My Hero Academia — The Redemption of Shigaraki: A Key to Deku’s Return of One For All

Despite the My Hero Academia manga displaying Izuku Midoriya relinquishing his One For All quirk, the main character of the series is essentially left without a quirk. However, he still possesses the remaining embers of the One For All quirk within him.

Despite the apparent absence of the One For All quirk, fans may still hold onto the hope of seeing it return to Deku. A popular theory in the My Hero Academia community suggests that this is still a possibility, but it hinges on the actions of Tomura Shigaraki.

Please be advised that this article contains spoilers from the My Hero Academia manga.

Can Tomura Shigaraki Return One for All to Deku?

All For One, as seen in the manga (Image via Shueisha)

As the battle against Shigaraki was coming to an end, Deku and the OFA vestiges made the decision to transfer the OFA quirks to Shigaraki in order to defeat him. However, just as the plan was about to succeed, All For One seized control of Shigaraki’s body. In doing so, he berated Deku for destroying Yoichi and his One For All quirk.

Despite appearances, it appears that the One For All quirk has not disappeared entirely. It is important for fans to keep in mind that Deku entrusted the vestiges to Shigaraki instead of obliterating them. Therefore, although there have been no indications in the manga, there is a possibility that OFA still exists within the vessel of Tenko Shimura.

Considering this possibility, a fan of My Hero Academia, @ReconNarwhal on X, proposed a theory that Deku could regain OFA if Shigaraki transferred it back to him. As Shigaraki discovers that AFO was the one who granted him the Decay quirk, he may seek revenge against his mentor. This could potentially lead Shigaraki to join forces with his former rival, Deku, to betray AFO.

Therefore, it is possible that in upcoming chapters of the manga, Shigaraki Tomura will confront All For One in a battle for control of his own body. If Shigaraki gains control, he may take advantage of the situation to return the One For All quirk to Deku by using the All For One quirk.

Shigaraki, as seen in My Hero Academia manga (Image via Shueisha)

This theory is derived from Yoichi’s statement regarding the All For One quirk. The first One For All user believed that this quirk could be the most compassionate and generous in the world. However, AFO, his brother, had different intentions for its use. According to @ReconNarwhal, Yoichi’s words could have been a foreshadowing of the possibility that the All For One quirk may ultimately be the savior of the world.

Nevertheless, it is clear that this theory heavily relies on Shigaraki’s mental strength to resist his master’s control. While it is true that Shigaraki has valid reasons to turn against AFO, there is no guarantee that he will be willing to assist Deku. Therefore, if Shigaraki does choose to aid Deku, not only will he play a pivotal role in saving the world, but he will also have a chance at redemption.