MHA Dekus Character Arc in the Epilogue (Spoilers for Ch. 425 Ahead)
Since reading Chapter 425, one thing that has been bugging me is Deku's demeanor and behavior. Throughout the entire chapter, he hasn't smiled once, even during moments when he would normally be happy, such as the Big Three's graduation or Shinsou joining Class 1-A, now 2-A. The rest of the cast behaves as they usually do, making it odd that Deku, who is typically very positive and good-spirited, seems so sad and empty, unable to enjoy time with his friends. So, why is this happening? Here are my thoughts.
I think his attitude and demeanor have shifted because of:
The Guilt He Feels for Tenko's Death: Deku is indirectly, or even directly, responsible for Tenko's death since it was caused by transferring One for All to him, leading to the destruction of Shigaraki's body. Although he managed to save Tenko's soul, he couldn't save his body. This failure weighs heavily on him, especially since he was adamant about not killing him. All Might's words couldn't completely alleviate this guilt. Tenko's last words to Deku were along the lines of, "Make sure you do your best, so what happened to me never happens again, and everything I destroyed as Tomura Shigaraki wasn't for nothing." He wants Deku to rebuild a society where villains like Toga, Dabi, and himself never come to be, where heroes save them at the right time. Now, it's on Deku to rebuild a lasting society that isn't easily destroyed.
Witnessing His Friends' Pain: During the graduation ceremony, Mirio mentioned that they don't even get to start at zero and that the bright future where everyone can be happy isn't a goal reached today. Deku has seen his friends, like Uraraka and Todoroki, sweep their pain under the rug, not talking about it and dodging conversations by saying they're fine. It must hurt Deku to see his friends doing what he used to do—hiding their pain to avoid worrying others, even though they are hurting inside.
Losing One for All: Even though he voluntarily transferred it to Shigaraki, losing One for All is still painful, especially after all the effort he put into mastering it. In the hospital, he said he was fine and smiled for Bakugo to prevent him from feeling sad and worried. Despite this, Deku likely feels empty inside, having lost his "personality" (a literal translation for "kosei," meaning Quirk in Japanese). Deku began to think that what made him special and useful to others was his Quirk, feeling like an empty wooden puppet used by others. His entire self-worth was built around One for All.
Achieving His Dream: By his selflessness, self-sacrifice, and defeating All for One, Deku became the world's greatest hero in the eyes of All Might, someone he admires deeply. He rallied thousands behind him, cheering him on. Deku even mentioned that he lived his crazy dream and saw it come to light. Like every shonen protagonist, he reached his end goal. Now, he feels directionless, with no new heights to reach since he has already peaked during his fight against Shigaraki. What can he do now, now that he is quirkless again? Throughout his high school career, he did everything for others, never acting out of self-interest. He sacrificed his Quirk and bright future so the heroes could win the final war, the only one who could do it. I believe Deku's bright future would have been continuing as a hero with his friends, but without a Quirk, being a hero is too dangerous. Even though he still has the embers, they will eventually run out, rendering him practically defenseless in the eyes of hero society.
These feelings cause him to feel empty inside, with nowhere left to go and nothing left to do. He questions why he wanted to be a hero in the first place in a society that wasn't what he thought it was. Why did he go down a path that left him physically and mentally scarred for life? Was everything he did worth it, even if it leaves him feeling empty and unhappy in the end because his hero's journey came to a premature end? For whose sake did he do all this if not for himself? What is his finish line, his new dream, now that his original one is achieved?
This is where Deku's character journey will come full circle. Once he finds those answers, he will know which direction to take and how to move forward to his new shining future. For perhaps the first time in his life, he will do something for himself, something that makes him happy. He will realize his worth never came from his Quirk or usefulness to others but from who he is as a person. His personality is what makes him special to so many people, how he goes above and beyond to make others smile and be someone they can rely on during difficult times. That is what makes Deku a true hero, in my opinion.
Sorry for the long ramble; I just needed to get this off my chest. I've been thinking about it for a long while, even before the newest chapter came out. The new chapter kind of confirmed my gut feeling about the direction Horikoshi is taking with Deku's character, and I'm excited and a bit sad to see Deku's character arc finally conclude. Thank you for reading.
