Ged, born Duny in Ten Alders village on Gont, lost his mother young. Raised by his bronze-smith father and six older brothers, he observed his aunt, a village witch, practicing magic at age seven and began his own studies. He mastered calling wild sparrowhawks, earning his use-name. By twelve, he employed weather magic to shield his village from Kargish raiders, an effort that left him weakened and attracted the mage Ogion.

Ogion healed him and performed his naming ceremony at thirteen, bestowing the true name Ged. Ogion took him as an apprentice but, noting Ged's impatience and ambition, offered him a choice: stay on Gont or attend the wizard school on Roke Island. Ged chose Roke, becoming a gifted yet prideful student. He developed a rivalry with the wealthy Jasper and befriended Vetch (Estarriol). His arrogance drove him to attempt summoning the dead spirit Elfarran during a duel with Jasper, inadvertently unleashing a malevolent shadow. The shadow scarred his face and killed Archmage Nemmerle, who intervened to save him, marking a turning point that made Ged solemn and cautious.

After recovering, Ged served as a wizard on Low Torning, befriending the boatmaker Pechvarry. A failed attempt to heal Pechvarry's dying son revealed the shadow was actively hunting him. He later confronted the dragon Yevaud on Pendor, binding it to cease attacks using its true name. Fleeing the shadow, he encountered the Stone of Terrenon on Osskil, resisting its corruption despite manipulation by Serret. Pursued by the shadow in gebbeth-form, Ged transformed into a falcon and fled to Gont, where Ogion found him. Ogion advised him to stop fleeing and confront the shadow.

Ged pursued the shadow by sea with Vetch, sailing to the realm of death. There, he recognized the shadow as part of himself, naming it with his own name and merging with it, achieving wholeness. Years later, he recovered the broken Ring of Erreth-Akbe. Having received one half from a Kargish castaway during his flight, he traveled to Atuan to retrieve the other half from the Tombs. There, he freed the priestess Arha by restoring her true name, Tenar, and they escaped with the reunited ring. Ged later became Archmage of Roke, serving for over twenty years.

During his archmagehood, magic began fading from Earthsea. Investigating with Prince Arren (later King Lebannen), they discovered the wizard Cob had breached the boundary between life and death seeking immortality, causing the decline. Ged sacrificed his magic to close this rift, collapsing in the Dry Land. Arren and the dragon Kalessin brought him back to Gont, where Tenar nursed him. Deprived of his powers and mourning Ogion's death, he retreated into solitude as a goatherd. He eventually returned to save Tenar and her adopted daughter Therru (Tehanu) from the sorcerer Aspen, whom Kalessin killed. Ged, Tenar, and Tehanu settled at Ogion's former home on Gont.

In later years, he counseled the mage Alder, troubled by dreams of the dead, directing him to Tenar and Tehanu. After further events, Tenar rejoined Ged on Gont where they lived quietly. His appearance evolved from a tall, quick youth to a scarred, thin figure with grey hair, scoured by experience. His voice, often quiet or harsh, retained a Gontish accent, though he could alter it when using aliases like "Hawk." He was a skilled sailor and fisherman, with a reflective, reserved demeanor.