Rudol von Stroheim
- For a similarly named character, see Fritz von Stroheim
Rudol von Stroheim (ルドル・フォン・シュトロハイム, Rudoru fon Shutorohaimu) is a primary ally featured in the second part of the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure series, Battle Tendency.
Stroheim is introduced as a Nazi Major researching and experimenting on the Pillar Man, Santana. After a close call with death, he is eventually repurposed as a cyborg and promoted to a Colonel. His unit cooperates with the Speedwagon Foundation and the Ripple users to stop the threat of the Pillar Men.
Appearance
Stroheim is a tall, well-built man with masculine facial features. He has a flattop haircut that appears particularly wide.
As part of the German military, he wears the army uniform, consisting of a Model 1936 tunic and a peaked cap known as a Schirmmütze. His cap has a stylized eagle (Parteiadler) emblem in the center.
Later, he acquires complex metallic cybernetic prosthetic implants, such as the section of his face surrounding his right eye, which is additionally covered by a sort of monocle. His arms and entire abdomen are replaced, with his torso housing a powerful machine gun.
Color Schemes
Personality
When Stroheim is first introduced, he is a callous and cruel Nazi Major who has the foolish idea to experiment with the Stone Mask in order to further the power of the Waffen-SS. During his mission in Mexico, Stroheim commits several heinous misdeeds such as capturing locals and forcibly turn them into guinea pigs for his vampire experiments (including women and children),[5] or threatening to cut a maid's tongue for slightly cutting him during a shave.[6]
However, upon being threatened with Santana's rampage, he also demonstrates bravery and does not hesitate when trapped in asking Joseph to cut off his leg; or blow himself up with a grenade to kill the invading Santana.[7] This is seen once again when Stroheim gives him a helping hand in defeating Kars and helping Joseph drive him into the volcano with an airplane. Stroheim maintained his bravery up until the Battle of Stalingrad, 1943, where he is said to have fought bravely and died.[2]
Likewise, Stroheim respects courage from others, no matter what ethnicity the individual may belong to. His appreciation for valor is seen when he spares one Mexican boy for being willing to sacrifice himself for his cellmates; on the other hand he executed the rest of the prisoners for not having the same spirit, making the boy's sacrifice moot.[8]
Stroheim is an enthusiastic nationalist. He is particularly proud of his cyborg body; praising "German science" and generally loudly boasting the Germans given the occasion.[9] His pride occasionally grows into overconfidence and arrogance. Because of it, Stroheim tends to both overestimate himself or his technology and underestimate how formidable the Pillar Men are. Thus, three times during the story, a Pillar Man gets the better of him; first Santana easily escapes his cell and attacks him,[10] then his cyborg body is also defeated by Kars[11] and finally Stroheim rushing to finish Kars in the battle of the Piz Bernina Ruins allows the Pillar Man to return the UV light against the humans and turn into the Ultimate Thing.[12] On a regular basis, Stroheim also loudly laughs at his foes and point his finger at them when they are in a position of weakness.
Abilities
Weapons
Thanks to his mechanical parts, Stroheim is gifted with superhuman strength. He can crush an object with his hand at a pressure of 1,950 kg (4,300 lb) per centimeter squared, which is roughly double of what was Santana's strength. For instance, he can easily tear apart some of Kars's hand and crush a golf ball with surprising ease.
The Ultraviolet Radiation Beam is one of Stroheim's hidden weapons. Inside Stroheim's mechanized eye is a small laser cannon capable of firing a concentrated beam of Ultraviolet light. The beam itself is five times more intense than a set of typical ultraviolet lights and was able to pierce straight through Kars's hand.
Built by the technical department of the Speedwagon Foundation specifically as an anti-vampire device, Stroheim is able to fire out powerful blasts of ultraviolet light from two flood lights located on each side of his shoulders. As miniaturized searchlights, they pack the same power as the original, but are light enough to carry with ease. Stroheim used these cannons during the final battle against Kars, where he, along with his team, fought back against the army of vampires.
