4 My Hero Academia Characters Who Needed To Die for the Plot (& 4 Who Should Have Lived)

Discover 4 My Hero Academia characters who rightfully died for the plot to move forward and 4 others who should have survived.

4 My Hero Academia Characters Who Needed To Die for the Plot (& 4 Who Should Have Lived)
Star and Stripe as seen in the My Hero Academia anime (Image via Studio BONES)

During the introduction, My Hero Academia seemed to be a lighter series featuring the dreams of a young boy wishing to become a hero. As the series proceeds, we find that there are multiple darker elements of the story created from the friction between heroes and villains. This leads to various clashes, with significant losses on both sides. While some of these are justified, the rest appear to be wasted potential.

Here are 4 My Hero Academia characters who needed to die for the plot and 4 who should have lived.

4 My Hero Academia Characters Who Needed To Die for the Plot

The death of crucial characters is always heartbreaking for fans, but that does not always mean that it is the wrong choice. The passing of important figures can provide the necessary push to the cast while also showcasing the brutality of their world. 

4 My Hero Academia characters who necessarily died for the plot are:

1) Tomura Shigaraki 

4 My Hero Academia Characters Who Needed To Die for the Plot (& 4 Who Should Have Lived)
Tomura Shigaraki as seen in the My Hero Academia anime (Image via Studio BONES)

As the main antagonist of the series, most of the tragic events taking place were caused by the injustices Shigaraki faced as a child. With his Decay Quirk, he was a constant thorn in the side of the heroes who went from a small-time villain to a global threat.

Shigaraki displays the never-ending cycle of hatred caused by Society’s blind worship of heroes and misunderstanding of villains. During the Final War Arc, he led an all-out battle against the heroes, with the fate of the world on the line. At the very end, however, he is eventually defeated by the efforts of Deku and his peers.

Despite coming to an understanding with Deku in his final moments when the latter decided to change Hero Society, Shigaraki always thought of himself as a necessary presence. As Spinner described, he was a heroic man to the villains who were abandoned. His death symbolized the end of his hatred and also the hope for a better future.

2) Twice

4 My Hero Academia Characters Who Needed To Die for the Plot (& 4 Who Should Have Lived)
Twice as seen in the My Hero Academia anime (Image via Studio BONES)

Twice’s death is one of the most heartbreaking in My Hero Academia. Even as a villain, Twice showcased the “humanity” of the other side through his deep compassion and relatable flaws.

While he had self-esteem issues, Twice was happy with the villains as he had finally found a place to protect. His power, Double, was strong enough to change the tides of the Paranormal Liberation War Arc. Recognizing this, Hawks was placed in charge of overseeing him and preventing the villain’s involvement. Unfortunately, with Dabi’s interference, Twice nearly managed to escape, which left Hawks with no choice but to kill him.

This was the first time in the series that we experienced the ruthlessness of heroes firsthand. Hawks wasn’t wrong to restrain Twice, but killing him for the heroes’ goals blurred the lines between the two groups. Twice was also the glue that bound together Shigaraki’s group, and their camaraderie took a significant hit with his death.

3) Midnight

4 My Hero Academia Characters Who Needed To Die for the Plot (& 4 Who Should Have Lived)
Midnight as seen in the My Hero Academia anime (Image via Studio BONES)

The R-rated hero Midnight was a Pro Hero beloved by both fans and the cast. Bringing in an element of naughtiness and wisdom to the series, she was a beacon of hope and stood out whenever on screen. 

However, her sudden death during the Paranormal Liberation War came as a shock to most. Assigned to prevent Gigantomachia from joining the battle, Midnight’s Somnambulist Quirk was used to sedate the giant. But due to its inhuman strength and the efforts of other villains, the heroes could not pull this off easily. To this end, Midnight laid down her life to buy time for her allies and hold back her target. 

Midnight’s exact death happened off-screen, believed to be from an ambush from villains such as Mr. Compress and her own injuries. As a character deeply involved in the lives of all budding heroes, her death deeply affected them. While teaching the main cast to deal with tragedy, it pushed them to improve their abilities to prevent an event like that again.

