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[Bragi]

Perhaps some of you will think my question is stupid - so let me explain.

1) PROTECTION. In the beginning of the manga and the animé we get a lot of suggestions that the cloths are there to protect the Saints bodies. When Shiryu and Seiya fight in the Graad Tournament, and they throw away their cloths, the other Bronze boys say this is very dangerous, because saints have such greater strength than normal men, that when they fight without cloths, their bodies quickly get very damaged.

2) STATUS or HALLOWING. As regards the saints of Athena, there's this theme that only those warriors that Athena recognizes as her own will get cloths. So the cloths have a function to appoint which warriors are true saints.

3) HUMAN AUGMENTATION. When Seiya wears the Saggitarius cloth, he's much more powerful. At the end of the Hades chapter, Ikki says "I wish I had a cloth - without a cloth it's going to be hard for me to release my cosmo and overcome my limits." This seems to suggest that the cloths are artefacts that help the saints to control their cosmo and help them to enhance it.

These are just a couple of ideas. You can consider me a student of cloths and scales and robes... I'm currently working out the scenario of a story on the forging of cloths, so I think about this stuff a lot.

There's also more sinister ideas. Here's a suggestion : cloths may also be tools to augment humans and keep them docile to the god that gave them the cloth. Sort of like a combination of testosteron and a minc-control drug.

[Cadraire]

All three of those are logical. For the forth, I don't think it broadly applies, but certain clothes could be made with that attribute...

Its also interesting sometimes we see clothes that seem to retain the wearer's the spirit (or maybe part of it) after death. Such as Aioros or the Virgo saint in Lost Canvas...
Could that be what gives the clothes their sentience...
If such is the case it would beat being flung in the lowest pit of hell by Hades...

[Reikyavic]

Gods controlling their human pawns through given armors sounds intriguing theory, but I can't come up with any example which would even hint to that direction, actually quite contrary. Excluding Deathmask, all cloths of traitorous Saints have continued to serve their keepers rather faithfully. In Athena's Saints' case however, it could be just due the Athena's ultimate principles: she knows humans are fallible to give into themselves to evil sometimes, but she chooses to forgive them and believe in love and goodness. I don't see why she wouldn fit that ideal to her own saints too, as they're human too, and love and forgive them (and let them keep their cloths and status as her Saint) even if they give into evil desires.

[topaz989]

There's also more sinister ideas. Here's a suggestion : cloths may also be tools to augment humans and keep them docile to the god that gave them the cloth. Sort of like a combination of testosteron and a minc-control drug.

I don't think the Cloths of Athena can augment humans to be loyal to them. If you look in the first episode/manga chapter, Cassios tore off the heads of eight opponents while competing against Seiya for the right to wear the Pegasus Cloth. Each Cloth is special and getting the right to wear any of the Cloths is something people will fight for without the need of interference from the Gods.

The only possible group where augmenting could take place would be the Specters since they are given their abilities by Hades and he chooses humans to serve him. We know that Pandora was brainwashed, he used Shun's body. Who's to say he didn't do the same to the other Specters?

 

[Bragi]

Its also interesting sometimes we see clothes that seem to retain the wearer's the spirit (or maybe part of it) after death. Such as Aioros or the Virgo saint in Lost Canvas...
Could that be what gives the clothes their sentience...
If such is the case it would beat being flung in the lowest pit of hell by Hades...

Hi Cadraire. I had forgotten about this, sometimes we see that teh cloths retain something of the spirit of the previous  "owner."
It's an interesting theory that is what gives the cloths their sentience (that would mean that the cloths have acquired sentience over the millenia be aborbing little pieces of souls - which is a spooky notion !) Mu always says that cloths are not just artefacts, they're living beings. I am inclined the think they were made sentient from the beginning. But I can't explain the 'carrying part of the spirit of the previous owner"-effect

Gods controlling their human pawns through given armors sounds intriguing theory, but I can't come up with any example which would even hint to that direction, actually quite contrary.

*nods* I'm testing theories here. In general there's this hint (Mu always talks about it) that the cloths are far more than just armors (they're sentient, to begin with), and it would make sense therefore that the saint and the cloth form a symbiosis of some kind... I'm reflecting how far you can take that idea. In case of Ikki, we seem to be dealing with a case in which the cloth is much more than just a protection (in the hypermyth text, it's written that Ikki is the first human ever who was able to canalize that particular's cloth energies, being able to wear it...)

The only possible group where augmenting could take place would be the Specters since they are given their abilities by Hades and he chooses humans to serve him. We know that Pandora was brainwashed, he used Shun's body. Who's to say he didn't do the same to the other Specters?

Thank for that suggestion ! Another case of augmentation I'm thinking about it - it may be a case of augmentation - are some God Warriors. Thor seemed to be a common brigand before, although physically very strong. It's almost like he developed his energy attacks by learning to use his Robe.

[Saint Galgomon]

Just some minor things to add.

Seiyapedia has this to say about Cancer cloth

The Cancer Gold Cloth has the unique ability to allow the wearer to travel to the border of the afterlife at will, seemingly without consequence.

There's also Crateris which while in cup form, filled with water, may tell one's future that looked at it.

Some clothes also seems to let the wearer fly (ex: Pegasus cloth anime v3, Sagittarius cloth, some winged surplice.)

Also, Bragi, can you edit your post instead of double or triple posting? While this forum doesn't strictly enforce its rules, many other forums are slightly stricter.