My Hero Academia chapter 423: Deku and Shigaraki's team up finally defeats AFO

My Hero Academia chapter 423 was officially released earlier this weekend via various official Shueisha platforms, bringing with it what seems to be the conclusion of the series’ final fight. Indeed, by the issue’s end, protagonist Izuku “Deku” Midoriya is the only one left standing on the battlefield, with Tomura Shigaraki’s body crumbling to dust and with it both Shigaraki and All For One’s consciousness.

However, My Hero Academia chapter 423 also all but confirms that Deku will indeed end the series Quirkless, with his victory over All For One seemingly coming at the cost of the One For All Quirk.

Although there's still a slight chance that it could change, it seems Deku’s journey as a Pro Hero has come to an end in the worst way possible.

My Hero Academia chapter 423 sees Deku both lose his Quirk and fail to save Shigaraki

My Hero Academia chapter 423: All For One’s work becomes all for naught

All For One is at death's door in the opening scenes of My Hero Academia chapter 423 (Image via BONES)

My Hero Academia chapter 423 begins with Deku landing his punch on All For One, which is a devastating blow that leads All For One to realize that his body isn’t using Super Regeneration.

He realizes that Deku and the others all planned this, with their animosity converging to overwhelm the Danger Sense Quirk’s abilities and dull his senses likewise.

All For One then realizes that when Yoichi and the other One For All users struck him, he felt the attack both in his soul and in his body. A flashback of All Might explaining that Deku’s body would crumble under One For All’s full power appears, explaining what’s happening to All For One.

Deku then furthers that he’s poured his own strength into the One For All Quirk and that what All For One is feeling is the crystallization of the power of all nine users.

My Hero Academia chapter 423 sees Shigaraki’s chest begin to crumble apart from the punch Deku just landed, with All For One realizing Shigaraki’s body was also crumbling from then on. As All For One’s many Quirks disappear, the heroes cautiously ponder celebration, but All For One struggles and begins using Quirks to hold his body together.

My Hero Academia chapter 423 serves as One For All's swansong (Image via BONES)

He promises that nothing has been finished yet and no one will take anything from him, asserting that only his dream will come true and that there’s only one Demon King.

He then realizes he can just repeat the process, planning to take over Midoriya’s body or the body of anyone else on the battlefield by transferring the All For One Quirk to them.

My Hero Academia chapter 423 sees All For One call Deku his vessel, while the young Pro Hero prepares yet another punch with One For All’s embers. At that moment, however, Oboro Shirakumo calls out and apologizes to Shota Aizawa and Present Mic, saying that he has to go and protect Shigaraki.

Present Mic sobs as he says he knows that no matter what, Shirakumo always reaches out to those in need. Shirakumo then begs All For One to give Shigaraki back as his consciousness seemingly begins to fade.

Shirakumo says that his friends are waiting while blocking Deku’s punch with a portal. However, Katsuki Bakugo appears and lands a hit on Shirakumo, closing the portal and allowing Deku’s punch to land.

My Hero Academia chapter 423: A lonely end

Expand Tweet

My Hero Academia chapter 423 sees Bakugo mock the idea of heading to the hospital, revealing he flew here with his explosions and used a ramp from Shoto Todoroki to ascend.

As he falls, Bakugo tells Deku to watch out or he’ll surpass him. Deku then rushes at All For One, saying he’ll never forgive him but recognizes that he’s not a monster beyond understanding or even a Demon King.

He asserts that All For One is just a truly lonely man as their fists meet, prompting a shift in focus to All For One’s Vestige World. All For One is seen approaching a small flame which is Yoichi Shigaraki, his brother, who says Midoriya adjusted his power to leave a little of One For All left before transferring it.

Yoichi says he awoke due to the response from One For All’s embers within Midoriya, saying Deku wants to complete the Quirk in the right way.

My Hero Academia chapter 423 sees All For One begin panicking, saying anything is fine as long as Yoichi doesn’t go and shows his face. However, Yoichi says this is impossible and that he’s disappearing, which All For One continues to reject. Yoichi furthers that he wasn’t able to guide his big brother, which Deku noticed, and is likewise why he’s offering the pair one final salvation.

All For One says he won’t allow it since he truly loves Yoichi and is nothing without him. However, Yoichi says it’s time for him to pay for the crime of using so many people for his own sake, adding that he’s not the only one Deku woke up.

As he says so, the vestiges of Tomura Shigaraki and every user of One For All but Deku, Yoichi and All Might then appear behind All For One.

Expand Tweet

My Hero Academia chapter 423 sees Deku and Tomura’s punches both land on All For One simultaneously, connecting as they do so.

The other Vestiges are also seen attacking, but Tomura’s punch is the only one which contacts Deku’s own. This prompts a conversation between the two, where Shigaraki reveals that Nana Shimura’s vestige ensured he didn’t disappear after All For One swallowed him.

He then tells Kurogiri he got his body back, but didn’t destroy anything, saying aloud to Deku that he was right about Shigaraki being a crying brat. He adds that he wasn’t able to crush Deku’s hand, to which Deku says he fought because he couldn’t forgive what he had done, and because Tomura wanted to be stopped, so his sadness wouldn’t be passed on.

My Hero Academia chapter 423 sees Shigaraki laugh at this, telling Deku that if Spinner is alive, tell him that Shigaraki fought until the end to destroy. Deku adds that he did destroy something in the end, but doesn’t specify what.

The issue’s final panel sees Deku still in the sky, with Shigaraki’s body having crumbled into dust which swirls around the air, seemingly confirming All For One and Shigaraki’s deaths.

My Hero Academia chapter 423: In summation

Expand Tweet

While My Hero Academia chapter 423 is disappointing in its apparent setup of Deku ending the series’ without a Quirk, this isn’t exactly officially confirmed by the latest release. Likewise, fans are somewhat apprehensive and cautious of this issue’s conclusion, with what comes after likely deciding how this conclusion is received by fans.

Nevertheless, the chapter still serves as an acceptable end for both Shigaraki and All For One, who are both somewhat humanized in their final moments. While they aren’t necessarily redeemed, it’s nevertheless a nice touch which gives their respective characters a bit more depth but not at the cost of prior characterization.