Saori Kido is the mortal reincarnation of Athena, Greek goddess of wisdom, war, and crafts, descending to Earth every two centuries to protect humanity from evil. Her latest incarnation appeared as an infant at the foot of her statue within the Sanctuary near Athens. Discovered by Sanctuary Pope Shion, she faced an immediate assassination attempt by the corrupted Gold Saint Gemini Saga. Mortally wounded Sagittarius Gold Saint Aiolos fled with her, entrusting the infant to visiting Japanese billionaire Mitsumasa Kido in Greece. Kido adopted her, naming her Saori, raised her as his granddaughter, and concealed her divine nature until his death. Initially, Saori displayed a spoiled, haughty demeanor from her privileged life as Kido's sole heir. She mistreated orphans at the Graude Foundation—later revealed as many of Kido's biological children and future Saints—viewing them as servants. Pegasus Seiya notably resisted her, creating early friction. Her personality transformed profoundly after Mitsumasa Kido revealed her true identity as Athena on his deathbed when she was nine. Embracing her divine mission, she abandoned her entitled behavior. The orphans, unaware of her change, distrusted her due to her past actions; she secured their aid through incentives, like promising Seiya help finding his missing sister, Seika. As Athena, Saori wields immense cosmic energy (Cosmo) and divine abilities, prioritizing strategy and sacrifice over direct combat. Her powers encompass healing severe injuries, creating protective barriers, teleportation, and traversing dimensions like the Underworld by awakening the Eighth Sense. She commands sacred artifacts: Nike's golden staff, used to kill Hades, and the Aegis shield, capable of nullifying all attacks. Her Divine Cloth, dormant as a Sanctuary statue, activates when coated with her blood. She employs the "Seal of Athena" to imprison hostile gods like Poseidon and Hades. Saori's human form remains vulnerable; she can be injured or killed, exemplified when Silver Saint Sagitta Ptolemy pierced her heart with a cursed arrow. Her blood holds divine properties, awakening latent power within Saints' Cloths. Despite her divinity, she expresses loneliness and conflict balancing human emotions with godly detachment, gradually accepting her role as a compassionate yet distant protector. Her story spans multiple conflicts: - During the Galaxian Wars arc, she organized a tournament for Bronze Saints to claim the Sagittarius Gold Cloth, fulfilling Kido's vision. Phoenix Ikki's rebellion and Sanctuary's Silver Saints, sent by Pope Saga who falsely declared her an impostor, disrupted the event. The Bronze Saints, including Seiya, defended her upon learning she was Athena. - In the Twelve Temples arc, she journeyed to Sanctuary to confront Saga but was struck by Ptolemy's arrow. While dying, she guided the Bronze Saints' Cosmo during their battle through the Zodiac temples. Saved by Seiya using Athena's shield, she witnessed Saga's suicide after his redemption. - For the Poseidon arc, she surrendered to Poseidon (reincarnated in Julian Solo) to delay his global flood, imprisoning herself within the Oceans' Central Pillar. Freed by the Bronze Saints, she sealed Poseidon's spirit. - In the Hades arc, she feigned suicide to enter the Underworld directly, aiming to defeat Hades. After Hades possessed Andromeda Shun, she expelled him and traveled to Elysium for the final battle. There, she coordinated with Saints in God Cloths to kill Hades, though Seiya suffered a curse. Saori shares a complex bond with Seiya, marked by mutual respect and implied romantic feelings, though both acknowledge their roles prevent a relationship. She reveres Mitsumasa Kido as a paternal figure and defends his legacy against the Saints' resentment. Her butler, Tatsumi Tokumaru, remains a loyal confidant aware of her divinity. Beyond the original series, Saori appears in sequels and spin-offs: - *Next Dimension* sees her time-travel to the 18th century with Seiya (cursed by Hades) and Shun, seeking aid from Chronos and the Olympian gods. She cuts her hair short as payment to the witch Hecate. - *Saint Seiya Omega* depicts her older, mentoring a new generation of Saints while suppressing a "Darkness Mark" inflicted by Mars. - *The Lost Canvas* features Sasha, Athena's 18th-century incarnation, though Saori does not appear. - The 2023 live-action film adapts her origin loosely, renaming her "Sienna" and altering her relationship with Seiya and Mitsumasa Kido.