Gravity of the New Moon
Episode 33 of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stone Ocean Part II begins with our heroes driving to Cape Canaveral to finish their showdown with Pucci. Jolyne worries that she can’t stop Pucci because of everything happening around her. She wishes her father were around to guide her. Meanwhile, Anastasia notices Jolyne’s lying next to him and puts a ring on her finger. He plans to ask Jolyne to marry him after they’ve defeated Pucci. Ermes looks out the window and makes crude remarks about some alligators because of all the drama they went through in prison. Jolyne throws Anastasia’s wedding ring at it, upsetting Anastasia. Emporio has Ermes hold on to his ghost computer, so he can check its GPS. He explains what the Kennedy Space Center is and how it functions. Emporio believes Pucci will likely reside somewhere in the Space Center since other areas are off-limits to strangers. A fellow customer helps Pucci get in line for the Space Center but bombards him with numerous questions. Pucci orders him to hush up, but thanks him for his kind deed. As the narrator explains the concept of gravity and rockets, Pucci starts feeling unwell. As the narrator continues, something overwhelms Pucci’s body. It appears Pucci’s new powers are taking shape as a nearby gentlemen’s cola propels the same gentlemen that assisted Pucci in getting in line toward a sharp object, murdering him. Meanwhile, Emporio asks Jolyne for her plan to defeat Pucci. Although Emporio suggests they wait for the Speedwagon Foundation and Jotaro to arrive, Anastasia says it’s best for them to strike Pucci immediately. Suddenly, Emporio loses control of the car, angering Ermes. Suddenly, everything from birds to cars to dead human corpses come soaring at Jolyne in friends. It appears Pucci’s somehow able to pull things toward him regardless if they’re made of metal or not. Jolyne wonders if this phenomenon is Pucci’s doing as their vehicle starts getting pulled in the same sideways direction as the objects and corpses. Everyone hops out of the car, and Anastasia uses Diver Down toward the ground to keep themselves from being pulled. Jolyne and Emporio grab a hold of Anastasia, but Ermes gets attacked by debris. Ermes starts soaring toward the direction of everything else, resulting in Jolyne using Stone Ocean’s threads to grab Ermes. Anastasia tells Jolyne to stop and that they’ll look for Ermes later because she’s running out of thread. Jolyne complies as the group grabs a hold of a railing to avoid getting hit by debris. Jolyne believes this is the heavenly power Pucci was after and the one her father sealed away in Egypt twenty years ago. Anastasia notices that some trees aren’t being uprooted and wonders if the Vision Center could still be in one piece. Emporio argues that this could be the beginning of Pucci’s heaven-like powers as he fears things will turn for the worse soon. Emporio says what Pucci requires plays a vital role in gravity and that the new moon is only 36 hours away. Anastasia reminds Jolyne that Weather hurt Pucci badly and that they should climb the guard rails up to reach the Vision Center. Jolyne agrees and starts climbing. Emporio is on her back. Anastasia notices Jolyne’s resolve and can’t wait to spend a better time with her when all this is over. Jolyne, Anastasia, and Emporio make it to the entrance. Suddenly, Pucci’s newly evolved Stand attacks Jolyne and Emporio. Everyone’s shocked that Pucci’s Stand has evolved this soon. The episode concludes with Pucci’s new Stand telling Jolyne that he came to finish Jolyne and her friends off sooner than expected.
The Episode Review
Mind-blowing is the term I’d use to describe this episode of Stone Ocean. Considering the level of power we’ve received in other entries of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, it makes sense for Pucci to follow suit with other villains. Previous episodes hinted at Pucci’s ability to bend gravity, but to see it in action is mind-boggling. Fans should realize that this is a mere taste of Pucci’s power, as hinted at by Emporio. Who knows what other things Pucci will have at his disposal once the new moon arises? All we know is it will take everyone’s help to defeat Pucci before the two days pass. I’m unsure how they’ll conquer a foe that can tamper with gravity, but it’ll be exciting to see if they can prevail against Pucci. At the same time, the CGI utilized in this chapter carried mixed baggage, and Anastasia’s thirst for Jolyne’s love feels out of place in the grand scheme of things. While it provided some funny bits, the show should stick to feeling more serious. This chapter’s pacing felt genuinely fast, and some vocal interactions felt overbearing. Otherwise, this was a set-up episode for Stone Ocean. It lays the groundwork for the exciting fight between Jolyne and her friends against Pucci. I’m sure many fans can’t wait to see what Pucci has in store for our heroes, as it seems this fight might be a long one, given that Pucci no longer has allies to shove in their way. Let’s hope this final act lives up to fans’ expectations and delivers a satisfyingly epic bout to remember and appreciate.
