Dio Brando, later known simply as DIO, is the main antagonist of both the 1st and 3rd parts of the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure series, Phantom Blood and Stardust Crusaders. However, his influence is felt through all of the first seven parts of the series.
Originally a man of low birth but peerless ambition, Dio is a villain of little conscience, vast cunning, and an insatiable hunger for power. After becoming a vampire and later a Stand user, Dio has gathered around him many minions and is responsible for many major events of the series.
"Can a monkey reach a human? To I, Dio...You are but a monkey, JoJo!!"
Dio's most recognizable characteristics are his boundless ambition and his love of power. Abused by his father and having lived in the most miserable living conditions, Dio set for himself the goal of becoming the richest, then the most powerful being on Earth. To do so, Dio used anything or anyone that he could in order to further his goals, disregarding any kind of morality that would restrain the range of actions available to him. Dio constantly sought to become more and more powerful. Dio enjoys being in a position of power and has repeatedly stated how great he felt being in a dominating position. On the contrary, Dio never tolerated that someone could stand up to him or equal him in power, and was enraged and deeply disturbed at the thought several times.
Throughout his life, Dio has tended to surround himself with witless cronies and later minions, who were attracted by his natural charisma. Not thinking much of them at first, he then selected those he deemed as particularly evil, claiming that an evil person wasn't bound by rules such as honor and thus were stronger mentally. Naturally, Dio is an incredibly-selfish person, only looking over his own interest and overlooking those of others at best, trampling them on the ground at worst. Due to his composed nature, Dio can and will manipulate and take what he can from all sorts of people, using any method, as long as the person suits his present desires. Since he is selfishly interested in their capabilities, however, Dio is the type who is incapable of loving another person wholeheartedly.
Dio has expressed hatred for dogs, considering them vermin.
Dio attains massive strength as a Vampire, allowing him feats such as forcibly walking on walls and single-handedly deflecting attacks. After absorbing Joseph's blood he is powerful enough to pick up and drop a steamroller on Jotaro.
Demonstrated when placing his head on the ground to hear Jotaro's heartbeat, despite being a few meters away, Dio appears to have senses beyond human level.
Dio can regenerate his body faster than fire can consume it. His incredible vitality is maintained by consuming human beings (or their blood), which he commonly does by piercing them with his fingers. His body is able to live even after having vital body parts amputated and he can also control his detached body parts. The extent of Dio's own survivability is demonstrated when he could continue as just a head.
An ability Dio utilized after learning of the Ripple energy and the danger it presents to him. By vaporizing the moisture in his body, he can absorb heat from any living being he is in physical contact with and freeze them. Dio loses this ability after his original body was destroyed.
Dio is naturally intelligent, displaying cunning and perceptiveness as well as imagination repeatedly. As a child and teenager, Dio Brando managed to achieve academic excellence with ease, having planned to graduate from university as a top law student. Otherwise Dio is a cunning villain and proficient tactician in combat. Dio almost managed to get away with two murders, bidding his time in order to have a perfect alibi and was only discovered by accident. Upon his return from the bottom of the ocean, DIO built in six years a powerful criminal empire spanning over several continents and which brought him many riches.
Before the events of Part 3, DIO emerges from the under the ocean after treasure hunters recover his coffin. Using Jonathan's body as his host, DIO seeks to end the Joestar bloodline with his stand, The World.
"Some destinies deserve to be destroyed! Some fates deserve to be vanquished! And I've already severed all of mine!!"
DIO did not change much since his burial at the bottom of the ocean for one hundred years, as he remained a remorseless and murderous megalomaniac, but nonetheless he had matured a little by recognizing valor in others and being generally more calm and level-headed. DIO does not appear frequently in Stardust Crusaders except towards the end, but is seen discussing various philosophies with Stand users. Furthermore, DIO learned his lesson and stops underestimating his opponents, being particularly careful around the Joestar bloodline.
DIO's Stand is The World; a close-ranged Stand with comparable, if not superior strength and speed against Jotaro Kujo's Star Platinum.
About a year after gaining his Stand, DIO discovered it's signature ability of stopping time. At first, he could only do this for a very short amount of time, but by the end of Part 3, he is able to stop time for a maximum of 9 seconds. This duration would have continued to increase, had DIO not been defeated. When stopping time, DIO gives the impression that he is teleporting or otherwise moving at impossible speeds.
Unlike every other enemy Stand User in Stardust Crusaders, DIO actively sought to improve his Stand's capabilities. He notably wanted the Joestar Group to come to him so that he could suck the blood of a Joestar and sync himself up with Jonathan's body to bolster his powers further. Moreover, DIO had searched a way to unlock a power even more powerful than The World, using esoteric knowledge to divine a plan to create another mightier Stand.
Dio becomes the main villian of the JoJo series, continuing to cause problems for the Joestar bloodline even after his death.