Saint Seiya - Ending Explained

The entire narrative of "Saint Seiya" is built upon a series of major revelations. The first significant twist is that the Galaxian Wars tournament was orchestrated by Saori Kido to draw out the enemies from the Sanctuary who want to kill her and steal the Sagittarius Gold Cloth. The second, and most crucial, reveal is that Saori herself is the reincarnation of the goddess Athena, whom the Saints are sworn to protect.

The central antagonist of the Sanctuary arc is the Pope of the Sanctuary. The ultimate twist is that the Pope is an imposter: the Gold Saint Gemini Saga, who murdered the true Pope and Athena's protector, Sagittarius Aiolos, thirteen years prior. Saga has a dual personality, one good and one purely evil, which explains the Sanctuary's descent into corruption. The Gold Saints, believed to be antagonists, are mostly honorable men who were deceived by Saga and ultimately side with Athena once the truth is revealed.

The anime-exclusive Asgard arc's twist is that its antagonist, Hilda of Polaris, is not acting of her own free will but is being controlled by the Nibelung Ring, placed on her finger by the sea god Poseidon. This makes the entire arc a prelude to the next major conflict.

In the Poseidon arc, it is revealed that the one who instigated the war was not Poseidon himself, but one of his Marina Generals, Sea Dragon, who is actually Gemini Kanon, Saga's identical twin brother. Kanon masterminded the conflict out of jealousy and ambition. The finale sees Poseidon's spirit fully awaken within his host, Julian Solo, forcing Athena to seal him away in her sacred amphora, ending the threat.

One popular alternative interpretation views the series through a lens of anti-authoritarianism. The Sanctuary arc, in particular, can be read as a rebellion against a corrupt and dogmatic religious/political institution. The Bronze Saints, branded as traitors, are fighting not against the Sanctuary itself, but against its corrupted leadership, suggesting that true justice sometimes requires challenging established authority from the outside.

Another reading focuses on the complex morality of the antagonists. Many of the Gold Saints, God Warriors, and Marina Generals are not purely evil; they are often tragic figures bound by duty, honor, or manipulation. This suggests a more nuanced interpretation where the conflict is not a simple battle of good versus evil, but a clash of differing, and sometimes equally valid, ideals of justice. Poseidon's desire to cleanse the world, for instance, stems from a genuine disappointment with humanity's corruption.