Profile
As a Major in the SS, Stroheim is capable of leading his own battalion, as well as any members of the party of lower rank. To this end, Stroheim enforces his rank with a strong sense of pride and most of time, his word is law. As a capable leader, Stroheim often initiates attacks upon command, though the logic behind them usually varies depending on the level of abnormality of the enemy. When cornered, Stroheim's eminent pride in his country will cause him to unquestionably sacrifice himself to take out his target. In terms of combat expertise, it is presumed he is capable of performing the most basic of military skills with ease, including assembling and disassembling military weapons, and making efficient use of said weapons. Stroheim also flaunts a very able-bodied physique and has demonstrated a very high jumping ability.
After being resurrected as a Cyborg, Stroheim's physical capabilities increased and with it his rank to Colonel status. As a Cyborg, his strength increases significantly, having been designed with the ability to crush an object with his hand at a pressure of 1,950 kg/cm2 (roughly double Santana's). In this form, Stroheim had also gained partial immortality, being able to survive most attacks, as his mechanical limbs being damaged lessens the effect on his lifeforce. With these limbs, he is capable of bending his body unnaturally, and deflect enemy attacks due to being made of metal. Situated on one side of Stroheim's face is a magnifying device that allows Stroheim to zoom in on objects up to a point where he can study their internal structure.
History
Battle Tendency
Stroheim is a German SS officer who accepts the mission of going to Mexico and study one of the Pillar Men, thinking it is a quick way to earn a promotion. Taking over a luxurious hacienda in the desert, Stroheim makes it his personal fortress and laboratory, where he is free to torment the servants. Stroheim takes an injured Robert E. O. Speedwagon to his base. To quickly acquire the needed information regarding the Pillar Men and Speedwagon's own life, he uses a truth serum.
Stroheim orders preparation for the experiment to begin. He orders a Vampire starved and locked to test the Pillar Man and visits the prisoners' cell, where locals are put to be later used as food. One prisoner tries to attack him but Stroheim puts a broken pencil in his mouth and uppercuts him. Impressed when a young boy wants to sacrifice himself, Stroheim congratulates him and spares him; instead he orders his guards to execute everyone else. Showing off the cell that is specially designed to contain the Pillar Man, Stroheim begins the injection of blood in the pillar, waking up the man. Dubbing the individual "Santana" after the warm winds of Mexico, Stroheim is initially amused to see him sip on the wet ground and thinks of him as a primitive being. He sics the starved Vampire on Santana, but witness with fear Santana effortlessly absorb the Vampire. Still confident in his cell, Stroheim is nonetheless shocked to hear Santana speak the modern language. Suddenly, Santana disappears. It is shown that the Pillar Man could twist his body to fit inside of a small opening leading to an air duct.
Santana reappears in the control room and possesses a German soldier. Seeing that the experiment is now out of his control, Stroheim orders his men to fire but the possessed soldier shoots the bullets back at them with his fingers. Thankfully, Joseph Joestar reveals himself and protects both Stroheim and Speedwagon. Stroheim witnesses Joseph battle Santana but eventually, Joseph is too tired to drag the Pillar Man to the surface. Stroheim steps in and leaps to open the door, only to be hindered by pieces of Santana. Out of options, Stroheim tells Joseph to cut off his leg with an axe hanged on the wall nearby to free him and allow him to open the door to the surface, and the sun. Joseph reluctantly does so, allowing Stroheim to expose Santana to the sun. However, Santana then enters his body through his leg stump. Cornered, Stroheim eventually sacrifices himself by setting off a grenade against him. Before this, Stroheim takes the take to warn Joseph about three other Pillar Men hidden in Rome and of a contact Speedwagon knows.
