My Hero Academia Oneshots

Endeavor's Redemption - not a oneshot

TW: discussion of abuse (no descriptions, it simply states Endeavor is abusive and his kids have trauma)

Hi there, this is not a oneshot, but since this is a bnha book, I thought it would still be funny to post it here.

For an English class, I had to write a small argumentative essay that had something to do with a movie or show. Since my teacher is cool, she actually encouraged me to write something having to do with bnha. That being said, I was under the pressure of thinking I had to complete it by the end of class (even tho I didn't...) and just went with the first thing that came to mind: Endeavor's redemption arc.

So, here it is folks, my essay on why Endeavor does not deserve his redemption.

Contains manga spoilers

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Endeavor's Questionable Redemption Arc

In the popular anime and manga series My Hero Academia, written by Kohei Horikoshi, readers get a peak into what life could be like with the presence of superpowers in a classic hero versus villain society. Horikoshi, being a talented writer, pours his heart and soul into his characters and their development. However, upon season four of the anime and further progression into the manga, it is clear some characters are given more positive recognition than they possibly should.

Enji Todoroki, known better as his hero title, Endeavor, devoted his entire being into beating the (now former) Number One Hero, All Might. As he realizes his chances of succeeding are slim, he begins raising children for the soul purpose of ruthlessly training the perfect spawn to carry out his will for him. His first three children he dubs failures, even taking part in what was thought to be his first son, Touya's, death, but his fourth child, Shouto Todoroki, he deems the perfect candidate. With constant training, isolation, regimen, and punishment, Endeavor spends sixteen years building his son into the possible successor of the fallen Symbol of Peace, the title previously given to All Might. As he worked through blatant child abuse, however, does he really deserve the redemption arc Horikoshi is so graciously bestowing upon him?

Many fans believe Endeavor fully deserves his redemption arc, as well as the new title of Number One Hero. His physically abusive actions are in the past, and people can change, learning and growing from their mistakes into better people. Fans notice Endeavor's supposed change in heart when he finally reaches the goal he's always strived for, but quickly realizes he is insufficient for in his current temperament. He knows All Might had a certain positive charm that earned him his previous title, and with his forced retirement, Japan was now lacking the Symbol of Peace they relied upon to keep crime rates low, a position he was not adequate to fill. In a strive to fill that hole in Japan's feeling of security, he comes to the conclusion he must be a better person, thus noticing he was an awful father. His daughter, Fuyumi, like a handful of My Hero Academia fans, has wished for this day for ages, and is quick to forgive him and accept him with open arms.

A large grouping of other fans reject Endeavor's redemption arc. They believe he has not truly had a genuine change of heart and is just trying to accommodate for the title of Symbol of Peace. He did not genuinely strive to become a better father, but instead strived to continue succeeding in his goal. His actions were made with purely selfish intent, only fitting into his new mold for the Number One Hero because it is his dream he has now been suddenly been thrust into. His "change of heart" is forced, only to seem good enough to quell Japan's uprising fears of a world without the reliable pillar of safety All Might had provided. The past abuse he inflicted on his children and possibly his wife did not simply disappear because he's now trying to be a better hero, and, as far as manga readers and anime watchers know, he has not been doing anything to ease the mental trauma from having a power-hungry, abusive father. His older son, Natuso, immediately rejects his father's new attitude, with many fans holding the same opinion.

Some fans, however, are not sure if Endeavor should be so easily forgiven or not. His true intentions, whether they be to get his act together and be a good father or selfishly fill the role of Symbol of Peace only for personal gain, are unclear. Horikoshi has not explicitly stated which side Endeavor is leaning towards, as both can be implied depending on how fans view his interactions with the fictional story's media and his children. Several fans also question if the debate is even relevant, as Endeavor's supposedly dead son returns as an infamous villain, Dabi, who broadcasts the truth about his father's disturbing crimes and aggressive tendencies on live television. The story has not yet progressed enough for manga readers to tell what will happen to him, but a portion of fans speculate his hero license, as well as the title of Number One, will be revoked, possibly even ending with Endeavor thrown in prison. Regardless of the unknown future, Shouto Todoroki and this portion of fans struggle with knowing if his Endeavor's intentions are truly genuine and well-meaning.

As fans of the popular series argue and debate over Horikoshi's creation, one thing is for certain: it is unlikely Endeavor's drastic change could have occurred so suddenly, and his children's emotional trauma will not heal overnight. Anyone can grow as a person and change, but it is not something that happens so soon, and Horikoshi is too stellar of a writer to incorporate an incorrect depiction of such a vital piece of character development. To stoop low enough to become such an aggressive man such as Endeavor requires a dangerous mentality that cannot be overcome in such a short amount of time, especially not with professional help, so the authenticity of Endeavor's new change of heart is doubtful.