It’s not impossible, that’s for sure. Bakugou’s angry routine along with his raw power caught the eye of the villains in the first place, leading to his abduction. His brash tendencies also caused him to fail the hero licensing exam. If this particular element comes back to bite him at some point, well, it wouldn’t be shocking.
It’s also possible that Bakugou’s foiling with Endeavor (good hero, bad person, even if he’s on redemption path now) will be explored more. We don’t know exactly what happened to Touya, but we have a pretty good guess. Endeavor is a bully who pushed and pushed his kid to be the best and pretty clearly it almost killed Touya–they might even believe it did kill Touya. Bakugou and Todoroki already have some further exploration of their relationship destined, in terms of them both needing to get those licenses, so it’s possible that Bakugou might be involved when whatever happened to Touya comes out, and might again be struck by the realization that hey, taunting people about being weak and not strong enough has serious consequences.
Endeavor’s goal was not actually to have a child with two quirks necessarily! It was to have a child who could surpass All Might–hence the evaluation based on quirks. Touya presumably had a quirk that potentially could, but the side effects, so to speak, of said quirk prevented that from being possible. Shouto, on the other hand, had powerful fire and powerful ice without the side effects… hence the perfection. Oh, Endeavor.
I think Dabi does not know Shouto at all. I do think he is Touya, though.
But Endeavor definitely kept them apart, and I think the fact that Natsuo, who is the sibling closest in age to Shouto, did not even know Shouto’s favorite food until recently indicates Dabi/Touya probably knows Shouto even less well than Natsuo. Natsuo also says Endeavor took care that the three eldest would not be involved in Shouto’s life “at all.”
I think it’s possible Dabi thinks Shouto is a mini Endeavor in the making. I also think it’s possible he primarily pities his brother, since he clearly knows Shouto was abused, or both–they aren’t mutually exclusive. It’s possible he resents him for having all his father’s attention. It’s possible he doesn’t.
I think whatever Dabi thinks of Shouto, though, is not crafted in whom Shouto is. Instead, it’s crafted in terms of Shouto’s role in their family: victim, and their father’s chosen child. Maybe he gives one or the other extra weight, or maybe gives them both equal weight.
I hope they get the chance to know each other as actual people beyond their hero/villain dichotomy. I think they will.
I don’t think Shouto thinks Endeavor used his power to marry her forcefully. He used his power to impress her family who agreed to make Rei marry him. Even if he was polite to her before the wedding, and he probably was, it was not a love match. Arranged marriage is perfectly legitimate and there’s nothing inherently wrong with it if both parties want it, and Rei very possibly consented to an arranged marriage, but he then abused her, so whether or not she went with him of her own will is irrelevant to the later abuse.
I don’t know if there’s deeper symbolism in Japanese mythology and/or culture, but I do know that in many cultures (India, for example) the left hand is associated with uncleanness–aka you would not shake somebody’s hand with the left one, you wouldn’t eat with it, etc. Which… does fit with how Shouto treats his left side, but not exactly, because the left side is usually used for like… bodily functions.
In more Christian superstition, it was traditionally associated with the devil (like, my dad was forbidden from using his left hand as a kid when he was left-handed and forced to use his right because #thedevil). Which, considering Shouto’s left side takes after Endeavor (who even has the flame symbolism and whose quirk is literally called hellflame), also fits.
I’m guessing these are from the same anon. 😀 I’m always happy to talk Dabi.
It’s stated in the text that something awful happened to Touya and that is related to Endeavor directly. Natsuo says it twice. The first time I don’t have access to the official Viz translation, but the translator noted that Natsuo is using a term in Japanese when he says “you and Shouto” that implies “you, Shouto, and another sibling who is explicitly not Natsuo himself.” We know now it’s Touya.
It could be abuse or abandonment–which is a type of abuse that produces just as harmful long-lasting psychological effects. Yes, Endeavor did something to Touya.
Dabi clearly has a personal grudge against Endeavor, seeing that he joined the League of Villains because of Stain’s philosophy against heroes who are bad people in their personal lives (Endeavor exactly) and targets Endeavor and plans to target him again.
And we know Dabi has a hang-up about family/something related to why he is a villain now has to do with family.
