Endeavor didn't actually have a happy ending, My Hero Academia couldn't make it clearer

Endeavor's character in My Hero Academia is one of the most controversial yet integral in the entire series. He is crucial in defeating the League of Villains, and at the same time, some of the biggest tragedies in My Hero Academia are also caused by him.

Now that the manga is over, many fans are going over Endeavor's journey. While he is a hero in name and in the public eye, his personal life isn't the best. In the manga, Endeavor commits several heinous acts. This leads many to expect that he will suffer more, similar to what happened to the villains of the series. However, does he receive such treatment? Ultimately, he does, and it unfolds in the classic My Hero Academia style.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers from the manga, and it is the author's opinion.

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Endeavor's ending in My Hero Academia

Endeavor in his final battle as a hero (Image via Studio Bones)

Endeavor is a different man at the end of My Hero Academia. Gone is the controlling and aggressive hero shown at the beginning of the series. What fans see is a new man. He is quiet, not because he's subdued, but because he is confident. His body language shows that he is self-aware, an ability Endeavor never possessed.

The first thing fans notice at the end of the manga is that the fiery hero they knew is no more. Endeavor is dead, and what remains is Enji Todoroki. He also loses his legs and an arm. This makes the second-strongest hero for most of the manga not so physically strong.

In the end, he is differently abled, but that brings much-needed clarity. He drops his pride and realizes that he can't be a hero in how he treats his family. He vows to make amends for all his actions and relinquishes the grip he had on his entire family.

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Why fans call Endeavor's ending a happy one

Fans say Endeavor didn't face any repercussions (Image via Studio Bones)

A handful of fans think Endeavor deserved some legal action served against him. Apart from the fact he verbally and physically hurt his wife, his children were also at the receiving end of his abuse, with most of them being treated like objects. In the case of Shoto and Toya, Endeavor pushed them around. This leads Shoto to hate himself and his father, leading Toya to destroy himself.

Endeavor's abused wife, Rei, comes to his rescue and is integral in stopping his son, Dabi. She also pushes him around in his wheelchair, an act that infuriates fans, who interpret it as Kohei Horikoshi excusing abuse. There is also his relationship with Shoto, which stays intact despite all he has done. No form of child protection has come to rescue Shoto, who is a minor.

Other heroes keep a blind eye to Endeavor's flaws. They all know he did a quirk marriage and was abusive to his family, but nobody calls him out for it. It is almost like their heroism goes off when it involves the second-strongest hero after All Might.

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Did Endeavor have a happy ending in My Hero Academia

Shoto is one of Endeavor's biggest victims (Image via Studio Bones)

While Endeavor did not face any legal repercussions for his action, his ending was far from happy. His biggest loss is power. He is left unable to walk, and he also loses the arm he once used to cause so much damage. This body loss will be a huge blow to Endeavor's psyche eventually, as he will long for the ease he once had.

There is also his family. Endeavor tries to put his family back together but fails as two of them cut him out of their lives. Even Rei, who pushes his wheelchair, has not returned to him. Endeavor realizes this and also dreams of his family being happy without him.

His life goal of being the number one hero also turns to dust, and the basic aspiration of being a hero is no more. He will spend the rest of his life in My Hero Academia, where he is powerless, which is not a happy ending.

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Final Thoughts

Endeavor starts off as an anti-hero in My Hero Academia. He is self-absorbed, violent, masochistic, and abusive, but these traits fall off once he realizes that there is more to being a hero. This leads him to make many changes, including trying to make amends for the crimes he committed. However, like many actions committed, they can't be taken back.

He can't undo the damage he caused to his family; the lives Toya took as Dabi can't be taken back. He would have to live with that forever, and that is far from a happy ending.

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