The Gold Saints (黄金聖闘士 Gōrudo Seinto) are the group of twelve most powerful and highest ranking warriors in Athena's army. Their main duty at Sanctuary is to defend the Twelve Houses of the Zodiac. They are the last line of defense and the ultimate warriors in the service of Athena and of the Grand Pope, from among whom the Pope is generally selected.
Overview[]
Gold Saints in the 1986 Toei anime. From left to right: Leo Aiolia, Scorpio Milo, Gemini Saga, Aquarius Camus, Aries Mu, Virgo Shaka.
Gold Saints wear Gold Cloths, that represent the twelve constellations of the zodiac, and are the most durable and powerful among all the 88 Cloths. Since these constellations are located over the ecliptic, the Cloths also contain the energy and light of the sun.
When all twelve Gold Cloths are in proximity to one another, they emit a shining light and produce a loud sound. This phenomenon is called "resonance". However, the reunion of all twelve Gold Saints is a rare event, which usually only happens when Athena or the Grand Pope summons the Gold Saints in view of an upcoming crisis.
The Gold Saints are among the most powerful characters in the series. Their power derives from their mastery of the Seventh Sense, the essence of Cosmo, which grants them miraculous abilities, such as the capability to move at the speed of light. Some among them have also reached the Eighth Sense (Arayashiki).
Like other Saints, who can raise their Cosmo beyond ordinary levels in extraordinary circumstances, the Gold Saints are capable of overcoming their limits in times of crisis to accomplish miracles. They are highly respected by other Saints, though this does not signify that all Gold Saints are honest or righteous. There are multiple Gold Saints who act with open cruelty and self-interest, unchecked by their peers.
When two Gold Saints with equivalent forces confront one another, it is said that their battle will inevitably reach a stalemate. This confrontation is referred to as a "Thousand Day War", since the saints can both die or fight forever without a winner.
When three Gold Saints come together, they can join their cosmos to unleash a legendary technique known as the "Athena Exclamation". The "Contemplative Athena Tablet" that resides in Athena's room represents its essence. This technique releases an amount of energy similar to a small scale Big Bang, the explosion that gave birth to the universe. When two such techniques collide, their power does not double or multiply, but increases exponentially. Because of its immense destructive power, and because it is considered a coward's technique (three Saints attacking a single enemy), Athena banned its use. Those who use the "Athena Exclamation" are considered barbaric and dishonorable, and may never be called Saints again, regardless of their intent.
The twelve Gold Saints, preparing to unleash their most powerful attack, in Saint Seiya: Soul of Gold.
The most powerful and destructive technique of the Gold Saints is the one referred to as the "sacrifice of the Gold Saints". In it, the twelve Gold Saints raise their Cosmo and, taking advantage of the fact that their cloths are connected to the ecliptic, put their souls into an energy beam as strong and bright as the sun.
Adding to the already amazing array of skills that the Gold Saints have, the Libra Cloth has six pairs of golden weapons that can be used in exceptional situations at the discretion of the Libra Saint, the only one allowed to weigh the justice and righteousness of a cause in the absence of Athena herself. The destructive force of the weapons is extraordinary. They are said to be able to pulverize a star with a single blow, a feat equal only to the most devastating techniques, such as the Gemini Saint's "Galaxian Explosion". The six pairs of weapons are the tonfa, spear, sword, shield, triple rods, and twin rods.
Among Athena's enemies, there are groups of warriors who are comparable in rank and power to the Gold Saints, such as Poseidon's Mariners or the Celestial Star Specters of Hades's army, particularly the Three Judges. The anime series and films also introduced the God Warriors as Gold Saint-level enemies.
Appearances[]
In Saint Seiya[]
The Gold Saints during the battle at the Twelve Houses, in the Saint Seiya manga.
The story begins when Gemini Saga, overcome by evil, stages a coup to take Sanctuary for himself, killing the Grand Pope and Sagittarius Aiolos. Years later, during the battle of the Twelve Houses, the Bronze Saints storm Sanctuary to reinstate Athena, killing five Gold Saints; Gemini Saga, Cancer Deathmask, Capricorn Shura, Aquarius Camus and Pisces Aphrodite.
The surviving Gold Saints have little intervention during the Poseidon arc, as Libra Dōko orders them to remain in Sanctuary to prepare for Hades' imminent attack. The God of the Underworld revives the fallen Gold Saints and the previous Pope, ordering them to attack Sanctuary and take Athena's head.
Taurus Aldebaran is killed in the attack by the specter, Papillon Myu. Gemini Saga, Aquarius Camus and Capricorn Shura use the "Athena Exclamation" to kill Virgo Shaka. The three are then confronted by Aries Mu, Scorpio Milo and Leo Aiolia. The two groups turn the banned technique on each other, destroying the House of Virgo in the process. The rebels are then brought before Athena and die after revealing that they have been on Athena's side all along.
