reluctantly gotta say that i probably won’t ever answer all the asks i have rn but i’ll make an effort to do as many as i can. some of these are months old and i still have answers i wanna give :o ty for the asks!
i know you havent been active on here in forever lol but im curious on how you feel about the end of the manga. pres hawks and such. im pretty gutted about toga and touya
ooooughhh hello sorry i missed this ask. i feel like answering it though
i’ve stayed very invested in hawks on my own time (normal behaviour) but i don’t read the manga anymore so i can’t weigh in too heavily. but tbh i saw president hawks coming a while ago (not a brag, i say this in a depressed, clownish tone), or at least hawks staying with the commission. it seemed plausible just bcs the manga seemed to lose interest in digging deep into the commission around the time nagant appeared. narratively, bit of a bummer………
…….but angst wise………
……….i work with what i’m given. and president hawks? deeply exciting for us emotional angst dwellers. he loses his wings? and then he takes over as the leader of the organisation that he saw as a prison all his life? what a fucked up little guy. he’ll never let himself be free or rest or just be ordinary bcs the one thing that made him useful—his wings—is gone forever. so he has to do something. be useful somehow. he has to try do it better. might as well take up the commission reins, ‘cause someone will try to, and if he gets ahead of them he can make it so no one turns little kids into weapons anymore (he’d do it to himself again, though, if he had to. he’s doing it to himself now)
basically, i’m pretty neutral to lukewarm on the manga’s actual ending, but the hawks stuff can definitely have angst squeezed out of it for sure for sure. i’ve written a lot of unfinished fanfiction about his inevitable breakdown, i’ll tell ya that much!
Ever wondered about Hawks' costume being so baggy and not showing any kind of skin? At first I assumed it to be solely bc of the aviator theme and protection of the icy cold and winds especially in high altitudes and given his speed. After writing some one shots as character study I started wondering if there might be more,that he tries to kinda conceal himself; like hiding himself even further/ as much as possible under his costume and thus hero persona. Overthinking? Probably. Any thoughts?
yeah, i feel this. it's vital that we rarely see hawks outside his uniform since he spends so much time working, and even then he's usually still covered up in canon (long sleeved jacket or even a high collar to conceal his mouth). boy's always on the job
i think the first time we see his costume without the jacket is against his will when dabi burns it off. aside from killing the "does hawks wear a halter top" movement (rip brave warriors of the cause), i think it's representative of hawks' walls being torn down physically alongside the emotional attack of hearing his birth name. his clothes are part of his image and his protection.
he also covers his face in the jacket a lot. he's a sneaky, deceptive guy who tells a lot of half-truths, so this look def reflects that!
brb thinking about (and lowkey sobbing over) how hawks was THE ideal candidate for the hpsc to pick up and train
like they lucked the hell out by getting the perfect combo of quirk, age, and trauma that worked out perfectly for them
like his quirk: its versatile, and with training, (training they that could provide), it would be very powerful, its fits every category they want to check off
and since he was meant to be nagant's replacement, the whole feathers sharpening to knives (which honestly i doubt he was aware of that part of his quirk at like five years old, so that aspect probably got figured out later and made him ever more perfect for their program??? i know the pres brought out the good alcohol to toast herself that night)
the whole being able to listen, perfect for spy work
but also on the daylight/well known hero aspect of it??
he's got a noticeable, flashy, brandable quirk
he can solve a lot of cases quickly and efficiently
like its not just good for hero work as a whole, but also the "additional" work they trained him into
age: the obvious benefit, hes young and impressionable
hes between five-seven, where hes had his quirk long enough to be familiar with what it could do, but its still new enough that the idea of being able to use it everyday, to be a hero, is still the ideal career, like a kid who says they're gonna be a vet because they want to hang out with cute animals all day (and they haven't realized it means seeing the animals you love in pain)
plus he hasnt had his quirk for too long, so any bad or "not efficient" habits can be broken up easier than if he'd had them for five years
hes the perfect age where his quirk is fresh and malleable and able to be molded into whatever they need but not too young where he physically cannot control it
and now (the longest part, sorry yall, a lot of this is me speculating and rambling)
the trauma
look man this guys childhood primed him to fit exactly into what the hpsc wanted, because everything he lacked from his parents the hspc could provide, and he also internalized a ton of shit that affected his perception of himself that lined up perfectly with the hero that the hpsc wanted to mold him into
cause like look
takami keigo, a little kid, completely isolated from the world, with his only social interaction between him and his parents
and his parents either a) neglect him (mom) or b) physically and verbally abuse him (dad)
his only social interactions at a pretty important period for social development and developing a sense of self tells him that he's either: not worth attention or that his existence is a burden to people around him and he's not useful enough to outweigh that burden (that last one comes more into play later)
my overall summary of five year old keigo's view of himself is along the lines of: just existing causes pain to people around me (his dad yelling about how keigo being so recognizable is why he's stuck here) and at best i can hope for no effect on others (when they ignore him)
he literally can't comprehend making the people around him happy because it's never happened before
WHICH IS WHY "the hero show" on tv APPEALS SO MUCH TO HIM beyond like being entertaining and being an escape from his life and the general costumes and action being appealing to children
because heroics is a job where at it's most ideal, positive form, revolves entirely around helping people and saving them
so heroes have a positive affect on the world and people around them, and keigo wants that, he wants to have a positive effect on the people around him
but at the same time he knows the hero show doesn't actually exist so the idea of him being able to have a positive effect on the world isn't possible either, but hey, it's nice to dream
but then endeavor is actually real
and like beyond his dad who treated him badly getting arrested, and endeavor actually existing and being there in person, omg his favorite show is real (which anyone would get excited about)
it's also proof that being a hero is real
and by extension, it's possible for keigo to become a hero
which means that it's actually possible for keigo to have a positive impact on the world and people around him
which is why finding out that heroes exist has such an impact on him
and now, going back to the whole "he's not useful enough to outweigh the burden of dealing with him" mindset
his dad, the sole provider for the family, is gone
his mom cant provide for them or even just herself
and she's relying on him, the literal five-to-seven year old to make sure they don't die
and keigo knows that his existence is already a burden on his parents, but also now that he knows a positive effect is actually possible, that also means there's like hope that if he does provide for him and his mom well enough, then he would have a positive effect on her
so he's trying his best, he's trying his bets to emulate the heroes he looks up to, but it's still not enough for her
and then the line "why do you even have those wings?"
