How Did King Become an S-Class Hero in One Punch Man?

How did King become an S-Class hero in One Punch Man? Analyzing his feats and abilities to understand his rise to the top

King from the One Punch Man series is arguably one of the most popular characters in the series. ONE’s writing for this character is spectacular. His luck is extremely terrible and great at the same time. Somehow, King managed to become an S-class hero who people revere and love. 

Those who have watched the second season will know that he is not S-class hero material. This is where his luck came into play. Fans cannot help but think King’s luck is a hidden superpower. 

That being said, there is nothing impressive about King’s physical abilities. He is incredible at video games but not a very efficient monster slayer. Therefore, fans are concerned about one question in particular – how did King become an S-class hero? His impressive “feats” landed him in this spot just like any other hero in the organization. 

King’s Current S-Class Ranking and Why It Makes Sense in One Punch Man

King as seen in the anime series (Image via J.C. Staff)

King is an S-class hero ranked 7th in this category. S-class heroes are some of the strongest characters in the series. They are the first line of defense whenever the existence of a nation or a planet is threatened. However, King is quite weak and has little to no combat abilities. That being said, his rank can be justified if we take a look at his track record in the organization. 

He has been pitted against some of the most powerful beings on the planet and managed to technically beat them. Every S-class hero has some ability that makes them stand out. Tatsumaki’s esper abilities, Atomic Samurai’s swordsmanship, and Zombieman’s regeneration—to name a few. Similarly, King also has an ability that sets him apart from the rest of his peers – his luck. 

It’s both terrible and good at the same time. He constantly finds himself in situations where he is forced to fight against powerful enemies. However, he always manages to come out on top through sheer luck. The stars align, and the villain is defeated. Furthermore, he rarely has witnesses during crucial moments, which hides just how lucky he is. One can consider his luck as a superpower, rightfully putting him in the S-class category.  

Some of King’s Most Notable Feats in One Punch Man

King using Ultimate Hellfire Burst Wave Motion Cannon in tthe manga (Image via Shueisha)

King is one of the most powerful heroes on the planet, at least according to the characters in the One Punch Man series. He has pulled off feats that only a handful of characters have managed to do. His performance in the Monster Association arc needs to be studied because he managed to defeat Platinum Sperm, Evil Natural Water, and Ugly Fuhrer in just one move.

His ultimate technique is called Ultimate Hellfire Burst Wave Motion Cannon. Child Emperor, Zombieman, and Puri Puri Prisoner were some of the witnesses who were present at the scene. 

While they assumed it was his move, it was Garou who killed the aforementioned monsters in just one move. Garou went berserk and lunged at Ugly Fuhrer because he was about to kill Silver Fang. Following that, he thwarted Platinum Sperm and Evil Natual Water. He defeated all three of them in just half a second. The dust that kicked up, the explosions, and the short time hid the truth from the witnesses.

Therefore, they assumed that it was King’s move that killed them. Therefore, his best feat in the manga series was killing three Dragon-level threats with just one move in half a second. 

King’s Abilities in One Punch Man

King’s fear and anxiety triggers the King Engine (Image via J.C. Staff)

One of King’s first-ever abilities introduced in the series was called King Engine. Enemies could hear a loud thumping sound, which was a warning sign. They assumed that his engine was warming up, ready to attack with all his might. In reality, his heart was beating loudly because of anxiety and fear. The King Face is the intimidating expression he has on his face, which would force his opponents to yield.

The three scars on his face add to the intimidation factor. King Catch is a move that allows him to catch extremely heavy objects. However, he doesn’t use it because he claims that the shockwaves produced could further injure the already beaten-up heroes during a battle. 

His most powerful ability is called the Ultimate Hellfire Burst Wave Motion Cannon. He has used it once in the manga series, and it killed three Dragon-level threats. King is genuinely good at video games. He defeated Saitama with relative ease, and the Caped Baldy was so frustrated that he broke the controller.

Will King’s Luck be Revealed in One Punch Man?

Fans hope that King’s luck doesn’t get revealed to the general public (Image via J.C. Staff)

Based on his character writing, it’s unlikely that King’s luck would be revealed in the manga series. His entertainment value relies on his luck and the comedic situations that arise. This is a series where logic takes a backseat while comedy drives the narrative. Therefore, it’s quite unlikely that the source of his luck would be revealed in the anime. It would ruin all the character development in the anime and manga series. 

Fans wouldn’t like to see the entire world spite King for lying to the world. While lying isn’t a virtue by any means, fans genuinely root for this character. Besides, Saitama’s company humbled him, and he is trying to carve his own path.  

Conclusion

Does King deserve to be an S-class hero? Absolutely! His luck is unbelievably splendid, allowing him to pull off the impossible. At the end of the day, he is a dependable hero who comes through on most days. He fled from the robot when Genos and Saitama were present.

However, he has grown substantially since then. People look up to him and believe that he can protect them from any danger that comes their way. This is one of the most important things that a hero can provide because hope and faith can move mountains.  Therefore, he deserves to be an S-class hero in the One Punch Man series. 


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