Athina, also occasionally spelled Atina, is a character from the Japanese-French co-production Ulysses 31, appearing in the second episode of the series. She is a young woman of the Zotrian race, distinguished by her blue skin, pointed ears, and cat-like eyes with vertical slit pupils. Her appearance suggests she is approximately twenty to twenty-five years of age, making her one of the older child-like or young adult characters that join the cast.

Athina’s background is marked by tragedy and rescue. She is an orphan, the sole survivor of her family, having been discovered as an infant in a hibernation chamber aboard her parents’ derelict ship. The circumstances surrounding the disappearance of her parents remain a mystery, but it is implied that the Olympian gods may have been responsible. She was found and subsequently adopted by Heratos, an elderly, blind human scholar, who raised her with love and care on his asteroid.

In terms of personality, Athina is depicted as a kind, gentle, and deeply caring individual. Her primary motivation is love and loyalty, particularly toward Heratos, the man who saved her and became her father. This devotion is her defining characteristic, and it places her in a difficult moral position when the gods threaten her life to coerce Heratos into betraying Ulysses. Despite the pressure, her inherent goodness prevails, and she regrets the deception, ultimately acting to help Ulysses and his crew.

Athina’s role in the story is contained to a single episode, but she serves as a crucial ally and a catalyst for the ongoing quest. When the Odysseus enters their region of space, she is the one who makes contact with Ulysses and his crew. Heratos, under duress from the gods, provides Ulysses with a false map that leads to the Graveyard of Wrecks and Hulks, a deadly trap. Athina is complicit in this deception only because her life is threatened. However, her conscience and her love for Heratos drive her to help him attempt to correct his mistake. They follow the Odysseus to warn them, and during the ensuing crisis, Athina supports Heratos as he confesses his lie to Ulysses. Her presence humanizes Heratos and provides a sympathetic reason for his betrayal, showing that even forced treachery can be redeemed by genuine remorse and a desire to make amends.

The most significant relationship in Athina’s life is with her adoptive father, Heratos. Their bond is one of mutual devotion and sacrifice, with Heratos having raised her from infancy and Athina in turn remaining loyally by his side. The gods exploit this bond, threatening her to control him. Her relationship with Ulysses and his crew is brief but positive; she is friendly and hospitable, giving them a tour of Heratos’s laboratory before the deception is revealed. While she does not undergo a dramatic personal transformation within the episode, her arc involves a shift from a passive assistant following her father’s orders to an active participant who helps him choose the right course of action, even at great personal risk.

Athina possesses no overt supernatural powers but demonstrates notable abilities in technology and piloting. She is adept at operating advanced equipment, such as the radars used to contact passing starships. She is also capable of piloting a spacecraft, as she and Heratos launch their own vessel to follow the Odysseus and attempt to avert the disaster he has set in motion. Like other Zotrians, she is graceful and has a preference for wearing purple clothing. Her primary strength lies not in combat, but in her emotional intelligence and her unwavering moral compass.