My Hero Academia: Was Deku born without a Quirk?

Some fans have questioned the claim that Izuku Midoriya, aka Deku, was born Quirkless in My Hero Academia.

Only 20% of the population in the series is born without a Quirk. The unlucky few are then scorned by society.

According to the events of My Hero Academia so far, Deku grew up without a Quirk. He was given the OFA Quirk when he met All Might.

The series does give an explanation for why Deku was deemed Quirkless. With that said, more than a few fans are skeptical about it.

This article takes a look at both canon source material and commonly speculated theories.

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Was Deku born without a Quirk in My Hero Academia or was it stolen from him?

Those without special powers are considered practically useless in My Hero Academia. Thankfully, Deku had a chance encounter with All Might, which allowed him to inherit the OFA Quirk.

However, the question remains whether he was born Quirkless or had his Quirk stolen from him.

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Here's what the story says

Quirks generally manifest around the age of five. However, for whatever reason, Deku did not develop one. He learned what happened during a doctor's visit with his mother.

My Hero Academia explained how Quirkless people have extra joints in their pinky toes. Meanwhile, those with Quirks only have one joint. The doctor believed Deku was born Quirkless simply because of his extra joints.

Genetics plays a prominent role in a person's Quirk Factor. Even if both parents have a Quirk, that doesn't mean their children will. Both of Deku's parents had special abilities, yet he wasn't given any.

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Of course, some theorists are not convinced

Not every My Hero Academia fan believes in the canon explanation. The main reason is that Deku's personal doctor bears a striking resemblance to a certain villain. He looks very similar to Doctor Ujiko, a mad scientist who takes orders from the villainous All For One.

Some theorists speculate that either Ujiko or All For One stole Deku's original Quirk. It's a popular theory in the My Hero Academia fandom. Keep in mind that All For One is known to steal powers. In this case, he likely found potential in Deku's original Quirk.

There are several ways this could work. Theories range from All For One being Deku's father to Shigaraki being given the original Quirk. For many readers, this would be a more satisfying explanation than extra joints in a pinky toe.

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Fans will find out soon enough

Kohei Horikoshi plans to end My Hero Academia within a year. With that said, a few loose threads need to be tightened beforehand. This will determine whether or not the original explanation is good enough.

The final arc will need to confirm whether or not Ujiko was Deku's personal doctor. If the series never brings it up again, then it doesn't bode well for the "stolen Quirk" theory. In that case, it would just be a mere coincidence.

Of course, that doesn't mean All For One couldn't have taken it through other means. However, Deku would still have the extra joint, which is a strong indicator for Quirkless characters, so that wouldn't make sense.

Readers will just need to be a little bit more patient. They will find out the truth in the very near future.

Note: This article reflects the writer's personal views.