Not to mention Dabi’s personal grudge against Endeavor–I can’t think of what else would make narrative sense at this point. He’s just someone who Endeavor wasn’t nice to, or a friend of Touya’s who saw a friend suffering? That could in theory work, but we already have that kind of character challenging Todoroki in Inasa (who comments on how Todoroki and Endeavor have the same eyes, which btw, Dabi also has).
So that option no longer makes sense, because it’d just be a repeat of Inasa but villainized and Inasa I like you but you’re just not that important.
Dabi being Touya honestly seems like the only narrative option I can think of that explains why Dabi has a personal grudge against both Endeavor and Shouto (in Japanese, the “too bad, Todoroki Shouto” is very familiar and it’s supposed to be unnerving).
My guess is we can look to Inasa to understand why, perhaps, Dabi if Touya would want to mock Shouto–because Touya might think Shouto’s just like Endeavor. If Natsuo didn’t even know Shouto’s favorite food until chapter 192 I’m guessing Touya knows even less about Shouto, so it might make sense in a sad way for him to presume that the son who’s trying to become a hero like Endeavor was raising him to be might be just like Endeavor–but, of course, Shouto is not.
after all might found out that shigaraki was nana shimuras grandchild gran torino told him that he is off the case because all might cant really see shigaraki as a villain and he would waver and thats dangerous asking him what are you going to do when you see him and regardless of his lineage he is a criminal now
so I think the same thing will be brought up with dabi and endeavor
there is no doubt in my mind that endeavor will try to save dabi because he will believe he is at fault for dabi and all might will try to save shigaraki because of how much he loved nana and his nature but all might will fail in saving shigaraki and end up being killed
while endeavor will succeed and top off his redemption
this is helped byhow all might and endeavor were/are foils
since While they are both very powerful heroes, Endeavor is only in it for the sake of winning and feels like becoming the best is the most important thing, while All Might is legitimately trying to do good. They also contrast in visual style. All Might has a more traditionally superheroic style with bright colors and a more silver-age style costume, while Endeavor wears a simple dark bodysuit whose details come from his flames, which include Shoulders of doom in more typical dark-age fashion.
so all might and endeavor would both have people connected to them who are with the league of villians shigaraki (nana shimuras grandson who he loved like his own mother
) and dabi endeavors son and when endeavor finds out he will react poorly
and they both have/will feel guilty over how shigaraki and dabi ended up
for dabi and endeavor endeavor will know it was because of his abuse of his family that dabi ended up like this
and for shigaraki
nana left her child at foster so she can raise one for all (all might ) so all might blames himself because she left her child at foster care to raise him.
so it would be fitting contrast if all might who has a more traditionally heroic and silver age style fail and was a true hero in saving someones heart and turn a villains heart around while endeavor who is in more dark age fashion and wasnt a true hero at the start and a horrible person and more focused on strength ends up saving a villains heart and getting them to have a change of heart when it would usually be the other way around
so the pro hero who pushed himself to the limit for the people in order to being the symbol of peace and save peoples hearts by always smiling would fail to save the villain he tried to reach out to while the pro hero who only cared about strength at the beginning and was a horrible person and even now is has a tough demeanor would end up succeeding in saving a villains heart turning him from the path. and it would be funny since for years endeavor wanted to surpass all mights strength and at first doesn’t realize that the reason why All Might always beats him is related to the fact that All Might is kind-hearted and morally strong and believes that the only reason he loses the spot of #1 Hero is simply because he isn’t as strong as All Might, rather than the fact he is unable to inspire people like him and abused his family for that purpose of being number 1 hero and focusing on strength but in the end when both of them wanted to go to someone who had become a villain and save their hearts and have them turn away from the path of a villian endeavor will succeed where all might fails when all might is the type of person that people imagine would be able to change a person
not to mention of course the fact that all might will end up dying
I have mixed feelings! I do think both All Might and Endeavor will try to save Shigaraki and Dabi, respectively, from themselves (they better). I also think All Might is certainly going to die without having saved Shigaraki, but I can also see his death being a catalyst that will spark a seed that Deku will help grow, and I do think Deku will save Shigaraki.
