George Joestar II (ジョージ・ジョースターⅡ世, Jōji Jōsutā Nisei) is a tertiary character featured in the seventh part of the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure series, Steel Ball Run.
George is the father of Johnny Joestar and Nicholas Joestar, the former with whom he maintains a difficult relationship. He is a horse breeder by trade.
George is an acclaimed horse trainer. He is a strict father, not only forbidding a young Johnny from bringing an adopted mouse to the table while they're eating, but then ordering that the mouse is shown to him and then drowned. Since he is mindful of his reputation among the British, George is particularly severe when it comes to gentlemanly manners.
George shows favoritism toward his eldest son. Upon Nicholas's death, George becomes extremely sad and bitter.[1] According to Johnny, George would spend the next seven years reminiscing about Nicholas's immense talents while downplaying Johnny's own achievements. He is adamant about not letting Johnny use Nicholas's riding boots, blaming Johnny for not taking care of his own boots. He also believes Johnny can't beat Diego Brando but that Nicholas could.[1]
George ultimately changes his mind over time, regretting how he treated his son. Crying seeing how much Johnny has achieved, he meets with his son again in New York during the final stage of the Steel Ball Run, waving Nicholas's boots as a silent gesture of reconciliation. Finally, he publicly declares his shame over letting his son suffer and that he is proud of his achievement of having crossed the United States.[2]
History
Background
George Joestar II was born in a family with ties to the aristocracy which fell on hard times. However, George himself was famous and rich as a horse racer and then breeder, having won the Triple Crown seven times and owning several farms with the facilities to breed racing horses. Although he settled in Danville, Kentucky, he made journeys to England with his family.[1]
George injured after being knocked into some glass by Johnny Joestar.
When Johnny was five and first rode a horse, George declared that his son was a genius. However, the rest of Johnny's childhood was marked by a strained relationship as George was unnecessarily severe and overtly favored Nicholas. After Nicholas's death, Johnny sought to use his old riding boots, but George saw him in Nicholas's room and refused to hand them over and "insult Nicholas's memory". He forbid Johnny from touching them and tried to take them by force while berating his son's achievements. Johnny argued that he needed the boots and pushed him away, causing George to fall onto a glass cabinet and injure his neck from its shards. In shock, he declared that God took the wrong son, disavowing Johnny and breaking his heart.[1]
George would then disappear from Johnny's life, not even deigning visiting him when his spine was broken.[3]
When the final stage of the Steel Ball Run race begins in New York, George pushes through a crowd to reconcile with Johnny. A father angrily grabs his collar for hurting his daughter by pushing her. Johnny manages to see George, causing George to tremble and shed tears. He presents Nicholas's riding boots to him, surprising Johnny. George then speaks to the surrounding crowd with passion, confessing his mistreatment of his son. He goes on to mention his current pride regarding Johnny’s ability to traverse the entire continent. This results in an applause from the crowd while George continues crying and Johnny rides onwards.[2]
Listen, Jonathan. Not limited to dining, manners are an indication of reverence towards the people around you. Englishmen especially value table manners. Do you want everybody to think that we are a group of uneducated, uncultured American countrymen?
Win? That's strange, winning means you'll be number one. Dio won't be running in today's race. Even if you win, can that really be considered a victory...? Don't get so cocky. You've never even beaten Dio, have you?
I’ve come here because I’ve treated my own child horribly for years and years. And the whole time up until now, I never realized that cruelty. I know that apologizing isn’t enough to make up for scarring my child’s heart. But that… is something I finally now have come to realize. My child’s name is Johnny Joestar. He crossed from the far-off West coast all the way across the continent. All by himself. And now! Here! He’s finally made it to New York…
George was initally unnamed in Steel Ball Run. In JoJolion, he was given the name George Joestar (ジョージ・ジョースター, Jōji Jōsutā) on the family tree;[4] however, his name was retroactively changed to "George Joestar II" on later versions of the family tree due to Johnny Joestar's son being named "George Joestar III."[5][6]
Manga Appearances
Quotes
