Stendhal is Scarier than the Red Hood, Confirmed!

My Hero Academia: Vigilantes Ep 6 Review

Does a hero have the right to take the life of a villain? That is a question that has been asked about and debated over for countless years, and no one has a clear answer. Nowhere is this better seen than with the likes of Batman. Despite knowing that many of his rogue’s gallery can’t or don’t want to change for the better, he refuses to take a life, and that’s remained true across most incarnations. Then we allies of his who are more willing to kill, like the Red Hood. He’s usually a good guy, but he’s willing to kill criminals if needed. And if Knuckleduster is supposed to be the Batman of MHA: Vigilantes, then the show just got its Red Hood: Stendhal.

Stendhal is Dangerous

In the last episode, Koichi and Pop wound up being saved from an Instant Villain by another vigilante, the katana-wielding Stendhal. At first glance, Stendhal looks like he would make for a capable ally. However, it’s swiftly revealed that Stendhal is not as heroic as the Naruhata Vigilantes. He is willing to kill his enemies.

As previously stated, there is no concrete answer on whether taking a life is morally justifiable. It often depends on the context of the story. That’s why Batman can often find himself at odds with his occasional ally and former protege Jason Todd, AKA the Red Hood. Ever since he came back from his infamous death, Jason has continued to fight evil as Red Hood. Unlike Batman, though, he’s not afraid to avoid killing criminals, his argument being it keeps them from hurting anyone else in the future. Given how many of Batman’s enemies regularly kill people and show no desire to change, is Jason wrong to think that way? That mindset is best shown with Stendhal, as he makes it his mission to kill the Instant Villains the Naruhata Vigilantes have fought.

So, We all Knew Stendhal Was the Future Stain, Right?

That decision, coupled with the fact that he’s working with Queen Bee, brings him into conflict with Koichi when he goes after Soga, aka the guy with the spikes they fought. And this is when Stendhal crosses lines even Red Hood wouldn’t cross. Despite acknowledging Koichi’s genuine heroism, once he gets in his way, Stendhal doesn’t hesitate to try and kill him. Then when Knuckleduster intervenes, despite also acknowledging him as a hero, the two come also come to blows. The result feels like something you would see take place between Batman and Red Hood, and it’s not pretty.

As much as Stendhal seems to be the Vigilantes version of Red Hood, he’s not; he’s worse. Jason Todd might be willing to kill, but there are lines he still won’t cross, like killing people he knows are good. In contrast, Stendhal crosses those lines and ends up proving himself little better than many villains. And after losing to Knuckleduster, he develops an even darker mindset, bringing us to the big twist at the end of the episode.

Anyone who’s seen the main series should have recognized that Stendhal is, in fact, the future Stain. Between having the same voice actors to the same Quirk, the prequel series made no effort to hide it. However, the fact that this and the previous episode serve as the origin story for the future hero killer are what make it so great to watch. Had Stendhal been more open-minded and flexible, he could’ve made a valuable ally to the vigilantes of Naruhata. Sadly, his part in the story comes to an end after this. But at least the heroes saved Soga!

I Give “Crossing Lines” a 4.5/5

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