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For the most part, My Hero Academia's final chapters and epilogue offered incredibly in-depth conclusions to most characters' arcs, tying up the loose threads of the story beautifully, but the same cannot be said for one pivotal villain in the series. Dabi, also known as Toya Todoroki, deserved a better conclusion than he received, especially when compared to the more detailed fates of his family members.
Dabi's death left me with more questions than answers, and ultimately, felt far too rushed for a character as complex as he is. I firmly believe one of the greatest improvements that could be made to My Hero Academia's story would be giving the popular villain a more fleshed-out, detailed character arc and a less hurried death, and I am positive I am not the only one with this opinion.
Dabi's Death Felt Rushed and Sudden, Marking a Missed Opportunity For the Series
Dabi Barely Even Reconciled With Shoto, Only Speaking to His Family One Last Time Before His Death
Post-war, Dabi was in a near-death physical state, only kept alive by technology temporarily, which gave his family members time to say their goodbyes. The injuries Dabi sustained during the Final War and his battles with his brother, Shoto Todoroki, and his father, Endeavor, were so severe that he had no chance of survival, leaving him with very little time for redemption or a fulfilling ending. Chapter 426 of the manga all but confirmed Dabi would not be alive much longer, as he shared heartbreaking final conversations with a handful of his family members, like Shoto and Rei.
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During these last scenes, Dabi expressed his disgust with his father, Endeavor, for the abuse he subjected him and the rest of the family to, refusing to forgive his father's cruelty. Most of the family was stunned into silence by Dabi's pitiful state, and the only character he truly reconciled with to some degree was Shoto. Shoto asked Dabi a seemingly innocuous question about his favorite food, and the boys bonded over their mutual love of soba. Although he did not apologize or offer any tender words to his brother, Dabi's heart softened towards Shoto at that moment, and he regretted ever hating him.
The Other Todoroki Family Members Received Better Endings Than Dabi
Shoto’s Trauma Was Explored In-Depth, While Dabi’s Was Only Briefly Glossed Over
Apart from this tender scene with Shoto, Dabi's character fizzled out of the story unremarkably, with an epilogue scene confirming his death with finality, since it depicted Shoto visiting Dabi's grave to pay his respects to his brother. The fact that Dabi only shared one meaningful conversation with his family before his death only proves the unfulfilled potential of his character arc, because the other Todoroki family members received an opportunity to work through their trauma, reconcile with others, and begin to experience true happiness, but Dabi was only faced with more pain, loneliness, and sorrow up until he died, likely all alone.
Shoto Todoroki's character arc is one of the best in My Hero Academia, and the stark distinction between his final fate and his brother Dabi's is staggering. Due to Endeavor's abuse, Shoto was filled with understandable rage and pain that hindered his progress as a hero and his connections with others. Throughout My Hero Academia's over 400 manga chapters, layers of Todoroki's complicated emotional state and trauma were peeled back and revealed, allowing readers to follow along his healing journey with him as he pursued his goals and developed into a true hero in every sense of the word.
Even Endeavor Received More Attention and Redemption in the Story
Despite the Trauma He Caused, Endeavor’s Character Arc Was Better Handled Than Dabi’s
Although the after effects of what Shoto endured still linger, by the epilogue of the story, he is an accomplished Pro Hero who has built a legacy for himself that few can ever even dream of, and he has finally achieved true, lasting joy. His mother Rei and his siblings also began to heal and grow in different directions, with some fighting to fix their relationship with Endeavor, and others, like Natsuo, refusing to forgive him and rebuilding lives outside the family. Astoundingly, even Endeavor himself, after all of his egregious actions, received a better conclusion to his character arc than Dabi.
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Eventually, Endeavor was confronted with the harm he caused every member of the Todoroki family, and as the guilt sunk in, he vowed to change and be a better, kinder father. Whether he deserves forgiveness or not is a hot topic among My Hero Academia fans, and ultimately, this decision is an individual one for each member of the Todoroki family, since they are the victims. I was surprised, however, by how much attention the final chapters devoted to Endeavor's path of redemption, rather than allowing Dabi a chance to reunite with family members and begin to heal.
Under Different Circumstances, Dabi Might Have Been a Hero
The Impact Endeavor Left Destroyed Dabi's Chances of a Fulfilling Life and This Issue Was Never Solved
In my opinion, Dabi is more deserving of redemption than Endeavor, because although Endeavor bears the title of "hero," his actions throughout most of the story could not have been any more villainous. Dabi might have been a villain by definition, but under different circumstances and a more supportive upbringing, he could have been a hero alongside his brother, Shoto. Dabi is not completely blameless for the harm and death he caused, but it is undeniable that the neglect and abuse he suffered during his formative years shaped him into a villain who would later attempt to murder members of his own family.
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Dabi's ending in My Hero Academia will always be a sore point for me, because he is not only one of my favorite villains, but one of the most compelling. Watching Dabi recover from both his physical and emotional wounds would have been far more satisfying than the quick, off-screen death he did receive, and would have allowed him the chance to further reconcile with family members like Shoto, like he started to in chapter 426. The conclusion of Dabi's character arc is one of My Hero Academia's greatest mistakes, and it is a shame he never became the hero he could have been.
In My Hero Academia, some humans have superpowers called quirks. Izuku Midoriya, nicknamed Deku, is not one of them. Deku has always idolized heroes like the number one hero, All Might, and since he was a child, he has always wanted to be a hero. However, his lack of a quirk has always held him back, but a chance encounter with All Might after discovering a classmate in danger sets Deku on the path to becoming a true hero. My Hero Academia centers around Deku and a class of heroes-in-training at UA. This school shapes young quirk users into future heroes through fake rescue missions, combat training, and other hero-tempering tasks. With young Deku inheriting the "One-For-All" quirk, he will learn what it means to be a true hero while facing off with dastardly supervillains.
Release Date April 3, 2016
Number of Episodes 159
Franchise My Hero Academia
Seasons 7
Characters By Kohei Horikoshi
Production Company Bones
Story By Kōhei Horikoshi, Yōsuke Kuroda
English (US) ·