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Disclaimer: This article contains major spoilers up to My Hero Academia chapter 362.
Horikoshi is known for subverting Shonen tropes and duping his readers left and right, and My Hero Academia chapter 362 might be the epitome of both. While the chapter ends on a tragic note with the apparent demise of one of the most beloved characters, it also features several hints as to why there might be a twist.
My Hero Academia chapter 362 provides one of the greatest controversial developments in the series so far, with plenty of subversions of the popular Shonen tropes.
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While there is not much reason to refute the claim of a major character's death, Horikoshi has been known to use both science and deus ex machina to circumnavigate an impending doom.
Why Horikoshi killing off his deuteragonist in My Hero Academia chapter 362 may be a segue to something else
My Hero Academia chapter 362 spoilers (as previously discussed here) suggest that the chapter ends with Bakugo lying on the ground, with his heart having stopped. He has likely used all of his energy in his final attack against AFO.
A wayward shot of Katsuki’s parents and his melancholic vision of All Might prior to his heart stopping suggests that this might be the end for the explosive boy. The segment leading up to this point will also argue in favor of this statement. Let’s review how this has been foreshadowed so far.
Foreshadowing Bakugo’s demise
Horikoshi has consistently neglected to give Bakugo a storyline separate from Deku and All Might. Unlike Shoto, Katsuki does not have a purpose in My Hero Academia unless it’s intertwined with Deku’s own progress and development.
While Katsuki has a positive character arc and several moments of growth, they are not independent and can be rounded up as a joint arc for both the protagonist and the deuteragonist.
Bakugo does not have a sworn enemy like Ochako or a layered relationship with another character that merits a separate storyline, like Tokoyami. He has been, from the very start, completely oriented around Izuku and All Might, and if one were to take away his character development and screen-time, he would be nothing but a plot device.
Readers have already seen what Horikoshi does with such characters in the case of Lady Nagant and Star and Stripe.
Finally, not only does Bakugo not have plot armor but his role as a trigger for Izuku has been highlighted throughout My Hero Academia in the Forest Training and Paranormal Liberation Front War arcs specifically.
Other heroes and the villains, particularly Shigaraki, are well aware of this fact, and in this arc, AFO/Shigaraki is seen using this to his benefit to lure Deku in. In that vein, Bakugo’s death may serve as the ultimate blow that will make Deku go through the last of his Quirk Awakenings.
Arguments to the contrary
However, My Hero Academia chapter 362 also leaves readers with several hints that this may not be the end for their favorite explosive hero.
The first clue is the ambiguity of the ending. Bakugo’s heart stopped, which can be reversed via Cardioversion or Defibrillation. Additionally, nitrates, specifically Glyceryl Trinitrate, are widely used in several cases of myocardial infarction or heart failure. Thus, the chance remains that Bakugo’s heart may be restarted, saving the boy.
Another clue is AFO comparing Katsuki to the Second User of OFA. The jokingly dubbed “Back U Go” theory has long postulated that Bakugo somehow went back in time to become the Second User of OFA.
This theory has since been bolstered by several similarities between Bakugo and the Second User, chiefly in their demeanor and physical appearance. The recent beating at AFO’s hands left Bakugo with a scar matching that of the second user.
It is possible that after his heart stops, Bakugo will somehow be transported to the past. This could be a speed-related incident since My Hero Academia chapter 362 hinted at “Cluster” being an originator of speed. Eri is unlikely to be involved at this point, but one of AFO’s wayward quirks could cause such an accident.
The last possibility, though not much of a clue, would be Deku’s arrival. Deku can arrive in the next chapter, and instead of going berserk in grief, he could calmly use the Second User’s Quirk, one that is unknown to the readers so far, to revive Katsuki. In that scenario, Bakugo and the Second User will have to be two separate people.
Final thoughts
The chief reason why My Hero Academia fandom is reluctant to accept Bakugo’s death is Horikoshi’s previous record of baiting the fandom with believable red herrings. He has done this with Gigantomachia, the traitor reveal, and with the Second and Third user theories as well.
While it is unusual to kill off the deuteragonist of the series, it is not unheard of. As painful as it would be for the fandom to have Bakugo die in My Hero Academia chapter 362, readers may lose all faith in Horikoshi if this turns out to be an illogical ruse.
