10 My Hero Academia characters who could have become villains, but chose not to

Without a doubt, My Hero Academia characters and their development throughout author and illustrator Kohei Horikoshi’s manga series is one of the story’s most beloved aspects. Much of this stems from the complexity and depth each character is written with, and how most everyone has some sort of journey throughout the series.

However, there are some My Hero Academia characters whose origins and journeys are much harsher and darker than others, to the point where it’d be difficult to blame them for becoming villains. Meanwhile, others were given the perfect opportunity to become villains but decided against it for one reason or another. In either case, there are many My Hero Academia characters who’d have been completely right to become villains, but still decided against it.

Uraraka, Eri, and 8 other My Hero Academia characters who avoided villainy despite being justified in chasing it

1) Shoto Todoroki

Shoto as seen in the anime series (Image via BONES)

Throughout his childhood, Shoto Todoroki suffered both physical and mental abuse from fellow My Hero Academia characters Enji “Endeavor” Todoroki and Rei Todoroki. The former forced him into prioritizing training above being a child and likewise gave him any related injuries by proxy. The latter projected her issues with Enji onto Shoto and ended up scarring him physically with burning water and mentally by making him believe he too was a “monster” in her eyes.

While Rei’s abuse was unintentional and she quickly apologized for it immediately, Enji’s had the potential to push Shoto into hating Pro Heroes generally. In turn, this would’ve completely justified him choosing to be a villain rather than a Pro Hero, emphasizing how integral his spite for Endeavor was in keeping him on the straight and narrow.

2) Katsuki Bakugo

Bakugo as seen in the anime series (Image via BONES)

While Bakugo wasn’t necessarily given as clear a motivation for becoming a villain as Shoto, his issues with Izuku “Deku” Midoriya also training to be a Pro Hero did introduce the possibility.

This possibility was then made into a realistic opportunity via Bakugo being kidnapped by the League of Villains who asked him to become a villain and join their group. He’s also one of the few My Hero Academia characters to have the opportunity offered to him.

However, much like Shoto, Bakugo’s core ideals kept him on the path of justice, with the young boy basing his refusal on wanting to be a Pro Hero like All Might and win, as the Pro Heroes should. While his arrogance also likely played a role here, it’s clear that his desire to become like All Might was the main motivating factor in this rejection of their proposal.

3) Ochako Uraraka

Uraraka as seen in the anime (Image via BONES)

While Uraraka’s inclusion here may seem incorrect, it’s her origins and motivations for becoming a Pro Hero that make her lack of villainous status so admirable. The young girl’s main motivating factor in becoming a hero is to make enough money to afford her parents the life she feels they deserve to live. This motivation not only makes her one of the most relatable My Hero Academia characters but also one of the most susceptible to villainy.

As a villain, there are certainly quicker and easier ways to make larger sums of money than one would by training to become and work as a Pro Hero. With how poverty or money-based motivations can affect one’s headspace, it’s truly admirable that her love for her parents and desire to care for them never convinced her to give villainy a try.

4) Eri

Eri as seen in the anime (Image via BONES)

While Eri is one of the youngest My Hero Academia characters and likewise wouldn’t be a major threat as a villain, what’s important is that she never even shows signs of villainous behavior or a desire to become one.

This is even despite the treatment she received at the hands of Overhaul, being treated as a product rather than a person and having every aspect of her life controlled by him accordingly.

Considering these origins, it would be difficult to blame her if she became a villain to defeat other villains, in turn viewing the justice system as flawed given how she suffered. Yet, thanks to Deku and Mirio Togata, Eri instead desires to grow beyond her past and start living her new life without this hatred in her heart.

5) Hawks

Hawks as seen in the anime (Image via BONES)

Much like Bakugo, Hawks is also one of the few My Hero Academia characters who had a legitimate opportunity to become a villain in the series. This opportunity arose from his infiltrating the League of Villains on the side of the Pro Heroes, while the League viewed him as their mole in the Pro Hero Society.

