JoJo 2029: Stardust Rebels
(alternatively known as JJ29 for short) is an ongoing fanfiction based on the long-running manga series JoJo's Bizarre Adventure.
Written by Jorge Hernandez, the fic takes place in an Alternate Universe merging together the Original and Steel Ball Run continuities in the year 2029, where Los Angeles' own Joshua Johnson & Jocelyn Johannssen, both forced to survive together against their will, embark on their own bizarre adventure to clear Joshua's name of an attack on the UCLA; all while avoiding a dangerous femme fatale adversary on a revenge quest against Passione, along with the entire world seeking to hunt them down. If only they knew their mutual hatred would lead to a complicated love story...
The first chapter was released on May 25th, 2022, and is currently ongoing.
JoJo 2029: Stardust Rebels contains examples of the following tropes:
- Action Girl: Generally applies to most female characters in the story, moreso Jocelyn herself.
- Alternate Universe Fic: JJ29 is set in a merged, alternate universe, where all Parts in the JJBA series are canon to each others' timeline.
- Amazonian Beauty:
- The fanpart's major antagonist, Renata Clariss, is described as 7-feet tall with a large, hyper-muscular frame. So much so, that the Author has created a character named Bludworth based off one of Renata's fans in the fanpart's fandom.
- Jocelyn also counts, described as 6-feet-5. While initially not described, Jocelyn is said to have a well-defined athletic build, with much of her muscle definition going to her arms.
- Amoral Attorney: Gemma Cyrus is said to be a lawyer who works cases in Pasadenanote , but she is also the Consigliere of the California Girls.
- Another Dimension: 'Paper towns' such as Shakedown Street, described as pocket dimensions that anyone with a 'medium' can enter.
- Attack the Injury: Galen does this to Joshua in Chapter 10, having his Stand Gold Cobra squeeze Joshua's 'imploded' pectoral muscle.
- Batman Gambit: Joshua tricks Charli Taylor into reverting Papercut's damage, lying that he will surrender himself and Jocelyn to her 'tea parties'. And it works.
- Belligerent Sexual Tension: Due to the circumstances behind their first meeting, the rivalry between Joshua and Jocelyn is mainly petty, if ever rarely personal. But both are clearly attracted to each other, despite all the terrible and nasty insults they throw at themselves.
- Beware the Silly Ones: Jimmy Crywank, whose bragging of his status as the "Best In The World" is so ridiculous; it overshadows just how powerful his Stand ability is. Same goes to Charli Taylor, who is initially introduced as a weed-loving hippie in Vol. 1.
- Bold Inflation: Much of High Jack's dialogue in Chapter 3 is exemplary of this.
- Big Bad: Renata and the Disposable Heroes, as of writing this. But
Word of God suggests that they are not the only Big Bads in the story. - Birthmark of Destiny: As she is Giorno's daughter, Jocelyn possesses the Joestar Birthmark.
- Bittersweet Ending:
- At the end of Chapter 15, where Joshua mourns killing Eddie after toppling James Glitter's criminal empire.
- Blank White Eyes: When breaking 'the beast' free in his head, Joshua's eyes glow a bright rainbow color; so bright that it almost appears stark white in the naked eye.
- Blemished Beauty: Jocelyn has burn marks on her left cheek reaching up to her temple, and most of her right arm has similar scars. Despite this, she is described as a 'soft and vaguely Asian beauty' with kaleidoscopic eyes.
- Broken Ace: Joshua is an accomplished model working for Mandelle Modeling Agencies (MMA), with a reputation for being one of the best despite being 23-years-old and a senior student at UCLA. But deep inside, he is still haunted by past trauma; implied to be a factor in his newfound career as a working student.
- Brooklyn Rage: Jocelyn. She is well-known amongst the Italian & American Mafia community not just as Giorno Giovanna's daughter, but a reckless and deadly brawler. Not to mention her recognizable Brooklyn accent, and the fact that according to Word of God, she had been living in New York for two years prior to the events of JJ 29.
