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Midoriya Izuku fromMy Hero Academiahas always aspired to be the greatest hero, motivated by the legendary Number 1 Pro Hero, All Might. However, his journey takes a different turn as he was born Quirkless, leading to bullying during middle school. Despite these challenges, Deku eventually acquires a Quirk: One For All, significantly impacting those around him.
All Might’s legacy is a tough act to follow, especially for Pro Hero Endeavor, who relentlessly pursues the Number 1 ranking. While holding the title of the country’s strongest hero brings immense fame and a devoted audience, it raises the question of what it truly means to be a hero. Midoriya has achieved numerous feats, some of which even All Might hadn’t accomplished, yet the question remains: Has he truly surpassed All Might’s legacy?
What Is All Might’s Legacy?
All Might’s Legacy Spanned Decades of Dedication to Heroism
To ascertain whether Deku, also known as Midoriya Izuku, has indeed surpassed the legacy of All Might, it is imperative to examine the components of All Might’s legacy. Since the inception ofMy Hero Academia, All Might has beenrecognized as the Symbol of Peace. Shortly after graduating from U.A. High School, he promptly departed the country to commence his career as a hero in America, thereby inspiring numerous individuals to aspire to become heroes like himself, exemplified by Star and Stripe, America’s Number 1 Pro Hero.
As the Symbol of Peace, All Might consistently strives to assist others with unwavering positivity, regardless of the time, place, or occasion. As illustrated inMy Hero Academia: Vigilantes, All Might remains perpetually alert to individuals in need, swiftly donning his hero costume to intervene and provide assistance. Moreover, All Might has never placed emphasis on the financial rewards associated with his heroic profession;his motivations have consistently stemmed from a genuine desire to aidothers rather than the pursuit of accolades typically associated with such a role.
Most of the top heroes show signs of greatness even as children… Many of them claim that their bodies simply moved before they could think!!
Over the years, All Might has earned great status, wealth, and remarkable achievements, making him renowned as the Number 1 Pro Hero on theHero Billboard Chart JPfor decades. His relentless efforts have cemented a legacy that encourages others to aspire to heroism, fosters peace, and strikes fear into villains. Nevertheless, villainous activities have not diminished despite All Might’s numerous accomplishments. Furthermore, it’s important to highlight that when All Might announced his retirement from the position of Number 1 Pro Hero,hero society faced a significant collapse, leading to rampant villain uprisings due to the absence of a Symbol of Peace.
In many ways, All Might embodies the ideal hero, prioritizing saving others over the title itself. He never craved the spotlight, understanding that true recognition for heroes comes from their actions. This also explainsEndeavor’s struggle to grasp the true meaning of heroism, while Stain revered All Might as the genuine article hero.
Has Deku Surpassed All Might’s Legacy?
What Does it Mean to Surpass the Previous No.1 Pro Hero?
Though Deku has not possessed theQuirk One For Allas long as All Might, he has unlocked powers that even All Might could not achieve during his time with the Quirk. This is largely because All Might never needed to tap into those abilities; his strength was sufficient to defeat villains and confront All For One, especially before Dr. Garaki intervened to rescue All For One.
That said, Deku has surpassed All Might in strength and speedthrough his mastery of One For All, greatly enhancing his power. Deku’s ascent is also due to his access to multiple Quirks within One For All. Much like All Might in Chapter 1, Deku can generate enough power to influence the weather; in Chapter 422, he clears dark clouds from the sky with a single punch.
What of Deku’s Accomplishments?
Throughout hisextensive career as a hero, All Mighthas saved countless individuals, becoming a symbol of hope and inspiration for many. Similarly, Deku has also achieved numerous heroic feats by rescuing those in distress. He is keenly aware of the dangers facing others and instinctively rises to the occasion to save them, embodying what it means to be a hero. This mindset has allowed Deku to win over the hearts of those he has rescued, whether civilians or villains.
