Chapter 425 spoilers hint at Shigaraki's return to My Hero Academia but not in the way fans expected

Modified Jun 06, 2024 17:30 GMT

My Hero Academia: Tomura Shigaraki's return (Image via Studio BONES)

My Hero Academia concluded its final arc with the defeat of All For One and started its epilogue with chapter 425. Although Shigaraki was eliminated along with AFO in chapter 423, the most recent chapter revealed a black-haired figure sharing eerie similarities with Shigaraki.

This, along with the repeated mentions of Deku being unable to save Tenko Shimura, has led fans to believe that this black-haired figure might be Shigaraki himself. Although this theory has yet to gain much traction, many fans have started believing that this figure might be a product of Tenko Shimura's vestige merging with the body of Kurogiri during their final moments.

Disclaimer- This article contains spoilers for the My Hero Academia series.

My Hero Academia chapter 425: Shigaraki's return might just be Tenko Shimura in a new body

Shigaraki Tomura, as shown in the anime (Image via Bones)

In My Hero Academia chapter 425, a series of brief panels reveal a mysterious man with black hair, clad in clothes reminiscent of Kurogiri's, wandering through the city ruins. This intriguing figure raises many questions about the fate of Kurogiri and Tenko Shimura.

It is highly possible that Kurogiri's mist body was somehow imbued with the vestige of Tenko Shimura, leading to the preservation of the core essence of Shigaraki Tomura. Throughout the climactic final fight of the series, the theme of Deku's desire to save Tenko Shimura despite his descent into villainy as Shigaraki has been a persistent and poignant element.

The latter part of the story explores how Tenko was manipulated and neglected during his formative years, leading to his tragic transformation. A few chapters prior, it was revealed that All for One had returned as a vestige within Shigaraki's consciousness, having manipulated Shigaraki's life from before he was born.

While some argue that Shigaraki's survival would be unjust to the countless heroes and innocents he murdered, it is essential to recognize that Shigaraki was a product of All for One's twisted manipulations.

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Deku's heroic act of releasing the vestige of Tenko from his prison essentially saves "Tenko Shimura" and, by extension, "Shigaraki Tomura." The mysterious crying man seen in chapter 425 could indeed be a reconstructed body of Kurogiri, now containing the vestige or entirety of Tenko Shimura's personality.

Kurogiri, who intervened between Deku and All for One, was struck down by Bakugou to allow Deku to deliver the final blow. Despite Kurogiri's apparent demise, it is conceivable that he managed to preserve remnants of Tenko's essence during his brief interaction with All for One.

Thus, the man wandering the ruins might be Tenko Shimura, the core of Shigaraki Tomura that needed saving. His wandering through the streets in a rough shape might be a precursor to Deku eventually finding and saving him, completing Shigaraki's character arc.

Final thoughts

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The true identity of the black-haired man will likely be revealed in the next epilogue chapter. Chapter 425 of My Hero Academia is set for official release on June 9, 2024, and will be followed by a two-week break.

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Edited by Shreya Das