Episodes 5 and 6 of the ‘Phantom Blood’ arc bring Jojo Zeppeli and Speedwagon face to face with the greater threat that Dio has become during Jojo’s recovery. In that time, it becomes clear that he has learned more about the abilities that the Stone Mask bestowed upon him and has raised the beginnings of an undead army. He initially shows them just how out of their depth they are, and then sets two of his risen dead, Knights from the time of Mary Queen of Scotts, against them. These two episodes test the resolve and courage of our heroic trio as the work their way to a showdown with Dio.
1. Alternate History.
Western writers creating stories set in or involving Japanese history or culture usually take a lot of liberties. So it’s really interesting to see what Hirohiko Araki created playing in the British history sandbox and how he executed it in a fresh way. His approach feels very different then how Western writers might have done in dealing with the struggle between Elizabeth the First and Mary, Queen of Scotts. The brief history lesson accompanies the arrival of the undead Knights, Tarkus and Bruford, explaining their tragic past. This shows a good knowledge of the conflict between the two potential monarchs and its finale. Unlike western authors who distance Elizabeth the First from any treachery against her blood relative, Mary, Araki fully casts her as the architect of Mary’’s downfall and in this case her champions the cruel lies told to Tarkus and Bruford The Dark Knight, too. The hatred that Tarkus and Bruford express towards the living doesn’t seem all that unreasonable as their ends were petty, brutal, and calculated cruelty. Like many of Araki’s characters both of their names reference western rock groups, Tarkus is the name of an Emerson Lake and Palmer album and Bruford was named after Bill Bruford the drummer for Yes and King Crimson.
2. Unexpected Heroism
These two episodes spotlight the arc towards heroism by more then just Jojo and Baron Zeppeli. Really early in ‘The Dark Knights,” Zeppeli tries to awaken Hamon abilities in Speedwagon at his request. Sadly it’s a failed and painful attempt. Robert E.O. Speedwagon shows himself to be an earnest hero in “The Dark Knights,” willing to put himself through whatever he has to in order to be of any aid to Zeppeli and Jojo. It never struck me before about Speedwagon, but he’s so beyond his depth in dealing with horrors that he can’t fight. He’s so obviously terrified but still manages to stand in his own way. Not capable to help in the fight itself, he does what he can to aid the Zeppeli with his frozen arm. Poco, the “thief” introduced in “The Dark Knights” is the other truly unexpected hero that rises in these episodes. Originally a hypnotized pawn of Dio used to lure Jojo’s and his friends, he becomes someone the heroes need to protect once free from influence. Poco has little agency until the scene in ‘Tomorrow’s Courage” when he shows himself to be a very caring, clever kid. Like Speedwagon, he sees where he can uniquely be of help and doesn’t flinch from taking action. Araki even gave a brief event from Poco’s life that soiled his need to act where he could have run. His actions effectively saved Jojo, and nearly costs him his life.
3. Fated to Die
In the middle of “Tomorrow’s Courage,” Zeppeli flashes back to his experiences in Tibet. His quest to find a way to combat the horrors he witnessed created by the Stone Mask follows a familiar trail. He’s another example of the trope of the white man drawn to southeast Asia and to a group of hidden, mysterious monks. Tonpetty, the head monk and Zeppeli’s likely teacher accepts him with a warning. Much like the painful decision Captain Pike had to make in Star Trek: Discovery season two, Zeppeli is told if he trains in Sendo and Hamon it will alter his destiny, lead him to great evil and end in his death. Perhaps my feeling about it colored now by the emotional impact of the scene with Pike, but this scene has a bigger emotional punch in the gut impact now, much like the one Speedwagon received in episode 5.
Continued below4. Pluck
I could have called this thought “honorable enemies” but had to call it “pluck” because of how the battle between Bruford and Jojo ends. Occasionally across the swath of Jojo stories there is the occasional enemy who has a spark of a deeper story and are, in their own way, honorable. The Dark Knight Bruford seems to have a remaining spark of humanity. All through his encounter with Jojo, even at its outset, he doesn’t show the same level of casual distaste for him. He shows a a sense of, maybe not fairness, but desires a fair fight with Jojo. Though a creature of Dio’s making, his intent for fair combat mark him as significantly different then the previous Jack the Ripper and the near mindless zombies they faced. Even when he has Jojo at a disadvantage, Bruford does not fully exploit it. It may have not been much humanity which he retained, but it was enough that the light that entered him through Jojo’s Overdrive attacks brought him pain and that one thing changed him. The return of feeling, the return of pain, somehow redeemed him. The scenes of his death, his renaming his sword for Jonathan is a really powerful scene.
5. “Roundabout”
The end credit sequence for season one is a really interesting Aztec inspired sequence that shows an artistic tale or instruction manual for the use of the Stone Mask. The visuals are impressively stone-like and over the course of the season different characters take their place overlaying the scroll. But it’s not the stunning visuals that make it one of my five thoughts. I have to wonder if Hirohiko Araki had input into the song choices for the end credits as all five episodes so far have had English rock songs which was initially a surprise. “Roundabout” is a song from Yes which has a direct connection to these characters.
