means is unknown, but it is likely connected to the Philosopher's Stone in some way.

History

Marco served as a State Alchemist in the Amestrian military, being the lead researcher behind experiments to create a Philosophers Stone. After sacrificing a number of innocent Ishvalans and all the Ishvalan soldiers in the military during the Ishval Civil War to create new stones in Laboratory 5, he fled the military with some imperfect stone samples. He settles down in a small country town where he uses his stones to heal the sick under the identity of "Doctor Mauro". He is later found by the Elric brothers, and he directs them to some of the research he left behind in the National Central Library to help them in their search for the Philosopher's Stone.

When first found by the Homunculi he is kept under house arrest, forced to stay put and alive or risk the destruction of his town. He is later taken into their custody to be used in their future plans, and is kept locked up deep below Central. While there, Envy takes great pleasure in tormenting Marcoh by constantly reminding him the Homunculi would massacre his hometown if he ever escaped. After some time as a prisoner, he is found by Scar. Seeing Scar as a means to an end, he tells the Ishvalan of his involvement in the Ishval Civil War in the hopes of being killed in vengeance. Scar, instead, only disfigures his face beyond recognition as a disguise, kidnaps him, and forces him to help in bringing down the Homunculi. While on the run, he is eventually discovered by Envy, who vows to take him back to Central but not before killing hundreds in a nearby village as revenge for Marcoh's escape. Knowing this, the Crystal Alchemist attacks Envy using his hidden transmutation circle to critically damage the Homunculus' core stone.

Later, after Kimblee springs Pride from his dome prison, Marcoh takes part in a ruse to deceive the two along with Heinkel and Alphonse. Alphonse gives Marcoh the Philosopher's Stone that Heinkel gave him, which he then used to heal Heinkel's wounds while Alphonse acted as a diversion. He is last seen with Dr. Knox, telling Colonel Mustang that he will use the Philosopher's Stone to give him his eyesight back on the condition that he improves conditions for the Ishvalan people, restores their homeland, and allows himself to stay there as a doctor, to which the Colonel accepts. In the manga, he accepts and lets him help the Ishvalans.

2003 anime

In the first anime series, Marcoh plays a significantly lesser role. After being taken into custody by Juliet Douglas, he is confronted by Lust. She questions him about the information he gave to the Elrics and subsequently murders him. His body is implied to have been eaten by Gluttony.

He later makes a brief cameo in the penultimate episode as one of the forms Envy uses to toy with Edward.

Notes

References

External links