Growth is one of the core themes at the center of My Hero Academia. Izuku starts out as a Quirkless ‘loser’ as branded by society, but he pushes past this in order to reach new heights after being taken under All Might’s wing. Even someone like Ochaco, who seems like the perfect example of a selfless hero working to give her parents easier lives, has to get over hurdles regarding her lack of physical strength as well as her crush on Izuku.
It’s true that part of what allows Izuku to reach new heights as the next Number One Pro Hero in training is due to his sheer willpower and how much he desires to achieve his dreams. However, it’s also true that he couldn’t have done it without the many supporters in his life and the comforting — as well as the harsh — life lessons they teach him along the way.
10 Izuku’s Mother Teaches Him That Even His Greatest Supporters Won’t Always Understand How He Feels
After Izuku finds out the harsh news that he won’t be developing a Quirk of his own, it’s like his whole world is crumbling around him. He turns from the computer monitor, tears streaking down his face, and asks his mother one final time if he could be a great hero like All Might.
She runs to him and embraces Izuku in a tight hug, crying as well, telling him that she’s so sorry things turned out the way they did. Though it’s a harsh lesson, Inko teaches Izuku that even those closest to him aren’t always going to know the right things to say.
9 All Might Teaches Him That He Deserves To Become A Hero
Though Izuku never truly gives up on his dream of becoming a hero, everyone’s criticism and negativity towards him take their toll over time. All Might is his one last chance to have someone tell him he can achieve his dreams, and while he originally states that a Quirkless person can’t become a hero, he’s moved by Izuku’s bravery and makes him his successor.
All Might teaches Izuku that he’s deserving of being a Hero. Not only that, but combined with the rigorous training All Might puts him through, he also teaches Izuku that he has what it takes to survive intense training.
8 Recovery Girl Teaches Izuku That Breaking Himself To Use His Power Is Incredibly Unhealthy
At first, Recovery Girl is willing to heal Izuku’s injuries anytime he breaks himself using One For All. However, after the devastating state of his body following his match against Todoroki, she refuses to continue doing so.
Until she stops doing so, Izuku seems to think that breaking himself anytime he wants to use his Quirk is just something he’ll have to live with. Recovery Girl teaches Izuku that the drawbacks from his Quirk aren’t normal and is part of why he seeks out a mentor to learn how to better control his powers.
7 Eraser Head Teaches Izuku That Even A Harsh Teacher Can Care For His Students Deep Down
When Izuku first meets Eraser Head, he gets the impression that he’s an overly harsh teacher looking for an excuse to expel him from the Hero Course. In reality, Aizawa is the first one who tries to instill into Izuku that breaking himself to use his Quirk is unacceptable because he’ll be rendered useless afterward.
Thanks to Aizawa’s harsh mentoring, Izuku learns how to break only a small, controlled part of himself rather than his entire body. He teaches Izuku that even if someone’s guidance seems harsh, it can come from a place of caring deep down.
6 Bakugo Teaches Izuku That He Can Stand Up To Those Who Look Down On Him
While Bakugo and Izuku start out as somewhat friends, the former becomes incredibly rude and violent towards Izuku after developing his Quirk. He does everything he can to beat him down and break his spirit, but Izuku is able to not only stand up to Bakugo, but also reclaim the cruel childhood nickname given to him as well.
Bakugo teaches Izuku that he has the strength to stand up to those he views as powerful. The two also end up reconciling, with Bakugo protecting Izuku and stating that his body moved on its own, even apologizing for his past treatment of Izuku.
5 Ochaco Teaches Izuku That He’s Invaluable To Them, Even If His Presence Puts Them In Danger
After Izuku realizes he’s being targeted — not only by All For One but Shigaraki as well — he makes the decision to flee from U.A. in order to keep his friends safe. It takes all of them, but especially inspiring words from Ochaco, to bring him back to his senses.
Ochaco helps teach Izuku that his true friends aren’t going to care if his presence puts them in more danger. They just want to support and be close to him, and watching him distance himself from everyone only hurts them.
4 Shoto Teaches Izuku That Sometimes, Helping Someone Is More Important Than Reigning Victorious
During the Sports Festival, All Might instructs Izuku to announce to the world that “I am here”— essentially, prove himself as All Might’s successor. Izuku does his best to fulfill this wish, creatively leaping ahead of his opponents and placing first during the obstacle course.
He later realizes that Todoroki needs his help more than he needs the victory and helps the other awaken his full powers, even though it means accepting defeat. Shoto teaches Izuku that sometimes, helping someone else out is worth more than obtaining victory for oneself.
3 Mei Hatsume Teaches Izuku That One Can Contribute To Hero Society Without Using A Quirk
It’s not that Mei Hatsume is Quirkless, but she’s a great example of a character whose Quirk alone doesn’t exactly enable her to be a great hero. She instead relies on her gagdets — she excitedly proclaims that they’re her ‘babies’ — to simulate Quirks for herself and enhance other characters’ existing Quirks.
Mei teaches Izuku an invaluable lesson; not everyone preoccupies themselves with the fact that their Quirk (or lack of one) may not be suited to allowing them to become a great Hero. There’s always a workaround, and some of Mei’s gadgets have proven invaluable even to members of Class 1-A with already powerful Quirks.
2 Gran Torino Teaches Izuku That Killing Can Also Be A Way To Save Someone
At least to Izuku, being a hero means saving as many people as possible. To turn one’s back on someone is the complete opposite of what a Hero should be — and considering killing someone who’s clearly suffering, even if they’re horribly evil, is completely out of the question for him.
That is, until Gran Torino teaches Izuku that sometimes, killing another can actually be an act of mercy — even more so than allowing them to live. He says this in reference to Tomura Shigaraki, who’s become an immensely destructive threat hellbent on destroying the entire world. Although Izuku can tell there’s a scared, suffering child deep within him, that doesn’t mean saving him is the right option.
1 Kota Teaches Izuku That Not Everyone Has A Positive View Of Heroism
In the beginning, almost everyone that Izuku meets strives to be a hero similarly to himself. Even if they’ve been treated unfairly by Hero Society, they still aim to become a hero themselves in order to prove others wrong and follow their dreams regardless. That is, until he meets Kota, who refuses to use his Quirk and detests heroes after he feels like his parents died a meaningless death in the name of heroism.
Kota teaches Izuku that not everyone is going to have a positive view of heroes just because of their ‘saving-the-world’ disposition. It takes a ton of work and Izuku risking his life to save Kota that eventually gets the latter to change his mind.
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