Warning: The following article contains spoilers for chapter 430 of My Hero Academia.
For 10 years, fans followed Izuku Midoriya’s story through the pages of Kohei Horikoshi’s magnum opus, My Hero Academia. His work went on to gain worldwide recognition, becoming one of the most influential Shonen manga of current times. As we know, though, all good things must come to an end.
In this series’ case, the end came on Aug. 4, 2024, with the release of chapter 430, aptly titled “My Hero Academia.” It’s set eight years after the story’s main events, giving readers a glimpse of how society has changed after the Final War arc, and of course, what our favorite characters are up to. Unsurprisingly, the former Class A students become accomplished Pro-Heroes, but what about Deku? This has been the protagonist’s goal ever since he was a child and something he spent the majority of his life working toward. So, did Horikoshi do his dream justice?
Is Deku still a hero at the end of My Hero Academia?
After the Final War, Deku returns to school life, continuing his training to become a Pro-Hero. However, because he gave up his quirk during the fight against Shigaraki, the boy slowly loses One for All’s embers, eventually becoming quirkless again. It’s unclear when the embers extinguish completely, but the last chapter implies it’s sometime around graduation. Deku then goes on to become a teacher at UA High School, inspiring other kids to follow their dreams, as he did. That’s not the end of the story, though.
On the final pages of chapter 430, Deku is surprised by his mentor, Toshinori Yagi (All Might), who has just come back from a trip abroad with a gift. The now-retired hero reveals that Katsuki Bakugo and other Class A alumni have been working to fund a special suit that would enable Deku to be a Pro-Hero without a quirk. Thanks to this gesture, the protagonist returns to active duty, becoming the first quirkless hero in My Hero Academia‘s history.
One could argue that Deku didn’t need this. He has always been a hero at heart, and the point of the story is that anyone can be one, even civilians, by simply doing their part to help others when they can. Still, it’s nice to see Deku joining his friends as a Pro and living out his childhood dream, especially after losing One for All. If anyone deserves this, it’s him.