Saint Seiya: The Lost Canvas - Plot

Plot

See also: List of Saint Seiya: The Lost Canvas characters

This manga tells the story of the previous Holy War, taking place in the 18th century, 250 years before the original series, in the Saint Seiya universe. The story centers on the fight between Tenma, one of the 88 Saints following Athena, and Alone, the reincarnation of the God Hades. While the two were close childhood friends in Italy alongside Alone's sister, Sasha, the trio separated. Sasha was sent first to the Sanctuary and then, a short time later, Tenma was sent to the Sanctuary too; while Tenma had the Cosmos, the Saints' energy, awaken, Sasha was revealed to be the reincarnation of Athena. As years passes, everything that Alone paints is destroyed, and he is convinced that death means salvation by the god Hypnos and his follower Pandora. Alone then gathers Hades' soldiers, the 108 Specters to start a war against Athena.

During the war, the Saints and the Specters face off. Tenma and Sasha have to deal with Alone who starts making the "Lost Canvas", a vast painting of the earth, in the sky, so that after he finishes it, the entire world will die. With Alone still not being fully controlled by the soul of Hades, Pandora, alongside Hypnos and his brother Thanatos lead the Specters. However, as the two Gods are sealed by the former Saints Pope Sage and his twin brother Altar Hakurei, Alone invites the few remaining Saints to the Demonic Temples located in the Lost Canvas. Once the Saints go through the Temples, it is revealed that Alone is not possessed by Hades and is instead using the god's powers for his own motives. Additionally, Tenma's parents, Mephistopheles Yōma and Owl Partita appear as Specters in the Temples to force their son to transform his protective Pegasus Bronze Cloth into the most powerful armour, God Cloth. With the God Cloth, Tenma and his future reincarnations will be able to fight the Gods and aid Athena in ending all wars.

Following several battles in the Temples, Tenma faces Alone one-on-one with the former managing to defeat the latter, causing the Lost Canvas' destruction. Shortly afterwards, Alone is possessed by Hades who aims to kill Athena. Hades is forced by the souls from the deceased Saints to escape to the last Demonic Temple, and Tenma, Sasha, and Alone decide to follow him. The three manage to defeat Hades but they never return to Earth. The two surviving Saints, Libra Dohko and Aries Shion, then prepare for a possible future war against Hades. Libra Dohko was assigned to permanently watch over the seal of Hades and 108 specters, while Aries Shion reconstructs and leads the Athena's Sanctuary.