Bakugo's redemption in My Hero Academia was Horikoshi's masterstroke

Modified Oct 27, 2024 15:30 GMT

Despite being a mess, Katsuki Bakugo is one of the fan-favorite characters from My Hero Academia, whose start in the series was as a bully to the protagonist. However, he soon received a much-needed redemption when the protagonist needed it the most, but the fandom didn't consider this a proper one because of how out-of-nowhere it was.

However, the character's redemption could be one of the best moves from the author as it paved the way for his turnover as a character. Following his redemption, Bakugo started to open up to Deku and also his other classmates. Not only did he believe in his friends during the final war, but he also cried for Deku when he completely lost his quirk.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers from the My Hero Academia manga series and has the author's opinion.

My Hero Academia: Why Bakugo's redemption paved the way for his change as a character

Katsuki Bakugo as seen in the anime (Image via Bones)

Katsuki Bakugo is one of the main characters of My Hero Academia and the one who bullied the main protagonist, Izuku Midoriya, since they were little. After Deku was given a new quirk by All Might, Bakugo's anger increased and so did his bullying— to the level of harassment. His feelings for the protagonists were 'confused' at best, which even the fandom couldn't understand.

During the Dark Deku arc, Izuku took the blame for the acts of the Paranormal Liberation Front and went rogue, aiming to take care of the entire mess of the world by himself, and was stopped by his friends in Class 1-A, including Bakugo. Not only did the class manage to stop Izuku, but this was also the moment when Bakugo's character showed change.

Bakugo apologized to Izuku for everything he had done in the past and wanted him to return so that they could change the world together. As expected, this redemption was not accepted by the majority of the fandom because the damage Bakugo had done was irredeemable. However, his redemption was just the start of his change as a character.

After this, Izuku and Bakugo, accompanied by U.A. High practiced to their best abilities to fight the villains. During this time, changes in Bakugo could also be seen, as he started showing signs of kindness. He even helped others develop their quirk abilities— like how he helped Mina develop a final attack with Todoroki.

Bakugo shedding tears for Izuku (Image via Shueisha)

Moreover, he started being more open to others, showing signs that he wanted to change. The final war featured one of the most heartbreaking times of Bakugo where TomurAFO ripped his heart, but his return was also one of the best ones where his starting move was possible through help from Midoriya.

Lastly, after the final war when Deku lost his quirk, Bakugo cried genuine tears for the protagonist because, in his eyes, he wanted to compete with Deku after the villains had finally been taken care of. This is why his redemption was one of the best moves for him and also for the entire narrative of My Hero Academia.

Final Thoughts

It might be hard to forgive a character whose only deeds that come to mind are bullying and power-harassment. However, when a change is witnessed after their apology, it is mostly a sign that their redemption will happen, but it could be a gradual one. The prime example of this was Bakugo and for the same reason, he could be the undisputed winner of every popularity poll.

Related links

Edited by Ahana Mukhopadhyay