A My Hero Academia Villain Shows How Twisted Bakugo Could Have Become, And He Would Have Been His Perfect Enemy

THE My Hero Academy The series has some of the most interesting and terrifying villains in anime. From the Symbol of Evil himself, All for One, to the radicalized Spinner, the franchise has no shortage of antagonists for the protagonists to fight. Some of these villains even became archenemies to a particular hero, like Shigaraki was to Deku or Dabi to his brother Shoto.

Still, there is one incredibly complex antagonist in the series who has never had an opponent of his own, Muscular. This imposing and bloodthirsty character could have been Bakugo’s perfect antagonist, as he their beliefs and attitudes do not differ much from each other. Goto could have been Katsuki’s final challenge, helping him prove how far he had come by the end of the manga.

Bakugo and Muscular are mirrors of each other

Their beliefs and personalities were almost identical at first

When My Hero Academy At first, Bakugo was known for being a brash, rude, and often cruel individual who valued power above all else. He viewed everyone weaker than him as useless, going so far as to bully his childhood friend just because he didn’t have a quirk. He has never shied away from using violence to achieve his goals, whether it be to keep Deku “in his place” or maintain control over his minions. At this point in the story, Bakugo was almost the same as Muscularone of the most cruel and bloodthirsty members of the League of Villains.

Goto was feared by most Japanese heroes due to his obsession with power and violence. He firmly believed in the idea that only the strong were meant to live and the weak were to serve as entertainment. Before his incredible fight against Izuku during episodes 74 to 76, he was best known for the brutal murder of Kota’s parents, the professional hero team Water Hose. Muscular’s behavior was extremely similar to Bakugo’s, only lacking the desire to become a hero. However, thanks to the incredible teachings of the UA team, Bakugo began to follow a completely different path.

His time as a hero student prevented Bakugo from becoming a violent and arrogant being like Goto, transforming him into a calmer and gentler individual. Although his desire to be the best and become stronger never went away, he understood how wrong his past actions were and began working to improve. Muscular is what Katsuki could have become without proper guidancean individual with an incredible quirk whose desire to prove himself the best led him to become an assassin. Goto would have been the perfect antagonist for Bakugo, forcing him to confront his past behaviors.

Muscle could have been Bakugo’s ultimate challenge

Bakugo could have had a climactic fight against his enemy

The Deadly and Troubling Final War Arc My Hero Academy includes some of the franchise’s most beloved battles, as it was during this period that most of the characters fought their enemy. Deku had a fierce encounter against Shigaraki and All For One, Ochako fought valiantly to save Toga from himself, and Todoroki defeated his long-lost brother Dabi. Bakugo also contributed greatly to the heroes’ efforts, risking his life against Shigaraki and then ending All for One, the greatest villain of all time. Although it was an impressive feat, AFO fought against several heroes during the war, and he cannot be called Bakugo’s “enemy” (that honor definitely goes to All Might).

What could have made Bakugo’s character arc feel more rewarding could have been a final encounter against Muscular. Katsuki would have seen what he was destined to become before enrolling at UA, a selfish and cruel villain who preys on the weak and never shows kindness. It would have been an incredible way to prove how much he has grown as a herorejecting the beliefs I once held so close to my chest and accepting that I needed a wake-up call.

Katsuki could have remained true to his desire to achieve victory by crushing an opponent as powerful and determined as Muscular, proving that he had not completely lost his essence. By the end of the fight, Bakugo would have been able to not only complete his transformation into a true hero, but also defeat a villain purely his own. It’s a shame that Bakugo and Muscular never interacted throughout the series, as their dynamic could have helped a lot in the former’s journey of self-discovery.

Despite not having fought a villain during My Hero AcademyBy the end of the episode, Bakugo’s contributions were vital to the story. His character arc and growth are undoubtedly some of the best the franchise has to offer. It’s almost guaranteed that Katuski will remain one of the series’ most beloved characters for years to come.