REVIEW: ‘Steel Ball Run: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure’ Episode 4 — “The Devil’s Palm”

We’re galloping through the Devil’s Palm into Steel Ball Run: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Episode 4, and Johnny Joestar (Daman Mills), Gyro Zeppeli (Kaiji Tang) and eventually Mountain Tim (Joshua David King) end up in a bit of a pickle. Steel Ball Run Episode 4, “The Devil’s Palm.” Once again, we’re not focused on the race because survival has become increasingly important due to enemy Stand users. 

Steel Ball Run Episode 4 kicks off with Johnny and Gyro fleeing as the Boom Boom Family is on their tail. Neither of them has a moment to breathe, which is only made worse by Mountain Tim’s pursuit of them because of his conclusion that Johnny is the killer he’s looking for. Unfortunately for everyone, the danger catches up with Johnny and Gyro. Because of the Boom Boom Family’s shared Stand ability, Tomb of the Boom, both Johnny and Gyro end up falling off their horses. 

Despite Steel Ball Run Episode 4‘s focus on a very intense battle featuring blood, injury, and nearly fatal circumstances, the episode does manage to get a few moments of humor as well as backstory exploration. The Boom Boom Family provides macabre humor through Andrew Boom Boom (Jamison Boaz)’s critical wounds being dismissed by his family. Meanwhile, we learn more about Mountain Tim as the group tries to put more distance between them and the Boom Booms.

We discover that Mountain Tim nearly died in the desert as a young man, only to acquire his Stand, Oh! Lonesome Me (or Lasso Blues in the English dub), which ensured his survival. Once again, the season reminds us of the presence of Indigenous people in Steel Ball Run, as Mountain Tim confirms that Indigenous people spoke of the Devil’s Palm and how the area was cursed because of a shooting star crashing there. Rather than seeing his Stand as a curse, Mountain Tim is grateful for it. 

Steel Ball Run Episode 4 delivers blood, backstory, and humor.

The moment they think they’re safe, the Boom Boom family attacks again. Their Stand ability is a stressful one because of the iron manipulation aspect. It essentially makes them foes who can likely kill their enemies without much trouble. When Johnny, Gyro, and Mountain Tim realize they may be going to die, Johnny’s Stand ability, Tusk, activates during the attack. For now, Johnny is able to spin his fingernails, and the force is so powerful that they can mortally wound people. 

Tusk’s activation is a turning point in the story because Johnny has had no personal way to protect himself or Gyro until now. It’s certainly a moment fans who caught up with the manga (or who know some of Part 7: Steel Ball Run) have been looking forward to. Not to mention the Stand is named after a Fleetwood Mac song that people may not know. Fun tidbit of information, right?

Johnny’s attack on Benjamin (or Benny) Boom Boom (Christopher Swindle) proves to be fatal, and that works in their favor because he was the strongest one within the family unit. The last-minute save is the only reason Johnny, Gyro, and Mountain Tim are alive. After Andrew Boom Boom succumbs to his wounds in a very grim fashion, L.A. Boom Boom (Matt Shipman) reveals further that Gyro has a huge bounty on his head. The $200,000 amount leaves everyone a little shaken, especially Johnny, who still wants to know more about Gyro’s past. 

Johnny’s Stand ability activating marks a major turning point for the character.

The three men escape the Devil’s Palm before it swallows the bodies of the deceased Boom Boom family members, as well as a living and screaming L.A. Boom Boom. In the JoJo’s universe, we often see enemy Stand users get destroyed or killed in elaborate ways. L.A. Boom Boom’s demise has an incredibly cinematic look, as the desert swallows him like it’s his meal. All while Johnny, Gyro, and Mountain Tim ride off together. 

Gyro’s bounty will keep being a problem, which throws a wrench into focusing on the race they’re currently on. It offers a realistic take on traveling through the desert on horseback, without a lick of technology to assist you. Survival is their focus as enemies close in, and the desire to win money comes second. 

The JoJo’s universe is great at throwing its protagonists off course, changing them forever. Knowing what’s going to happen throughout Steel Ball Run only makes it harder to watch unfold. And this season’s primary antagonist hasn’t even reared their head quite yet. 

With the battle resolved, the race is hopefully still on but new enemies are just around the corner.

Steel Ball Run Episode 4 is even more focused on the action than Episode 3, which stokes a fire in the folks who love having their pulse pound. The characters are moving full steam ahead; Johnny has now unlocked Tusk, and they’re going to try to get back to the race. Fingers crossed the next episode adds more gasoline to the fire that is Johnny and Gyro. 

As for Steel Ball Run Episode 4 visually, the animation doesn’t disappoint. The action sequences are exciting and nerve-wracking at times, and the deaths remain gruesome. Everything is done with style, which is something that JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure excels at. All in all, Steel Ball Run continues to deliver with its visuals, plot momentum, and the voice acting from the English dub cast. 

Steel Ball Run Episode 4 is a blast, with sprinkles of backstory, information about Gyro’s bounty, and the end of the Boom Boom Family. We’re sure to get more drama as the horses gallop into the jaws of the desert. 

Steel Ball Run: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Episode 4 is streaming now on Netflix, with new episodes dropping every Friday. 

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