Athena, known in her mortal incarnation as Saori Kido, is the Olympian goddess of wisdom, strategic warfare, and Earth's protector. She reincarnates every 200 years as a human to lead her Saints against malevolent deities in the Holy Wars. Born in the 20th century as Saori Kido, her grandfather Mitsumasa Kido raises her after her divine essence manifests. Saori's privileged upbringing fosters a haughty, spoiled demeanor; she treats others, including future Bronze Saints, with superiority. Discovering her true identity as Athena and witnessing Mitsumasa Kido's death triggers profound maturity. She renounces her past behavior, dedicating herself fully to her divine duties and humanity's protection. This transformation forges her into a figure defined by compassion, sacrifice, and leadership, though she grapples with loneliness and balancing human emotions against divine responsibilities. During the Hades Chapter's Sanctuary arc, Athena exhibits significant growth in strategic judgment and divine authority. She prohibits the Bronze Saints from joining the Holy War to safeguard them, though they defy her. She redeems Gemini Kanon, acknowledging his genuine repentance and value as a Gold Saint. Her most critical action involves interpreting Virgo Shaka's message and choosing self-sacrifice with the gold dagger to thwart Hades' plans. This move underscores her resolve to bear burdens without relying on her Saints, contrasting earlier portrayals with enhanced maturity and autonomy in crisis. In the Inferno arc, trapped within Hades' underworld realm, Athena adopts a largely passive stance while her Saints battle Specters across the eight prisons. Despite possessing immense cosmic power, she refrains from remotely aiding her Saints, such as reviving fallen Gold Saints like Milo, Mu, and Aiolia earlier or assisting during Hades' possession of Andromeda Shun. Her strategy centers on confronting Hades directly only after her initial plan—offering her life to end the conflict peacefully—fails when Shaka hesitates. She later intervenes to free Shun from Hades' control, demonstrating resolve when directly challenged. The Elysium arc sees Athena return to proactive engagement. Liberated and donning her divine armor, the Kamui, she confronts Hades with renewed determination. She attempts to send the Bronze Saints away to spare them from Hades' overwhelming power, reflecting her protective instincts. In the final battle, she fights fearlessly, ultimately using her staff to kill Hades and end the cycle of Holy Wars—a decisive act underscoring her role as a warrior deity committed to lasting peace despite earlier reservations about violence. Athena's abilities encompass mastery over her cosmos, enabling healing, defensive shields, teleportation, and activating the Eight Sense (Arayashiki) to enter the underworld alive. Her divine artifacts are pivotal: the gold dagger for self-sacrifice; the staff of Nike, symbolizing victory and employed to kill Hades; and the Aegis shield, capable of repelling evil. Her Divine Cloth, superior to all Saint armors, remains dormant as a statue in her sanctuary until activated by her blood. These tools and powers emphasize her dual nature as a compassionate guardian and strategic combatant.