Bakugo is About to Come in Clutch!

My Hero Academia Final Season Ep 3 Review

Bakugo is back, baby! Despite looking like he might have died at the hands of Shigaraki, the universe decided to give Bakugo a break. I remember when the manga came out and how some people complained about him surviving something that should have ended him. People likely thought that they were traumatized for nothing. However, as interesting as it would’ve been to see Deku’s best friend and rival die, I don’t think that Horikoshi had much of a choice but to do this. Otherwise, he would have written himself into a corner. Also, I feel like it should be noted that in many superhero comics, characters rarely stay dead. Given how much of a fan Horikoshi is of Western superheroes like Spider-Man, it’s not like what he’s doing isn’t without precedent.

Bakugo is Back!

Picking up where we left off, the entire world is watching as All Might, the Symbol of Peace, is at the mercy of All for One. We get this montage of people watching the fight in Japan and praying for All Might not to die on them, and I think it was pretty appropriate for the theme of the episode. It ties in with the idea of the butterfly effect, which essentially believes a single, random event can have a huge impact on the world. Throughout history, there are examples of a single person doing something that can alter what the future will be like, and right now, we’re experiencing one of those moments in My Hero Academia as Bakugo wakes up.

As previously stated, I think a number of fans were upset when they thought Bakugo died, only for him to turn out fine. That sort of thing can make the grief they felt feel invalidated. However, we need to look at the bigger picture. It feels like Horikoshi had written himself into a corner by putting All Might in a fight that he realistically couldn’t win. He could have let All Might die, which would be horrifying, but he either didn’t want to go through with it or didn’t want the fans to endure that.

With all the Heroes in no position to save him, though, he had no way to justify his survival without it looking like an ass-pull. Hence, Bakugo got to live so All Might could be saved. And I think that he ultimately made the right choice, as this leads to Bakugo’s finest hour as a hero.

Dyamight Roars into Action!

The moment when Bakugo rockets himself to save All Might was incredibly well-animated. The use of lighting was amazing; it highlights the idea of a dream so powerful that it can defy fate. But what makes it even cooler is how All Might hallucinates Sir Nighteye who admits that this was the moment where he should have died. That, and the reveal that Edgeshot reduced himself to a tiny thread to save Bakugo, only for us to learn how it was Bakugo’s own Quirk that brought him back from the brink. That guy is just too angry to die, as All for One is about to find out.

At this point, All for One is in the middle of a total breakdown. His goal of reaching Shigaraki is within arm’s reach, but try as he might, the heroes keep slowing him down. At the same time, we see how most of his underlings are either defeated or dead. He’s all alone, running out of time, raging over his inability to win, and losing it. And the bad news keeps on coming as Bakugo, aka Dynamight, becomes the last obstacle between him and victory.

Bakugo is About to Have his Finest Hour

I don’t think I’ve talked about it much before, but Bakugo’s superpowers really are something amazing. The raw power of his explosions is enough to level buildings, and the speed they give him is incredible. It’s not as fast as an actual speedster, but the control he has makes up for it. Yet All for One arrogantly still considers him to be a side character, seeing only One for All and its bearers to be the only threat to him. Which only makes what Dynamight’s about to do to him all the sweeter.

We only get the first few minutes of what happens next, but that’s only going to make what happens in the next episode all the sweeter to watch. Bakugo, this is your moment to shine brighter than the stars. Go beyond, PLUS ULTRA!!!

I Give “The Final Boss” a 4/5

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