Joseph Joestar of New York (story arc)

Joseph Joestar of New York (ニューヨークのジョセフ・ジョースター) is the first story arc in Battle Tendency.

Set 50 years after the events of Phantom Blood, it introduces Joseph, the grandson of Jonathan; moreover it exposes Speedwagon's discovery of a man encased in a pillar surrounded by Stone Masks and Straizo's betrayal.

Summary
In the winter of 1938, half a century since the incident at Windknight's Lot, an elderly Robert E. O. Speedwagon is in Mexico to welcome his old friend Straizo, who had succeeded Tonpetty as leader of their order. Speedwagon proceeds to take Straizo to a pyramid discovered by his Speedwagon Foundation, an influential organization he founded after becoming a wealthy businessman. Inside, Straizo is shown the remains of a Vampire with a bas-relief nearby featuring the Stone Mask.

Meanwhile, in New York City, Jonathan's grandson Joseph Joestar gets his wallet stolen by a pickpocket named Smokey Brown before the youth is cornered by a pair of corrupt police officers. Seeing the officers extorting Smokey, Joseph intervenes by claiming that he's given the wallet as a gift to Smokey. But the overweight cop retorts that his word is law in New York and puts a bogey on Joseph's face. Angry, Joseph punches the policeman as the latter picks his nose. He then breaks other cop's trigger finger with a Ripple-propelled soda bottle cap when he attempts to shoot him on the grounds of resisting arrest. Once the fight ends, Joseph freaked out over what he did and fears what his grandmother Erina will do to him if she finds out before he and Smokey take their leave. Joseph later introduces himself to Smokey, explaining all he knows to him about his power.

In Mexico further inside the pyramid, in a huge central room, Straizo discovers a column on which is engraved a man surrounded by Stone Masks. Speedwagon, explaining that his analysis of the man in the pillar show that he's alive, claims that he is the creator of the Stone Masks and asks Straizo to destroy the creature in his sleep.

But Straizo, after asking questions about Joseph's usage of the Ripple, which once saved Speedwagon from an abduction attempt when a young Joseph knocked out the pilot of a plane he, Speedwagon and the abductors were in, suddenly kills his disciples and Speedwagon's associates before knocking Speedwagon down. Straizo admits that while the use of the Ripple slowed his aging, he expresses envy towards the youth and vigor Dio gained from the Stone Mask. Straizo then adorns a mask, using the spilled blood to activate it while explaining his intent to eliminate all loose ends starting with Speedwagon and then the Joestars.

Meanwhile, in New York, Joseph befriends Smokey as he and his grandmother Erina Joestar make the boy feel welcomed. While eating at a restaurant, Joseph deals with a mafia henchman whose racist comments towards Smokey were too much for him and Erina to tolerate. Soon after outwitting and overwhelming his opponent, Joseph is approached by another mobster who is an acquaintance of Speedwagon's and has come to inform him and Erina that Speedwagon was apparently murdered by Straizo. While Smokey advises Joseph not to be bought in by the mobster's words, Joseph explains there is some truth in it. However, Joseph knocks the mobster out for inconsiderately distressing his grandmother with such news. With Erina concerned that the evil that took away her beloved Jonathan is about to claim her grandson. Joseph assures her that he is not going anywhere while accepting whatever fate is in store for him.

Chapters

 * 001 (045). Joseph Joestar of New York (1)
 * 002 (046). Joseph Joestar of New York (2)
 * 003 (047). Joseph Joestar of New York (3)

Volumes

 * 01 (05). The Final Ripple!

Anime Episodes

 * 01 (10). New York's JoJo