Overhaul was far more dependent on Eri than My Hero Academia fans think

Kai Chisaki, aka Overhaul, is probably one of My Hero Academia's most memorable villains. After all, he was a ruthless yakuza leader with a terrifying Quirk, an iron grip over his organization, and a grand vision of erasing Quirks from existence and restoring the yakuza to power.

However, there's a major flaw in his character—his entire plan was completely dependent on Eri, a helpless little girl who had the unique power to erase Quirks. It was also pointed out by Tomura Shigaraki, that Overhaul's plan of erasing Quirks was hypocritical to begin with since he mostly relied on a Quirk to accomplish his plan.

Many may see Overhaul as a calculated, self-sufficient mastermind. However, that couldn't be further from the truth, since his entire existence as a threat hinged on Eri's Quirk, and the moment he lost her, his entire plan crumbled.

Disclaimer: This article reflects the opinions of the author. Reader's discretion is advised.

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Explaining how Overhaul's over-reliance on Eri led to his downfall in My Hero Academia

In My Hero Academia, Overhaul's goal was simple yet ambitious—he wanted to restore the yakuza to power by creating a Quirk-suppressing drug, controlling the supply, and essentially making the Heroes obsolete. The plan certainly sounds smart enough for a Villain, but here's the thing—Overhaul had no actual means of accomplishing it on his own. This is because his entire operation depended on exploiting Eri's blood and body.

If you think about it, without Eri's Quirk, Overhaul is just another crime boss with a terrifying power. He certainly wasn't a genius who had found a way to suppress Quirks through research and innovation. He also wasn't stockpiling resources or forming connections with scientists to develop that drug. Instead, the entire foundation of his plan was built around exploiting a child.

This very aspect of Overhaul's character is exactly what makes him far less impressive than many fans give him credit for. All For One, for instance, is actually a self-sufficient Villain (if one ignores the fact that he steals other people's Quirks and makes them his own), who manipulates people as a means to an end.

However, he could still function without other people if necessary. He mostly didn't need anyone besides himself and his brains to achieve his goals, which is the complete opposite of Overhaul.

Overhaul as seen in My Hero Academia (image via Studio Bones)

As for his Quirk, Overhaul had the ability to completely break down and reassemble matter, which made him a formidable opponent. However, what made him truly terrifying was the fact that he had the power to instantly remove anyone's Quirk, which was made possible by the Quirk-destroying bullets Overhaul was mass producing from Eri.

The fact that Overhaul's biggest selling point in battle was all thanks to weaponizing a helpless child, only takes away from his status as an ultimate villain. In fact, he isn't even a Villain at this point—abusing and exploiting a terrified young girl only made him seem like a vile, cruel, and heartless monster.

One of the biggest signs that Overhaul was overly dependent on Eri was how personally he took it when she was rescued from his clutches. He wasn't simply going to lose a resource; he was about to completely lose control of all his plans.

One could argue that Overhaul's entire identity was built around control. He saw himself as someone who could fix society by removing Quirks from the equation itself. In fact, he viewed Quirks as a disease and believed that erasing them from existence would make everything better. In doing so, he could also bring order back to the underworld.

However, deep down, Overhaul knew that he had no chance of fulfilling his vision without Eri, and once she was gone, his illusions and plans of grandeur shattered. Being defeated by Deku further added to his humiliation and sense of powerlessness.

When Tomura Shigaraki later took his arms and added further insult to injury, Overhaul didn't just lose his Quirk; he ended up losing his identity itself. As such, without his Quirk, Eri, his plan, or his sense of control, Overhaul was effectively reduced to a nobody.

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Final thoughts

At the end of the day, My Hero Academia's Overhaul isn't the self-made criminal mastermind many think he is. He's nothing short of a parasite, who basically sucked the life (quite literally) out of a helpless child solely for his ambitious goals.

The moment he lost control over Eri's life, he neither had any contingency plan nor did he have any backup strategy to move forward with his plans, thus showing just how dependent he was on her.

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