Like Eri, Hawks also had reasons to disavow Pro Hero society given his childhood and how he and his family were “forgotten” by the Heroes. This makes his refusal to become a villain even more admirable, especially considering his role as the “Dark Hero” of society, taking on missions unsuitable for the general public.

6) Yoichi Shigaraki

Yoichi as seen in the anime (Image via BONES)

Yoichi’s refusal to become a villain is likely one of the most commendable among My Hero Academia characters given his origins and lack of a Quirk. As the Quirkless and frail younger brother of All For One, Yoichi relied on his brother for protection and safety throughout the early stages of their lives.

However, when All For One started to behave villainously, Yoichi stood up to him and tried to steer him back on the path to justice when it would’ve been much easier to follow him as always. The fact that Yoichi was effectively powerless to defend himself from All For One further emphasizes how impressive his not becoming a villain is.

7) Hitoshi Shinso

Shinso as seen in the anime (Image via BONES)

While Shinso’s rejection from and qualms with Pro Hero Society may not be as deep as those of other My Hero Academia characters, he still had some basis for becoming a villain if he desired. For one, despite having a Quirk suited for heroism, Shinso slipped through the cracks by nature of U.A.’s entrance exam utilizing robots, which Shinso’s Quirk doesn’t work on.

He also lost to Deku at the Sports Festival, which he emphasized was his chance to show the world that he can become a Pro Hero too. Likewise, this loss would’ve made sense as the inciting incident for his descent into villainy. However, despite these constant setbacks, Shinso remained resolute in his dream to become a Pro Hero and was rewarded in the manga’s latest chapter by officially joining U.A.’s Hero Course.

8) Yuga Aoyama

Aoyama as seen in the anime (Image via BONES)

The third and final of those My Hero Academia characters who had a legitimate opportunity to become villains yet rejected it, Yuga Aoyama’s came in the form of being the U.A. traitor. Due to being given his Quirk by All For One, the self-proclaimed Demon Lord forced him into acting as his mole, directly creating several major events in the series.

Likewise, upon being discovered, Yuga could’ve prioritized escape and joining All For One and the League of Villains to avoid punishment for his actions. Yet he instead chose to reunite with his friends and face the music, even voluntarily leaving the U.A. in the latest manga chapter (hence opening up a spot for Shinso). Undoubtedly, Yuga’s refusal to stoop into villainy is one of the most impressive in the series.

9) Mezo Shoji

Shoji as seen in the anime (Image via BONES)

While many other heteromorph My Hero Academia characters could also qualify in this list, Mezo Shoji is the most developed out of all of them, in turn highlighting this universal eligibility. As a child, Shoji grew up somewhere where prejudice against heteromorphs still exists. This resulted in him being feared, beaten, and alienated, in turn forcing Shoji to hate his “dirty blood,” which made him this way.

Likewise, Shoji could’ve just as easily been like Spinner, who joined the League of Villains for his experiences, which were similar to those of Shoji. The fact that he could find something in his childhood, saving a girl from a flood with his Quirk, which inspired him to become a Pro Hero rather than a villain, is incredibly commendable.

10) Rei Todoroki

Rei as seen in the anime (Image via BONES)

As mentioned at the start of this article, Rei Todoroki did indeed suffer significant abuse from Enji throughout their marriage in various ways. Physically, there are several instances of him beating her, while mentally, she was forced into continuously having children so he could pursue his dreams despite clearly not wanting anymore. All of this culminated in a full mental break, in which she couldn’t help but see her husband every time she looked at her children.

However, despite all this and having a Quirk that would’ve been well-suited for villainy, Rei never sought vengeance against Endeavor nor the Pro Hero Society in general. Her ability to abstain from taking such a path in life is one of the most impressive among all My Hero Academia characters.

In conclusion

While many My Hero Academia characters could’ve become villains but chose not to, the above 10 are the best representatives of this larger populace. For one reason or another, all would’ve been justified in becoming villains, yet chose not to in the end.

With these My Hero Academia characters also having some of the darkest origins and most logical reasons to do so, they serve as the best examples of those who resisted the temptation.