Why Endeavor Deserved a More Fitting Ending in My Hero Academia

It has been a while since the conclusion of the My Hero Academia manga. While the finale of many characters garnered praise, the fate of Endeavor has sparked considerable debate among the fandom. Some fans feel that his ending was fitting, but there are substantial arguments suggesting that he received a far more favorable conclusion than he truly deserved.

As many followers of the series will recall, Endeavor played a crucial role in nearly dismantling his own family. Although he underwent a transformation and sought redemption, it seems that the series’ creator, Kohei Horikoshi, may not have aligned Endeavor’s ending with the gravity of his past actions. Let’s delve into the reasons why Endeavor’s resolution in the story was less severe than warranted.

Note: This piece includes spoilers from the My Hero Academia manga and reflects the author’s viewpoint.

Why Endeavor’s Ending in My Hero Academia Was More Lenient Than Deserved

Rei as depicted in the anime (Image via BONES)

In the narrative, Endeavor’s marriage to Rei was a product of a “Quirk Marriage.”Their union was primarily centered around the hope of bearing a child with a combination of their abilities. This led to Rei enduring multiple pregnancies with no genuine affection between them, a situation that caused her considerable stress even as she bore four children at Endeavor’s insistence.

Furthermore, as highlighted in the manga, Endeavor exhibited abusive tendencies towards Rei, especially when she failed to manage their children’s behavior. A poignant scene shows him berating her for Toya practicing his Quirk independently.

Toya Todoroki as portrayed in the anime (Image via BONES)

Though Endeavor had some level of concern for his children, his singular ambition to cultivate a successor greater than All Might overshadowed his parenting. This obsessive drive forced both Toya and Shoto into severe training regimens.

The toxic environment reached a breaking point when Rei, overwhelmed by stress and fear of Endeavor, unintentionally harmed Shoto, leading to her hospitalization. This incident marked a significant collapse in their household dynamics.

Rei, Shoto, and Enji as depicted in the anime (Image via BONES)

Regarding Toya, while Endeavor did have some culpability in his evolution into Dabi, it was revealed that he overlooked Toya’s struggles due to the dangers posed by his Quirk. Endeavor’s fear of losing his son led him to distance Toya from the hero lifestyle, which ultimately proved to be a miscalculation.

When it comes to atonement, Endeavor’s desire to make amends with his family only surfaced after he was granted the title of the No.1 Hero. This indicates that, had All Might not retired after the battle with All For One, it’s likely Endeavor would have continued his abusive behavior without attempting to reconcile.

Toya and Endeavor as illustrated in the manga (Image via Shueisha)

This background complicates the assessment of whether Endeavor’s conclusion was justly deserved. By the manga’s end, it appears that Kohei Horikoshi provided Enji a path toward rehabilitation. Although he stepped down as a hero, his familial relationships improved significantly compared to the series’ beginning.

Rei returned to his side, seemingly to care for him as his condition deteriorated. This relationship evolution raises concerns, especially considering Rei’s history of abuse at Endeavor’s hands, which could suggest elements akin to Stockholm Syndrome.

Shoto Todoroki as illustrated in the manga (Image via Shueisha)

Regarding Endeavor’s family dynamics, while they distanced themselves from him, the nature of their interactions had improved. Toya was positioned to engage with Endeavor daily, Natsuo made his departure, Enji offered an apology to Fuyumi, and Shoto conveyed reassurances to his parents. Evaluating Enji’s conclusion, he received significantly milder treatment than deserved. Ultimately, Endeavor warranted a harsher outcome than what was depicted in My Hero Academia.

Source