Edward Elric is the protagonist of the story, a young man who becomes the youngest State Alchemist in the history of the fictional country of Amestris, earning the title of Fullmetal Alchemist at the age of twelve. He was born in the rural town of Resembool to parents Trisha Elric and Van Hohenheim. After his father left the family during Edward's early childhood and his mother later died of an illness, Edward and his younger brother, Alphonse, were left as orphans. Consumed by grief and possessing a remarkable natural talent for alchemy, the brothers attempted the ultimate forbidden act: human transmutation, hoping to bring their mother back to life.

The attempt failed catastrophically. As the price for this transgression against nature's laws, Edward lost his left leg. In a desperate act to save his brother Alphonse, whose entire body had been taken, Edward sacrificed his right arm to bind Alphonse's soul to a nearby suit of armor. During this event, Edward was pulled into the Gate of Truth, where he encountered the metaphysical being known as Truth and gained immense alchemical knowledge. This experience granted him the unique and prodigious ability to perform transmutations simply by clapping his hands together, eliminating the need for a traditional transmutation circle.

Following the incident, Edward was fitted with automail, advanced prosthetic limbs made by his childhood friend Winry Rockbell and her grandmother Pinako. Driven by a powerful sense of guilt and responsibility, Edward's primary motivation throughout his journey is to restore his brother's original body. He shows little concern for his own missing limbs, focusing his efforts entirely on ending Alphonse's suffering. To achieve this goal, Edward decides to become a dog of the military as a State Alchemist, hoping to gain access to resources and research that will lead him to a solution for their condition.

Edward is a complex individual whose personality balances immaturity with profound selflessness. He is known for being fiercely independent, often believing he alone is responsible for solving the problems he creates. He is extremely sensitive about his short stature and reacts with humorous, over-the-top rage to any comments about his height, which are a frequent source of comedy. He also displays childish aversions to things like milk and needles. Despite these quirks, his actions are guided by a strong moral compass and a deep belief in the alchemical principle of Equivalent Exchange, the idea that to obtain something, something of equal value must be lost. He uses this as a personal philosophy, though his experiences force him to confront its limitations. The story's narrative follows his growth from a boy acting on personal grief to a young man confronting enormous, cosmic problems, marking his journey as a classic coming-of-age story.

In the overarching conflict, Edward and Alphonse search for the legendary Philosopher's Stone, believing it can bypass the laws of Equivalent Exchange and restore what they lost. Their quest brings them into conflict with a group of immortal homunculi and their mysterious creator known as Father, who is secretly manipulating the entire nation of Amestris. Edward's role evolves from a simple seeker of a cure to a key figure in a massive conspiracy to stop a plan that would sacrifice millions of lives. Key relationships shape his path. His bond with his brother Alphonse is the emotional core of the story, with Edward repeatedly risking everything for him. His relationship with Winry Rockbell, his automail mechanic, deepens from childhood friendship to romantic love, culminating in their marriage and having children. He shares a complex dynamic with his superior officer, Roy Mustang, built on mutual respect and rivalry, and a deep respect for his alchemy teacher, Izumi Curtis, who taught him the fundamentals of alchemy and martial arts.

Over the course of the narrative, Edward undergoes significant development. He is forced to mature beyond his initial arrogance and accept that not everything can be solved with alchemy. He learns to rely on others and confronts the dark history of his country. In the final battle against Father, Edward reaches his ultimate resolution. After Alphonse sacrifices his soul to restore Edward's arm, Edward defeats Father by using his own physical arm as a bargaining tool. He then makes the ultimate sacrifice within the context of his own goals: he gives up his ability to perform alchemy, the very power he has relied on his entire life, to bring his brother back from the Gate of Truth. By sacrificing his own alchemy, Edward proves he has learned a lesson greater than any alchemical secret: that human life and relationships are worth more than any power or magical ability.

Regarding his notable abilities, Edward is a formidable fighter who seamlessly combines hand-to-hand combat with alchemy. His signature technique involves clapping his hands to activate a transmutation, often transforming his automail arm into a blade or altering the chemical composition of the ground or an enemy's weapon. Because of his training with Izumi Curtis, he is physically powerful and agile, compensating for any limitations his prosthetics might impose. His knowledge from the Gate of Truth allows him to perform transmutations with incredible speed and precision, and in dire moments, he has even shown the ability to use his own soul as a makeshift Philosopher's Stone to heal fatal wounds, though this comes at a great cost.