4) All For One 

All For One as seen in the My Hero Academia anime (Image via Studio BONES)

Shigaraki was the primary antagonist for most of the series, but All For One was the person manipulating him from the background. Having embodied the corrupt influence of evil villains who caused chaos in society, All For One had an indirect hand in all the woes caused to the common populace.

However, in the final arc, he had a dynamic battle against armored One For All and Bakugo, who caused him to keep regressing in age and eventually fade away. When he tried taking over Shigaraki’s body in a final attempt, his pupil himself fought back against the master. As a result, Deku was able to land a decisive blow and end the fight.

His downfall depicted the heroes’ hard-earned victory and the loss of evil in My Hero Academia.

4 My Hero Academia Characters Who Should Have Lived

We have now seen the characters in My Hero Academia who enhanced the plot with their deaths. At the other end of the spectrum, there are also characters who fans believe were killed off too quickly. Despite having a fascinating presence, their screen time was cut short for a variety of reasons.

1) Star and Stripe

Star and Stripe as seen in the My Hero Academia anime (Image via Studio BONES)

The majority of the fanbase was devastated when the Number 1 American Hero, Star and Stripe was killed off soon after his introduction. Right when Shigaraki was gaining power and becoming a global threat, she stepped up to put a halt to his growth.

Having been a fan of All Might, Star and Stripe carried a similar aura and presence to his. Her Quirk – New World Order, was also extremely broken. This let her manipulate her surroundings and set rules to favor her. However, the Quirks Shigaraki stole and his Decay emerged victorious, while the hero sacrificed herself to cause damage to him.

Many believe that Star and Strip was a huge loss of a potentially great character. With her ability, she could have changed the world of My Hero Academia. Instead, she was only used to showcase Shigaraki’s power.

2) Stain

Stain as seen in the My Hero Academia anime (Image via Studio BONES)

Stain was one of the first major villains we met in the series, but he was different from the others. Having followed his own code, he saw injustice in the world and took action to fight back against it.

Despite having the initial nickname “Hero Killer,” Stain was a huge fan of All Might. Hence, during the final battle against All For One, he shows up to assist the hero and distract the antagonist. This caused All For One to steal his Quirk and kill him, though it gave All Might the chance to get the upper hand.

Stain’s end was surprisingly anti-climatic considering his impact on the earlier part of the series. Even in a wave of battles happening in the Final War Arc, his death felt unnecessary.

3) Sir Nighteye

Sir Nighteye as seen in the My Hero Academia anime (Image via Studio BONES)

Sir Nighteye was an extremely interesting character because he had a Quirk that could see the future. Perhaps because of how unfair this ability is, he was killed off in the series quickly.

As Mirio’s mentor and a former assistant of All Might, Sir Nighteye was a hero dedicated to shaping the new generation. He stopped assisting All Might after foreseeing a terrible death for him but still loved the hero. Unfortunately, Sir Nighteye met his death at the hands of Overhaul in the Shie Hassaikai Arc after being pierced by a spike. While this was not an entirely wasted character since he made the other students realize the gravity of their task early on, his personality in powers in the series still had a lot to offer.

4) Oboro Shirakumo 

Aizawa, Present Mic, and Oboro as seen in the My Hero Academia anime (Image via Studio BONES)

Oboro was an energetic student and friend of Present Mic and Aizawa who lost his life during a mission. However, his body was then converted into a Nomu named Kurogiri by All For One.

Kurogiri was dedicated to transporting the villains using his Quirk and was dedicated to Shigaraki. After being captured by the heroes, his true identity is revealed. This devastated Aizawa and Present Mic, but the duo worked hard to try and restore their friend. Tragically, Kurogiri was programmed to help Shigaraki no matter what.

When the antagonist’s life was in danger in the final war, Kurogiri intervened to save him. During this, he was caught up in Bakugo’s explosion, and his body deteriorated. While this allowed Present Mic and Aizawa to get closure, it also felt like a touching reunion between the three friends was missed out. This could lead fans to feel like the time spent between the characters was for naught. 

Conclusion

To conclude, the deaths and survival of characters in My Hero Academia play a significant role in shaping the story’s narrative. While there are still ongoing debates on the “necessary” deaths in the series, this only serves to prove the emotional bond fans share with the cast.


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