Why Does Johnny Joestar Hate Diego Brando?
Johnny Joestar's hatred of Diego Brando in Steel Ball Run stems from rivalry, moral opposition, and repeated betrayal. Here's the canon explanation.
Spoiler Warning and Continuity
This article covers major plot points from JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Part 7: Steel Ball Run, including the ending.
As of July 18, 2026, Steel Ball Run is canonically told through the original manga by Hirohiko Araki. The completed manga remains the primary source for this conflict, as published by Shueisha and licensed by VIZ Media.
The Origins of Johnny's Dislike
A Rival Before the Race Even Begins
Johnny's hatred of Diego is not sudden - it predates their direct conflict in the Steel Ball Run race. Early chapters establish Diego Brando as a famous but deeply controversial jockey. He is known not just for talent, but for morally questionable behavior, including marrying a wealthy elderly woman under suspicious circumstances and benefiting from her death.
These details are presented through Johnny's perspective and narration in early volumes such as Volume 1. Johnny openly calls Diego "scum," indicating that his hatred begins as a judgment of character rather than a personal grievance.
Confirmed canon:
- Diego is widely known as a brilliant but unscrupulous jockey.
- Johnny is already aware of Diego's reputation and despises him early on.
Interpretation: Johnny's hatred reflects his own history as a fallen prodigy. As a former star jockey whose life collapsed after a career-ending injury, Johnny is uniquely sensitive to hypocrisy and corruption in the same world he once dominated.
Johnny's Psychological Context
To understand the intensity of Johnny's hatred, his personal history matters.
Johnny grew up under constant pressure from his father and lost his identity after becoming paralyzed. His journey in Steel Ball Run is about regaining purpose and self-worth through the Spin and the Saint's Corpse.
Diego, by contrast, embodies a survivalist philosophy shaped by poverty and abandonment. He seeks power, status, and security at any cost.
Key contrast:
- Johnny seeks meaning and redemption.
- Diego seeks dominance and security.
This philosophical divide transforms simple dislike into deep hostility.
Escalation During the Steel Ball Run Race
Competition Over the Saint's Corpse
The central conflict of Steel Ball Run revolves around the Saint's Corpse parts. Both Johnny (with Gyro Zeppeli) and Diego pursue them, but for different reasons.
- Johnny wants the Corpse to heal himself and understand the Spin.
- Diego wants the Corpse to secure power and win the race.
Their paths repeatedly intersect, especially in arcs covered in volumes like Volume 7.
Each encounter reinforces Johnny's hatred because Diego consistently:
- Prioritizes personal gain over alliances
- Betrays temporary partners
- Uses lethal force without hesitation
Confirmed canon: Diego repeatedly acts opportunistically, switching alliances and targeting other racers when beneficial.
Result: Johnny's initial moral dislike becomes justified, in his eyes, through experience.
Diego's Actions Reinforce Johnny's Judgment
Diego gains the Stand Scary Monsters after an encounter with Dr. Ferdinand. This ability allows him to transform into a dinosaur and infect others.
After acquiring this power, Diego becomes even more dangerous and unpredictable. His willingness to use his Stand aggressively against competitors - including Johnny and Gyro - cements him as a direct threat.
From Johnny's perspective, Diego is no longer just "corrupt" - he is actively destructive.
Confirmed canon:
- Diego retains Scary Monsters after Dr. Ferdinand's defeat.
- He uses it in multiple confrontations during the race.
Interpretation: Johnny's hatred evolves into a survival response. Diego is someone who must be stopped.
Ideological Conflict: What Drives the Hatred
Johnny's Growth vs. Diego's Survivalism
By the middle of the story, Johnny is no longer the passive, bitter character introduced at the start. Through Gyro's mentorship and the Spin, he begins to change.
Diego, however, does not fundamentally change. His motivations remain rooted in survival and self-advancement.
This creates an ideological conflict:
| Johnny Joestar | Diego Brando |
|---|---|
| Seeks purpose and growth | Seeks power and status |
| Learns from others (Gyro) | Uses others as tools |
| Values bonds | Values outcomes |
Important distinction: Johnny's hatred is not just personal - it becomes philosophical. Diego represents a path Johnny refuses to follow.
The Role of Gyro Zeppeli
Gyro's presence amplifies Johnny's perspective. Gyro embodies a moral code, even while competing in a brutal race.