Thanks to Nazi science, Colonel Stroheim is revived with cybernetic parts, which heavy weaponry and a strength designed to take on someone like Santana. He is deployed in Switzerland with another unit of soldiers and intercepts the Red Stone of Aja during a train delivery; satisfied, he puts the Stone in his pocket. He also spots the heroes and invites them to his chalet, keeping his identity a secret for the moment. That night, Kars enters the chalet. Stroheim confronts him in the living room just as Joseph barges in. Showing off his strength, Stroheim confidently takes on the Pillar Man and uses his stomach machine gun. However, Kars decides to fight seriously and easily cuts the cyborg in half. Kars takes the Red Stone of Aja, but Stroheim reveals an eye laser he shoots Kars with, making him drop the Stone. Thankfully, Joseph and the Ripple User manage to keep it. Stroheim is sent away for repairs.Stroheim appears yet again after being reconstructed with the help of the Speedwagon Foundation science division and saves Joseph from Kars's impending vampire army just in the nick of time. Kars is defeated by Joseph soon after and is sent falling onto a spikes below, where Stroheim and his division blast him with ultraviolet light. They fail to realize, however, that Kars had donned a Stone Mask with the Aja and are dumbstruck when he achieves his ultimate form and begins killing them off with a squirrel formed from his right hand.
After Joseph hijacks a German aircraft to lure Kars away, Stroheim reveals himself in the side wing of the plane just before it goes plummeting into an active volcano. After pinning Kars to the front end of the aircraft by shooting his rocket fist at him, he pulls Joseph out of the plane and cushions their fall by sacrificing his cybernetic legs. Stroheim is left helpless as Kars is shown to survive the crash in the lava, but fortunately, Joseph makes the volcano erupts when Kars' Ripple collides with the Red Stone of Aja, launching both Joseph and him into the air. Stroheim eventually returns to the rest of the group and reports Joseph's supposed death.
After the battle with Kars, Stroheim had Joseph Joestar's severed left hand replaced with an mechanical one as a gift but never meets Joseph again. He died honourably offscreen at the Battle of Stalingrad in 1943.
Chapters / Episodes
- Chapter 52: Straizo vs. Joseph, Part 5
- Chapter 53: The Pillar Man
- Chapter 54: The Pillar Man, Santana, Part 1
- Chapter 55: The Pillar Man, Santana, Part 2
- Chapter 56: The Pillar Man, Santana, Part 3
- Chapter 57: The Pillar Man, Santana, Part 4
- Chapter 58: The Pillar Man, Santana, Part 5
- Chapter 59: The Pillar Man, Santana, Part 6
- Chapter 60: The Pillar Man, Santana, Part 7
- Chapter 61: The Pillar Man, Santana, Part 8 (Apparent death)
- Chapter 62: The Pillar Man, Santana, Part 9 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 65: Ultimate Warriors from Ancient Times, Part 1 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 82: The Remains Lurk, Part 2 (Mentioned)
- Chapter 84: Stroheim's Unit Strikes Back, Part 2
- Chapter 85: Stroheim's Unit Strikes Back, Part 3
- Chapter 86: Light Mode Kars, Part 1
- Chapter 87: Light Mode Kars, Part 2
- Chapter 88: Caesar: A Lonely Youth, Part 1 (Cover only)
- Chapter 106: The Bond That Binds Lisa Lisa and JoJo, Part 2
- Chapter 107: JoJo: The Final Ripple, Part 1
- Chapter 108: JoJo: The Final Ripple, Part 2
- Chapter 109: Kars the Superbeing is Born, Part 1
- Chapter 111: Joseph's Final Gamble
- Chapter 112: The Man Who Became a God
- Chapter 113: The Man Who Crossed the Atlantic (Mentioned) (Death)
- JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Episode 11: Master of the Game
- JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Episode 12: The Pillar Man
- JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Episode 13: JoJo vs. the Ultimate Being (Apparent death)
- JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Episode 14: Ultimate Warriors from Ancient Times (Mentioned)
- JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Episode 18: Stroheim's Unit Strikes Back
- JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Episode 19: Race Toward the Cliff of Death
- JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Episode 23: The Warrior Returns to the Wind
- JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Episode 24: The Bond That Binds JoJo
- JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Episode 25: The Birth of a Superbeing!!
- JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Episode 26: The Man Who Became a God (Death)
Quotes
- “Kid! Our races may be different but I respect those like you who have courage! Only the great should live!... Kill everyone besides him.”—Rudol von Stroheim, Chapter 53: The Pillar Man
- “I may not seem it but I'm a proud German soldier. I was already prepared for this when I accepted this mission! I'm different from you cowardly British wimps. I'd easily give up 2 or 3 limbs for my country!”—Rudol von Stroheim, Chapter 60: The Pillar Man, Santana, Part 7
- “The greatness of humans is when they face fear with pride.”—Rudol von Stroheim quoting Plutarque, Chapter 61: The Pillar Man, Santana, Part 8
- “You fool! Nazi science is the greatest in the world! (ブァカ者がァアアアアナチスの科学は世界一チィィィィ!!)”—Rudol von Stroheim, Chapter 85: Stroheim's Unit Strikes Back, Part 3
- “My body is the result of the most advanced technology of the German people and I'm proud of iiit!! In other words, I'm above every other human being!!”—Rudol von Stroheim, Chapter 85: Stroheim's Unit Strikes Back, Part 3
Video Games
All Star Battle (PS3)
Stroheim makes his first video game appearance in the PS3 title. Appearing as one of the Campaign Surprise Support Characters, where he shoots the opponent's profile with his machine gun (in the same way he attacked Kars during the events of Part 2), decreasing their health bar by 40% before the fight.
Stardust Shooters (Android/iOS)
Stroheim appears as one of the several Part 2 characters who possess a Metal Striker. His FINISH move makes him shooting several bullets of his Torso-Machine Gun at the defeated opponent and his Level 3 special ability allows him to destroy himself after defeat, damaging any Metal Striker near him (enemy or ally).
Eyes of Heaven (PS3/PS4)
Stroheim was one of the first characters confirmed to be playable in the game (alongside Jotaro Kujo, Joseph Joestar, Noriaki Kakyoin, Josuke Higashikata, and Diego Brando).
Stroheim has the exclusive Style fully named My body! It's the pride of the German people, and the prime example of our superior German Science! (ゲルマン民族の最高知能の結晶, Geruman Minzoku no Saikō Chinō no Keshō, German's Highest Intelligence Crystallize), shortened to The Prime Example of Superior German Science.
- Style Action - Heavy Machine Gun Mode/UV Radiation Mode: Stroheim switches between his Abdominal Machine Gun and shoulder-mounted UV lights. Heavy Machine Gun Mode allows him long-ranged powers and increased speed and agility, while UV Radiation Mode makes use of two bodyguards and his various UV light components. All attacks involving his UV beams will deal increased damage to Vampires and Pillar Men, similar to Ripple Users. However, while in UV Radiation Mode, he loses movement speed and jump power, as well as the ability to grab onto and climb ledges.
- German Science is the best in the world!: Stroheim stops to strike a pose and go on a very lengthy, ecstatic speech, boasting about his body and German Science. Though he is especially vulnerable while performing the skill, he gains a temporary attack boost with a duration proportional to how long his speech lasts before he's interrupted or cancels it with a Flash Cancel, maxing out at him completing it.
- So long, you filthy Brit!: This skill can only be performed when Stroheim is down. He pulls out a Stielhandgranate and proceeds to hug it, resulting in a massive explosion. Though Stroheim takes roughly a third of a health bar in damage, any opponent caught will take half a health bar in damage. On the other hand, despite being on the floor, Stroheim is open to attacks during the skill that can interrupt him.
- Dual Heat Attack - Put an end to you? I'd be delighted!: Starting in UV Radiation Mode, Stroheim and his bodyguards blind and seer their opponent with all three of their UV beams. While their target is stunned, Stroheim proceeds to switch over to Heavy Machine Gun Mode and launch an extended volley of bullets from his Abdominal Machine Gun before joyfully taunting his opponent.
While in Heavy Machine Gun Mode:
- My bullets will cut you down one by one!: Stroheim fires a slew of heavy bullets from his Abdominal Machine Gun. Holding down the activation button will extend the attack, though will increase the cooldown on the ability when it ends.
- EX - My bullets will cut you down one by one!: The firing time of the skill is extended, and if Stroheim is on the ground, he is able to cancel it with a Sidestep.
