What does it mean to be a hero? This question is actually one of the underlying themes that persist throughout My Hero Academia, and does not get talked about enough. The main rivalry between Bakugo and Deku gives fans two different ideals regarding heroism. While Bakugo’s idea of heroism is centered around strength, Deku strives to be a reliable hero who can be held to a high standard. Many other characters in the series have their own ideals regarding heroism, with all of them
As aggressive as Bakugo is, he never goes for a lethal blow in battle. Society itself does not even want to see heroes kill, putting them up as symbols of moral authority, and yet the question needs to be asked; Are some villains too far gone and need to be put down? Shigiraki and the league of villains have crossed the line on numerous occasions, causing some fans to wonder if My Hero Academia's main villain is worth saving.
Does Shigiraki Deserve To Be Killed?
This is a question of morality and should not be taken lightly. It's a tough question that series creator Kohei Horikoshi has chosen to tackle in his story, as it is also a common question that arises in comic books. Spider-Man and Batman in particular are always asking themselves if they need to cross that line for their villains, but My Hero Academia has a different set of rules.
The story has already made it clear that heroes do kill. There are very limited circumstances where it happens, and usually, they are kept secret from the civilian population, so they don’t see the dark side of the hero society, but it does in fact happen. Essentially, if a villain is perceived as a large enough threat that cannot be contained or reformed, the powers that be put out the command to kill them, even if discreetly. So whether the fans think Shigiraki needs to be killed, the society he lives in does. Shigiraki’s quirk is dangerous, and he might just be beyond redemption.
Does Deku Have What It Takes To Kill Someone?
Now that its established society wants him to be killed, they would still need to select someone to do the killing. The only person seemingly capable of even pulling that off at this moment is Izuku “Deku” Midoriya. There are many factors playing into why Izuku Midoriya would not do it. The first would be his age. Izuku is just a kid. He just turned16 throughout the course of MHA and is quite childish and naive even for his age. He’s seen a lot of violence and pain for his age, yes, but that does not change the fact he is in fact still not mentally or emotionally mature enough to handle death. His reaction to losing Nighteye said it all and putting someone that young under that pressure could make him crack. Then there is his ideology. Izuku wants to save people, not beat them. He believes the League of VIllains are not bad guys, to begin with, so why would he feel the need to kill them? Society may have cast them aside but that would just push him to want to save them even more.
That does not mean it's beyond the scope of what he is capable of. Not even kind-hearted people like Deku are immune to the effects of peer pressure. If everyone around him is pushing for him to do it, he may cave just to please those around him. Granted it could also be an Avatar the Last Airbedner situation with Aang and his refusal to kill Ozai. More importantly though, Izuku is a slave to his emotions, as most of us are. In the heat of battle, if he were to get angry enough it's possible he could do it. His rage would blind him, and as he spirals out of control using his quirk, he could overdo the damage and end up hurting his opponent too severely. This may require someone he loves potentially dying but it's not completely ruled out. Under the right circumstances maybe, but it's unclear. Perhaps if there were enough blinding rage
Does Horikoshi Want Deku To Kill?
When navigating stories, typically, the reader tries to ascertain the way the story is developing by only utilizing the information within it. This is similar to how we try to predict events in our own lives. We don’t ask fate what direction they are steering us, but rather trying to best understand the people involved in our situations and make educated assumptions based on motives, personality, and previous decision-making. However, we have more information to utilize when it comes to art and media. The story of My Hero starts with Deku stating “This is the story of how I became the greatest hero” and Horikoshi has made it clear what his view of heroism is in multiple interviews. His favorite superhero is Spider-man, who as previously mentioned does not kill. He in fact will go out of his way to even save his villains. His favorite manga protagonist is also stated to be Goku, who not only spared Piccolo, Vegeta, and Freiza, but even asked for Kid Buu, a being of pure evil that killed his wife and kids, to be reborn as a good guy. Also, as a fan of Star Wars, No. Horikoshi’s idea of heroism is rooted in his favorite superhero Spiderman. His favorite manga protagonist is also Goku who does not kill. Horikoshi has also stated to be a huge fan of Star Wars and Luke Skywalker did not kill Darth Vader.
For Horikoshi, it seems clear that’s just not what heroes do. True heroism is not about killing the bad guys. In fact, he may not even believe in the concept of bad people at all. It would seem he believes everyone is worth trying to save and nobody is beyond redemption no matter what they have done in the past. It could be the reason why he has made deplorable characters such as Mineta, Bakugo, and even Endeavor, heroes with redemption arcs. Heroes are flawed, but at the end of the day, every human being alive is, so persecuting or ending the life of another just does not seem like something a true hero would do. Heroes always win and always save the day and the people. That’s how he wants Deku to win.