Gemini Kanon, Saga's brother, dons the Gemini Gold Cloth. He and Libra Dōko proceed to fight Hades's army in the Underworld. All twelve Gold Saints eventually reunite before the Wailing Wall, sacrificing their lives so that Athena may prevail over Hades.
In Saint Seiya: Next Dimension[]
In the Saint Seiya: Next Dimension manga, Athena travels back in time, to save Pegasus Seiya from the curse of Hades' sword. There, she meets the Gold Saints of the 18th century. The souls of the 20th century Gold Saints also accompany her.
This series also introduces the concept of a thirteenth Gold Saint, representing the Ophiuchus constellation, who is said to be an evil Saint. The Ophiuchus House is buried and hidden beneath the temple of Sagittarius.
In Saint Seiya: Omega[]
The main Gold Saints, in Saint Seiya: Omega.
In the Saint Seiya Omega animated series, the God of War Mars succeeds in a hostile takeover of Sanctuary. Prior to this, the majority of Gold Saint ranks had not yet been replaced from the previous wars, with the only acting Gold Saints being the former Bronze Saints Sagittarius Seiya and Libra Shiryu, as well as the pupil of the previous Aries Saint, Aries Kiki. Mars then offers the vacant Gold Cloths to a number of loyal followers, all ruthlessly malevolent warriors unworthy of wearing a Gold Cloth, yet powerful enough to control them: Taurus Harbinger, Gemini Paradox, Cancer Schiller, Leo Mycenae, Virgo Fudō and Libra Genbu as Shiryu had been incapacitated years earlier. Meanwhile, the Mars' wife, the dark sorceress Medea, secretly conspires to betray him while appearing to aid him, appointing his daughter Hornet Sonia as the new Scorpio Saint and granting Silver Saint Horologium Tokisada the Aquarius Cloth, while her brother Amor secretly obtains the Pisces cloth.
The twelve Gold Saints, in Saint Seiya: Omega.
Kiki and Genbu pretend to serve Mars while secretly acting on Athena's behalf, while Harbinger and Fudō eventually have a change of heart and betray Mars. Schiller is killed in battle, while Paradox is defeated and later apprehended, her Gold Cloth being taken up by her twin sister Gemini Integra. Mycenae is murdered by Amor, who in-turn is later killed by an Abzu-possessed Pegasus Kōga. Tokisada seemingly perishes at the edge of time during a battle with Wolf Haruto, and Sonia is eventually killed by her own cosmo after she proves unable to handle the power of the Scorpio Cloth.
Once order was restored, Harbinger and Fudō joined Kiki, Seiya and Genbu as official Gold Saints of Athena. Not long afterwards, Harbinger begrudgingly becomes the next Pope of the Sanctuary.
In Saint Seiya: Soul of Gold[]
.png){kind=link}
The twelve Gold Saints out of their cloths, in Saint Seiya: Soul of Gold.
In the Saint Seiya: Soul of Gold animated series, the Gold Saints are temporarily brought back to life by Odin as Einherjar in Asgard. There, the evil god Loki has set a plot in motion that endangers the world. One by one, the Gold Saints must confront the Asgardian God Warriors, before coming together to defeat Loki.
List of characters[]
Saint Seiya characters[]
These Gold Saints are also featured in Saint Seiya: Episode G, Saint Seiya: Saintia Shō and in most of the movies and animated series.
- 20th century
Saint Seiya: Next Dimension characters[]
- Mythological Era
- Ophichus Asclepios
- 18th century
- 21st century
Saint Seiya: Episode G - Assassin characters[]
- Sanctuary
- Lost World's Sanctuary
Saint Seiya: Omega characters[]
- 21st century
Saint Seiya: The Lost Canvas characters[]
- 13th century
- Leo Saint
- Libra Itia
- Capricorn Saint
- Aquarius Krest
- 16th century
- Aries Gateguard
- Aries Avenir
- Taurus Francisca
- Gemini Saint
- Cancer Sage
- Leo Saint
- Virgo Saint
- Libra Itia
- Scorpio Saint
- Sagittarius Aeras
- Capricorn Saint
- Aquarius Krest
- Pisces Saint
- 17th century
- Taurus Saint
- Cancer Sage
- Leo Saint
- Sagittarius Saint
- 18th century
- Alternate 20th century
- Aries Avenir
- Libra Saint
- Sagittarius Saint
- Grand Pope
Saint Seiya: Meio Iden Dark Wing characters[]
- Aries Theseus
- Taurus Ain
- Gemini Sojiro
- Cancer Crematorio
- Leo Vassilios
- Virgo Renge
- Libra Kogetsuki
- Scorpio Eulalia
- Sagittarius Aiolos
- Sagittarius Sagitarius
- Capricorn Eito
- Aquarius Tristan
- Pisces Alfreed
- Grand Pope