While in UV Radiation Mode:
- Bodyguard Icon: Shows the statuses of Stroheim's two bodyguards. If an icon is glowing, that soldier is readily available; If it is dim, they are active and about the stage; If there is a red cross over the icon, that soldier has been incapacitated until Stroheim reactivates UV Radiation Mode.
- My bodyguards will keep you busy!: Stroheim orders his soldiers to attack. If he is locked-on to a target, they will unleash their UV beams on that specific target. If he is not, they will face outward in triangle formation and unleash their UV beams in order to cover angles behind Stroheim's.
- Ultraviolet Radiation Beam!: Stroheim fires his unblockable UV beam in a wide angle, setting opponent on fire. If his soldiers are available, they will also either attack a target if he is locked-on, or simply cover angles behind him if he is not.
- EX - Ultraviolet Radiation Beam!: Stroheim gains super armor through the attack, and damage dealt is increased.
JoJolities
- My right leg is still a bit creaky, though!: Stroheim must switch to UV Radiation Mode. (200 Points)
- We're more than enough to finish you off!: Stroheim must use "My bodyguards will keep you busy!" twice. (200 Points)
- I can't let you go there alone!: Stroheim must successfully execute 5 Combo Breakers. (300 Points)
- I have surpassed the entire human race!: Stroheim must use "German Science is the best in the world!" 3 times. (500 Points)
- I'd be delighted!: Stroheim must Retire an opponent with his Dual Heat Attack. (800 Points)
As in the anime, he's voiced by Atsuhi Imaruoka. Eyes of Heaven also marks the first time Stroheim appears in a video game as a playable character.
In the Western release of the game, Stroheim's default outfit (with his military uniform) was removed, most likely due to sensitivity regarding the display of Nazi symbols, despite the uniform not donning the swastika. This also means his artwork had to be slightly edited to remove his uniform.
Tournament
He is paired with Okuyasu Nijimura in the Eyes of Heaven Tournament, but was eliminated in the preliminaries by Mariah and Esidisi.
Diamond Records (Android/iOS)
Stroheim appears in Diamond Records as a playable character, both in his initial appearance and as a cyborg.
JoJo's Pitter-Patter Pop! (Android/iOS)
Cooldown: 100
Cooldown: 80
Cooldown: 60
Cooldown: 50
Cooldown: 40
Cooldown: 100
Cooldown: 80
Cooldown: 60
Cooldown: 50
Cooldown: 40
Gallery
Trivia
- In addition to Stroheim's enthusiastic nationalism, his features are consistent with those of the "Nordic race" favored in Nazi ideology.
- Stroheim's hair and eventual monocled visage appear to be based on an illustration by Antonio Lopez.[13]
- In the Japanese release of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Eyes of Heaven, Stroheim's default costume is his SS officer uniform. In the game's release outside of Japan, however, this costume is removed from the game entirely and his default costume is changed to his cyborg appearance.
- There is concept art of Stroheim in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Heritage for the Future, indicating that he was originally set to appear in the game during development.
References
- ↑ [citation needed]
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Chapter 113: The Man Who Crossed the Atlantic
- ↑ Chapter 52: Straizo vs. Joseph, Part 5
- ↑ Chapter 84: Stroheim's Unit Strikes Back, Part 2
- ↑ Chapter 53: The Pillar Man, p.7
- ↑ Chapter 52: Straizo vs. Joseph, Part 5, p.14
- ↑ Chapter 60: The Pillar Man, Santana, Part 7
- ↑ Chapter 53: The Pillar Man, p.10
- ↑ Chapter 85: Stroheim's Unit Strikes Back, Part 3, p.8
- ↑ Chapter 56: The Pillar Man, Santana, Part 3, p.18
- ↑ Chapter 85: Stroheim's Unit Strikes Back, Part 3, p.19
- ↑ Chapter 108: JoJo: The Final Ripple, Part 2, p.15
- ↑ ジョジョのパクリ糾弾スレテンプレその1 - アントニオロペス(スペインのファッションイラストレーター)