I'm Never Going To Get Over The Fact That Season 2 Literally Opened With Ochaco Explaining That She Wants

Some of you guys have never burned a CD and it shows

One of the most important things to unpack and unlearn when you’re part of a white supremacy saturated society (i.e. the global north) and especially if you were raised in an intensified form of it (evangelicism, right wing politics, explicit racism) is the urge to punish and take revenge.

It manifests in our lives all the time and it is inherently destructive. It makes relationships and interactions adversarial for no good reason. It undermines cooperation and good civic order. It worsens some types of crime. It creates trauma, especially in children.

Imagine approaching unexpected or unacceptable behavior from a perspective of "how can this be stopped, and prevented" instead of "you’re going to regret this!”

Imagine dealing with a problem or conflict from the perspective of “how can this be solved in a way that is just and restorative” instead of “the people who caused this are going to pay.”

How much would that change you? How much would that have changed for you?

Trios that would have been more compelling and less obnoxious than the "Wonder Trio":

Izuku, Tenya, Ochako: This needs no explanation

Izuku, Tenya, Shouto: Again, this really needs no champion vouching for it. The Stain arc and the subsequent character work that came with it will never be matched by any other arc in MHA.

Izuku, Denki, Yuga: These three all have self-harming quirks that can be really dangerous and inconvenient during a battle. It was truly a lost opportunity to see these three bond over their issues. Making Izuku and Yuga being close friends right off the bat would've have been really beneficial in sowing the traitor plot point early on and would've have also been far more devastating for Izuku during the reveal. And honestly, Yuga being formerly quirkless and having a self-harming quirk is a much better narrative parallel than the "Save to Win and Win to Save" bullshit that we got. Denki and Yuga just seem like they'd have really good chemistry.

Izuku, Tenya, Momo: These 3 intelligent specimens would've have been extremely overpowered if Hori actually cared enough to develop them. Also, Momo would get to shine because her quirk is powerful as hell (I actually head canon that she has the strongest/most versatile quirk in 1A and maybe enough the BNHA verse as a whole) and it's a crime that her intelligence and OP quirk went underutilized. Also, Momo and Izuku helping each other through their lack of self confidence would have been really touching and maybe have Izuku reflect on his life and how he was treated pre OFA. Momo and Tenya also seemed really no nonsense in the beginning when she ruthlessly criticized Bakugou, so this could help Izuku cut Bakugou off much earlier and allow him to grow.

Izuku, Tsuyu, Mineta: Yes I know, I know. Mineta sucks. But even so, these three were super compelling and interesting to watch during the USJ arc. The ways in which they used their quirks to escape death has way more charm and personality in their hair follicles than post season 3 ShoBakuDeku have in their entire bodies. Also, since Tsuyu was one of the first to call Bakugou out, I feel like her bluntness would be a really good reality check for Izuku to realize that the way Bakugou (and Aizawa) treat him is not okay. Also, Mineta already idolizes Izuku (which is actually sort of sweet) so this could have been used to develop his character rather than the awful and repetitive perv shtick that we're unfortunately stuck with.

Izuku, Shoji, Tokoyami: Like with the above trio, their forest camp sequence in trying to escape dark shadow has more personality and authenticity in their hair follicles than anything having to do with the stupid wonder trio. After all, the whole thing started because of Tokoyami witnessing Shoji being harmed by moonfish, which feels really raw and touching. Shoji also carrying Izuku on his back is super cute. These three also could've been used to address quirk-based discrimination, which is basically that backbone of BNHA's premise (even if it is always glossed over). Tokoyami and Shoji would've had to be victims of heteromorph discrimination (I think it was even confirmed in later chapters) which could drawn the three to each other. No offense to Shouto (and full offense of Bakugo) the two of them could never really relate to Izuku's trauma especially since Bakugou is responsible for 85% of it. They're both rich, they were both born with extremely powerful quirks. While Shouto is tragic because he was abused, he also benefits from the system of powerful quirks being favored which makes the two of them privileged. I also feel like Shoji and Tokoyami finding out about OFA and Izuku's previous quirklessness would just strengthen their bond and would motivate them to help and protect Izuku in any way they can unlike Bakugou who was a total nuisance the entire time.

Izuku, Mei, Ochako: Again, like with the last two, their admittedly limited time on screen together has more charm and personality than the stupid Wonder Trio.

These are the ones that I could think of from the top of my head. Feel free to add anymore.

These are all so cool! I especially liked Izuku, Denki, and Yuga. I always thought Izuku and Denki should have had more interactions anyway. And of course I love Izuku's scenes with Yuga. This is definitely a more unique one.

I would add Izuku, Momo, and Shoto to the list because I love the thought of Izuku being super intimidated by them only to be like, "Oh, oh no they're just isolated rich kids who have never talked to another kid their age and they're mine now" and adopts them.

Also, Izuku, Fumikage, and Shoto. I feel like they're fun.

It's not an Izuku trio but I'd also love Ochako, Tsu, and Momo just because they're best girls

Eraserhead : Don't you think the fact we privatized half of law enforcement and merged it with the entertainment industry is highly problematic?

All Might : [eating All Might cereals] I'm so delicious.

the kinda stuff UA kids see hanging around the school:

(original photo)

love bnha for many reasons but most of all because one time when aizawa erases some guys quirk they just point a gun at him

izuku places his entire sense of identity and self-worth on being a hero, and having the quirk that allows him to be one. those two things, heroism and having this quirk, are inextricably linked to him - when he was quirkless, he couldn’t be a hero, and he got the quirk so he could be.

izuku also clearly identifies heroism as saving people. when he fails to save people - ie fails at being a hero - he feels worthless. if he doesn’t save, he’s not a hero, and thus is nothing.

now apply this reasoning to when he offers mirio his quirk after the overhaul arc. again, without a quirk, he can’t be a hero. why is he wanting to give away the very thing that he thinks makes him valuable to other people?

because he failed to save someone, so he’s already not a hero. he thinks he doesn’t deserve his quirk, the thing that gives him that worth and identity, because he doesn’t deserve to have any worth or identity. he’s already squandered it. he deserves to be nothing again.

I’m running out of time. I’m running and my time’s up. x

Assertion: The converse of "it's okay not to forgive people [even if they've reformed]" is "it's okay not to be forgiven". If someone has reformed but their victim doesn't forgive them, they too can just walk away. They don't have to stay around groveling forever. They don't even have to care that they haven't been forgiven. They're allowed to move on.

Just How "Weak” is Dabi? (Or: Lots of Thoughts on Marginalization in My Hero Academia)

I got an interesting ask about the way that Dabi relates to his limitations and how the manga repeatedly calls attention to the fact that he is weak, and I think this whole issue is fascinating, so I’m going to try to break down some thoughts on it. If Horikoshi carries through on even half the promise these tendrils of plot could hold, it would be a very refreshing take on villains, which types of characters are allowed to qualify as “threatening,” and what it really means to be a marginalized person in a “super” society.

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