<metadesc>Jean Pierre Polnareff (ジャン・ピエール・ポルナレフ Jan Piēru Porunarefu) is a main ally in Stardust Crusaders. He reappears in Vento Aureo as a minor ally.</metadesc>
SPOILER WARNING: Part 5 spoiler details may follow.
“
|I'm gonna turn you into a pincushion!!... As for the rest, I'll leave that to the Devil himself.
Polnareff is a man of above-average height and athletic or muscular build.
With a receded hairline, he wears silvery hair that rises directly above his head, straight, to a height about half that of his head. He has no eyebrows. He also wears earrings in the shape of jaggedly halved (broken) hearts.
When Polnareff was a child, he had buck teeth and large ears.
Polnareff wears a fitted black tube top, shoulderless except for one strap running from his chest over his left shoulder. He also wears a pair of light trousers with pouches tied to the belt on each of his hips. He lost two of his left fingers and all his left toes after the battle against Vanilla Ice.
Color Schemes
The series is known for alternating colors between media, the information presented below may or may not be canon.
Colored MangaHftFOVAASBAnime
Skin(Fair)
Hair(Silver)
Eyes(Gray)
Polnareff's eyes are canonically blue yet are colored gray in the digitally colored version of the manga.
Outfit
(Black top, grey trousers and gold earrings.)
Hair(White tinted violet)
Eyes(Dark Blue)
Outfit
(Purple top, yellow trousers, red earrings)
Skin(Fair)
Hair(Blond)
Eyes(Blue)
Outfit
(Black/red-brown top, green trousers, red earrings)
Hair(Silver)
Eyes(Gray)
Outfit
(Black top with blue highlights, gray trousers, red earrings)
Skin(Fair)
Hair(Silver)
Eyes(Blue)
Outfit
(Black top and shoes, gray trousers, red earrings)
Having lost his right eye and his legs mid thigh, Polnareff now utilizes a wheelchair and a stylized eye patch. He also gained prosthetic fingers to replace the two that he lost.
During the final battle, his soul goes on to inhabit Coco Jumbo's turtle body.
Color Schemes
The series is known for alternating colors between media, the information presented below may or may not be canon.
Colored MangaAnimeGioGio (PS2)
Skin(Fair)
Hair(Silver)
Eyes(Gray)
Outfit
(Black top with purple highlights, pink lace, and gold shoulder pads. White pants.)
Skin(Fair)
Hair(Silver)
Eyes(Blue)
Outfit
(Navy top with magenta lace and gold shoulder pads. White pants.)
Hair(White)
Eyes(Brown)
Outfit
(Burgundy top with maroon lace and beige shoulder pads. Gray pants.)
Personality
“
I'll just die like this. As recognition of your strength. Committing suicide at this point would be dishonorable.
Jean Pierre Polnareff is a boastful but honorable and well-meaning Frenchman.
Polnareff would rather die than act dishonorably
Polnareff's most defining trait is his honor. His first appearance has him handicap himself on purpose by explaining his ability[5] and fight his opponent Avdol in a terrain more suitable to the latter.[6] Polnareff's honor is such that even under the control of DIO, he refuses to do something as dishonorable as attacking someone from the backname.[5] Adopting a chivalrous mindset, Polnareff is reluctant to flee from a fight or use dishonorable tactics, although he can be persuaded if the opponent is one he deeply hates like Vanilla Ice[7] or DIO.[8] He is in fact somewhat happy to see Chaka challenge him directly.[9] Polnareff is also very eager to avenge his fallen loved ones, for instance traveling the world to search for the one to have killed his sister Sherry.[10] Polnareff is well-meaning and will also sacrifice a potential romance so his enemies won't harm an innocent woman, the most notable case with Malèna,[11] whose kindness towards him when Alessi's Stand caused him to shrink into a child moved him.[12]
Polnareff calling Avdol a coward
Likewise, Polnareff comes off as arrogant, confrontational and can be rather impulsive. He is very proud of his Silver Chariot, with good reason as he trained hard with it,[6] but his overconfidence unfortunately means that he is poorly suited to fight the cowardly Stand users on his path, as he doesn't expect their moves and leads him into a number of disadvantageous positions, notably against Hol Horse's Emperor[13] or Anubis.[9] Polnareff has trouble seeing his own faults and thinks of himself as better as he really is, having for instance once noted the carelessness of throwing a lit cigarette butt on the ground, a cigarette he threw, and which caused a fire.[14] During his journey, it isn't unusual for Polnareff to argue with his companions or run afoul of various people he meets. He also initially held a poor view of Avdol, as he fled DIO instead of fighting, and had an argument which severed his relationship with him. Likewise Polnareff attacked Iggy upon their first meeting, their two personalities clashing violently.[15]
Gulping down baby food he finds delicious
Polnareff is also the least serious member of the group. He is maybe the one who bonds the most with his companions, casually joking with Kakyoin, Joseph, and even Jotaro. Being very extroverted, he has no problem expressing joy or sorrow, thus is the most compassionate of the group, being the one who mourns his comrades openly. This trait pushed the other members of the third Joestar Group not to reveal Avdol's recovery to him as they feared he would spill the secret.[16] Polnareff is somewhat easily distracted and repeatedly finds a way to lighten the mood, cracking a joke in sign language with Kakyoin while the submarine they were in was being sunk,[17] being willing to taste a homemade baby food from Joseph[18] and somehow coming to believe in Judgement's power as a genie, asking for becoming a comic book artist greater than Disney.[19] In fact Polnareff references pop culture icons frequently, such as Tom & Jerry, or The Exorcist. He can be unintelligent but in battle has shown surprising intellect, strategy and instinct.
