DIO's World (story arc)

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

It narrates the climactic battle in the streets of Cairo between the Crusaders and DIO.

Summary
Jotaro, Joseph, and Kakyoin encounters Nukesaku, who is disguising as a young woman. The three of them easily looks through his disguise simply because of his hands that are reversely placed. Nukesaku, left with no choice, was then forced to guide them to DIO's coffin. On the other side, Polnareff finally encounters DIO, who was congratulated by him for being able to avenge his sister and for managing to travel all the way through Egypt. Polnareff then requests a prize from DIO for being able to gain those achievements. The malice vampire then offers him a chance to rejoin his side by descending the stairs by two steps, and if he decides ascends the stairs, he is bound to be killed by him. Polnareff then explains that when he earnestly succumbed under DIO's domination, he became a loser. A loser suffering a fate much worse than death, a loser who has no other desires but to carry out his commands. At this point, Polnareff states that the fear that he perceives from DIO is blown away by the journey and his partner's deaths that he experienced made his resolve to defeat DIO even greater. He no longer does feels an ounce of fright from DIO, and that he has no other desire but to fight him. The undying being then tells Polnareff to ascend the stairs if he really has the will to confront him; without the smallest amount of doubt, Polnareff climbs the stairs to confront him.

In all of a sudden, it appears that Polnareff did not actually ascend the stairs and instead did the opposite, even though his body remembers that he totally did climb them. As he tries to ascend them again, he descends the stairs by two steps once again. Polnareff starts to lose his composure, making DIO mention so. He then speculates that Polnareff is that afraid of him, and that he subconsciously did the opposite of his true will, which is to ascend the stairs to fight DIO. DIO asks Polnareff a rhetorical question: what truly is the purpose of a human's life? DIO then says that the objective of a human is to attain a peace of mind by conquering their fears and so on. He then adds that there are many ways for a human being to attain a peace of mind, such as gaining wealth and controlling others; even though humans show willingness to help others, or declaring their actions for the sake of love or peace, what mankind truly seek is to attain a peace of mind. After that, DIO questions Polnareff why does he not want to be his servant, mentioning that one could easily gain the aforementioned peace of mind by simply serving him. He then asks Polnareff whether or not the fact that Polnareff is bound to be killed if he insists to challenge him makes him anxious, making Polnareff think that he might be subconsciously submitting himself towards DIO. Again, DIO questions Polnareff if he truly does not want to become his servant, pledging to him that he'll obtain a state of peace of mind if he intends to once again become his subordinate. Polnareff, being in a state of fright and discourage, compels himself to challenge DIO. They both release their stands, however, their battle was halted by the interference of Jotaro, Joseph, and Kakyoin who broke through an exterior wall to reveal sunlight to come in.

This leaves DIO no choice but to momentarily flee. Polnareff warns them about The World's power, and the Joestar group, after sensing an ambush, gets out of the mansion and splits into two groups. Evening has turned to night and DIO can roam free in Cairo. He opts to pursue Kakyoin and Joseph who are trying to deduce The World's power. Kakyoin ambushes DIO with an Emerald Splash from all directions, but DIO's power is unleashed: he stops time and fatally punches Kakyoin through the stomach, sending him into a water tower. Moments before his death, 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 ending attack. 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 grows exceedingly angry, 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 punch straight 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 knocking away a number of knives. Regardless, 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. Forthwith, Jotaro unlocks his own time-stopping ability and uses it to counteract The World: managing to defeat DIO once and for all by splitting him apart. Jotaro then revives Joseph using DIO's blood with a transfusion. The Speedwagon Foundation brings DIO's corpse out into the desert, where Jotaro and Joseph reminisce 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 at 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, Part 3
 * 45 (71). DIO's World, Part 1
 * 46 (72). DIO's World, Part 2
 * 47 (73). DIO's World, Part 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