So what's with all the different names, designations, titles, and what-not? Why is it so important that Setsuna has been assigned to the planet Pluto? And why did Naoko decide she should be born on October 29th, and not April 29th? Well, there are a lot of valid reasons for it, and they all have a great influence on her character.

Birth of a Soldier

Because Setsuna was born on October 29th, that places her under the astrological sign of Scorpio. Thus, her ruling planet is...PLUTO! Scorpios tend to be mysterious, and they're very private people, much like Setsuna is. They also have strong feelings about... well, pretty much everything. Scorpio women also like things that are classically tailored, and they always like to look sharp, which would explain Setsuna's interest in fashion and shopping.

It's also said that Scorpios have a certain need for affection, and they get lonely without love in their lives... and again, Setsuna experiences the same types of feelings. Her lonliness may not be so apparent on the surface, because she keeps her feelings to herself, as many Scorpios do, but that's just part of the Scorpio privacy boundary.

The zodiacal essence associated with Scorpio is "I transform," which can be related to when Pluto transforms from a human to a sailor senshi. It's also a reference to Time itself, because as time passes, it subtly transforms us all, physically and mentally. Scorpio is also associated with regeneration, which can be related to her age in the anime, since she is hundreds of years old, but looks youthful despite her age. Scorpio is also associated with abuse of power, which Setsuna is guilty of too. She abused her control over time by using her forbidden power to stop time and save the lives of those she cares about.

Myths from Days of Old

There is also a great deal of influence surrounding old mythology... the planets in our solar system are all associated with mythological gods, and their characteristics are often similar to that of the senshi. In Roman mythology, Pluto is the God of the Underworld, although you might know him better by his Greek name, Hades. In this case, a popular translation of Setsuna's name, King of the Dead, would make sense, since that's essentially what Roman god Pluto is.

The god Pluto generally doesn't apppear on earth, and rarely ever leaves his domain, spending most of his time presiding over the Underworld. Much like the Roman god, Sailor Pluto rarely leaves her domain, because she must watch the Time Gate at all times. It is also said that another trait which they both share is darker skin, so if you ever wondered why Setsuna has such a good tan... ^_-

Pluto is also the oldest male god in mythology, and likewise, Sailor Pluto is the oldest senshi, according to the statistics used in the anime. Another interesting bit involves the ferryman who took the dead across the river Styx. The ferryman's name was Charon, which is also the name of the only moon orbiting around the planet Pluto, and that coined the name of her palace on Pluto, Charon Castle.

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