Polnareff cannot resist pretty girls
Polnareff fancies himself a ladies' man. This is in part due to having mild narcissism, often considering himself a handsome man and takes special pride in his hair. A woman's good looks are always enough to distract him from even the most serious subjects, leading to Joseph commenting that Polnareff thinks with his crotch.[10] Indeed, even his infant self was already delighted to bathe with a beautiful woman. Usually a very perceptive fighter, being able to sniff out Devo,[20] Chaka, and Alessi,[21] he seems to be unable to think that a woman would ever be evil, never suspecting Nena[22] or Enya[23] when he met them. Polnareff is very friendly with the women, giving love advice to Nena and trying to bond with Enya (though it unintentionally enraged her).[23]
As a "sophisticated" man, Polnareff cannot stand filthy places, especially filthy toilets or those that do not fit his standards.[24]
Interestingly, Polnareff's best friends during the course of the series are Avdol and Iggy, neither of whom he could stand when they first met. In fact, no character mourns the deaths of his companions like Polnareff does, and no other character is as dedicated to avenging them.
In Vento Aureo, Polnareff has considerably matured and has become a serious and focused individual. His experience allows him to offer very needed counsel in Giorno and the others' fight against Diavolo.
Polnareff's humanoid Stand is Silver Chariot, one of the fastest of all; utilizing a rapier in a flexible and deadly offense.
In Vento Aureo, Polnareff develops Chariot Requiem, a Stand able to manipulate souls, with the touch of the Arrow; and later becomes sustained by Coco Jumbo's Stand, Mr.President.
Mastery
Having been born with Silver Chariot, Polnareff is stated to have intensively trained with his Stand, with great results. Thanks to his training, Polnareff is able to expertly wield Silver Chariot and make it fight with the expertise of a seasoned swordsman, able to command it to slash or stab with great precision and timing. Although the sword is its main feature, Polnareff can also command his Stand to perform kicks in a pinch.
Moreover, Polnareff has a habit of partially channelling Silver Chariot through his body, adding greater protection against attacks.
Personal
Intelligence
Polnareff's tactical acumen is greatly impeded by his faults, such as mild arrogance, tendency to be distracted by women (especially pretty ones), and his general nobility of character which makes him slow in expecting treachery.
However, Polnareff has proven to be a very perceptive fighter. Firstly, he is noticeably faster to catch when a man is trying to attack him. He has managed to decipher the powers of Hanged Man and devised an effective counter to it, has occasionally shown to greatly use the environment to his advantage for instance by purposefully breaking a mirror and use the pieces to observe a blind angle, and his experience enabled him to be able to figure out some of Cream's weaknesses and King Crimson's power, devising a mildly effective counter to its time erasure.
Swordsmanship
Polnareff's training with Silver Chariot and an off-hand comment about Chaka's amateurish sword stance suggests that Polnareff himself is a skilled swordsman. His skill is somewhat demonstrated when after being possessed by Anubis, he himself is able to overwhelm Star Platinum. The anime expands on that by giving him a typical fencing stance.
Hacking
After having been defeated by Diavolo, Polnareff went into hiding and developed computer hacking skills, allowing him to watch over numerous law enforcement databases unnoticed and communicate undetected by Passione with Bucciarati's Gang.
Sherry Polnareff: Not much has been shown of their relationship. However, it is fairly obvious that he loved her dearly. He spent years training his Silver Chariot and spent three years searching for the man who raped and murdered his sister who was J. Geil. He also carried a picture of her wherever he went. It is shown in flashbacks that he took care of her since she was young and was particularly close to her, especially since their mother died when he was three. When Cameo's Judgement claimed to be a Genie, Polnareff had him bring back his dead sister and when she was about to kill him, he initially could not fight back because he thought she was his sister.
