“Your upbringing made you a villain, you say? It didn't! You've been evil since your birth!”
Dio was born into poverty and grew up the beginning of his life in the slums where he sat under the heel of abhorrent adults, one of which being his own father who was both an alcoholic and abusive towards him. The seeds of hatred and disdain towards everyone around him first grew here, primarily focusing on his father. Dio grew up hating him and found it disgusting knowing his blood ran through his veins. Arguably, the only person Dio ever showed care towards was his mother, who also suffered under Dario Brando's abuse until she was forced to work herself to death. After her passing Dio begins to slowly poison his own father and it's only on Dario's death bed that he tells Dio to cash in a favor from George Joestar thus putting into motion Dio's second chapter and his ascent from rags to riches. He takes this blessing by spitting on his father's grave and a promise to himself that he will claim the fame and fortune he was always believed he was destined for.
Even before Dio meets Jonathan he already hates him. Upon their first meeting he sees him as a naive and spoiled brat with no indication to how the real world works around them – especially around Dio. It's at that moment he decides to completely ruin Jonathan's life and take his family fortune for himself by any means necessary. His plan to do this takes years, but Dio is nothing if not patient. He knows that in time he can reap the rewards of his dirty handiwork and it will be all worth it to see the look on Jonathan's face when the other realizes Dio is yet again always a step ahead (or above) him. For Dio that's how it should be with everyone looking up to him and for him to be looking down.
On top of being patient Dio is both clever and manipulative, both dangerous characteristics for someone who wouldn't hesitate to step on the backs of others without regret or regard for their feelings. He's incredibly bright for a young boy and this self-aware intelligence leaves him arrogant and feeling superior despite his age. This arrogance does come to bite him in the ass more than a few times however when the people he looks down on suddenly rise up to fight back against him, whether it be beating a man in chess in a bar and then getting his face slammed into the table or when Jonathan starts a fight with him after he hurts Erina's pride.
Dio feels most comfortable sitting at the top, but when that seat is suddenly pulled out from under him it legitimately surprises him and his normally cool and collected attitude is shattered. Later in life he learns how to handle these set-backs with more grace, but being only a kid now he handles these moments with as much grace as a cat being thrown into water. When Jonathan throws the first punch, to Dio's surprise, he is in disbelief and infuriated to the point where later he throws Jonathan's dog, Danny, in the incinerator in retaliation for Jonathan actually daring to stand up to him. In his mind it's an eye for an eye and perfectly fair.
When Dio hates something or someone he really goes the full mile. He hated his father so he poisoned him to his death and then cursed his name while spitting on his grave, he hated Jonathan and then set the next seven years of their life together to ruining Jonathan's life without second thought. He hates feeling inferior to others so of course he does everything in his power to keep himself at the top of the food chain. From a young age he always believed he was destined for greater things and he'll set the rest of his life on the path to achieve that.
Dio Brando | Jojo's Bizarre Adventure | Reserved
Dio was born into poverty and grew up the beginning of his life in the slums where he sat under the heel of abhorrent adults, one of which being his own father who was both an alcoholic and abusive towards him. The seeds of hatred and disdain towards everyone around him first grew here, primarily focusing on his father. Dio grew up hating him and found it disgusting knowing his blood ran through his veins. Arguably, the only person Dio ever showed care towards was his mother, who also suffered under Dario Brando's abuse until she was forced to work herself to death. After her passing Dio begins to slowly poison his own father and it's only on Dario's death bed that he tells Dio to cash in a favor from George Joestar thus putting into motion Dio's second chapter and his ascent from rags to riches. He takes this blessing by spitting on his father's grave and a promise to himself that he will claim the fame and fortune he was always believed he was destined for.
Even before Dio meets Jonathan he already hates him. Upon their first meeting he sees him as a naive and spoiled brat with no indication to how the real world works around them – especially around Dio. It's at that moment he decides to completely ruin Jonathan's life and take his family fortune for himself by any means necessary. His plan to do this takes years, but Dio is nothing if not patient. He knows that in time he can reap the rewards of his dirty handiwork and it will be all worth it to see the look on Jonathan's face when the other realizes Dio is yet again always a step ahead (or above) him. For Dio that's how it should be with everyone looking up to him and for him to be looking down.
On top of being patient Dio is both clever and manipulative, both dangerous characteristics for someone who wouldn't hesitate to step on the backs of others without regret or regard for their feelings. He's incredibly bright for a young boy and this self-aware intelligence leaves him arrogant and feeling superior despite his age. This arrogance does come to bite him in the ass more than a few times however when the people he looks down on suddenly rise up to fight back against him, whether it be beating a man in chess in a bar and then getting his face slammed into the table or when Jonathan starts a fight with him after he hurts Erina's pride.
Dio feels most comfortable sitting at the top, but when that seat is suddenly pulled out from under him it legitimately surprises him and his normally cool and collected attitude is shattered. Later in life he learns how to handle these set-backs with more grace, but being only a kid now he handles these moments with as much grace as a cat being thrown into water. When Jonathan throws the first punch, to Dio's surprise, he is in disbelief and infuriated to the point where later he throws Jonathan's dog, Danny, in the incinerator in retaliation for Jonathan actually daring to stand up to him. In his mind it's an eye for an eye and perfectly fair.
When Dio hates something or someone he really goes the full mile. He hated his father so he poisoned him to his death and then cursed his name while spitting on his grave, he hated Jonathan and then set the next seven years of their life together to ruining Jonathan's life without second thought. He hates feeling inferior to others so of course he does everything in his power to keep himself at the top of the food chain. From a young age he always believed he was destined for greater things and he'll set the rest of his life on the path to achieve that.