- Call-Back:
- During Chapter 1, it is emphasized that Joshua and Jocelyn both meet each other at a crossroads. In Chapter 11, Alison's letter to Joshua reveals she had foreseen their meeting at a crossroads before her tragic demise in the SPW-0987 attack.
- Galen mentions a Stand-making drug dubbed 'Vespertine' during his conversation with Renata. It is mentioned again in Chapter 8, which Joshua & Jocelyn's argument at the hotel explicitly reveals Joshua is the creator of 'Vespertine'.
- Dark and Troubled Past: Joshua Johnson's entire backstory as Remy Wanderlust, the most-wanted fugitive in the DEA's hit list since 2024. While some believe him to be a dangerous drug chemist, Joshua says the public story is false: claiming that he had been forced to work with James Glitter and cook Vespertine against his will. He also brings up Glitter robbing him of an entire childhood, which adds to the trauma of his backstory. Whether that is true or not is yet to be revealed.
- Eldritch Location: As one of many 'paper towns' around the world, Shakedown Street in Los Angeles is a criminal wasteland ruled by rivaling gangs. And, per the word of religious repentants, home to evil spirits attracted by sin.
- Establishing Character Moment:
- Joshua is introduced completing a photoshoot for Harper's Bazaar and blacking out due to remembering a traumatic event.
- Jocelyn is introduced as a beautiful woman Joshua notices, before their run-in establishes her as brash and sour.
- Fan-Created Offspring: Jocelyn, whose real name is Giodessa Giovanna, is Giorno Giovanna's eldest daughter of three children: 15-year-old Vanessa and 8-year-old Lorenzo.
- Fantastic Drug: The drug Vespertine can grant those with enough fighting spirit a Stand, but kill whoever cannot awaken one. SPW-0987 is derived from this, and in turn kills four-thousand people in UCLA.
- Fan Verse: While originally conceived as a standalone storyline with references to Part 5, JJ 29 was later revised as a story set in a merger of the JJBA Parts 1-6 and Parts 7-9 continuities during production of Vol. 1 - Rebel Moon Feedback.
- Fighting Spirit: It isn't Jo Jo nor Stands without them.
- Fire/Water Juxtaposition: Blade Runner's ability can siphon heat to act as 'fuel' to enhance its katana's damage or redistribute them to other areas. When it fully deprives anything of its heat, it will freeze them in place.
- Good Thing You Can Heal: In Chapter 10, after killing Galen by splitting his body in half, Jocelyn cauterizes Joshua's pectoral wound by using Blade Runner's remaining fuel.
- It Always Rains at Funerals: Chapter 8, in general.
- Interesting Situation Duel:
- The Gold Cobra fight takes place exclusively in an underground maintenance tunnel network.
- The Papercut fight starts off in a public bathroom, before moving into a gas station.
- Ironic Echo: During Chapter 10, Galen forces Joshua to say his goodbyes and burn in Hell after. What he doesn't expect is that, ironically enough, he ends up suffering a similar fate.Joshua: Hey, Galen! You said I should burn in Hell, right? Let's give you a taste of what it feels like.
- Mr. Fanservice:
- Andre Zeppeli. While he only makes a brief appearance in Chapters 5 and 6, sketches from the Author reveal a rather skimpy, oversexualized 'slutty cowboy' main design for him; based off WWE wrestler Jacy Jayne's entrance gear.
- Ms. Fanservice: Renata, in general. Aside from her huge muscular physique, her outfit in general features a hint of cleavage (through a corset she wears) and fishnets over her bare legs.
- Multiple Protagonists: As made obvious by the synopsis, Joshua and Jocelyn are co-protagonists of the story.
- Musical Theme Naming: Can't be a JoJo story without it.
- No-Sell: In Chapter 3, despite being affected by hemispatial neglect from High Jack's Spin, Joshua continues approaching him with Rebel Moon.
