Despite a few weeks passing since the conclusion of the My Hero Academia manga, fans are still troubled by one aspect of the series: Endeavor’s redemption arc. The narrative surrounding Endeavor and his family was a crucial aspect of the manga and creator Kohei Horikoshi thoughtfully concluded it in the epilogue.
Despite this, many fans hold onto the belief that the Todoroki family plot should have taken a different direction. It is natural for manga enthusiasts to hope for a happy family life for Shoto Todoroki, free from his strained relationship with his father. However, after learning about Enji’s backstory, fans are unable to support Endeavor’s redemption arc, deeming it the most contentious element of the story.
Please be aware that this article includes spoilers from the My Hero Academia manga.
Why the Redemption Story of Endeavor Sparked Controversy
In the epilogue of My Hero Academia, fans were able to witness the conclusion of Endeavor’s redemption arc as the manga dedicated a significant portion of a chapter to it. Following the final war, Endeavor realized he could no longer continue as a hero and instead chose to spend the rest of his life connecting with Toya Todoroki and making up for his past neglect of him. This was his way of making amends.
Despite Endeavor’s love for Toya, his decision to ignore him in order to protect him ultimately had unintended consequences. This aspect of his redemption arc was relatively uncomplicated.
Despite this, the remainder of Endeavor’s redemption arc does not follow the same pattern. One particular event that stands out is his mistreatment of his wife Rei before the birth of their son Shoto. It is common knowledge among fans that Enji orchestrated a quirk marriage with Rei in order to produce an heir with the combined powers of their individual quirks, fire and ice.
Unfortunately, their attempts to have a child with both quirks were unsuccessful. The only child who displayed potential was Toya, but his training had to be halted to avoid further harm to his body. As a result, Enji pressured Rei to bear his children, with the last one being Shoto, who inherited both of their quirks.
Despite being completely drained from giving birth to three children consecutively, the situation only worsened for Rei when Shoto was born as Enji continued to physically and emotionally abuse her for not being able to stop Toya from training.
Despite all of the advancements made, the epilogue chapter still depicted Rei, a victim of abuse, taking on the responsibility of caring for Endeavor, her abuser, after he became disabled.
Furthermore, Endeavor’s previous actions greatly influenced Shoto’s character. As fans may recall, Enji was known for subjecting Shoto to grueling training sessions. It is no surprise then that he was stern and perhaps even caused physical harm during these sessions.
Shoto’s personality was altered by this experience. In one of the scenes from Enji’s backstory, it was shown how emotional and loud Shoto used to be in the past. However, as fans are aware, he rarely showed these emotions as he matured. If he had not endured Endeavor’s abuse in his youth, he may have been more open about his feelings as a teenager.
Enji’s two middle children, Fuyumi and Natsuo Todoroki, were also impacted by his past. Fuyumi was compelled to take on a maternal role for her siblings at a young age, while Natsuo chose to distance himself from Enji and moved out to live with his partner.
Despite the manga’s attempt to redeem Endeavor, the character’s development was not universally embraced by fans, resulting in one of the most divisive plotlines in the anime.
- The Todoroki family plotline might be the most relatable in My Hero Academia, and it’s justified
- Horikoshi didn’t sideline Shoto in Endeavor’s redemption plotline, and My Hero Academia’s Epilogue is the final proof
- Burnin’s comment in My Hero Academia season 7 once again brings back Endeavor’s redemption story under slander
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