5 questions My Hero Academia needs to answer before its end

After keeping us hooked for a decade, My Hero Academia is finally ending. But there are still five questions the series needs to answer before it inevitably comes to a close.

My Hero Academia has cemented itself as one of the prominent shonen series of recent years. Initially criticized for being a rip-off of Naruto, Kohei Horikoshi’s manga has managed to shut up its critics by proving to be the true successor to the manga giant.

Following Deku as he enrolls in the prestigious U.A. Academy after receiving a powerful Quirk from his idol All Might, the series tells the story of how he becomes the greatest hero. But there are plenty of allies and foes that he’ll have to face along the way.

My Hero Academia wrapped up its last arc in Chapter 423 and entered the epilogue. Now, there are only three chapters left before the beloved manga ends on August 5 with Chapter 430. But there are still some loose ends that need resolving.

Will Deku get One For All back?

Kohei Horikoshi/Bones

Our protagonist, Izuku Midoriya (aka Deku), started as an underdog in the truest sense. With no Quirk and a big dream of becoming the greatest hero like All Might, he began his journey. And he earned a lot in the process, including friends and a kickass Quirk.

Throughout the story, Deku went from being Quirkess to receiving the strongest Quirk out there – One For All – to losing it again. In an attempt to stop Shigaraki’s rampage, he forcibly transferred One For All to the villain, leaving himself with nothing but the embers of the Quirk.

Now, the war has ended and the characters have gone back to their lives. But Deku still remains Quirkless with no explanation of what happened to One For All. And we’re left wondering if he’ll ever get his Quirk back or if we’re looking toward a bittersweet (and unsatisfying) ending for the aspiring hero.

What happened to Toga?

Kohei Horikoshi/Shueisha

My Hero Academia deserves credit for its well-written villains, many of whom we can’t help but sympathize with – and one of the most prominent of the bunch is Himiko Toga.

Unhinged, psychotic, yet incredibly intriguing, Toga had her ultimate fight against Ochako Uraraka during the Final War. It was a long journey for the girls, ending with a brilliantly illustrated climax. The battle saw the girls finally understanding each other, despite their differing ideas of love.

Toga last appeared in Chapter 395, where she chose to sacrifice herself to save Ochako. In a beautifully tragic scene, she gave the young hero her blood to survive. And even though Ochako is later confirmed to be alive, we have no clue what happened to Toga. She could be dead or imprisoned – but whatever it is, the manga needs to make it clear before it ends.

Who is Deku’s father?

Kohei Horikoshi/Bones

If there’s one question that’s left fans scratching their heads constantly for years, it’s the identity of Deku’s father. From the beginning, the protagonist is shown to have a close relationship with his mother. And though we know his father exists and is alive, he’s never appeared or even mentioned in the series.

Don’t get us wrong, there’s nothing weird about the protagonist’s father not appearing in the story. Or at least it wouldn’t have been, if only My Hero Academia wasn’t a shonen manga; as we all know, if you’re a shonen protagonist, your father has to be some bigshot.

So far, we know Deku’s dad’s name is Hisashi Midoriya, he has an unnamed fire breath Quirk, and he lives abroad for work. In 2018, Horikoshi promised his readers Hisashi would appear at some point in the future. Unfortunately, that hasn’t happened yet, but it must be before the manga reaches its conclusion.

Will Ochaku finally confess to Deku?

Kohei Horikoshi/Bones

My Hero Academia fans are notorious for shipping characters, but there’s only one pairing that realistically has a chance of becoming canon: Deku and Ochako, Class 1-A’s resident dorks.  

The two became fast friends at the beginning and have supported each other through highs and lows. But in true shonen fashion, Ochako has developed feelings for Deku while the boy in question remains unaware.

Though the manga has thankfully avoided the romance storyline for a long time in favor of the characters’ growth, it hasn’t been planting seeds of a potential relationship between the two. And now that the war has ended and the story is ending, we need to know if there’s anything to come of this long-drawn storyline between the two.

Who is the mysterious man in Chapter 425?

Kohei Horikoshi/Shueisha

My Hero Academia might’ve finished the war, but it didn’t give its readers much time to chill before it brought along another burning mystery. Only two chapters into the epilogue, we meet a mysterious man in Chapter 425.

The man is shown to be injured and tired, with tattered clothes. What’s more, he seems to be deeply regretful of his actions and ends up in tears. The man’s looks and his sudden appearance in the story have fandom abuzz with speculations.

Some believe it’s Shigaraki and he somehow survived his death. Others think it may just be a random prisoner or a new villain. There are also some theories about him being Deku’s dad (that’d be a fun way for him to enter the story). But so far, the manga hasn’t revealed this mysterious person yet. But we hope we’ll find out before Chapter 430.

There are some other plotlines that need the spotlight, too. But these five are the most pressing ones and we must know their answers by the end. And given Horikoshi’s meticulous writing, we might just.

For more on the superhero manga, check out our takes on Deku’s biggest change, Bakugo’s redemption arc, and Deku’s new Quirk. You might also like to know if All For One and Shigaraki are dead.