Chapter 240. I Hate the Riddler
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Right, is this a case of Jotaro being a deus ex machina?
Or is DIO the deus ex machina?
Watching "Stardust Crusaders", as the plot suddenly takes another dramatic turn, even industry insiders who were initially puzzled by its popularity despite the use of deus ex machina are now even more bewildered.
Normally, by the logic of a typical deus ex machina plot, after Jotaro gains the ability to stop time and we see [Star Platinum]'s six dimensional stats vastly surpassing [The World], there should be no way DIO, with his lesser base stats, could keep up, especially when [Star Platinum] can stick a magnet on DIO without him even noticing it.
With these differences in abilities and base stats, shouldn't DIO already be dead, defeated swiftly by Jotaro now?
But instead, DIO grows stronger with each encounter, and after Jotaro's initial resistance, DIO, using [The World], whose power is inferior to [Star Platinum], toys with him! Even Jotaro's attempt to fake death nearly gets him killed for real?!
Is this the kind of deus ex machina we know?
How is it that they can't understand this high-level tactic?
Yet they have to admit: as Anno Hideaki said, if a work is interesting enough, no one cares whether it relies on deus ex machina. Clearly, the battle between Jotaro and DIO over time-stopping powers, their mind games, and the ensuing tension are incredibly compelling.
No, it's beyond compelling.
It's filled with suspense!
The outcome, which should have been settled by the deus ex machina, becomes ambiguous again under DIO's cunning, gripping every viewer's heart as they witness it unfold.
That's why Polnareff can't help but question Jotaro's choices so intensely.
As a member of the "Stardust Crusaders" cast and a character still surviving in the plot to help Jotaro fight against DIO's Stand users, Polnareff feels deeply that DIO is on a different level compared to previous enemies they've fought.
Or rather, DIO's power clearly exceeds all reasonable limits!
Having a strong Stand ability is one thing.
They've encountered other bizarre Stands before [The World].
And being immortal isn't an issue either. With Vanilla Ice as an example, an immortal Stand user with a powerful Stand can still be defeated.
But aside from these, why add high intelligence to DIO's character design!?
Strictly speaking, Vanilla Ice wasn't unintelligent, but his fanatical devotion and tendency to lose reason when related to DIO were his downfall. That's what allowed Polnareff to kill him with [Silver Chariot], avenging Avdol and the others with Iggy's help!
But what about DIO?
When Polnareff tried to use a similar tactic, striking while DIO's attention was on Jotaro, and managed to stab him with [Silver Chariot]'s rapier, preparing for the "brain-mixing" move he used on Vanilla Ice, time stopped…
DIO, with a speed matching [Star Platinum], reacted faster than Polnareff could.
Achieving this level of response involves more than just [The World]'s time-stopping ability. He was seriously injured by DIO who reacted first...
After all, [Silver Chariot] and [The World] both have speed ratings of A. When N'Doul could use [Geb] with a B-speed rating to give [Star Platinum] trouble, it proved that a Stand's speed is irrelevant if its user can't react to an attack or doesn't know where it's coming from.
By the same logic, even though DIO activated time-stopping to defend against Polnareff's assassination attempt, [Silver Chariot] should have succeeded in the ambush.
Under the same speed A, it should be the [Silver Chariot] that is acting unintentionally. It can be one step ahead and complete the result before DIO stops time, leaving DIO unable to think!
But in reality, DIO reacted faster than Polnareff?
The only explanation is that DIO had anticipated Polnareff's ambush or maintained an unyielding vigilance.
Even the thrill of defeating enemies and victory didn't make DIO relax. What kind of monster is he?!
Is such a feat even humanly possible?
Even if DIO can do this, how does the actor playing him, Dio, manage to achieve such realism?
Polnareff, seeing him as merely a talented actor, can only wonder if this situation came about because Jotaro accidentally leaked their information!
"Polnareff, haven't you always been curious about what I asked Dio back then?"
With a sigh, Jotaro said, "Alright, I'll tell you now."
"…"
Hearing this, Polnareff stopped his unreasonable antics as if he hadn't been ranting about how Jotaro had gotten him into such a mess.
But what choice did he have? After all, it Kujo Jotaro who became the riddler for them.
If he didn't know, he could ignore it. But Jotaro not only explained why he did it and his purpose behind it, he also kept the actual intel a surprise!
It's like pulling for Muramasa in "FGO", only to see golden sparkles and a rainbow, and just as you anticipate that elusive five-star Saber, you end up with a four-star Siegfried instead!
You get it now, right? Is it any wonder that Polnareff and the others can't hold back?
It's okay now.
Finally, Jotaro is ready to reveal the truth!
"This is actually…"
"…"
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