TV-Series
Description
Saori Kido is the 20th-century reincarnation of Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom and war. According to the lore of the series, Athena is reborn on Earth every few hundred years to lead her Saints in protecting humanity when evil threatens the world. In this incarnation, she was born as an infant at the Sanctuary in Greece, but her life was immediately threatened. The Gemini Gold Saint, Saga, attempted to assassinate the newborn goddess, forcing the Sagittarius Gold Saint, Aiolos, to rescue her. Aiolos escaped with the infant and, before dying from his injuries, entrusted her to the wealthy Japanese businessman Mitsumasa Kido. Mitsumasa raised her as his own granddaughter, naming her Saori Kido and shielding her from the knowledge of her divine heritage.
For much of her early life, Saori was unaware she was a goddess. Growing up as the sole heiress to a vast fortune, she was a spoiled and haughty child who often treated the orphans her grandfather was training to be Saints with disdain, using them to fulfill her whims. This changed dramatically upon Mitsumasa Kido's death. In the manga, he revealed the truth of her origins to her directly, while in the anime, the revelation came later through other means. Learning she was Athena, the guardian of Earth, prompted a profound transformation. She abandoned her selfish behavior, matured rapidly, and accepted the immense responsibility of her divine mission.
As Athena, Saori's core motivation is the protection of humanity and the Earth. Unlike many other gods in the series who see mortals as insignificant, she is defined by her compassion, love, and willingness to sacrifice herself for others. She is a being of strategy and hope, preferring peaceful resolutions but fully committed to defensive war when necessary to stop evil. Her personality is generally serious, dutiful, serene, and extremely forgiving, showing deep care and concern for her Saints, who risk their lives for her. She bears the burden of their sacrifices and often grieves for those who fall in her service.
Throughout the story, Saori serves as the central figure and the symbolic reason for the Saints' battles. Her role evolves from a civilian needing protection to an active, strategic leader of her army. After reclaiming the Sanctuary from the false Pope, she leads the Saints in a series of holy wars against other gods. She is a key figure in the conflicts against Poseidon, the god of the sea, and Hades, the god of the underworld, who are her uncles and recurring archenemies. In these wars, she often places herself in grave danger, such as offering her own life to purify the Poseidon’s vessel or allowing herself to be captured in Hades’ realm to confront him directly. Her divine family includes her father, Zeus, and her siblings, the gods Apollo and Artemis, with whom she has also clashed.
Key relationships define her journey. Her bond with the Pegasus Bronze Saint, Seiya, is particularly significant. While initially antagonistic due to her past behavior, she earns his loyalty through her genuine change and her dedication to protecting the world. Her feelings for him are portrayed as special, though their respective roles as goddess and warrior create a complex dynamic. She also shares a close, fatherly bond with her adopted grandfather, Mitsumasa Kido, and is loyally served by her butler, Tatsumi Tokumaru. All the Saints who pledge allegiance to her are her subordinates, with the Gold Saints being her most powerful warriors.
As a deity, Saori possesses an immense Cosmo, the inner energy of life, which is described as one of the most powerful among the Olympian gods and capable of surpassing the scale of the universe. Despite being untrained in direct combat, her powers are vast and primarily defensive or supportive. She can heal dying Saints with her Cosmo, and a single drop of her divine blood can elevate a Saint's Cloth to a divine state. Her primary divine instruments are the Staff of Nike, a golden staff that represents victory and can be used as a weapon, and the Aegis, a shield that is impervious to any attack and can purge all evil. She also possesses a Divine Cloth, a Kamui, which only a god can wear and is far superior to the Cloths of her Saints. Her other abilities include teleportation, creating powerful magical seals to imprison other gods, and awakening to the Eighth Sense, which allows her to enter the Underworld without being bound by its laws.
For much of her early life, Saori was unaware she was a goddess. Growing up as the sole heiress to a vast fortune, she was a spoiled and haughty child who often treated the orphans her grandfather was training to be Saints with disdain, using them to fulfill her whims. This changed dramatically upon Mitsumasa Kido's death. In the manga, he revealed the truth of her origins to her directly, while in the anime, the revelation came later through other means. Learning she was Athena, the guardian of Earth, prompted a profound transformation. She abandoned her selfish behavior, matured rapidly, and accepted the immense responsibility of her divine mission.
As Athena, Saori's core motivation is the protection of humanity and the Earth. Unlike many other gods in the series who see mortals as insignificant, she is defined by her compassion, love, and willingness to sacrifice herself for others. She is a being of strategy and hope, preferring peaceful resolutions but fully committed to defensive war when necessary to stop evil. Her personality is generally serious, dutiful, serene, and extremely forgiving, showing deep care and concern for her Saints, who risk their lives for her. She bears the burden of their sacrifices and often grieves for those who fall in her service.
Throughout the story, Saori serves as the central figure and the symbolic reason for the Saints' battles. Her role evolves from a civilian needing protection to an active, strategic leader of her army. After reclaiming the Sanctuary from the false Pope, she leads the Saints in a series of holy wars against other gods. She is a key figure in the conflicts against Poseidon, the god of the sea, and Hades, the god of the underworld, who are her uncles and recurring archenemies. In these wars, she often places herself in grave danger, such as offering her own life to purify the Poseidon’s vessel or allowing herself to be captured in Hades’ realm to confront him directly. Her divine family includes her father, Zeus, and her siblings, the gods Apollo and Artemis, with whom she has also clashed.
Key relationships define her journey. Her bond with the Pegasus Bronze Saint, Seiya, is particularly significant. While initially antagonistic due to her past behavior, she earns his loyalty through her genuine change and her dedication to protecting the world. Her feelings for him are portrayed as special, though their respective roles as goddess and warrior create a complex dynamic. She also shares a close, fatherly bond with her adopted grandfather, Mitsumasa Kido, and is loyally served by her butler, Tatsumi Tokumaru. All the Saints who pledge allegiance to her are her subordinates, with the Gold Saints being her most powerful warriors.
As a deity, Saori possesses an immense Cosmo, the inner energy of life, which is described as one of the most powerful among the Olympian gods and capable of surpassing the scale of the universe. Despite being untrained in direct combat, her powers are vast and primarily defensive or supportive. She can heal dying Saints with her Cosmo, and a single drop of her divine blood can elevate a Saint's Cloth to a divine state. Her primary divine instruments are the Staff of Nike, a golden staff that represents victory and can be used as a weapon, and the Aegis, a shield that is impervious to any attack and can purge all evil. She also possesses a Divine Cloth, a Kamui, which only a god can wear and is far superior to the Cloths of her Saints. Her other abilities include teleportation, creating powerful magical seals to imprison other gods, and awakening to the Eighth Sense, which allows her to enter the Underworld without being bound by its laws.