George Joestar I

"The name is Joestar. I'd like to repay you for saving my life. (わたしの名はジョースター. 命を救ってくれた礼をしたい)"

- George Joestar to Dario Brando,

George Joestar I (ジョージ・ジョースターⅠ世) is a secondary ally featured in the first part of the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure series, Phantom Blood.

George is portrayed as famous British aristocrat and the patriarch of the Joestar Family. He is the husband of Mary Joestar and father of the first protagonist, Jonathan Joestar. After a tragic misunderstanding, he adopts Dio Brando into his family, kick-starting the events of the entire series.

Appearance
George Joestar is a middle-aged man of medium build and height. He has a full set of dark hair with his bangs parted to one side of his forehead. He also has a properly maintained mustache.

George Joestar is typically seen in a three-piece suit and either has a tie or a bow tie. In a flashback, he dons a dark cloak.

Personality
George is kind, though somewhat misguided. The most apparent example is when he mistakenly believes Dario Brando saved his life, though the latter was actually attempting to rob him of his possessions. Even when George understands this to some extent, he shows his generosity by claiming that he willingly gave his ring to Dario and easily gets him out of jail. Nevertheless, George still honors Dario by taking in his child and doesn't notice Dio's wrongdoings. Once he does notice, he accuses Dario for Dio's behavior.

George loves his son, but is strict towards him, especially after Dio came along which offered George someone to compare Jonathan with, as he wished to make a gentleman out of him. Although he uses physical punishment and food deprivation to punish Jonathan, they are more a reflection of his time's customs than his own character. He notably shows his fatherly love through taking a fatal knife stab instead of Jonathan.

Background
A man of the upper class, George was famous in the trading business, making his family rich and able to live in a luxurious mansion. He later married a girl named Mary and they had a son, Jonathan Joestar.

Phantom Blood
George tragically loses his wife Mary in a carriage accident in 1868. When the thieving Dario Brando arrives at the scene to loot the valuables nearby, George wakes up and assumes that Dario rescued him and feels indebted to him. Later, George meets with Dario again but in prison. Dario has been arrested for trying to pawn a ring that has been identified as a property of the late Mary. However, George decides to lie to the police to save Dario from the death penalty and tells the inspector in charge of the case that he gave the ring to Dario. He then hands the ring to Dario, telling him that he understands the reason for the theft and to become a good family man. Even Dario cannot understand George's generous nature as he provides him with money for a hotel venture that ultimately fails.

For the next twelve years, George raised his only son Jonathan who grew into a fine youth despite being rough around the edges. He got Jonathan a pet dog, Danny, who saved Jonathan from drowning and became his best friend. After receiving a letter from a dying Dario, George honors his "debt" by allowing Dario's son Dio Brando to live at the Joestar Mansion and accepts him unconditionally as a member of the family. During Dio's stay, George is impressed by Dio's superior manners and intelligence, which causes him to berate his own son Jonathan several times. However, George remains unaware that Dio is brutalizing his son.

After Dio forcefully kisses Jonathan's girlfriend, Erina Pendleton, George and him have a conservation about Jonathan's dog, Danny. George thus narrates Danny and Jonathan's story together, how they didn't like each other at first but that then Danny saved Jonathan from drowning in a river, starting their friendship. When Jonathan learns about Erina, he rushes to the Joestar mansion and fights Dio, winning the struggle through sheer will. George catches them fighting (not noticing the knife Dio planned to stab Jonathan with) and sends them both to their rooms, promising punishments for the both of them after.

Dio then traps Danny in an incinerator, causing the dog to be burned alive. George and the other members of the house don't suspect Dio of the crime, believing it to instead be a burglar. Nevertheless, Jonathan suspects Dio was responsible but has no proof.

Eight years later, George is struck ill. Jonathan discovers Dario's letter from which he learns that his father is probably being poisoned by Dio. Jonathan travels to Ogre Street for proof and to find a cure. George is then cured and learns of Dio's treachery. Feeling responsible for doting Dio, George stands by as the constables Jonathan has brought proceed to arrest Dio. At the last moment, as Jonathan goes to Dio to personally handcuff him, George overhears Wang Chan mentioning Dio's luck and worries that the arrest is going too smoothly.

When Dio attempts to stab Jonathan to use the Stone Mask on himself, George leaps between the two and shields his son, getting fatally stabbed in the back. George dies nestled in Jonathan's hold, cheering his son up saying that is best for a father to die in the arms of his son. George's body is later burned away from the fire that destroys the Joestar Mansion.

Phantom Blood (PS2)
George makes his first video game appearance in several cutscenes in the Phantom Blood PS2 game, reprising his role in the original story.

All-Star Battle (PS3)
George appears as a random Campaign Support character, providing a significant boost for the player. Should the player lose a campaign battle, he gives them a boost to ensure a perfect S rank in any battle, even if they lost.

Eyes of Heaven (PS3/PS4)
Similar to Ghiaccio in All-Star Battle, George will guide the player through the JoJo Glossary.

Original Universe
In the light novel JORGE JOESTAR, Erina names her son after George but spells it in the Spanish style ("Jorge") so she can call him "JoJo". In the past, George used to be friends with the grandfather of Steven, Kenton, and Darlington Motorize.



37th Universe
There is also an iteration of George in the 37th universe. Although he is English, he lives in America because England does not exist in this universe. He is still a wealthy man, owning a large estate in 1881 where he lives with his son Jonathan and adopted son Dio Brando. It is unknown whether the George in this universe dies before his sons, as Jonathan and Dio both die in a train accident when Jonathan attempts to stop Dio from robbing the train.

Trivia

 * George mistaking Dario as his savior bears resemblance to a similar scene in Victor Hugo's novel , in which Marius's father mistakes the corrupt innkeeper Thénardiers as his savior and sends Marius to seek aid from him on his deathbed. George also claims that he gave his ring to Dario Brando, who was imprisoned for stealing said ring, resembling the bishop Myriel claiming the same for Jean Valjean, who attempted to steal his silverware.