The twelfth anime episode, and the third of Battle Tendency, awakens the first Pillar Man inside a Mexican military base. Joseph Joestar infiltrates the compound to rescue Speedwagon just as Santana displays his terrifying power, setting their clash in motion.
Summary
In the Mexican desert, Joseph is ambushed by Donovan, one of Stroheim's soldiers, but the Ripple lets him burst cactus plants near the man's face and subdue him. Interrogation reveals that Speedwagon is alive and held at a nearby hacienda. Reaching the base, Joseph tries and fails to sneak past the guards while poorly disguised as a woman, then simply knocks them out. Elsewhere, Stroheim revives the Pillar Man and names him Santana after the Mexican winds.
To test him, Stroheim feeds him a vampire, which Santana absorbs into his body, and the creature swiftly masters modern speech, revealing startling intelligence. Escaping his cell by contorting through the air vents, Santana burrows into one of the soldiers, and when the guards gun the man down, the possessed body flicks the bullets back with its fingers. As Santana turns his fire toward Speedwagon, Joseph drops his disguise and blocks the shots with strands of his own hair, baffling the Pillar Man and igniting their battle.
Key Events
Joseph uses the Ripple to defeat Donovan and locate the captive Speedwagon.
Stroheim revives and names the Pillar Man Santana, who absorbs a vampire to feed himself.
Santana escapes through the vents and possesses a soldier, redirecting bullets with ease.
Joseph blocks Santana's gunfire with Ripple-charged hair, beginning their fight.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the Pillar Man in this episode?
The Pillar Man featured in this episode is Santana, an ancient being revived by Rudol von Stroheim inside a Mexican military base and named after the Mexican winds.
What happened to the Pillar Man after he was revived?
After being revived, the Pillar Man Santana absorbs a vampire to feed himself, quickly masters modern speech, escapes his cell through the air vents, and possesses a soldier to redirect gunfire with his fingers.
How does Stroheim test Santana's abilities?
Stroheim feeds Santana a vampire, which Santana absorbs into his body, and Santana swiftly masters modern human speech, revealing unexpected intelligence.
How does Joseph Joestar first clash with Santana?
Joseph infiltrates the hacienda to rescue Speedwagon, and when Santana turns his gunfire toward Speedwagon, Joseph drops his disguise and blocks the shots with strands of his own Ripple-charged hair, beginning their battle.
Who does Joseph Joestar defeat at the start of this episode?
Joseph uses the Ripple to defeat Donovan, one of Stroheim's soldiers, by bursting nearby cactus plants in his face, then interrogates him to learn where Speedwagon is being held.
Sources & Information
Looking for more on The Pillar Man? The Dragon Ball Wiki on Fandom has a dedicated page with community notes.
View on FandomThis content is original writing by Daddy Jim Headquarters based on the Dragon Ball anime series, manga, and official materials. Episode and chapter references are cited where applicable.
Character and scene imagery on this site is original artwork by Daddy Jim Headquarters, not screenshots or licensed imagery. Official cover art is used on three types of pages for editorial commentary:
- Movie pages: theatrical posters and key visuals, credited to Toei Animation and Shueisha.
- Game pages: official box art, credited to Bandai Namco, Atari, and other publishers.
- Manga chapter pages: Jump Comics volume covers, credited to Shueisha and Akira Toriyama.
Official resources:
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