Shigaraki's final words to Deku don't mean what some My Hero Academia fans think

My Hero Academia received a lot of criticism for its final arc and the epilogue, but Tomura Shigaraki's final moments were mostly on the positive side of things. The vast majority of fans feel that the villain's last words to the protagonist, Izuku "Deku" Midoriya, were quite poignant and a nice conclusion to his arc, but there are some details that people are missing.

During the vast majority of the My Hero Academia manga, Shigaraki had a noticeable disdain for heroes and what they stood for because he felt they didn't truly care about the outcasts of society.

In that regard, it was during their final battle that he realized that Deku wasn't a hypocrite or a murderer, which is why he tasked him with the final words to his friend Spinner, and also told him to do his best, meaning that he has accepted the protagonist as a hero.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the series. Any opinion expressed here belongs to the author and not Sportskeeda as a whole.

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Tomura Shigaraki's final words in My Hero Academia meant something that a lot of fans didn't grasp

Shigaraki as seen in the anime (Image via Bones)

Right after defeating All For One, in the vestige world, Deku shared a final conversation with Tomura Shigaraki, with the latter requesting him to give a message to Spinner. He also stated that he wants the protagonist to do his best out there as a hero, which is something that some felt was taunting or even ironic— but that wasn't the case.

Shigaraki's original motivation was to destroy everything because he believed that heroes were liars and hypocrites who didn't care for outsiders such as him and the League of Villains. While some heroes were certainly like that and had major flaws, the truth is that Deku has always been quite different and empathic with others.

In that regard, the part requesting Deku to give Spinner a message shows the degree of respect Shigaraki developed for the protagonist. Even at the tail end of their fight, Deku was still willing to understand him, which is something that highlights that he wanted to build a bridge with the villain.

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The contrast between Deku and Shigaraki

Deku and Shigaraki as seen in the anime (Image via Bones)

This moment could be a conclusion for their respective arcs as hero and villain in My Hero Academia, which is due to the way they carried themselves in the story. Deku wanted to become a hero and reach out to others in dire moments and Shigaraki wanted, deep inside since he was Tenko Shimura, someone to reach out to him.

In the end, Shigaraki remained true to who he was and wanted to be a hero to the League of Villains, because he felt that outcasts didn't have someone who could protect them. Requesting Deku to tell Spinner his final words and asking him to do his best is an example of how the antagonist realizes that the protagonist is someone who is a true hero.

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Final thoughts

Tomura Shigaraki's final words to Deku in the My Hero Academia manga was his way to end his journey and life on his own terms, and also show that he trusts the protagonist as a hero. It is a testament to their respective evolutions throughout the story, which reaches a resolution in this conversation.

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