Many My Hero Academy fans would claim that All Might is actually the main character of the seriesnot Deku, because of his tremendous influence on the story. All Might was not only the world’s greatest protector against villains for years, he was also a cultural icon, known as the Symbol of Peace. His influence impacted everyone, from ordinary citizens to young aspiring heroes who would soon embark on their own hero training courses to follow in their footsteps.
Deku has always been known as All Might’s biggest fan since childhood, boasting a room full of the hero’s merchandise. Furthermore, Deku literally would never have become a hero without All Might, as he inherited All For One directly from his idol. However, Other UA High students were equally affected by All Might’s work and legacy like Deku, despite being less open about his affections. Although All Might chose Deku as his successor, he puts time and effort into mentoring all of his students, and there is one that he has positively affected as much as Deku.
All Might saved Bakugo in many ways
When Bakugo hit rock bottom at the end of season three, All Might was there to help
Bakugo KatsukiUA high school student and formerly the class bully, idolizes All Might as much as Deku does. Although he also adored All Might from a young age and aimed to be just like him, Bakugo was going down the wrong path when he enrolled at UA High school, and even before that. Bakugo was bullying others, especially targeting Deku, and his scathing tirades against his classmate only got worse once the two entered UA. In his early days of high school, Bakugo was acting unnecessarily violent and careless with his very dangerous Explosion Quirk, putting himself and others in danger.
Bakugo professed his commitment to winning no matter what. Even after receiving warnings from teachers like Aizawa to be cautious with his power, Bakugo wouldn’t listen to any advice, and the chances of him changing seemed hopeless. His mindset was misguided, as he treated others cruelly and sought heroism for selfish reasons. At the end of the third season after being kidnapped by the League of Villains and failing the Provisional Hero Licensing Exam Bakugo has hit rock bottom like never before. Without a pivotal All Might moment occurring after this massive failure, it’s easy to imagine Bakugo becoming a villain.
Bakugo could have succumbed to villainy without All Might’s warning
All Might’s honesty not only helped Bakugo mature, but also helped repair his relationship with Deku.
After failing the Hero Exam with the rest of the class, Bakugo challenged Deku to a fight outside the dorms, completely furious at his defeat. All Might intervened at the most opportune time, not only saving the two boys from danger, but ultimately saving Bakugo from himself. Without All Might’s positive influence and the heart-to-heart talk they both shared, Bakugo’s villainous streak might have continued. Fortunately, though, this humbling and humiliating moment forced him to not only confront his own inadequacies, but to admit them to his hero, All Might, and his classmate and former sworn enemy, Deku.
Bakugo was more honest than ever, explaining to the two that he only mistreated Deku out of jealousy and personal insecurity. He wasn’t just afraid that Deku would surpass him, he was jealous that All Might gave his Quirk to Deku, leaving Bakugo feeling like his idol favored his enemy. If All Might hadn’t spoken to Bakugo during this scene, Bakugo’s hatred for Deku would have reached horrible levelsperhaps even prompting him to do something horrible in retaliation. All Might cleared up the controversy and eased Bakugo’s fears, turning Bakugo away from evil.
All Might has always been Bakugo’s biggest positive influence, pushing him towards heroism
This seemingly insignificant conversation set Bakugo back on the path of heroism for good.
All Might told Bakugo that he gave Deku All For One because Deku needed a Quirk, and that Bakugo’s Explosion Quirk was already so powerful that he didn’t need another Quirk. This calm and reasonable explanation comforted Bakugo and removed some of his anger towards Deku. Bakugo also felt tremendous guilt over All Might losing his powers when saving him, but All Might once again calmed Bakugo, assuring him that All For One was disappearing anyway, and it wasn’t Bakugo’s fault. This conversation completely changed Bakugo’s trajectory, giving you a difficult but necessary wake-up call.
Bakugo’s love for All Might was always there, and he told everyone, even Tomura Shigaraki, that he wanted to “win like All Might.” This honest conversation with All Might was Bakugo’s most emotionally open and vulnerable moment and although it was incredibly difficult and embarrassing for him it changed his perspective and life and solidified his destiny of becoming a hero rather than a villain. If this scene had never happened, and if All Might hadn’t been present Bakugo’s life to inspire him, Bakugo could have turned to evil and been one of the My Hero Academia more petrifying villains.