Hades reigns as the Underworld's king and primary antagonist, commanding an army of Specters. His divine essence reincarnates every 243 years to wage war against Athena for conquest over Earth. Each rebirth manifests at Heinstein Castle, where he inhabits a human vessel—typically one of exceptional purity—to shield his true divine form from harm. Notable hosts include the 18th-century individual Alone and the 20th-century Andromeda Shun. Hades' original body rests sealed within a marble tomb in Elysion, guarded by the twin gods Hypnos and Thanatos. In his true divine form, Hades possesses otherworldly beauty: snow-pale skin, long black hair, and eyes shown as yellow in the manga and green in the anime. His Surplice armor blends angelic and grim elements, featuring silver and gray tones with wing motifs. When possessing a human host, the vessel transforms: hair turns black, skin pales, and eyes shift to green, mirroring his divine visage. He typically dons purple robes accented with gold and a red emerald. Hades exhibits absolute pride in his godhood, viewing deities as inherently superior to humanity. He deems humans impure and unworthy, justifying their destruction as "cleansing." This contempt extends to his Specters, whom he treats as expendable tools, deceiving them with false promises of eternal life. Despite his cruelty, he occasionally shows affection for his niece Athena, offering her repeated chances to join him. Depictions sometimes reveal sadness in his eyes or tragic undertones, yet his core remains tyrannical and manipulative. As one of the eldest Olympian gods—brother to Zeus and Poseidon—Hades wields immense power. He commands absolute authority over the Underworld, permitting or denying passage between realms and resurrecting the dead at will. His extrasensory perception detects distant cosmic energies, and he accesses hosts' memories to exploit their emotions. Through telekinesis, he neutralizes attacks, redirects opponents' techniques, or overwhelms multiple adversaries. His signature technique, Greatest Eclipse, manipulates celestial bodies to block sunlight, threatening global extinction. Hades channels his full divine cosmos (Big Will) through hosts, though strong-willed vessels like Shun or Alone can temporarily resist possession. His conflict with Athena culminates in the Underworld siege. Possessing Shun, Hades exploits the host's bond with his brother Phoenix Ikki, triggering emotional confrontations. Returning to his true body in Elysion, he battles Athena and her Saints, overpowering them until the combined efforts of five Bronze Saints clad in God Cloths—and Athena's sacrifice—secure his defeat. This ends his current reincarnation cycle but leaves lingering curses, like the wound inflicted on Pegasus Seiya.