The following article discusses events and fan theories concerning Season 6 ofMy Hero Academia, currently streaming onCrunchyroll.Shigaraki’s initial impression of Midoroya was not a particularly stellar one, as the tyrant referred to the boy as"that plain-looking one"during the USJ Incident and dismisses him as a minor annoyance. However, the perceptive villain eventually (and correctly) assumes that there must be some kind of link between All Might and Deku and, as time goes by, the young Hero becomes more of apriority on Shigaraki’s radar.
This rivalry comes across as a personal vendetta for the most part, as the corrupted prodigy seemed to have his sights set on destroying the No. 1 Hero and disrupting the suffocating systems of society while destroying Deku is more of a hobby. Things change drastically when the Awakened Shigaraki emerges from his beauty sleep and Deku becomes his primary target; fans understand why, but how does Shigaraki suddenly know who now wields One For All?
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Shigaraki and Deku’s Rivalry
Shigaraki has high hopes for his clever scheme of catching All Might off guard at the Unforeseen Simulation Joint, and, although his plan gets completely derailed, the diabolical prodigy obtained some valuable information (along with some unfortunate bullet wounds.) His epic battle with the No. 1 Hero did not last terribly long, although, in that time,Shigaraki could see for himselfthat All Might’s power level had dropped significantly. Any suspicions that he and All For One may have had about the All Might are confirmed in Season 3 when his secret is revealed to the world and the Symbol of Peace is forced into early retirement. But now, the question remains, who is the new proud owner of One For All?
The UA Sports Festival is certainly a grand affair and is broadcast throughout Japan so that everyone can get in on the action. While it may help the students find placements in renowned Hero Agencies, it also reveals their Quirks (and weaknesses) to the world. Shigaraki and his team make a point of watching the epic event, taking notes of who to keep their eye on, and Deku’s stellar performance is hard to miss. However, When he got the chance to try and recruit an unsuspecting youngster into his forces, Shigaraki targets Bakugo, assuming him to be the most potent (and vicious) of the lot, leaving Midoriya to slip through his fingers once again. Although this decision has a lot to do with Bakugo’s foul attitude (perfect for villainous applications), it also suggests that he had still not made the connection betweenDeku and All For Oneyet.
When Shigaraki specifically singles Deku out in “Encounter (Part 1),” this interaction has more to do with gaining insights into why Stain has become so popular and is not a terrible aggressive interaction. Much to Deku’s dismay, the troubled tyrant is inadvertently directed toward targeting the Symbol of Peace as a solution for his grand scheme, and, after this revelation and Ochaco’s fortuitous interruption, Shigaraki simply walks off without harming Deku in the slightest. Interestingly enough, Shigaraki passionately sought to destroy All Might for quite some time, but when Endeavor takes over,the villain’s interests primarily lay elsewhere, and after his Awakening, defeating the new No. 1 Hero is barely prioritized. Knowing full well where One For All can be found, changes the battle dynamic drastically for Shigaraki.
The All-Knowing All For One
Shigaraki receives several upgrades afterDr. Ujiko gets to work on him, but taking ownership of All For One arguably has the greatest impact on the young man, who now has additional Quirks at his disposal, but also has an extra voice in his head to contend with. The disembodied source of evil could possess some valuable information, as many members ofMy Hero Academia’sfandombelieve that All For One inherently “just knows” where his brother’s powers lie (and have passed this fact on when he transferred the Quirk.)
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All For One could possibly retain this knowledge because he created One For All in the first place, but then why didn’t he target Deku from day one, or at least send his subordinates to capture the inexperienced newbie before he gets a handle on his newQuirk, and steal One For Allwith the utmost ease? It seems more likely that the Symbol of Evil had to figure things out for himself or rely on a newly acquired ability to identify his true target.
Cultivating Quirks
The Forest Training Camp Arc is an eventful period indeed that introduces many plot points to the overall storyline, and the importance of some is only recently coming to light. Ragdoll losing herQuirk to All For Oneseems like a minor inconvenience in the grand scheme of things, however, since Shigaraki has picked up this useful skill, Search’s potency suddenly becomes more apparent. With the capacity to monitor up to one hundred individuals, this Quirk can pinpoint the exact location of anyone the user has laid eyes upon and conveniently analyze their weak points, which becomes a lethal advantage when placed in the wrong hands.
The moment the Symbol of Fear hears the words “One For All,” he immediately looks toward Deku, without a moment’s hesitation. From the audience’s point of view, Shigaraki can only see bright dots denoting where his targets are situated; however, there is no way of telling what corresponding data and identifying factors get relinquished in his mind’s eye. Surely, if Search can identify a person’s flaws, it can also ascertain their strengths, making it equally effortless to determine their Quirk (or at least their power level, whereOne For All would likely stand outfrom the rest.)
This would mean that Ragdoll is also aware of Deku’s secret but may have been oblivious to the significance of the young Hero’s power. Maybe, like practically everyone else, she doesn’t realize the similarities he shares with All Might’s incredible capabilities (although, in her defense, Season 3’s Midoriya is still in the trial-and-error phase of mastering his Quirk.) But because Shigaraki (and All For One) knows precisely what he is looking for, tracking down One For All’s wielder is a piece of cake. Alternatively, Ragdoll comprehends Deku’s situation perfectly and opts to keep that little tit-bit to herself to minimalize the threat as best she can. Giving her five seconds of fame inSeason 6, episode 6is surely a significant detail; with so much going on, her little pity party seems random and likely has more weight attached to it.
Source:reddit/BokuNoHeroAcademia/Amintirii
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