By aligning with Gyro, Johnny moves further away from Diego's worldview. This contrast sharpens Johnny's disdain.
Interpretation (clearly labeled): Johnny's hatred of Diego may partly stem from seeing what he himself could have become if he had embraced cynicism instead of growth.
The Turning Point: Conflict with Funny Valentine
Temporary Alignment - But Not Trust
At one point, Diego opposes the main antagonist, Funny Valentine, alongside Hot Pants. This places him in indirect alignment with Johnny and Gyro's broader goal of stopping Valentine.
However, this does not resolve Johnny's hatred.
Confirmed canon:
- Diego works against Valentine during parts of the later arcs.
- He does not form a lasting alliance with Johnny.
Johnny does not trust Diego, and the narrative never presents them as true allies.
Key takeaway: Shared enemies do not erase fundamental differences.
Diego's Death and Its Impact
The original Diego dies while battling Valentine. Valentine later recruits an alternate Diego, who becomes Johnny's final opponent before Lucy ends the threat with the original Diego's severed head.
Johnny does not reconcile with him before this death.
Interpretation: This lack of closure reinforces that Johnny's hatred was never about misunderstanding - it was about irreconcilable values.
The Final Layer: Alternate Diego and "High Voltage"
The Return of Diego - But Not the Same One
In the final arc, "High Voltage," Funny Valentine brings an alternate universe version of Diego Brando into the story using Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (D4C).
This Diego possesses a different Stand: The World.
Despite being a different individual, Johnny immediately treats him as the same enemy.
Confirmed canon:
- Alternate Diego is a separate version from another universe.
- Johnny still opposes him without hesitation.
Why Johnny Still Hates Him
Johnny's reaction to alternate Diego is crucial. It shows that his hatred is not tied to specific actions alone - it is tied to what Diego represents.
Even without the same history, alternate Diego:
- Pursues victory at any cost
- Aligns with power (Valentine's goals)
- Becomes a direct threat to Johnny's survival
Conclusion from canon events: Johnny's hatred extends beyond the individual Diego to the archetype he embodies.
The Final Confrontation and Resolution
The climax sees Johnny battling alternate Diego in one of the most intense fights in the series. The conflict ends when Lucy Steel uses the corpse of the original Diego to trigger D4C's paradox, destroying the alternate Diego.
Johnny survives - but the rivalry ends only through annihilation, not understanding.
Narrative significance:
There is no reconciliation. The conflict is resolved by elimination, reinforcing the depth of Johnny's opposition.
Confirmed Facts vs. Interpretation
What Is Explicitly Confirmed
- Johnny dislikes Diego from early in the story due to his reputation.
- Diego repeatedly acts in self-serving and morally questionable ways.
- They clash multiple times over the Saint's Corpse and race progression.
- Johnny never trusts Diego, even when their goals temporarily overlap.
- Johnny treats alternate Diego as the same enemy archetype.
What Is Inferred (Clearly Labeled)
- Johnny's hatred is intensified by his own trauma and past as a jockey.
- Diego represents a path of selfish survival that Johnny rejects.
- The rivalry symbolizes broader themes of growth vs. stagnation and morality vs. ambition.
These interpretations are consistent with the narrative but are not stated as explicit dialogue or author commentary in the manga.
Why This Rivalry Matters in Steel Ball Run
A Different Kind of "Dio"
Diego Brando is not the same character as Dio Brando from earlier parts of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, but he fulfills a similar narrative role: a foil to the protagonist.
However, unlike Dio's overt villainy, Diego operates in a morally gray space. This makes Johnny's hatred more complex.
Johnny is not simply opposing evil - he is rejecting a worldview.
A Personal and Thematic Conflict
The rivalry between Johnny and Diego serves multiple purposes:
- Personal conflict: Two elite jockeys with opposing values
- Narrative tension: A constant rival in the race
- Thematic exploration: What it means to rise above one's circumstances
Johnny's hatred is not just emotional - it is part of his character arc.
The Bottom Line
Johnny Joestar hates Diego Brando because Diego embodies ruthless ambition without moral restraint - a philosophy Johnny rejects as he struggles to rebuild his own life. What begins as disdain for Diego's reputation evolves into deep hostility through repeated betrayals, violent confrontations, and conflicting goals during the Steel Ball Run race. By the end of the story, Johnny's hatred represents a broader rejection of Diego's worldview, making their rivalry both personal and thematic.