I love how when Shigaraki was introduced it was just “okay so this dude wants to destroy everything, that’s the only thing he wants to do, nothing else, just destroy, which very convenient because his quirk allow him to do just that. Also he’s covered in hands for some reasons, he hates all might guts and want to kill children for funsies and he talk like he’s in a video game” he was so cartoonishly villain the first time I saw him I couldn’t take him seriously because I found him absolutely hilarious.
But now, now that we know he’s been abused to hell and back and groomed to become AFO angry murdery pet. That AFO made sure he’ll never recover from his trauma, that he’ll stay emotionally unstable and dependent from him. Took away his name, to remodel him into what he wants him to be. Isolated him from other people except from Kurogiri who was literally made to be his personal caretaker. That video games must have been one of the only form of “contact” from the outside world he got for years, outside of y’know murders. That he’s wearing his family and victims remains even thought he said himself it made him sick because AFO encourage him to, so he can stay enraged. That he believe he doesn’t need a future and that destroying everything is the only thing he can do.
He’s been brainwashed to be a murder machine yet he still is kind toward the rest of league, calling them his “nakama”, ready to fight an entire army to rescue them if needed and ready to kill when someone mess with their feelings. He cares a lot and literally his first thought when he learned that an entire army, that included multiple people with a lot of political influence, was willing to be under his command was to think how he now had the money for Compress’ sushi, something he had mentioned once over a month ago and he remembered. He never contradicted missing Kurogiri either and said that his nakama could do as they please/didn’t have to do anything they didn’t want to when he talked about his plan to destroy everything.
But he’s still brainwashed and let himself being experimented on by Ujiko because he wants more power. Even though he knows the Nomus often lose their sense of self and are basically made into murderous monsters. He’s doing everything AFO wants him to do, he becoming everything AFO wants him to become. And he died for it. It’s very obvious he won’t stay dead for long, he’s the main antagonist and the story is far from over. But right now, even if just temporary, Shigaraki died. Killed by the people who groomed him into become a villain. And it was planned since the moment they bought him with them. And once he’ll come back he will most certainly still do what they wants him to do
The only form of actual free will he have, when he doesn’t destroy or plan on destroying, he express it by being kind and caring towards his friends. A part of him is still the same kind child who played with the other rejected kids. The main antagonist is one of the biggest victims of the manga and no one knows. The heroes dehumanises him like they do with every other villains. The league is full of people who were discarded, abused, villainized or weren’t saved. And Shigaraki made sure his friends had a place to go, promised them they’ll get their revenge against the society that gave up on them. And that’s something he decided to do. He could have just used them, treated them as nothing else than assets and pawns like AFO treats him. But he chooses to care. Because despite everything he is still kind.
And that just destroys me.
snowghoul
germansingergirl
tangentwithtanner
titsay
