The highly anticipated My Hero Academia final war has begun in a tumultuous manner. As society is engulfed in chaos, Japan appears vulnerable, especially with the limited number of remaining Heroes to protect them from the widespread Villain uprising. Even Japan’s allies are hesitant to provide assistance after witnessing the events that have unfolded.
Despite being a brave Hero from the United States, Cathleen Bates, also known as Star and Stripe, was unable to defeat Tomura Shigaraki. At the request of All Might, she traveled to Japan to assist in the battle. As she entered Japanese airspace, she immediately faced Shigaraki and the ensuing clash between Hero and Villain was a thrilling one, with the Hero attempting to end the conflict quickly.
Regrettably, despite the formidable powers of Star and Stripe and her Quirk, New Order, they were unable to defeat the wicked Shigaraki. The character only appeared in 2 episodes, leaving creator Kohei Horikoshi’s potential for them seemingly unused, not just due to their demise.
Horikoshi’s Utilization of Star and Stripe’s Potential in the My Hero Academia Final War
During the My Hero Academia final war, Cathleen (also known as Cassie) Bates, also known by her hero name Star and Stripe, emerged as America’s top-ranked hero. She was considered to be the only one capable of matching All Might’s legendary feats, thanks to her incredible Quirk known as New Order, which allowed her to manipulate reality simply by touching an object and speaking its name.
As a child, Cassie and her family narrowly escaped death when they were driving through Los Angeles towards Santa Monica and encountered a pair of robbers wreaking havoc in the city.
At the appropriate moment, a young Japanese Pro Hero and exchange student named All Might was present and successfully defeated the robbers, rescuing Cassie and her family.
As time passed, All Might achieved the top rank of No. 1 Pro Hero in Japan, being hailed as the “Symbol of Peace.”This greatly motivated Cassie to pursue her dream of becoming a Pro Hero, leading to the creation of Star and Stripe. With her remarkable Quirk and exceptional fighting skills, she too rose to become America’s premier Hero, mirroring All Might’s position in Japan.
In regards to the main issue, Horikoshi wasted the potential of her character by removing Star and Stripe. Despite putting up a decent fight, she did not portray the strength that she was initially hyped up to have. As the top hero in America, her defeat should not have occurred in the manner it did.
In addition to providing help, she had traveled to Japan with the purpose of meeting her role model and mentor, All Might. His act of rescuing her and inspiring her was crucial in the creation of her identity as Pro Hero Star and Stripe. As a tribute, she emulated his outfit, physique, and even hairstyle.
A gathering of these two formidable groups would have been highly anticipated, as they share many similarities and are considered the most powerful. If it had occurred, it would have been a deeply moving encounter.
Additionally, given that Izuku Midoriya, also known as Deku, was mentored by All Might, it would have been intriguing to witness Cassie’s interactions with him. Perhaps she could have also imparted some knowledge about being a Pro Hero to him.
Reflections
In summary, it is worth noting that creator Horikoshi missed an opportunity to fully showcase the potential of a character like Cathleen Bates. Despite being similar to All Might, her presence brought a new dynamic to the series and her survival from the encounter with Shigaraki would have greatly benefited the story. There is no doubt that she had the potential to surpass her initial portrayal.
Despite her valuable contribution in destroying many of Shigaraki’s Quirks, it would have been more beneficial for her to have fought alongside the Heroes in this struggle. Furthermore, even Class 1-A could have gained from being introduced to an international Hero.
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