which further emphasizes the idea that that his quirk is the only relevant part of him
because it was his quirk that made him recognizable and connected him to his father
and now he's relying on using said quirk to get enough food and supplies so he and his mom don't die
leading to the idea that his quirk is the only useful/positive thing about him, if he uses it right
and it's only with his quirk that he'll ever be able to have a positive effect on things
but still, how he is right now, even though he's trying, he's still not good with his quirk to outweigh his inherent 'badness" and have a positive effect
and then crash happens
and the hpsc notice,,,this kid
this traumatized kid that's been neglected (emotionally and physically) his whole life, who has a desire to be useful/have some sort of positive effect on the world (like his hero, endeavor), and only views his worth in the context of his quirk, with a single mother who can't provide for him or herself
keigo (and subsequently hawks being a hero later) was the hpsc president's winning lottery number
there's no reason for him or his mom to say no to the deal
the hpsc can provide everything he lacks (physically and emotionally- although i doubt any emotional stuff went beyond the minimum making sure he's a passably adjusted and socialized member of society), which then makes him financially and emotionally attached to them
AND the idea that he doesn't have worth without his quirk? its fucking perfect, as both a motivator to train his quirk, not object to tough or unethical training, the better he gets at using his quirk the more useful his is, and it's also another way that he's attached to them and less likely to ever go rogue
because he doesn't value himself, he doesn't view himself as a person with intrinsic worth because his worth is based around his quirk and it's usefulness, so when he's treated badly, he won't care because why would he care about himself beyond how this would affect his quirk and performance
and granted that approach only worked for so long with nagant, but the thing that prevents him from becoming another nagant is:
keigo's need to have a positive effect on people
and combined with his age, that thought can very easily get molded into a "for the greater good" mindset
because sure, he might have to do something unpleasant, but if he can justify it, if he knows that the end result has a net positive effect (or at least what he's been taught is a net positive effect), then why wouldn't he do the unsavory thing? why shouldn't he corrupt himself for the greater good?
it'll help, it'll save more lives, it'll have a positive effect
his morals and feelings towards his actions don't matter, because hawks on his own does not matter
what matters is the effect he has on the world around him, and how he can use himself and his quirk to get the best effect
oh my god your back! youre the only place i trust for hawks things like art and fanfic recs no one else gets him hes a good person
ah thanks i’m glad you like my thoughts! i know this ask is a little old now too but i appreciate it <3 as for being ‘back’ i never meant to leave im sorry (ToT) but my social media anxieties got the better of me for a while and it’s still a struggle so you’ll probably see me on here sparsely atm BUT i do still be lovin hawks though, i never stopped B)
I know this is a long shot! but on the topic of fic recs, a while ago (couple months) I found a book through your page about Hawks. In the fic he’s the #2 hero, going vegetarian even though he shouldn’t, and invited over to eraserhead and present mike’s house for dinner when he has to sit backwards in the chair cause of his wings. not sure if you remember at all but i’ve been searching for over a week and thought i’d ask if you knew the name!
sorry to disappear for a while, i really needed a break from being online. still lovin hawks and i hope to come back to this blog at some point! love u all 💖
hawks and tenko from the grace is just weakness, or so i've been told series by @pbjamas and @officially-dumb <3 afo adopts them both and raises them together :)
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
Part two of afo raises hawks au and collab with @officially-dumb <3 <3 Shoutout to @kidhawks for all of her cool ideas
Summary:
Tenko started to cry again. It was so– so– dumb. So… stupid. He tried to get his tears under control by covering his face again, but it didn’t work. He watched through blurry eyes as one of Takami-chan’s arms gave out and he collapsed onto the floor. “Sensei!” Tenko sobbed. “Please!”
Sensei finally turned toward him and quirked his head to the side. “Tomura, why didn’t you tell him to stop?”