Even without a Quirk, Deku has always aspired to be the greatest hero. While many interpret this goal as aiming for the title of Number 1 Pro Hero, for Deku, following in All Might’s footsteps meant saving people, and rankings never mattered to him. Despite theongoing rivalry with Bakugo Katsukiover who will be the top hero, Deku’s genuine desire has always been to emulate All Might, rescuing others with a cheerful demeanor.
Deku achieved his dream in his battles againstShigaraki Tomuraand All For One, surpassing All Might’s legacy. The conflict between All For One and One For All is a prolonged saga that has lasted through decades and several generations of One For All users. Although many have confronted All For One, including All Might, none has managed to defeat him, which makes Deku’s victory over the Demon King particularly significant. Furthermore, his success is noteworthy because he did not achieve it alone, distinguishing his triumph from All Might’s.
Young Midoriya… that day, you rushed out… and allowed my body to move. And since then, you’ve always been… the greatest hero to me!
All Might had long since resolved to confront the formidable All For One independently; this decision may have been influenced by the absence of another individual with comparable strength to challenge All For One. Deku, fully cognizant of his limitations, found his capacity to depend on others to be the source of the motivation necessary to defeat All For One ultimately. Furthermore, Deku elected to relinquish the One For All Quirk, and despiteacquiring an Armored Suit, he chose to pursue a career as a school teacher while simultaneously functioning as a part-time Pro Hero. This illustrates that Deku places little importance on hero rankings and is primarily focused on aiding others to the best of his abilities.
The essence of heroism lies in helping those in distress. Although Shigaraki Tomura was shaped into a villain by All For One, Deku also recognized him as a victim. Even amidst a fierce battle, Deku’s decision to rescue Shigaraki defines his heroism. A genuine hero reaches out to save others, regardless of the person’s villainous status. Although Shigaraki had perished in the battle,Deku still wanted to save himfrom while he was wavering, truly destroying the world.
Chapters
425 - 431
Another perspective on whether Deku has truly surpassed All Might’s legacy revolves around his virtue, comparable to that of the retired hero. Since gaining One For All, Deku has significantly aided many people, which has contributed to his growing fame. Throughout the entirety of the Final War, various media outlets reported extensively on Deku’s and the Pro Heroes' efforts against the villains.
With such widespread coverage, people around the world now recognize Deku and commend him for his victory over the Demon King. When the students return to U.A. for graduation, a first-year student openly expressed his aspiration to emulate Deku, which is why he chose to enroll in the renowned heroics school.Even eight years after the Final War, as depicted in Chapter 430, Deku continues to be acknowledged for his contributions during the conflict despite his absence from heroics. Although Deku didn’t receive a commemorative statue like Monoma Neito, he is celebrated as the greatest hero, effectively surpassing All Might’s legacy.
However,due to an eight-year absence of Deku’s heroics, it’s likely that many people have forgotten his contributions during the war, as he works as a High School teacher at U.A. Additionally, as a result of Deku’s involvement, crime and villainy have notably dropped in the eight years following the Final War, leading to a safer society and a reduced demand for heroes. Despite All Might being the Symbol of Peace and the hero society stabilizing thanks to it, after the Final War, Deku obtained true peace as society no longer needed a single hero to rely on.
My Hero Academia
Cast
In My Hero Academia, some humans have superpowers called quirks. Izuku Midoriya, nicknamed Deku, is not one of them. Deku has always idolized heroes like the number one hero, All Might, and since he was a child, he has always wanted to be a hero. However, his lack of a quirk has always held him back, but a chance encounter with All Might after discovering a classmate in danger sets Deku on the path to becoming a true hero. My Hero Academia centers around Deku and a class of heroes-in-training at UA. This school shapes young quirk users into future heroes through fake rescue missions, combat training, and other hero-tempering tasks. With young Deku inheriting the “One-For-All” quirk, he will learn what it means to be a true hero while facing off with dastardly supervillains.
