Todoroki's compelling backstory continues to unfold.
Warning: Full spoilers for the episode below.
Following the climactic end of the cavalry battle, My Hero Academia takes a welcome break from all the action in "The Boy Born with Everything," delivering an episode rich with character development and clever humor that provides a nice reprieve before the intense final round of the U.A. Sports Festival.
"If this were a comic, he'd be the main character. That was the kind of backstory he had." These words echo in Deku's mind after learning of Todoroki's troubled past, and perfectly encapsulate just how enthralling and compelling a character Todoroki has become. The conversation between the two is unquestionably my favorite moment of the entire episode, as it not only makes Todoroki more relatable—the story of his mother pouring boiling water on him as a child was particularly heart-wrenching—but also further fleshes out My Hero Academia's fictional world.
Todoroki confronts Deku after the cavalry battle
We learn that Todoroki's dad, Endeavor, only married his mother because of her Quirk so that he could create a child with both ice and fire abilities. Endeavor has been stuck in All Might's shadow as the second greatest hero and hopes to surpass him through his son's achievements. Until now, it hadn't even occurred to me that marriages might be strategically arranged for the sake of producing children with more powerful Quirks. This fascinating revelation not only develops Todoroki's back story, but also adds a new layer of depth to the world that extends beyond the happenings within U.A. High.
In an effort to fight against becoming a tool to boost his father's pride, Todoroki has rejected his fiery half, illustrating a father-son dynamic that I found to be extremely relatable. Despite his rebellious efforts, Todoroki is in many ways a direct reflection of Endeavor. Even though it's being done in defiance to his father, Todoroki is determined to surpass Deku, mirroring Endeavor's determination to be greater than All Might. The way in which these two relationships parallel one another is extremely fascinating, as I can't wait to see if Todoroki, like his dad, is destined to live in the shadow of Deku as the world's second greatest hero, and whether or not he becomes a resentful man overtaken by his pride because of it.
Amongst all of this emotionally taxing character development are a few moments of perfectly placed comedy that help lighten the mood. Torodoki probing Deku to find out more about the connection between him and All Might was especially great. The reaction on Deku's face after being asked if he was All Might's love child was hilarious. The antics of Mineta and Kaminari were another comedic highlight, as the two hatch a silly little plan to trick the girls into wearing cheerleader outfits, reminding us just how mischievous yet endearing this pair of goofballs can be.
Mineta and Kaminari celebrate their successful effort to trick the girls
The integrity among the students was another great aspect of "The Boy Born with Everything." This is beautifully conveyed when Ojiro and Shoda come forward to withdraw from the final round of the competition because they don't believe they truly earned their spot among the final sixteen, and further illustrated when Kendo suggests that instead of having members from her team join the final round in their place, it should be two from Team Tetsutetsu because of how hard they fought during the cavalry battle. I am continually impressed by how well My Hero Academia incorporates some of these lesser known characters, fostering an emotional connection with so many U.A. students that are granted such a small amount of screen time.
While the recreational games that precede the final round of the U.A. Sports Festival aren't particularly memorable, the stark contrast between these moments of levity and the solitary shots of Deku, Todoroki, Bakugo and several other students who opted to mentally prepare alone before the tournament was incredibly effective. I found myself tensing up with anxiety for each one of the participants who've made it into the final round, as all eyes will be on each of them as they take center stage and face off against one another with the hopes of getting scouted become a pro hero. Thanks to an effective cliffhanger at the very end of the episode, the tension is ratcheted up that much further, as we see Deku fall victim to Shinsou's Quirk during his first match of the tournament. I can't wait to see how Deku handles this predicament as he fights to make it to round two, where he'll face off against Todoroki if they both manage to triumph in round one.
The Verdict
While not nearly as action packed as the handful of episodes that came before, "The Boy Born with Everything" contains some of the most rich character development the series has had yet. In addition to learning more about Todoroki's strained relationship with his father and what motivates him to defeat Deku, we see a beautiful illustration of the integrity among the students of U.A. High. Thanks to the inclusion of some clever comedic moments, the episode ultimately serves as a nice reprieve from the draining cavalry battle, paving the way for what promises to be a thrilling final round of the U.A. Sports Festival.
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