My Hero Academia Season 7’s Traitor Reveal Has Fans in Tears

The third episode of season 7 of My Hero Academia was made available on May 18, 2024. It finally unveiled the long-awaited traitor of U.A. High School, Aoyama Yuga (also known as Shining Hero: Can’t Stop Twinkling).

The main focus of the episode was meant to be the extra training time that the heroes received thanks to the hard work of Star and Stripe (Cathleen Bate). During their training, Midoriya noticed that Aoyama was missing and went to search for him. He eventually found Aoyama crying in the presence of his parents, who were confessing their mistakes.

As expected, the internet was flooded with reactions from fans upon the long-awaited reveal. Many were touched by the realization of the immense weight that a young child had been carrying all this time. Surprisingly, even those who had previously shown no interest in Aoyama throughout the series were now fiercely defending him.

Note: The author’s opinion and potential spoilers from My Hero Academia Season 7 Episode 3 are included in this article.

Exploring the Details of the Traitor Reveal at U.A. High School in My Hero Academia Season 7 Episode 3

Todoroki as seen in the episode (Image via Bones)

The third episode of season 7 of My Hero Academia, “Villain,”began with a short flashback to the intense battle between Star and Stripe and TomurAFO. Sadly, the former was defeated. As a result, the heroes had a week to hone their abilities, and they took full advantage of this time by training together.

As the rest of Class 1-A trained, Hagakure remained in the center of the forest surrounding U.A. High School, listening intently to a conversation between three individuals – Aoyama and his parents.

Despite his parents’ pressure, Aoyama continued to leak information about the school to All for One. It was discovered that, like Midoriya, he was born without a quirk and was granted his Navel Laser ability by All for One.

Hagakure as seen in the episode (Image via Bones)

After confessing, Aoyama explained that he had been forced to continue his role, as refusing would result in All for One harming his parents. This revelation ultimately exposed Aoyama as the traitor of U.A. High School. Hagakure was taken aback by this information and sought comfort from someone nearby. As Aoyama’s parents consoled their son, Midoriya arrived and overheard everything.

Following a brief exchange of words, Aoyama charged towards Midoriya and his parents, attempting to use his quirk to attack. However, Hagakure intervened and used her own quirk to deflect Aoyama’s Naval Laser. Acting swiftly, Midoriya restrained Aoyama and his parents, pleading with them to cease their actions.

Upon their return to the school, they were immediately brought in for questioning. The entire Class 1-A was gathered, their shocked faces on full display. In the midst of the chaos, Midoriya turned to Aoyama and urged him to still believe in his ability to be a hero by assisting in the school’s efforts to defeat All for One.

Fan Reactions to Aoyama’s Reveal as U.A. High School’s Traitor

Aoyama Yuga as seen in the anime (Image via Bones)

Similarly to Midoriya, a large portion of the fanbase expressed that they were brought to tears by the revelation of Aoyama as the traitor of U.A. High School. While some fans struggled to contain their emotions, one fan praised the direction of this episode.

The episode effectively portrayed Aoyama’s struggles by utilizing red imagery, highlighting how even in moments of joy, he felt guilty for potentially betraying his friends and school. This was a significant aspect of the episode that resonated with fans.

“I had tears in my eyes during this episode,”one fan wrote.

“I was crying bro,”another fan mentioned.

“Love it whenever they use red bg man, gives so much aura,”another X user commented.

Aoyama Yuga as seen in the episode (Image via Bones)

Despite being a main character since the beginning of the series, Aoyama Yuga has not gained much attention from the majority of the fandom. Additionally, his quirk, which is just a laser beam, makes him a fairly average hero.

Despite previous criticisms, netizens quickly became staunch supporters of the hero following the latest episode. The fandom was left in awe as they witnessed the immense weight placed on a young boy’s shoulders since the beginning of the series. Additionally, the scene in which Midoriya pleaded with Aoyama to cease his running struck a chord with certain fans who were deeply affected by it.

“IM HIS BIGGEST DEFENDER, no attacks on him are allowed,”a fan claimed.

“Like he’s a child put under so much pressure how am I supposed to hate him,”another X user commented.

“Deku’s begging for Aoyama to stop is tearing me apart and I’m not okay,”a fan wrote.

Final Thoughts

Kousuke Kuwano, the voice actor for Aoyama Yuga, has limited experience in the anime industry, with My Hero Academia being his most notable project. Therefore, this episode holds a special significance for him as a voice artist.

Additionally, the recent revelation of Aoyama as the traitor of U.A. High adds an intriguing element to the story. It will be compelling to witness the outcome of this revelation and whether Aoyama will join forces with the school to defeat the villain, or if he will choose to remain silent out of fear for the true evil.