Todoroki Shouto/Bakugou Katsuki:
Oh my gosh. The dynamics in this relationship. So freakin’ good. Mwaah. Delicious. These two can both bring each other up and support each other when they’re down. They challenge each other to be better, Todoroki to overcome his obstacles and Bakugou to become a better, kinder version of himself. Bakugou and Todoroki were societal creations in different ways, the culmination of warped ideals and a culture obsessed with perfection and becoming stronger. The world and its messed up values were what created them, and they are both fighting to be who they want to be instead of who the world sees them as.
Bakugou has always been at the top. He has always been the strongest. He has known nothing but praise for his strength and has had his flaws overlooked and ignored, and therefore thought those flaws were strength as well. He’s now at the age and in a place where he’s slowly learning, “hey, maybe this isn’t okay after all” and he is slowly deconstructing and reconstructing himself into a better person, into a better hero. True change comes about slowly. The parallels between Bakugou and Endeavor are likely intentional, but as the series continues, the differences between them grow larger and larger.
Bakugou is not too far gone. He hasn’t made the step from bully to villain, like (I personally feel) Endeavor has. And this is so incredibly important for Todoroki to see - that people can change, that people can grow, that people can be rash and short-tempered and passionate all while learning not to hurt others. Endeavor always acted believing the ends justified the means, but Bakugou is learning that that really isn’t the case. Having a solid relationship with Todoroki, who has seen and experienced real evil in his own home, can ultimately only change Bakugou for the better. And Todoroki has never been afraid of calling anyone on their bullshit, so he is uniquely equipped to help Bakugou grow into the hero he’s going to be.
And Bakugou would do wonders for Todoroki too. Todoroki needs to know that vigor and passion and ambition don’t always lead to horrible things. He deserves to see that such ferocity can also lead to positive things, like unwavering devotion and the inability to give up. Todoroki deserves to have such passion directed toward him in a positive way, out of love for him as he is instead of who Endeavor wants him to be. If Todoroki didn’t hate Bakugou the moment he saw him, then he could clearly see the differences between Bakugou and Endeavor. He has never once seen Bakugou as someone to hate, unlike Endeavor. He isn’t in the least bit intimidated by him either. Todoroki has spent his whole life defying his father; he never gives up either, and he is always ready to face any challenge worth facing.
Todoroki deserves to know that passion doesn’t always lead to violence and hatred. That there are people with aggressive personalities who still value the lives of others, who won’t take their inner fire and burn him with it. He deserves someone strong and passionate who will be strong for him and passionate about him.
We already know how Todoroki looks danger in the face and defies it with every fiber of his being. He grew up under the abusive rule of his father, and has rebelled against it for fifteen years. Todoroki has seen real bullies, has lived with one his whole life, and never once thinks of Bakugou in the same light as his father. He doesn’t shy away from danger. He flirts with it. He is fearless in his interactions with Bakugou. In turn, Bakugou needs someone who can both handle him and help him to learn some self-control. He’s the only one other than Izuku who knows Todoroki’s past, and he wouldn’t have found it so horrifying if he was just as bad as Endeavor. He has shown that he is mindful of it, and has deferred to Todoroki because of it. He doesn’t look down on Todoroki for his experiences, but he doesn’t dismiss and forget them either. He gets frustrated when they fight and he can’t break through the chains binding Todoroki like Midoriya could. He wants victory over Todoroki, the real Todoroki who isn’t shackled by his past. He wants Todoroki to break free and get stronger, to be who he is meant to be.
These are interesting dynamics that work romantically or platonically. Whether you see them as romantic, as friends, or as rivals, all of these dynamics stay exactly the same. These are the foundational aspects of their relationship.
Bakugou and Todoroki are fun because they both have their different brands of sass. They both fight with everything they have and have a strong, deeply-ingrained belief system. They are both changing slowly to become better people, to step out of the mold that society has tried to fit them into. For me, nothing is more fascinating than seeing a relationship built upon mutual growth with a copious amount of sass and banter thrown in. This is a relationship built upon passion and wit, competition, mutual growth, and shared core values.
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