Although best known for its intense fights and amazing power system, theMy Hero Academiaseries is also known for its complex and emotional social critique. As the story developed, Kohei Horikoshi included several arcs and themes that reflected real issues of today’s society, such as corruption, discrimination, and inequality.
One of its most divisive plotlines revolved around the abuse that Endeavor,one of the top 10 pro heroes, subjected his family to. While the arc was somewhat significant for the story, the manga wasted much of its potential by only addressing it superficially. Worse of all, there were no real consequences for the perpetrator before the ending.
The Todoroki Family’s Past Was Underdeveloped
Endeavor Should Have Received Much More Backlash
For many fans,one of the most controversialand complex characters in theMy Hero Academiafranchise is none other than Endeavor. Also known as Enji Todoroki, this brave but aggressive fighter was popular among civilians for his impressive abilities. Still, despite havingone of the series’ most powerful Quirks, the man always felt inferior to his rival, All Might.
His desire to surpass the Symbol of Peace led him to become a person fueled by contempt and anger, ultimately causing him to become a bigger criminal than those he fought against. From forcing his wife to marry him to beating his family, Enji would sink to anything if it meant he could surpass All Might’s legacy.
After his oldest son, Toya (also known as Dabi),one of the series' best villains, revealed his crimes, the series hinted at Endeavor finally receiving the punishment he long deserved. Yet, besides some harsh words from the public, nothing relevant occurred to him, wasting a golden opportunity to depict civilians noticing the corruption of Hero Society.
Endeavor’s Agency Pretended Nothing Happened
The Heroes Working for the Man Did Not Change Their Opinions
While theMy Hero Academiaseries makes it clear that the Hero Public Safety Commission (HPSC) would never turn its back on Endeavor, as he was one of their biggest assets, the series failed to address the opinion of his sidekicks and workers. Due to his status as a top enforcer, Enji had several up-and-coming heroes working in his agency.
Several of themost promising and powerful charactersin the series worked closely with Enji, meaning they would have been directly affected by the backlash. Yet, none of them ever addressed the reality of their boss being an abuser. Most, if not all, of Endeavor’s sidekicks remained by their side, still looking up to him.
Due to this, it was easy for viewers to forget what Enji had done, as most of the series' cast acted as if he had never abused his family. Even Deku, one of the series’ greatest heroes and a good friend to one of Endeavor’s children, continued working with the man, without even addressing the topic of his crimes.
Endeavor’s Story Could Have Also Highlighted Corruption
The HPSC Could Have Been Depicted Protecting Endeavor
Even though theMy Hero Academiaseries never truly addressed or punished Enji for his crimes, there are other plotlines that it could have followed to give this arc a satisfying conclusion. If the story needed Endeavor to retain his influence over the world for his final battle against Dabi,the HPSC could have been the reason why.
These corrupt politicians could have been depicted as using their influence to threaten and silence Endeavor’s critics, further proving the need for a change to this broken system.
It is no secret to any fans of Horikoshi’s work that the people in power were known for their corruption and desire to maintain the status quo.Characters like hero-turned-villain, Lady Nagant, were groomed since they were children to maintain order and eliminate those who oppose the system.
These corrupt politicians could have been depicted as using their influence to threaten and silence Endeavor’s critics, further proving the need for a change to this broken system. Lamentably, the series also decided to avoid this route, which greatly hurt Enji’s story, as his penance was never as significant as it could have been.
Endeavor’s Redemption Is Still Admirable
His Penance Was Fighting for a Better Future
Despite never being properly punished by either society or those in power,Endeavor still held himself accountable for his crimes. After Dabi exposed his past, Enji swore to help his family and give them the happy life he took from them. He worked hard to form a bond with his children and prove he had changed.
During the Final War arc, during which many ofMy Hero Academia’s characters died, Endeavor pushed himself to the limit to protect the future of the world. He sacrificed his arm, received enough damage to lose use of his lower body, and was forced to retire once the war was over.
An argument can be made that, despite these sacrifices, the end of Enji’s story was still not satisfactory. Nevertheless, the fact that he was willing to put his life on the line to protect the happiness of his family and the people he swore to serve is proof of how committed he was to redeeming himself.
