Nena
Nena (ネーナ, Nēna) is a minor antagonist appearing in Stardust Crusaders.
Personality
Nena is introduced as having a crush on Hol Horse to the point of wanting marriage. Not satisfied with her actual appearance, she hides her true form even from her allies and uses the good looks of her last victim to trick her opponents into thinking she's just a innocent woman. Enya the Hag notes that her specialty is to slowly kill her victims.
Synopsis
History
Nena is an ugly woman from an aristocratic family hired by DIO to kill the Joestar group. Nena used her Stand Empress to kill a beautiful young woman and wore her skin to hide her true form. She eventually falls in love with Hol Horse to the point of wanting to marry him. The two become allies and lovers, though Hol Horse takes advantage of her as she was willing to do anything for him.
Stardust Crusaders
Nena is initially portrayed as an ally and lover of Hol Horse, an enemy of the protagonists, but is not shown to be a true enemy herself. She shows interest in marrying him, but he denies her marriage offer claiming he is a traveler destined to die on the street and couldn't stay with her even though they loved each other. He later reveals to J. Geil that he is with her just because she could be useful in the future, sacrificing her life for him.
After Hol Horse is defeated she eventually comes to his rescue, holding Jean Pierre Polnareff while Hol Horse escapes from Jotaro's team. She then accompanies the group on a bus they take to Varanashi, and it is then that Jean Pierre Polnareff becomes attracted to her while she hides her actual identity as a Stand User, and attacks Joseph Joestar with her Stand.
Nena then uses Polnareff's interest in her to distract him while her Stand fights Joseph. After Joseph is able to deal the finishing blow to Empress, Nena takes the damage and dies, revealing her real form.
Polnareff appears traumatized as she is killed in front of Polnareff, realizing she is an enemy. This has led to comical scenes as the rest of the crusaders try to prop him to senses.
Stand
Nena's Stand, Empress, represents the Tarot Card "The Empress", which symbolizes fertility. "The Empress" card often puts emphasis to motherly qualities, like creation of life, and it is thought to signify physical attraction and luxury. Nena's luxury can be seen through her crush on Hol Horse and later attraction towards Polnareff (even though she was only faking the latter). Her Stand, Empress, refers to her fertility by growing as it eats, similar to a real living being. It also refers to its host as "daddy", though in a mocking manner, as if it was fruit of a relationship.
In Video Games
Heritage for the Future (PS1/DC/Arcade)
This section requires expansion.
Trivia
- She and Hol Horse were shown to be lovers, much like the tarot cards they represent ("The Empress" and "The Emperor"), though it is unknown if Hol Horse knew her true appearance.
- Nena appears in the OVA, but her role as an antagonist is excluded. As such, she only appears to allow Hol Horse to escape.
Gallery
Nena's true appearance
Nena emerging from her disguise
- Nenadisguise.png
Nena disguised
The bud on Nena's tongue
Nena in Heritage for the Future
References
- ↑ Lovers - Vol.4 "Shueisha Jump Remix Stardust Crusaders Edition" P124 The Secret of JOJO Characters
