My Hero Academia should still reverse Deku’s biggest change

As the end of My Hero Academia draws near, it is imperative that the biggest alteration made to Deku is reversed before the conclusion of the manga.

For the past decade, My Hero Academia has remained a fan favorite and is often considered one of the top modern shonen works. Kohei Horikoshi, the writer and illustrator, has created a highly popular manga series that consistently ranks among the most-read titles on Manga Plus. Additionally, the anime adaptation of the series has achieved great success.

Despite its 2014 debut, all good things must eventually come to an end. As the Final War Arc nears its conclusion, the remaining loose ends must be tied up before the story reaches its final conclusion.

The epilogue should focus on reversing the major change that was made to Deku, namely, making him Quirkless once again. After enduring so much, he deserves to regain his One For All and achieve his goal of becoming the top Pro Hero. Here is our reasoning behind why Deku should reclaim his Quirk.

Did Deku Lose One For All?

Throughout the course of My Hero Academia, there have been numerous plot twists, but none were as surprising as the one that occurred during the climactic Final War. In a sudden turn of events, Shigaraki was able to steal the fourth One For All user, Shinomori, and his Quirk Danger Sense from Deku, completely altering the course of the battle.

Prior to that moment, One For All had been successfully protected from All For One’s grasp. However, Shigaraki’s ability to steal a vestige meant that the threat was now too close for comfort. With this in mind, Kudo, the second user of One For All, devised a plan to forcefully transfer the power and vestiges of the past users onto Shigaraki.

The original intention was to defeat Shigaraki from within. Despite knowing that this would result in Deku losing One For All and becoming Quirkless once again, the determined hero went through with it selflessly.

Deku losing his Quirk was important for his character arc

Although it was heart-wrenching to see Deku lose his Quirk, it was a crucial part of his character development. Beginning as Izuku Midoriya, a Quirkless boy with aspirations of becoming a top hero like All Might, he proved that even without a special ability, he possessed the unwavering determination to protect and serve society.

Receiving One For All from All Might allowed Deku to fulfill his dream of becoming a hero. However, there was another aspect of his dream that he could achieve without a special ability.

Despite lacking a Quirk, the young man never hesitated to give his full effort in order to rescue others, as shown when he impulsively attempted to save Bakugo at the start of the story. This unwavering determination and selflessness embody the essence of Deku’s character, as he fearlessly puts himself in harm’s way for the sake of others.

Despite One For All being the catalyst for his rise to becoming the No. 1 Hero, it was ultimately his exceptional character that solidified him as the world’s beacon of hope. His Quirk may have made him the strongest, but even without it, he possessed the heart of a true hero.

In Chapter 422 of My Hero Academia, there is a heartwarming moment where All Might reflects on his initial encounter with Deku and how the young man has always been his greatest inspiration. This scene beautifully portrays the bond between them and the true nature of heroism.

Becoming the greatest hero does not require a special ability; all it takes is a desire to make the world a better place. This has been the underlying message of My Hero Academia, demonstrated by the journeys of All Might and Deku. Despite initially being Quirkless outcasts, they both rose to become the greatest heroes.

Ultimately, while it was disheartening to see Deku lose his Quirk, it served as an important reminder of his origins. As My Hero Academia drew to a close, it was crucial for his character development to experience this setback and reinforce the central theme of the story.

The Final War has ended

Deku in My Hero Academia Chapter 423 — Kohei Horikoshi/Shueisha

Despite Deku sacrificing his Quirk to save Shigaraki, the outcome was not what he had expected. When One For All connected them, the hero witnessed the tragic events that led to Tenko Shimura becoming Tomura Shigaraki.

As the two sworn enemies finally gained an understanding of each other, Shigaraki fell under the control of All For One, the ultimate antagonist of the series, and Deku lost the use of his arms. Despite the efforts of his friends and allies to heal him, Deku was left without One For All or the abilities of its previous users. Only the remnants of One For All remained within him, reminiscent of All Might’s weakened state in Kamino.

Despite having only that in his arsenal, Deku was still able to land a hit on All For One. This action ultimately awakened the vestiges of the past users and Shigaraki within the villain. As a result, Kudo’s plan was finally deemed successful as the past users and Shigaraki worked together to destroy All For One from within.

