ONA
Description
Saori Kido is the earthly incarnation of Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom and war, and serves as a central figure in her ongoing mission to protect humanity. Born as a goddess in human form, she was discovered as a baby at the Sanctuary in Greece. When the Gemini Gold Saint, Saga, attempted to murder the infant Athena, the Sagittarius Gold Saint, Aiolos, rescued her. Before dying from his wounds, Aiolos entrusted the baby to the wealthy Japanese businessman Mitsumasa Kido, who took her to Japan and raised her as his own granddaughter, naming her Saori Kido.
As a young child, Saori was unaware of her divine nature. In this period, she exhibited a spoiled and arrogant personality, treating the many orphans collected by her grandfather poorly, often bullying them and referring to them as servants or slaves. This difficult upbringing created a strained relationship with the boys who would eventually become her loyal Saints. Upon the death of her grandfather, Saori learned the truth of her origins as the reincarnation of Athena. This revelation caused a profound change in her character; she renounced her previous behavior and matured rapidly, accepting the immense responsibility of her divine duty. She became the leader of the powerful Graude Foundation and dedicated herself to gathering the Saints to oppose the corrupt Sanctuary.
Personality-wise, Saori embodies a dual nature. As the goddess Athena, she is a being of immense compassion, love, and strategic wisdom. She despises needless conflict and weapons, preferring to fight only defensive wars to protect the Earth and its inhabitants. Her defining trait is her willingness to sacrifice herself for the sake of humanity, often enduring great pain and personal danger to protect others. Despite being a goddess of war, she is not a frontline fighter and lacks conventional combat training. Her power is channeled through her immense Cosmo, the energy of the soul, which she uses for protection and healing rather than direct assault. As Saori Kido, she initially comes across as a dignified, elegant, and somewhat distant young woman of great wealth and influence, but her actions consistently reveal a deep-seated sincerity and care for her Saints.
Throughout the story, Saori's primary motivation is to fulfill her divine purpose: to seal away evil deities who threaten the world, such as Poseidon and Hades, and to heal the corruption within her own Sanctuary. She serves as the moral center and the ultimate objective for her Saints, who fight in her name. Her role is often that of a catalyst for the plot, as enemies frequently target her, and the heroes must overcome trials to rescue her or achieve a goal she has set.
Her key relationships are central to the narrative. Her bond with Pegasus Seiya is particularly significant. While their relationship begins with mutual distrust due to her past cruelty, it evolves into a deep, unspoken, and platonic love founded on respect and sacrifice. She sees Seiya and the other Bronze Saints not just as her soldiers but as cherished protectors. She also shares a deep sense of gratitude and familial love for her late adoptive grandfather, Mitsumasa Kido, and is protected by her loyal butler, Tatsumi. Her primary divine rivals are the gods Poseidon and Hades, whom she has battled across multiple holy wars for centuries.
Saori undergoes significant development from a spoiled heiress into a wise and selfless leader. Her journey is one of accepting her divine heritage and its heavy burdens, transforming from a person who needed to be saved into a goddess who actively works to save others, even at the cost of her own life.
As a goddess, Saori possesses a range of notable abilities that stem from her powerful Cosmo. Her primary power is healing, capable of restoring Saints from the brink of death. She can create powerful defensive barriers and has demonstrated the ability to teleport. Her signature divine artifacts include the Staff of Nike, a golden staff representing victory that she can use as a weapon, and the Aegis, a shield that can repel any attack and neutralize evil. She also possesses a Divine Cloth, a sacred armor superior to all others, which she can don in times of ultimate crisis. Her blood holds special properties, capable of awakening the true power within the Saints' Cloths. Furthermore, Saori has mastered the Eighth Sense, allowing her to enter the Underworld without being bound by its laws, an ability essential to confronting Hades.
As a young child, Saori was unaware of her divine nature. In this period, she exhibited a spoiled and arrogant personality, treating the many orphans collected by her grandfather poorly, often bullying them and referring to them as servants or slaves. This difficult upbringing created a strained relationship with the boys who would eventually become her loyal Saints. Upon the death of her grandfather, Saori learned the truth of her origins as the reincarnation of Athena. This revelation caused a profound change in her character; she renounced her previous behavior and matured rapidly, accepting the immense responsibility of her divine duty. She became the leader of the powerful Graude Foundation and dedicated herself to gathering the Saints to oppose the corrupt Sanctuary.
Personality-wise, Saori embodies a dual nature. As the goddess Athena, she is a being of immense compassion, love, and strategic wisdom. She despises needless conflict and weapons, preferring to fight only defensive wars to protect the Earth and its inhabitants. Her defining trait is her willingness to sacrifice herself for the sake of humanity, often enduring great pain and personal danger to protect others. Despite being a goddess of war, she is not a frontline fighter and lacks conventional combat training. Her power is channeled through her immense Cosmo, the energy of the soul, which she uses for protection and healing rather than direct assault. As Saori Kido, she initially comes across as a dignified, elegant, and somewhat distant young woman of great wealth and influence, but her actions consistently reveal a deep-seated sincerity and care for her Saints.
Throughout the story, Saori's primary motivation is to fulfill her divine purpose: to seal away evil deities who threaten the world, such as Poseidon and Hades, and to heal the corruption within her own Sanctuary. She serves as the moral center and the ultimate objective for her Saints, who fight in her name. Her role is often that of a catalyst for the plot, as enemies frequently target her, and the heroes must overcome trials to rescue her or achieve a goal she has set.
Her key relationships are central to the narrative. Her bond with Pegasus Seiya is particularly significant. While their relationship begins with mutual distrust due to her past cruelty, it evolves into a deep, unspoken, and platonic love founded on respect and sacrifice. She sees Seiya and the other Bronze Saints not just as her soldiers but as cherished protectors. She also shares a deep sense of gratitude and familial love for her late adoptive grandfather, Mitsumasa Kido, and is protected by her loyal butler, Tatsumi. Her primary divine rivals are the gods Poseidon and Hades, whom she has battled across multiple holy wars for centuries.
Saori undergoes significant development from a spoiled heiress into a wise and selfless leader. Her journey is one of accepting her divine heritage and its heavy burdens, transforming from a person who needed to be saved into a goddess who actively works to save others, even at the cost of her own life.
As a goddess, Saori possesses a range of notable abilities that stem from her powerful Cosmo. Her primary power is healing, capable of restoring Saints from the brink of death. She can create powerful defensive barriers and has demonstrated the ability to teleport. Her signature divine artifacts include the Staff of Nike, a golden staff representing victory that she can use as a weapon, and the Aegis, a shield that can repel any attack and neutralize evil. She also possesses a Divine Cloth, a sacred armor superior to all others, which she can don in times of ultimate crisis. Her blood holds special properties, capable of awakening the true power within the Saints' Cloths. Furthermore, Saori has mastered the Eighth Sense, allowing her to enter the Underworld without being bound by its laws, an ability essential to confronting Hades.