Did Shoto Todoroki forgive his father: Did Shoto Todoroki forgive his father in My Hero Academia? Explored

Shoto Todoroki's relationship with his father, Enji Todoroki, aka the Flame Hero: Endeavor, has been one of the most interesting and captivating aspects of My Hero Academia. Due to his harsh and abusive upbringing, Shoto harbored a deep resentment for his father, who only ever saw him as a tool for surpassing All Might.

That said, after Endeavor became the No. 1 Hero post All Might's retirement, he started reflecting on his harsh and neglectful treatment of his family over the years. Afterwards, he became determined to atone for his past sins and become an actual father figure for his children, despite believing himself to be unworthy of it.

Initially, Shoto refused to forgive Enji for everything he did to him and his family. However, by the end of the My Hero Academia series, Shoto's feelings for his father had evolved from outright hatred to a more nuanced form of acceptance and forgiveness.

Shoto's feelings towards Endeavor at the series' end

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Although Shoto Todoroki initially seemed indifferent to his father Enji Todoroki's attempts to make amends for his past actions, he eventually started to warm up to him when he began working at the latter's Hero Agency, despite still being a bit wary of him.

However, following the Final War, Shoto no longer resented his father as much as before and had seemingly reconciled with him. He didn't particularly have any feelings of love or affection for his father, but was comfortable enough to be willing to be on speaking terms with him.

As a victim of his father's abusive ambition from a very young age, Shoto harbored deep feelings of hatred and resentment for Enji, as he initially vowed to reject him in any way he could. He even loathed the fire part of his Half-Cold Half-Hot Quirk, as it symbolized his father's cruel treatment of him and his mother, as well as what Enji actually thought of Shoto—a mere tool for surpassing All Might.

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However, after his monumental fight against Izuku Midoriya, Shoto's personality and outlook underwent a massive change. He eventually came to terms with his abusive upbringing and was not against Enji's decision to make amends with his family and become a better person, as he knew from experience that even a single thing can entirely change a person for the better if they allow it to.

Even then, Shoto didn't forgive Enji immediately. Instead, he acknowledged his father's efforts to be genuine but decided to remain cautious nonetheless. Although Enji's repeated apologies, delivered in both words and actions, didn't erase the years of trauma for Shoto, it did resonate with him to some extent, as he once even smiled at his father's change.

By the end of the My Hero Academia series, Shoto had fully recognized that his father was no longer the man he once was and forgave him for his past actions. It is reflective of Shoto's own kindness, which was inspired by Midoriya's words and actions. His path towards acceptance of his father's attempts to change was certainly a slow and painful one. However, it was undoubtedly one of the most profound and emotionally resonant aspects of My Hero Academia.

Shoto and Endeavor's past in My Hero Academia

Enji and Shoto as seen in My Hero Academia (image via Bones)

The strained relationship between Shoto and his father, Enji Todoroki, can be traced back to the former's early childhood. Obsessed with surpassing All Might, Enji wanted to create a child who had the perfect mix of both fire and ice quirks.

After Shoto was born, Enji became a cold, abusive, and neglectful father and husband. He considered Shoto to be his masterpiece, or rather, a tool that had all the elements necessary to surpass All Might and nothing else. He focused all his time and attention on Shoto, forcing him to undergo extremely harsh training at a very young age, and showed no concern for his desires or well-being.

Shoto Todoroki as seen in the anime (image via Bones)

He even isolated Shoto from the rest of his siblings, who he considered to be "failures" that weren't allowed to interact with their younger brother. He was also extremely abusive and physically violent towards his wife, Rei, who eventually suffered a mental breakdown and ended up injuring Shoto.

This incident scarred Shoto for life—both physically and emotionally—which solidified his hatred for his father, whom he blamed for driving his mother to insanity. As such, for the majority of the series, Shoto had refused to forgive his father for his past actions and rejected any chance of reconciliation.

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, Shoto and Endeavor's relationship is perhaps one of the most complex and emotionally resonant representations of childhood trauma and forgiveness. In the end, Shoto was eventually able to find a way to reconcile with his father's past and moved forward with a renewed sense of purpose, which served as the perfect conclusion to his character arc in My Hero Academia.