OVA
Description
Hades is the central antagonist of the Saint Seiya: The Hades Chapter - Inferno arc, serving as the God of the Underworld. He is an ancient and powerful deity who, every 243 years, awakens from his slumber to wage a Holy War against the goddess Athena and her Saints, seeking to plunge the Earth into an age of darkness and death.
A core element of Hades's identity in this chapter is his unique relationship with the Bronze Saint, Shun of Andromeda. It is revealed that Shun has been chosen as the destined earthly vessel, or reincarnation, for Hades in the current age. This connection is deeply intertwined with Shun's life, as he was not merely born to be a Saint but was marked from birth to host the god's soul. This background adds a profound layer of tragedy to the conflict, as the body of a young hero fighting for humanity becomes the host for its greatest threat.
The personality of Hades is characterized by a cold, aristocratic, and contemptuous demeanor. As the ruler of the dead, he views the living with disdain and believes that the darkness and despair of the Underworld are the true and proper state of the world. He is calculating and cruel, showing little regard for the lives of his own Specters or anyone who stands in his way. His primary motivation is the complete annihilation of the surface world. His plan to achieve this is the Greatest Eclipse, a scheme to block out the sun permanently, turning the Earth into an extension of his frozen, lifeless domain. For Hades, this is not an act of mere destruction but a cosmic correction, imposing what he sees as the natural order of eternal darkness.
Within the story of Inferno, Hades's role is initially an unseen, looming threat. The narrative's tension builds as the Saints journey through the depths of the Underworld to save Athena, who has sacrificed herself to confront him. The climax of Hades's personal involvement occurs when he fully possesses Shun's body. In this form, he confronts the Bronze Saints, leading to a deeply emotional battle with Shun's older brother, Ikki. In a moment of dramatic irony, Shun fights from within his own soul to give Ikki a chance to destroy his body and kill the god, but Hades ultimately overpowers Shun's will and emerges triumphant. This event establishes him as an active participant in the final battles.
Key relationships define Hades's position. His primary antagonistic relationship is with Athena, the goddess he has fought for millennia. He also holds a disdainful authority over his subordinates, including high-ranking Specters like the three Judges of the Underworld—Rhadamanthys, Minos, and Aiacos—and the servant Pandora, who manages his castle. His relationship with Pandora is complex, as she is a human who serves him, but he ultimately shows as little care for her as he does for any other mortal. The most significant and developed relationship is his parasitic bond with Shun, whose inherent kindness and determination provide a unique resistance against his possession.
The character of Hades does not undergo emotional development; he is a static, absolute force. The development in the story instead comes from the revelation of his connection to Shun and the escalating threat of the Greatest Eclipse. The narrative development focuses on the Saints overcoming the trials of his realm, demonstrating that hope and camaraderie can challenge a god's power.
Hades possesses abilities befitting a major Olympian god. As a deity, he wields immense cosmos, a spiritual energy far surpassing that of any human Saint. He can effortlessly overpower characters like Ikki, one of the strongest Bronze Saints. His divine powers include controlling the souls of the dead, manipulating the fabric of the Underworld, and enforcing its laws. While in possession of Shun's body, he can utilize his own godly techniques, making him an almost unstoppable force. His ultimate strategic ability is the power to enact the Greatest Eclipse, displaying a level of influence over the celestial bodies that demonstrates his near-omnipotent authority as a god of the earthly realm.
A core element of Hades's identity in this chapter is his unique relationship with the Bronze Saint, Shun of Andromeda. It is revealed that Shun has been chosen as the destined earthly vessel, or reincarnation, for Hades in the current age. This connection is deeply intertwined with Shun's life, as he was not merely born to be a Saint but was marked from birth to host the god's soul. This background adds a profound layer of tragedy to the conflict, as the body of a young hero fighting for humanity becomes the host for its greatest threat.
The personality of Hades is characterized by a cold, aristocratic, and contemptuous demeanor. As the ruler of the dead, he views the living with disdain and believes that the darkness and despair of the Underworld are the true and proper state of the world. He is calculating and cruel, showing little regard for the lives of his own Specters or anyone who stands in his way. His primary motivation is the complete annihilation of the surface world. His plan to achieve this is the Greatest Eclipse, a scheme to block out the sun permanently, turning the Earth into an extension of his frozen, lifeless domain. For Hades, this is not an act of mere destruction but a cosmic correction, imposing what he sees as the natural order of eternal darkness.
Within the story of Inferno, Hades's role is initially an unseen, looming threat. The narrative's tension builds as the Saints journey through the depths of the Underworld to save Athena, who has sacrificed herself to confront him. The climax of Hades's personal involvement occurs when he fully possesses Shun's body. In this form, he confronts the Bronze Saints, leading to a deeply emotional battle with Shun's older brother, Ikki. In a moment of dramatic irony, Shun fights from within his own soul to give Ikki a chance to destroy his body and kill the god, but Hades ultimately overpowers Shun's will and emerges triumphant. This event establishes him as an active participant in the final battles.
Key relationships define Hades's position. His primary antagonistic relationship is with Athena, the goddess he has fought for millennia. He also holds a disdainful authority over his subordinates, including high-ranking Specters like the three Judges of the Underworld—Rhadamanthys, Minos, and Aiacos—and the servant Pandora, who manages his castle. His relationship with Pandora is complex, as she is a human who serves him, but he ultimately shows as little care for her as he does for any other mortal. The most significant and developed relationship is his parasitic bond with Shun, whose inherent kindness and determination provide a unique resistance against his possession.
The character of Hades does not undergo emotional development; he is a static, absolute force. The development in the story instead comes from the revelation of his connection to Shun and the escalating threat of the Greatest Eclipse. The narrative development focuses on the Saints overcoming the trials of his realm, demonstrating that hope and camaraderie can challenge a god's power.
Hades possesses abilities befitting a major Olympian god. As a deity, he wields immense cosmos, a spiritual energy far surpassing that of any human Saint. He can effortlessly overpower characters like Ikki, one of the strongest Bronze Saints. His divine powers include controlling the souls of the dead, manipulating the fabric of the Underworld, and enforcing its laws. While in possession of Shun's body, he can utilize his own godly techniques, making him an almost unstoppable force. His ultimate strategic ability is the power to enact the Greatest Eclipse, displaying a level of influence over the celestial bodies that demonstrates his near-omnipotent authority as a god of the earthly realm.