Friends
Muhammad Avdol: Possibly his best friend throughout the journey, Polnareff initially met the fortuneteller under DIO's control (as he had a flesh bud in his head) and challenged him to a battle. Avdol recognized his chivalrous soul and Polnareff was subsequently saved. Initially, Polnareff also thought less of Avdol when he learned that he ran from DIO rather than confront him, but Avdol's "sacrifice" considerably improved his view of him. After Avdol revealed he was alive, the two became great friends despite their opposite temperament. In fact a recurring theme for Avdol was that he often had to save Polnareff from danger such as with J. Geil and Hol Horse, Cameo with his stand Judgement, and Cream. During both Avdol's deaths, Polnareff mourned deeply the loss of his companion, and tried to wish for Avdol's return to life to Judgement.
Iggy: The two initially did not get along since Polnareff woke him up after a bumpy flight. Polnareff disliked Iggy's cocky and demeaning attitude and antagonized him frequently, causing Polnareff to be Iggy's most common target when it came to getting bitten and farted on. Despite this, during their fight against Cream, Iggy sacrificed himself to save Polnareff. Polnareff deeply mourned his sacrifice, admitting he initially thought Iggy was a stubborn shitty mutt but grew to love how stubborn he was and how he didn't get close to humans because it showed how proud he was, and it was this determination that allowed him to beat Cream.
Kakyoin and Polnareff's "manly handshake".
Noriaki Kakyoin: The two were good friends and while not as close to him as he was to Avdol, the two greatly cared for each other and worked well together in battles, such as Polnareff's battle with J. Geil and when Joseph was infected by The Lovers, Kakyoin and Polnareff worked together to defeat him. The two did have a brief falling out when Mannish Boy attacked the gang with Death Thirteen and Polnareff didn't believe Kakyoin when he said the baby was the stand user, believing the journey had taken its toll on Kakyoin and made him crazy. However, upon learning that Kakyoin was right, he genuinely apologized and the two have gotten along since. For example, when the two were in a sinking submarine, the two were still able to joke around with each other and do a manly handshake. At the end of their journey, Polnareff mourned his comrades, including Kakyoin.
Jotaro Kujo: Polnareff and Jotaro were very close, their friendship being one of the few relationships for which Jotaro displayed open gestures of friendship such as comforting Polnareff when he rejected a possible love interest, and a teary farewell hug with him. By the time they got to Egypt, Polnareff's jolly temperament managed to make Jotaro appreciate him. Both respect each other as Stand users, Jotaro considering Silver Chariot dangerous enough so that he needs not restrain himself in a fight. Polnareff and Jotaro developed a habit to stick to each other, and Jotaro put himself at risk to save him from Anubis and DIO. It is unknown if Jotaro ever learned of Polnareff's fate after the events of part 5.
Joseph Joestar: The two got along well with Polnareff respecting Joseph's powers and authority and Joseph respecting Polnareff's abilities with Silver Chariot. While Polnareff had the least interaction with Joseph, it was evident the two got along such as joking with each other during the Death Thirteen and Oingo Boingo Brother arcs. Joseph tended to complain that Polnareff thought too much with his crotch and joked around too much, while Polnareff saw Joseph as sometimes silly and accident prone, (such as with the plane crash and when he tried riding a camel in the Sun arc). Nonetheless, Polnareff was willing to help out Joseph when he was attacked by Lovers and Joseph offered Polnareff a chance to come and live with him in America since he knew Polnareff had no one else back in France. Though Polnareff ultimately declined he was grateful that Joseph offered him the chance and bid him a teary farewell. It is unknown if Joseph ever learned of Polnareff's fate after the events of part 5.
Malèna: A kind woman Polnareff met when he was de aged by Alessi. She saw he was injured and took him to her house to take care of his wounds and clean him. Despite being a child, he was excited when she bathed him because of her beauty and the shared intimacy. When she was turned into a fetus by Alessi, he defeated Alessi to return her to normal. When she asked him where the child she saw was, rather than flirt with her, he pretended not to know because he didn't want to endanger her. It is obvious Polnareff developed genuine feelings for her.
Bucciarati's Gang: Polnareff first heard of Bucciarati's gang when they searched police databases to identify Diavolo. He chose to trust their righteousness and wanted to give them the Arrow so they could vanquish Diavolo, fully cooperating from the start with them. During the final fight, Polnareff acted as a voice of reason during the mayhem that Chariot Requiem and King Crimson were producing among the group. Finally Polnareff chose to stay close to Giorno Giovanna and was entrusted the Arrow inside Mr.President.
Enemies
J. Geil: As the Man who raped and killed his sister, Polnareff greatly hated J. Geil. Polnareff finally got his vengeance when he had Silver Chariot repeatedly stab J.Geil, killing him.
