Live-Action TV
Description
In the 2019 CGI anime series Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac, Graad is the primary antagonist of the first season. His full name is Vander Graad, and he was once the trusted business partner and close friend of Mitsumasa Kido. Together, the two men built a vast information network that made their fortune and eventually led them to the secret world of the Saints. Their lives changed when they discovered the dying Sagittarius Gold Saint, Aiolos, who entrusted them with both the infant reincarnation of the goddess Athena, named Saori Kido, and the Sagittarius Gold Cloth. For years, the partners worked together to raise the child and protect her sacred armor.
However, a deep rift formed between them when Graad became consumed by a dark prophecy. He came to believe that Athena would one day transform into an evil version of herself, using her divine power to start catastrophic holy wars that would destroy humanity. Paralyzed by this paranoia, Graad concluded that humanity could no longer rely on the gods for salvation. His personality shifted into that of a cold, calculating, and ruthless man who believed that any action, including murder, was justified to save the world from what he saw as an inevitable divine threat. This stands in stark contrast to Mitsumasa Kido, who maintained his faith in Saori and her destiny.
Driven by this conviction, Graad betrayed his old friend. While Kido fled with the infant Athena and the Gold Cloth, Graad managed to retain the right arm of the Sagittarius armor. He used this piece of divine technology as a blueprint to create his own artificial army. Using science rather than the spiritual energy known as Cosmo, he developed the Black Knight armors, mechanical suits of armor designed to replicate the power of a Saint's Cloth. He built a private army of mercenaries, fallen Saints, and renegades from the Sanctuary, such as Cassios, to pilot these armors and serve his cause.
Throughout the story, Graad acts as the head of the Graad Foundation's private military force, operating from a hidden mountain complex. His primary role is a shadowy puppet master who seeks to capture Saori Kido to prevent the prophecy he fears. He also relentlessly pursues the Pegasus Saint, Seiya, viewing him as a future champion of Athena who must be eliminated. His actions drive much of the conflict in the first season, as he sends his Black Knights to retrieve the Gold Cloth and abduct Saori, forcing the Bronze Saints to unite against his forces.
His most significant relationship is with his former partner, Mitsumasa Kido. Despite his betrayal and ruthless methods, Graad's feelings for his old friend are complicated. He never stopped caring for Mitsumasa and even blames himself for his death, which occurred when overzealous soldiers under Graad's command interrogated Kido too harshly. This event solidified his path, leaving him with a mix of guilt and a stubborn refusal to abandon his self-appointed mission. His other key relationships are adversarial, primarily with Saori Kido, whom he seeks to destroy, and the Bronze Saints, especially Seiya, who constantly thwart his plans.
In terms of development, Graad remains a formidable and consistent threat throughout the season. His character arc culminates when he is forced to take direct action after his forces fail. Unlike his subordinates, he cannot naturally unleash his own Cosmo. Instead, he created a unique, oversized, and far more powerful Black Knight armor for himself, which he keeps in a secret room. This personal armor grants him superhuman strength and durability, the ability to fire energy projectiles, and a special power that allows him to absorb the Cosmo of Saints and redirect it against them. In the final battle, he uses this armor to directly engage Seiya and the others, wielding techniques known as the Onyx Bomber and the Onyx Meteor Fist. His end comes when he is ultimately defeated by Seiya, bringing an end to his plan to protect humanity through mechanical means and artificial warriors.
However, a deep rift formed between them when Graad became consumed by a dark prophecy. He came to believe that Athena would one day transform into an evil version of herself, using her divine power to start catastrophic holy wars that would destroy humanity. Paralyzed by this paranoia, Graad concluded that humanity could no longer rely on the gods for salvation. His personality shifted into that of a cold, calculating, and ruthless man who believed that any action, including murder, was justified to save the world from what he saw as an inevitable divine threat. This stands in stark contrast to Mitsumasa Kido, who maintained his faith in Saori and her destiny.
Driven by this conviction, Graad betrayed his old friend. While Kido fled with the infant Athena and the Gold Cloth, Graad managed to retain the right arm of the Sagittarius armor. He used this piece of divine technology as a blueprint to create his own artificial army. Using science rather than the spiritual energy known as Cosmo, he developed the Black Knight armors, mechanical suits of armor designed to replicate the power of a Saint's Cloth. He built a private army of mercenaries, fallen Saints, and renegades from the Sanctuary, such as Cassios, to pilot these armors and serve his cause.
Throughout the story, Graad acts as the head of the Graad Foundation's private military force, operating from a hidden mountain complex. His primary role is a shadowy puppet master who seeks to capture Saori Kido to prevent the prophecy he fears. He also relentlessly pursues the Pegasus Saint, Seiya, viewing him as a future champion of Athena who must be eliminated. His actions drive much of the conflict in the first season, as he sends his Black Knights to retrieve the Gold Cloth and abduct Saori, forcing the Bronze Saints to unite against his forces.
His most significant relationship is with his former partner, Mitsumasa Kido. Despite his betrayal and ruthless methods, Graad's feelings for his old friend are complicated. He never stopped caring for Mitsumasa and even blames himself for his death, which occurred when overzealous soldiers under Graad's command interrogated Kido too harshly. This event solidified his path, leaving him with a mix of guilt and a stubborn refusal to abandon his self-appointed mission. His other key relationships are adversarial, primarily with Saori Kido, whom he seeks to destroy, and the Bronze Saints, especially Seiya, who constantly thwart his plans.
In terms of development, Graad remains a formidable and consistent threat throughout the season. His character arc culminates when he is forced to take direct action after his forces fail. Unlike his subordinates, he cannot naturally unleash his own Cosmo. Instead, he created a unique, oversized, and far more powerful Black Knight armor for himself, which he keeps in a secret room. This personal armor grants him superhuman strength and durability, the ability to fire energy projectiles, and a special power that allows him to absorb the Cosmo of Saints and redirect it against them. In the final battle, he uses this armor to directly engage Seiya and the others, wielding techniques known as the Onyx Bomber and the Onyx Meteor Fist. His end comes when he is ultimately defeated by Seiya, bringing an end to his plan to protect humanity through mechanical means and artificial warriors.