The story is definitely endorsing All Might’s version of heroism via how All Might is framed, in terms of his selflessness and compassion, so I don’t see a narrative purpose in his death not resulting in Shigaraki being saved. His flaws the story calls out are in not trying to save Shigaraki, so once he tries, there’s no point to denying that resulting in anything. Futility and nihilism are not themes present in BNHA; in another story, perhaps, but not in this one. I think Shigaraki being redeemed is highly likely.
I also think Shouto will have to be involved in Dabi’s redemption–he has to be, since he’s one of the main characters! 😀 Endeavor will likely sacrifice himself for Dabi (if he is Touya, which I think he is), and he may or may not survive it, but I think the actual saving of these villains is up to Deku and Shouto.
I disagree. Endeavor has always prioritized being #1, which has to do with reputation even if he wasn’t trying to be likeable. Reputation isn’t just about being liked. Endeavor wants to be thought of as the best. No one is going to think of him as the best if he has a son who is a villain–except perhaps his family, if he saves that son who likely became a villain because of how Endeavor hurt him.
Yup! I kinda feel like it has to be for Endeavor’s redemption to be well done? Like at this point it’s pretty clear Dabi and Touya are connected with Dabi’s “bereaved family” comment, his clear personal grudge against the Todorokis, and Natsuo’s implication that Touya is dead (I still prefer him to have run away but. I think the death/fake death is more likely).
So our scenarios are: Dabi is somehow involved in whatever happened to Touya, or Dabi is Touya.
Dabi somehow being involved in Touya’s… whatever happened makes little sense because why then would Horikoshi hide his name from the audience, unless it is a name we would recognize? It’s just not a good writing choice. It offers Endeavor the chance to protect the family he has left, but has little to no personal cost for Endeavor. He can succeed at protecting his family but do so by being a hero, or letting Shouto be a hero and do it for him (since Dabi vs Shouto will certainly happen either way).
Dabi being Touya, on the other hand, presents Endeavor a choice: be a hero, or save your family. Considering how he’s constantly sacrificed family to be a strong hero, I think it’s by far a better narrative choice to have Endeavor have to show his redemption by sacrificing his hero status to save his family (aka Dabi from himself). If Natsuo is ever going to reconcile with him, this seems the best way to do it, because then there would be no doubt about which he is prioritizing and that he truly is sorry. And it also offers Shouto the same choice: heroism, or family? Who do you want to be?
It’s just all around the stronger narrative choice.
I do think Fuyumi’s heart is in the right place, and she’s coping with her trauma in a very relatable way: attempting to fix it. We already knew this, of course, because we knew Fuyumi stayed living at home to protect Shouto. Fuyumi is presumably in a very difficult position and has been since her mother was institutionalized, since oldest Touya is MIA off cremating things probably and Endeavor wasn’t interested in parenting, so presumably Fuyumi took over that nurturing role for both Natsuo and Shouto. That’s so hard. That’s such an unfair position for a twelve year old to have been put in (and she would have been about twelve then). Fuyumi is a victim too, even if she chooses to forgive, and of course she wants her family back together. That’s so relatable, and honestly, it’s just as realistic as Shouto and Natsuo’s reactions.
However, I will add that Fuyumi’s attempts to help are ultimately not helping, and irl such tactics can be truly hurtful, so I understand people being grumpy about it but I also feel for her and can’t judge her. Like, I’ve had relatives do what she does, and while I get it, it’s still hurtful for Natsuo to have his feelings invalidated. Which is why I’m glad he called Endeavor out on how he felt. Shouto is right when he says it’s good Natsuo got to express his feelings.
Both Fuyumi and Natsuo’s feelings and reactions are equally valid.
Trying to force others to feel the way you do, though, while understandable, isn’t going to work, though I don’t believe Natsuo resents Fuyumi for it and neither do I. They all need to work through their trauma and feelings for Endeavor on their own.
Fuyumi wishing her family would just get along is okay.
Rei forgiving him, but not wanting to see him is okay.
Natsuo being angry and wanting nothing to do with Endeavor is okay.
Shouto telling Endeavor to prove he wants to change is okay.
Dabi trying to murder Endeavor is not okay.
I will say this chapter did frame Natsuo well, better than the last disagreement with Fuyumi, so I’m happy about that. Each victim of Endeavor’s has a different response, and I’m actually glad that Horikoshi is touching on the different ways abuse victims process and heal. I hope the framing present this chapter keeps up.
hamliet 