Devo: Polnareff and Devo met as enemy, and while Polnareff thought little of Devo since he was a poor fighter, the shaman grew to hate Polnareff after Silver Chariot injured him, fueling the power of Ebony Devil. Polnareff later took revenge by killing Devo.
Anubis: Anubis was one of many assassins sent by DIO to kill the group. Originally Polnareff thought Anubis was just a sword but realized what he was when the sword possessed him.
Vanilla Ice: Jean Pierre hated Ice for the murders of Avdol and Iggy. Polnareff avenged Avdol and Iggy by stabbing Vanilla Ice in the face and forcing him into the sunlight.
Alessi: Originally Polnareff saw Alessi as another enemy, but after he changed Polnareff into a child and tried to kill Malèna, Polnareff grew to despise Alessi. After turning back into an adult, Polnareff pummeled Alessi along with Jotaro.
DIO: Like Kakyoin, he too met DIO and was placed under his control. After having the Flesh Bud removed by Jotaro, Polnareff decided to join the team, though at first for his own goals, as Polnareff theorized that DIO would know where his sister's killer would be. Even after he avenged her sister's death, Polnareff chose to stay with the group to defeat DIO. After the deaths of both Avdol and Iggy, Polnareff vowed to defeat DIO no matter what.
Diavolo: Polnareff investigated Diavolo in Italy, but only took the full measure of Diavolo's dangerousness during a clash after which he was left for dead and miraculously survived. Knowing he couldn't face Diavolo and Passione alone, and isolated from his allies, he laid low and waited for an opportunity. Polnareff was killed by Diavolo but then his soul was attached to Coco Jumbo. During the final moments of Vento Aureo, Polnareff showed that he didn't underestimate Diavolo one bit and advised Bucciarati's Gang.
I'll just die like this. As recognition of your strength. Committing suicide at this point would be dishonorable. (フフ…やはりこのままいさぎよく焼け死ぬとしよう…それが君との戦いに敗れたわたしの君の「能力」への礼儀……自害するのは無礼だな…)
With pretty legs like those, we need a full body shot! Just like this shutter button, I want to push, push, push my way into your hearts! (君キレイな足しているから全身入れよーね。シャッターボタンのように、君のハートも押して押しまくりたいな〜。, Kimi kireina ashi shiteiru kara zenshin ireyo ne. Shattābotan no yō ni, kimi no hāto mo oshite oshi makuritai na 〜)
My name is Jean Pierre Polnareff! For my sister's honor and so that my friend Avdol can rest in peace...I'm going to send you straight into the depths of despair, J. Geil!!
"Prepare to die"? Getting right to the point, huh? You really are a man! Bring it on. Show me what your "Anubis" is made of!
”
—Jean Pierre Polnareff to Chaka, Chapter 194: Anubis, Part 2
“
Here's a question! How am I going to dodge this attack with this injured leg? Pick one. Answer no.1, the handsome Polnareff will suddenly come up with an idea to counter his attack. Answer no.2 My friends will come and save me. Answer no.3, I wont be able to dodge it, life is cruel.
The first time I met you, I submitted to your curse and the evil power that you possesse. i feel into a fate worse than death, becoming a dog without a home. I only felt compelled to be used by you. But now, I feel no fear, I only feel the will to fight! It's all because I met Mr. Joestar and his companions. The 45 days of our journey and the death of my friends have swept away my fear for you.
This feeling... I have sided with the light. DIO is the darkness! Mr. Joestar is the light! I can clearly feel the distinction between black and white! My body may be damaged, but my mind is overflowing with courage! My body is one with the light!
There is a hidden knowleged within this Arrow! I shall tell you of it! You must acquire a power that surpasses King Crimson! Come to Rome! This Arrow is the final and only method to defeat that man!
Polnareff became the biggest inspiration towards the character design of King of Fighters' Benimaru Nikaido. SNK developers continue referring to Benimaru as Polnareff even today.[25]
In Part 3 Polnareff is victim of a recurring gag involving bathrooms: Every time he goes to one he gets into trouble if varying threat levels, be it an attack from the enemy or some inconvenience from the bathroom itself. This is noted by Avdol after he has trouble in finding Mariah in a bathroom, as he comments that Polnareff is the expert with incidents regarding them.
There are strong parallels between Polnareff and Inigo Montoya from the movie and novel The Princess Bride: both are at first foes and then allies, both are master swordsmen and both sworn to vengeance against a man with a deformed hand. For Inigo, it was the count with six fingers. Finally when both meet their villain, they have a dramatic but concise presentation of their reason and intent for vengeance.
Manga Appearances
Anime Appearances
Quotes
