25 Days of Jojo’s - #23: Robert Edward O. Speedwagon

(Fair warning: there will be spoilers abound in this series of posts, as I find there are major moments that define some of these characters late in their respective story arcs. So in the event that you have not yet read/watched a particular part of the Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure storyline, you may wish to skip over certain entries.)

#23 – Robert Edward O. Speedwagon: Speedwagon’s tale is something of a tragedy, considering that the success of his scientific and industrial organization, the self-titled Speedwagon Foundation, is not visibly apparent until after his death. Employees of the Speedwagon Foundation assist in nearly every part of Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure post-Phantom Blood, helping to decipher the mysteries of the Pillar Men in Battle Tendency, airlifting Iggy to aid the Stardust Crusaders, and seeing that Noriaki Kakyoin receives the best possible medical attention following the injuries he sustained from his fight with N’Doul and his Stand, Geb. The Speedwagon Foundation even plays an integral role in combating Father Pucci’s schemes during the events of Stone Ocean.

Yet, for all the great work the Speedwagon Foundation has accomplished, it would be nothing without the man who started it. From humble beginnings as a street urchin who forged a deep level of respect for Jonathan Joestar and Will Zeppeli, to an aging bachelor who has sworn an oath of secrecy to Lisa Lisa regarding her past, Speedwagon is – above all else – a loyal ally and friend to the Joestar family. Speedwagon may not be the bravest fellow, and he may lack the mystic skills mastered by other major players in Phantom Blood and Battle Tendency, but the impact he has on the story at large aid heroes born after his time in ways both small and large.