After the destruction of All For One and Deku’s intervention, Shigaraki was freed from his hatred and the Final War came to an end. My Hero Academia took two years to conclude the war, and it took generations for the characters to finally defeat All For One.

The Past One For All Users: Fulfilling Their Purpose

One For All vs. All For One — Kohei Horikoshi/Shueisha

One For All stands out as the most exceptional Quirk in existence not only because it can be passed on, but also because it retains the will of its previous users. For years, seven generations of users have resided within the Quirk, united in their determination to defeat All For One.

It began with Yoichi’s remorse over his inability to halt his brother’s cruel rule. He passed away carrying that remorse, having bestowed One For All upon Kudo. From that moment on, each One For All wielder pledged to vanquish the villain and gave up everything in pursuit of that goal.

All Might, the eighth user, came close to fulfilling this mission, but he was unable to completely vanquish All For One. This responsibility ultimately fell to the ninth user, Deku. However, with All For One now defeated, they are left without a purpose.

In Chapter 423 of My Hero Academia, Yoichi suggested that once All For One was defeated, the remnants of the past users would also disappear, as defeating the villain was their ultimate salvation.

It is currently uncertain whether One For All would also vanish as a result. It is possible that the transferable Quirk would remain, but the other Quirks of the previous users may disappear along with their vestiges.

In one of the scenarios, Deku regains his Quirk but with a catch, while the other scenario resets him to his initial state as a Quirkless individual.

Deku should get One For All back

The essence of My Hero Academia lies not in a superhero with extraordinary powers, but in an average person with an unwavering determination to make the world a better place. This is embodied perfectly by Deku.

Ultimately, despite all that has been said and done, the aspiring hero must still reclaim One For All by the conclusion of My Hero Academia. There are numerous justifications for this decision, as he has selflessly fought against All For One and prevented society from crumbling. It would be unfair for him to conclude his journey without a fair opportunity to achieve his ultimate goal.

Deep down, Deku has always been a hero at heart. Despite his unwavering determination, he is unable to battle villains without a Quirk.

Although All For One was the main antagonist in My Hero Academia, his defeat does not mark the end of evil. There will always be new villains with destructive intentions, and it is not always possible to defeat them with only morals and determination.

Therefore, it is crucial for Deku to regain his Quirk in order to fulfill his dream of becoming the greatest hero in the eyes of not just All Might and his friends, but the entire world.

A compelling argument for the green-haired protagonist to regain his Quirk is the fact that it was bestowed upon him by All Might. One For All was gifted to Deku as a symbol of the former Symbol of Peace’s unwavering faith in his potential and aspirations. There is nothing that Deku holds in higher regard or admiration than All Might.

The Quirk was the initial link that brought them together and solidified their bond. For Deku, One For All holds more significance than just being a Quirk or a tool to achieve his aspirations. To him, it is a cherished gift from All Might that holds the utmost value.

Despite having to relinquish One For All to Shigaraki as part of their plan, what caused him to pause was not the thought of becoming Quirkless, but rather the idea of giving away the precious gift bestowed upon him by his idol. His emotions compel him to do whatever it takes to regain his cherished Quirk.

Furthermore, My Hero Academia, being a shonen manga, is expected to have a positive ending, just like any other manga in its genre. No one wants to dedicate a decade of their life following a character’s development, only to be left with a dissatisfying conclusion.

We have been accompanying Izuku Midoriya on this journey for a significant amount of time and we only want the best outcome for him. The thought of him losing One For All and becoming Quirkless, while his friends all achieve their dreams of becoming Pro Heroes, is the most undesirable ending we can envision.

The essence of My Hero Academia is one of hope, and this should remain true until the very end. In our opinion, the most fitting conclusion for the series would be for Deku to reclaim One For All and become the greatest hero in the epilogue.

Despite our desires, the true intentions of Kohei Horikoshi for Deku remain a mystery. The reveal of this information will only come with the release of My Hero Academia Chapter 424 on June 2, 2024.

While waiting for the release of the next chapter, viewers can watch My Hero Academia Season 7 on Crunchyroll with three episodes currently available. Our My Hero Academia Season 7 episode schedule can assist with keeping track, and we also have a guide for the upcoming anime movie, My Hero Academia: You’re Next.