DIO's World (story arc)

DIO's World (DIOの世界) is the twenty-seventh and final story arc in Stardust Crusaders.

Summary
Jotaro meets Nukesaku who is a Vampire, but defeats him easily. Meanwhile Polnareff confronts DIO at last, who reveals his Stand The World. DIO momentarily retreats when Jotaro, Kakyoin and Joseph break through an outer wall and let sunlight enter. Polnareff warns them about The World's power, and the Joestar group, after sensing an ambush, get out of the mansion and split into two group. It is night and DIO can roam free in Cairo. He opts to pursue Kakyoin and Joseph who try to deduce The World's power. Kakyoin ambushes DIO with an Emerald Splash from all direction, but DIO's power is revealed: he stops time and punches Kakyoin through the stomach. In his last thoughts Kakyoin deduces that DIO can stop time and manages to transmit the message to Joseph by using his final Emerald Splash to target a clock tower. Joseph performs his secret technique and runs away, while deducing the meaning behind Kakyoin's final Emerald Splash. Joseph then runs into Jotaro and tells him the secret of The World as DIO stops time just to throw a knife at Joseph's throat. Joseph then loses consciousness as DIO taunts him about his rush to pass the secret of The World's ability to Jotaro. Jotaro then gets mad, as he does, and the fight between himself and DIO begins.

DIO stops time but panics for a moment when he sees Jotaro's finger moving during the stopped time. He figures that it is a bluff, but Jotaro only lured DIO into thinking that and Star Platinum manages to punches through DIO. DIO heals and then stops time again, however he is now throwing numerous knives from several directions, forcing Jotaro to spend the time he's allowed to move for knocking away several knives. Jotaro is hit by the rest of the knives and subsequently tries to fake being dead. DIO, after incapacitating Polnareff who tried to ambush the Vampire, finally approaches Jotaro, who lands a hit on DIO's head. The strike is more severe than DIO expects and he tries to flee, only for Jotaro to catch up and Star Platinum to pummel him away. However DIO proclaims he's outsmarted Jotaro, as he lands near the fresh corpse of Joseph Joestar.

DIO drains Joseph of his blood, completing his synchronization with Jonathan Joestar's body. Now fully empowered, DIO can stop time longer and seemingly finishes off Jotaro by crushing him under a steamroller. However Jotaro unlocks his own time-stopping ability and uses it to counteract The World: managing to defeat DIO once and for all. Jotaro then revives Joseph using DIO's blood for a transfusion. The Speedwagon Foundation brings DIO's corpse out into the desert, where Jotaro and Joseph remember their fallen allies as DIO's body turns to ash during the sunrise.

Holy Kujo awakens at last from her coma, now fully healed and excited for her family to be returning home. Meanwhile, Jotaro and Joseph make their goodbyes to Polnareff in the Cairo airport, parting wordlessly in deep friendship.

Volumes

 * 16 (27). DIO's World
 * 17 (28). The Faraway Journey, Farewell Friends

Anime

 * 44 (70). The Mist of Emptiness, Vanilla Ice (3)
 * 45 (71). DIO's World (1)
 * 46 (72). DIO's World (2)
 * 47 (73). DIO's World (3)
 * 48 (74). The Faraway Journey, Farewell Friends

OVA

 * 11. The Warrior of the Void: Vanilla Ice
 * 12. Kakyoin - Duel in a Barrier
 * 13. Farewell, My Friends