“Stop! Stop! Stop all of the training today!” he blurted out, then frantically turned to see Sensei’s reaction, but he was already walking out the door. Watching Takami-chan struggle for breath on the floor, Tomura promised himself he would never hurt his friend again.
Shit, lmao. Looks like the fics were spot on. Corrupt!HPSC is officially canon. I'd put a few stars on the Bingo Board for myself but "HPSC kills those who try to leave because they can't risk information leaks" and "HPSC has hired assasins to take out anyone deemed a potential threat" have been floating around for awhile I can't claim anything towards it besides having subscribed to the theory. (I never once thought it'd actually be true, even with the hints, but here we are.)
(+) This is the guy who redrew Hawks' photograph in the ending because "it wasn't like that" @animators with the confidence of a man determined to stay on his dark path and drag us all with him. even his editor laughed about it awkwardly and said "ahaha everyone else is happy *trails off* and then there's Hawks" broooo. "Calling it a suggestion when it's an offer I can't possibly refuse? Shame on you." I mean, not wanting a gun pulled on you is a valid reason to agree in my book.
(+) Jk no, I know that's not why he agreed. Nagant wasn't gonna stand for that shit either. Good for her! But heck?! They do this kinda stuff?! (Fandom pls stop pitting them against each other, love them both, they offer different things to the series, are amazing and have different circumstances. Let it go. They're separate characters. And I for one, love that Hori gave the fanon!Hawks storyline to Nagant. Looks great on her. She's so cool. And needs some hugs. Rooting for some justice here.)
just to add on to that bit about Nagant getting this storyline instead of Hawks -- the reason this whole "deadly government assassin who kills whoever they're ordered to without question until their conscience finally catches up to them and they snap" thing wouldn't have worked for him is because Hawks is far too skeptical and observant to ever just blindly follow orders like that. I don't know if Horikoshi always intended for this backstory to go to Nagant, or if it originally was meant for Hawks as some have speculated (Lady was introduced suspiciously late in the game), but either way, it was the right call. Hawks has always been written as someone who sees too much and reads between the lines and is acutely aware of when the people around him are bullshitting. which makes perfect sense with the backstory he eventually got, because any child growing up with parents like that is going to learn very quickly to never trust anyone. and when you've got a dad like his, learning to read people becomes necessary simply for survival reasons.
I think fandom so strongly associates Hawks with the label of "HPSC's puppet" that people sometimes forget all the little signs that he wasn't exactly going along with it willingly. for instance, this scene which you mentioned:
not to mention the multiple occasions on which he's shown resistance to the idea of letting anyone innocent get hurt, even if it potentially jeopardizes his mission.
this happens three more times, in fact. at Fukuoka, he almost screws over his shot at getting an in with the League because he refuses to let any innocent bystanders get killed in the Noumu attack. later on when Dabi insists that he kill someone to prove his commitment to the LoV, he concocts that crazy plan with Jeanist, which could have easily gotten the both of them killed if he'd been found out. and then of course there was the whole disaster at Gunga Mountain, where he finally did kill someone, but literally tried every other alternative first, even though Twice had already killed people and was going to kill hundreds if not thousands more (as opposed to all the people Nagant killed, many of whom don't seem to have actually killed anyone themselves). it's a bit ironic, but what happened with Twice was probably the best demonstration of why Hawks is not assassin material. good assassins don't go around warning their targets before they kill them, and trying to give them multiple chances to opt out of it. I mean, he almost died because of how badly he fucked it up -- literally would have died, if Tokoyami hadn't shown up at the last second to save him.
basically Hawks just was not at all a good fit for the type of role that Nagant played. I don't think he would ever have been able to talk himself into believing that it was really for the greater good like she believed for so long. sure, he acted loyal to the HPSC, but only when their orders fell in line with what he believed to be the correct call. he wasn't particularly overjoyed about playing spy, but he knew the LoV was growing more and more dangerous, so in the end he agreed. but I don't think they would have ever been able to get him to go along with something if he was really adamantly against it. it just wouldn't have been consistent with his character at all (which is ironic, because fandom is always going on about how morally grey Hawks is, but he's really not, lol; he just hangs out with a lot of morally grey people), and I'm grateful that Horikoshi seemed to realize that.
besides, Nagant makes a much sexier assassin than Hawks ever could have anyway. no offense to you, Hawks. but all in all I think this worked out pretty well for everyone. and yes, Nagant does need a hug, and Horikoshi had better not even think about doing her dirty here or I swear to god. even though she's working for AFO, she doesn't truly believe in his ideals; she's just so mentally and emotionally worn down that she's lost faith in the possibility for any kind of hopeful future, and so she's opting for a path in which the ugliness in society is at least properly exposed, rather than being swept under the rug like before. she's wrong, obviously (pro tip, any time you decide you might as well make the world worse because you don't think things stand a chance of getting better, you are in fact in the wrong), but she's not beyond saving here, and if Deku can't get through to her then I hope that Hawks will take a stab at it instead. she deserves the chance to do something she can actually feel good about doing, and I for one would love to have her on Team Save The World, just saying.
