Diego Brando (THE WORLD)

"Johnny Joestar. In this world, for me, you are the greatest challenge!!"

- Diego Brando

This article covers the second Diego Brando, simply referred to as Diego Brando from Another Universe (並行世界から来たディエゴ), featured in Steel Ball Run.

This Diego is introduced after the death of the original to the "root world" of the Corpse by Funny Valentine at the conclusion of Break My Heart, Break Your Heart.

A racer from a similar Steel Ball Run race, he confronts Johnny Joestar in High Voltage (exhibiting characteristics even more similar to those of the original Dio Brando).

Appearance
The second Diego is identical in appearance to the first.

Personality
Of few or no scruples, the second Diego is almost crueller than the first, prepared as he is to kill Johnny in inventively violent ways such as by throwing knives, like DIO, or using matches to burn him alive. He is capable of sacrificing innocent people for his sake, though he berates Johnny for killing his fans in the first place.

Abilities
The second Diego's Stand, THE WORLD, is almost identical to DIO's The World: A powerful, humanoid Stand capable of stopping time for ~5 seconds.

Differing slightly in appearance, this Stand replaces hearts in its design with "D" emblems (e.g. on its knees), sports clocks on its shoulders and hips, and lacks the gloves/knuckle plates on its arm braces as well as a belt. It possesses a much slimmer physique while removing its pseudo-robotic arm pivots and knee hinges with joints under solid "skin" to appear more humanlike.

History
During the 8th round, the original Diego turned against Funny Valentine; but he was quickly defeated by his Stand, Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap.

Later, after the final battle between Johnny and Valentine, the President tried to make a deal with Johnny, making the promise he can bring back Gyro Zeppeli (switching a Gyro from another universe with the deceased Gyro). However, Valentine was planning a last trick and uses the time talking with Johnny to search for an ally in another universe. With this objective in mind, Funny Valentine negotiated with this alternative version of Diego to take the Saint Corpse Parts and to kill Johnny.

High Voltage
After Johnny finally beats Valentine, he was surprised to see the Saint Corpse Parts were gone again. He pursued the thief only to discover he was none other than Diego Brando.

Johnny was at first surprised by the new Stand, THE WORLD, but still managed to discover the nature of its power after a few attacks. This time, Diego had the advantage of knowing Tusk's powers and Johnny's super spin technique predicting his attacks, and using his fans as human shields when Johnny attacked.

In his final attack, Diego used his five seconds to make a double attack: He fired a gun while THE WORLD attacked Johnny's back. Johnny was badly hurt again falling from his horse and couldn't use his new attack.

However, he had accumulated enough spin to make their final attack, using Tusk Act 4 starts climbing Diego's leg. At that time, Diego remembers what Valentine told him about the Super Spin technique and how to overcome it; cutting his leg and throwing it to Johnny, Diego manages to beat Johnny with his own technique and mount his horse, leaving him to die.

The World of the Stars and Stripes
Moments later, Diego wins the race and fulfills the last will of Funny Valentine by keeping the body in the secret chamber of Holy Trinity.

When all hope seemed lost, Lucy Steel appears, ready to stop Diego. She exposes the head of the first Diego, killing him when the heads from both dimensions merge and obliterate one another.

All-Star Battle (PS3)
Though Diego, either version, is not physically present in All-Star Battle, some of his alternate's lines are present and fully voiced in the final part of Steel Ball Run's STORY MODE.

Interestingly enough, he is voiced by Takehito Koyasu, Dio's voice actor. He is referred to as "Dio" instead of Diego.

Eyes of Heaven (PS3/PS4)
This Diego Brando was confirmed for Eyes of Heaven alongside Johnny, Gyro, and Valentine, his name titled Diego Brando from Parallel World (並行世界から来たディエゴ), shorted as The World Diego (世界ディエゴ).

His moveset consists of throwing a fuel can and matches in order to set opponents on fire, and the use of a handgun. As with the other characters whose abilities to stop time are represented as their Style Action, Diego shares his length with DIO (5 seconds), tying for longest time stop duration in the game.

His GHA has him stop time once his partner sends the opponent into the air during their brief attack, after which he proceeds to take out a handful of knives and throw them with THE WORLD throwing its own set simultaneously. The knives, totaling exactly 23, are subsequently suspended in mid-air, surrounding the opponent, before Diego resumes time and lets them strike their target.

Tournament
He is paired with Part IV Jotaro Kujo in the Eyes of Heaven tournament, defeating Josuke Higashikata (JoJolion) and Narciso Anasui in the first round, but was eliminated by Bruno Buccellati and Trish Una in the second.

Trivia

 * He is the second final villain to die at hands of a secondary character. The first was Enrico Pucci, killed by Emporio Alniño in Stone Ocean. Both die as a result of the destruction of their heads, albeit differing in method.
 * He is also the first antagonist to fight a JoJo at the end of a series without being a main antagonist himself.
 * Similarly to the original Diego, his name is sometimes spelled in English as "Dio" with only a capital "D".

Similarities to Dio Brando
Through actions more closely related to those occurring in Part III, the second Diego also bears similarities to Dio Brando.
 * Diego's Stand, THE WORLD, is almost identical to DIO's.
 * Diego has the same cries as DIO; his Stand cry is also "MUDA MUDA MUDA" and even screams "WRYYYYYYYY" upon his death, a cry formerly used for vampires appearing in the series, but also shared by Giorno Giovanna.
 * Diego utilizes similar techniques to DIO; especially throwing knives that surround his target within stopped time.
 * Diego and DIO lose their left lower legs shortly before they die when their heads are destroyed.
 * The climax of Diego's battle with Johnny takes place on a bridge, like DIO with Jotaro.

Gallery
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