- Odd Couple: Joshua and Jocelyn are an example of this trope, due to their clashing personalities.
- Power Glows: As usual for Stands in JJ 29. This is especially reinforced in Chapter 16, when both Joshua & Jocelyn could feel Viva Las Vegas' menacing aura contrasting Crywank's usual demeanor.
- Posthumous Character: Edward Joestar, Joshua's best friend. Joshua was forced to kill him five years ago, after his drug addiction turned fatal.
- Rage Breaking Point: Multiple examples are featured during most of the fight chapters in the story:
- High Jack's attacks become increasingly rash and desperate after Jocelyn breaks through his Spin 'invincibility' with Blade Runner's heat-absorbed damage enhancements.
- Galen Crawford gives into his desire for revenge, when Joshua keeps running from him despite his injury.
- Charli Taylor denounces Joshua when his Batman Gambit tricks her into reverting Papercut's damage to himself and Jocelyn.
- Red Oni, Blue Oni: Joshua & Jocelyn as a pair exemplifies the trope:
- Jocelyn's red hair, her Chaotic Good demeanor, and defenseless, sloppy brawling style defines her as the Red Oni of the pair.
- Joshua's blue hair, reliance on strategy and vast knowledge of chemistry (for use in Rebel Moon's ability, which deals with producing chemical reactions depending on the elements mixed) defines him as the Blue Oni of the pair.
- Shipper with an Agenda: Renata claiming Joshua and Jocelyn are perfect for each other during her conversation with Galen in Chapter 5. Further justified by having Renata claim she was responsible for making them meet by nearly blowing up Jocelyn's motorcycle.
- Sir Swears-a-Lot: Jocelyn often swears like a sailor, contrasting Joshua who only swears in certain situations (i.e. when he is stressed).
- Stress Vomit: This happens to Joshua during his panic attack in Chapter 17, where he vomits after imagining High Jack and Galen's corpses.
- Tough Love: Jocelyn gives this to Joshua in Chapter 10, ripping Joshua's decision to follow Coniglio's advice apart and convincing him to take care of Galen and kill him with Rebel Moon; as criminally unwise her choice of words as they are.
- The Most Wanted: Joshua, following Chapter 9. Following the exposure of his identity as Remy Wanderlust and his frame-up of the SPW-0987 attack, with police, SWAT, and DEA agents raiding his mansion to find and arrest him. They fail, however, but Joshua's arrest warrant becomes the major catalyst of his arc in the story.
- Theme Naming: All the heroes' Stands are named after movies and television, including but not limited to: Rebel Moon and Blade Runner. All the villains' Stands, on the other hand, are named after musical references per JoJo tradition, an example including: Just A Bullet Away, Gold Cobra, Viva Las Vegas and Papercut.
- Tsundere: Jocelyn is a prime example of a tsundere, often being very rude and cold towards Joshua; even though she secretly harbors feelings for him. Joshua sometimes exhibit tsundere behavior, but this is mainly due to him trying to riff off from Jocelyn's snarky sense of humor.
- Villain of the Week: Much like Stardust Crusaders, JJ 29's Volumes deal with singular or multiple groups of Stand users who come into conflict with the protagonists:
- For Vol. 1: Jack "High Jack/Cactus Jack" Ronson, master of the Spin and user of Just A Bullet Away; and Galen Crawford, hitman of the Disposable Heroes and user of Gold Cobra.
- For Vol. 2: Jimmy Crywank, boastful tracker and user of Viva Las Vegas; and Charli Taylor, member of the California Girls and user of Papercut.
- Virtuous Character Copy: Remy Wanderlust is compared to Walter White frequently, but as one of the story's protagonists, Joshua is an unabashedly good person.
- Workout Fanservice: The opening scene of Chapter 4, which features Renata's brutal and near self-harmful exercise regimen performed in great detail.
- Your Head A-Splode: High Jack's death in Chapter 3, where his head explodes along with most of his back and shoulders due to the Spin's rotational energy being applied to his own internal organs.
