Steely Dan
Steely Dan is a minor antagonist in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders. A mercenary Stand user hired by DIO, he wields the microscopic Stand "Lovers," which corresponds to the sixth Major Arcana Tarot card. Though he initially disguises himself with refined and polite manners, he is fundamentally a cruel and deceitful coward who delights in dominating and humiliating his opponents.
Overview
Steely Dan is a minor antagonist in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders. A mercenary Stand user hired by DIO, he wields the microscopic Stand "Lovers," which corresponds to the sixth Major Arcana Tarot card. Though he initially disguises himself with refined and polite manners, he is fundamentally a cruel and deceitful coward who delights in dominating and humiliating his opponents.
Appearance
Steely Dan is a man with dark skin, black hair, orange eyes, and visible collarbones. Upon his introduction, he was disguised as a doner kebab vendor on the streets of Karachi. His Stand, Lovers, is a microscopic insect-like entity whose visual design combines elements of flies and fleas with the appearance of the robot from the movie Short Circuit.
Personality
While Steely Dan adopts an elegant and soft-spoken front, his true character is deeply treacherous and sadistic. When he gains the upper hand by securing a hostage, he unhesitatingly abuses his leverage, treating Jotaro Kujo like a servant and forcing him into degrading tasks. However, the moment he loses control of the situation, his confidence vanishes into pathetic begging, showing no hesitation to endanger innocent bystanders to save himself.
Abilities
He commands the microscopic Stand "Lovers." Though practically powerless in direct combat with a Destructive Power of E and Precision of D—unable to move even a single hair—it possesses an extraordinary operational range extending hundreds of kilometers and a Persistence rating of A. By entering a target's body to infiltrate their brain and nerve network, it magnifies any pain or damage inflicted on Steely Dan and transmits it to the victim. It can also manipulate brain cells to create disguises or clones, and carry DIO's Flesh Buds into targets.
Background
Contracted by DIO for money, Steely Dan set out to eliminate the Joestar group. In Karachi, he passed himself off as a kebab vendor and used a Flesh Bud to eliminate Enya the Hag for her failure. He then surreptitiously inserted Lovers into Joseph Joestar's brain, holding his life hostage to force Jotaro Kujo into submission. However, Noriaki Kakyoin devised a countermeasure to purge Lovers from Joseph's body. Attempting a desperate final gambit, Dan tried to grab an innocent young girl, but Kakyoin neutralized his movement, leading to Dan being thoroughly incapacitated by a relentless three-page punch rush from Star Platinum.
Relationships
Steely Dan works for DIO strictly out of financial interest, ruthlessly eliminating Enya the Hag on his employer's orders. By using Joseph Joestar as a captive shield, he briefly forces Jotaro Kujo into complete compliance. However, his tactics are utterly undone by Noriaki Kakyoin, whose quick thinking exposes his Stand's mechanism and leads directly to Dan's downfall.
Trivia
Steely Dan takes his name from the American jazz rock group Steely Dan. In the story, he boasts about having thoroughly studied the Stand powers of his opponents in advance; however, his repeated blunders and sloppy execution prompt Jotaro Kujo to mockingly dismiss his supposed preparation.