| “ | I'm not wavering anymore. | ” |
—Johnny to Gyro, SBR Chapter 59 | ||
Dark Determination (漆黒の意志 Shikkoku no Ishi) is a mysterious phenomenon which can manifest within characters of the JoJo universe.
Its occurrence has been known to happen regardless of Stand User status. It has no exact trigger, though all demonstrated cases have been when a character is desperate to achieve a personal goal. Those afflicted by Dark Determination all seem to be at least subconsciously willing to allow it to manifest. It could be argued the phenomenon is more of a visual depiction of a character's state of mind, though evidence would suggest it is at least an external influence to some extent.
Dark Determination causes those afflicted to almost completely put aside their sense of morality in pursuit of the goal they desire. Those under the influence of the phenomenon experience a combination of increased fearlessness and ruthlessness that aids them in achieving their goal without question. However, the potential consequences of tapping into Dark Determination's power may be severe, as a fair few of those who have personally allowed it to take over coincidentally meet a tragic end at some point in the future.
Dark Determination was first noted occurring in-universe by the fanatical gunslinger, Ringo Roadagain, the one to give the phenomenon its name. It plays a central role in Ringo's, "The True Man's World" philosophy, as proof that someone has entered "The True Man's World" themselves. Those who follow the philosophy strive to achieve personal betterment through facing death head-on, slowly diminishing one's own moral restrictions and self-preservation instincts in an effort to become a more 'perfect' efficient being. The end result would be to completely harness Dark Determination itself.
During his encounter with Johnny Joestar and Gyro Zeppeli, Ringo recognized that Johnny had already experienced the phenomenon, whereas Gyro had not, thus only had interest in fighting Johnny. Ringo's recognition of Johnny's case suggests Dark Determination is indeed a visible phenomenon, rather than just a state of mind.
Appearance[]
Dark Determination takes the form of a fiery aura in their eye or eyes. Weather Report's version takes the form of thunderclouds, though like Stands, it may be that the phenomenon becomes shaped by the personality of its vessel. The effect is the same color as the manifested person's iris within the official colored scans, but sometimes their the pupils instead. It's either a lighter or darker tone, the former being more prominent. Sometimes, the color completely changes, as seen with Josuke Higashikata and Jolyne Cujoh. Debatably, the same goes for the anime instances.
Ability[]
Dark Determination allows those it effects to put aside their morals and sense of mercy and turns them into cold-blooded murderers. As stated by Gyro, "The user's eyes are the eyes of a killer." Under its effects, the manifested shows little hesitation in committing heinous actions.
This ability is incredibly powerful, but comes with its fair share of risks. The effected can face lasting psychological difficulties due to becoming unhinged and reflecting upon their actions, on top of the phenomenon's potential links to causing those that utilize it to be left ill-fated. It is unknown if Dark Determination directly boosts a character's power, though the newly uninhibited will to do anything necessary bolsters their chances of winning greatly.
Game Appearances[]
Dark Determination appears in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All Star Battle as part of Johnny's HHA, where his stand changes from Tusk Act 2 to Tusk Act 3. Dark Determination also appears in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Eyes of Heaven as part of Johnny's moveset.
Users[]
The phenomenon is accessible by virtually anybody, as it is merely a state of mind. Despite this remark, only a few people have visually be shown in this mindset, since it requires multiple factors to even occur in the first place. The following is a list of characters who have utilized the Dark Determination ability at least once.
- Johnny Joestar
- Ringo Roadagain
- Gyro Zeppeli
- Josuke Higashikata
- Rai Mamezuku
- Hato Higashikata
- Angelica Attanasio
The following characters were seen using the ability prior to the Steel Ball Run storyline, which introduced the ability.
Gallery[]
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