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Discover why Dabi, aka Toya Todoroki, had the perfect conclusion to his character arc in My Hero Academia.
Toya Todoroki, known as Dabi, was an irreplaceable part of My Hero Academia. From his introduction in the story, it was painfully obvious from his appearance that he wasn’t just another villain. Prior to the shocking revelation that he was Endeavor’s eldest son, there was always an air of mystery around him – his deranged smile, charred skin, and his unusual obsession with Endeavor made him stand out from the rest.
Anyone who is familiar with his character is aware that Dabi is a walking embodiment of a failed system. More importantly, he’s a victim of parental neglect and abuse. As such, many often wondered what his conclusion would look like. Now that his character arc is all said and done with, it’s safe to conclude that Kohei Horikoshi managed to deliver an ending to his character that is nothing short of perfect.
It wasn’t exactly what you would normally consider to be satisfying, but at the same time, it didn’t need to be. If anything, it was fitting. Given that redemption arcs are handed out like candy to most villains these days, it certainly was refreshing to see Dabi’s conclusion stay true to what his character represented all along—the irreversible damage caused by childhood abuse.
Dabi’s Character Arc in My Hero Academia
Before he became the murderous pyromaniac and a member of the League of Villains, Dabi was Toya Todoroki – the eldest son of the Flame Hero: Endeavor, aka Enji Todoroki. He wasn’t always this way—wanting to burn down anything and everything in sight with his powerful flames. Instead, he was an energetic and boisterous child who wanted to fulfill his father’s wishes of surpassing All Might and becoming a legendary Hero.
What’s even more surprising about all this, is the fact that Endeavor wasn’t half as terrible a person during Toya’s childhood as he was during Shoto’s. He didn’t go out of his way to force Toya to become the No.1 Hero, nor did he abuse or isolate him from his siblings. It was Toya who became obsessed with living up to his father’s expectations and was just as stubborn as Endeavor to become the next No.1.
Unfortunately, all that came crashing down when the father and son learned that Toya’s body wasn’t capable of handling his flames. As a result, Endeavor completely gave up on training Toya and told him to pursue something else. However, Toya refused to let go of his father’s dream and continued training in secret. He was insistent that he was capable of living up to his father’s expectations, though he repeatedly burned himself every time he trained.
It was evident that Toya yearned for his father’s acknowledgment. His unhealthy obsession made him further unstable, as he became indifferent to the damage he was causing to himself. Moreover, he felt frustrated because his father wouldn’t give him the time of day, even after everything he did to earn his approval It even caused him to lash out and attack his mother and an infant Shoto.
Toya’s longing for his father’s attention drove him off the deep end. He couldn’t deal with his father neglecting him, as he was entirely fixated on training Shoto. However, he finally got a sliver of hope when his Quirk evolved and his flames became stronger. He wanted to share this exciting discovery with his father. When Endeavor failed to show up, Toya broke down emotionally. As a result, he lost control of his flames, which almost burned him to death.
Fortunately for him, Toya managed to survive. After waking up from a 3-year coma, he went home to see his father again. He also wanted to make amends for his past actions and apologize to his family for everything he did. However, he was devastated when he saw that absolutely nothing had changed since his apparent death. Endeavor was still obsessed with training Shoto to be his successor – which completely shattered Toya psychologically.
It caused him to discard his old self and ambitions. From the ashes of his past self, emerged Dabi – a cruel and murderous villain obsessed with tarnishing his father’s reputation. In the Final War arc, Dabi tried to take out Shoto in front of his entire family. His actions could have very likely resulted in the entire Todoroki family perishing at the same time. Fortunately, Shoto managed to defeat Dabi in time and prevent a tragedy from happening once again. However, Dabi’s injuries were too severe for him to survive. As such, he was kept in a life-supporting pod as his life slowly came to an end.
Why Dabi Was Never Built for Redemption
One of the most persistent arguments within the fandom was whether Horikoshi could or should redeem Dabi. Some wanted a last-minute turnaround, hoping Dabi would reconcile with his family. But let’s be honest here—he was simply too far gone. Like Tomura Shigaraki, Dabi wasn’t someone who could have been saved or redeemed.
There was even a point of time where Dabi declared his hatred for not just Endeavor, but his entire family. He was even willing to take his younger brother, Shoto Todoroki, out of the equation along with himself. After Shoto defeats him, Dabi expresses his hatred for his family and wishes for all of them to die. It was evident that Dabi had long since passed the point of no return.
One could argue that he was nothing more than a victim of neglect and abuse. However, it doesn’t automatically erase his horrific actions throughout the series. In fact, Dabi’s hatred had consumed him so much that he didn’t just stop at getting his revenge – he wanted complete destruction. He wasn’t looking for closure or peace – he wanted Endeavor to suffer like he did.
Not only that, but he also wanted to expose the Hero society for being the fraudulent and corrupt system it was. The last thing he wanted was for someone to save him from his despair. As such, a sudden change of heart at the eleventh hour would have felt like a disservice to his character.
The Real Message Behind Dabi’s Conclusion
There’s a simple message behind the conclusion of Dabi’s character arc – some people are just beyond saving. It was a harsh reality check in a show that often leaned toward hopeful and idealistic endings. It was also a reminder that not everyone gets a second chance. Sometimes, trauma and hatred can drive a person to the point where there’s no coming back.
That said, this doesn’t make his story any less meaningful. If anything, it makes it even more so. This is because it showed us that for every person who can be saved, there are some who cannot. It isn’t a message that many shonen series often explore these days – which is what makes Dabi’s conclusion so special.
In essence, Dabi wasn’t someone who could find peace by any means. His final days inside the life-supporting pod were probably nothing short of excruciating. At the very least, Endeavor decided to spend the rest of Dabi’s limited days with him to make up for his past sins.
Dabi’s Conclusion Is the Best Possible Ending for a Doomed Character
From the moment we learned about Dabi’s backstory, one thing became clear – he certainly wasn’t going to make it to the end of My Hero Academia. And honestly, that’s perfectly fine since his death was the only way his story could truly end. He had spent such a long time burning with hatred, and in the end, his flames of hatred consumed him.
It may not have been a satisfactory ending in a traditional sense. But if anything, it’s the right ending for a doomed character. More importantly, it was consistent with his entire character arc. Fortunately for him, he didn’t die on a battlefield – he died inside a life-supporting pod, presumably with his father by his side. Seeing as how Endeavor was the one who started Dabi on his path, it’s only fitting that he was there at the end to see him off.
Conclusion
We can conclude that what Dabi needed wasn’t a redemption arc. He didn’t need saving from his father or brother either. His ending in My Hero Academia is exactly what a character like him needs. Even in his final moments, he stayed true to what he always was from the beginning – a symbol of what happens when life breaks a person beyond repair.
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