Was Aoyama forgiven in My Hero Academia? His path to redemption, explained

Modified Sep 29, 2024 22:30 GMT

My Hero Academia and the answer to the question "Was Aoyama forgiven?" (Image via Bones). — My Hero Academia and the answer to the question "Was Aoyama forgiven?" (Image via Bones)

My Hero Academia fans often ask the question, "Was Aoyama forgiven?" because that is a major plot point in the seventh season of the anime, and it is easy to forget how that situation was handled in the manga. Moreover, it is also worth pointing out that this was the culmination of the traitor subplot in the series, which had spawned endless theories for years.

The most straightforward answer is that Yuga Aoyama was forgiven in My Hero Academia and found a resolution for his character by the end of the story. In that regard, there is a lot to unpack in this situation, since it reflects different events from the story. It has also generated debates within the fanbase regarding whether he deserved redemption or not.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the My Hero Academia series and reflects the author's opinions.

Aoyama's ultimate fate in My Hero Academia

Yuga Aoyama as seen in the anime (Image via Bones)

Aoyama is forgiven and leaves U.A. after the Final War arc as a way to pay for his mistakes as a traitor, although he is seen with Deku and the rest of his former classmates on the final page of the last chapter. This is further emphasized in the epilogue chapters of the series, however, it is fair to say that the character was already forgiven prior to the final arc.

There were some controversies in the fandom regarding whether Aoyama deserved a greater punishment or not, but the truth of the matter is that the character did choose to leave U.A. This, in a way, shows that he feels guilty for his actions and wants to pay in some manner.

Aoyama's crime, explained

Yuga Aoyama was the U.A. traitor (Image via Bones)

All For One was the main root of Aoyama's role as a traitor in My Hero Academia since the former blackmailed his parents in return for giving their son a Quirk. He asked Aoyama to keep track of the people at U.A., which is the origin of the traitor subplot in the series.

However, Aoyama wasn't doing this out of malice, but rather because he didn't want his parents to get killed, which is why he is seen scared several times throughout the story. This has also been a major source of controversy among the fans, due to some of them feeling that he has been portrayed as a terrorist when he was ultimately manipulated as a kid by All For One.

Aoyama's path to redemption

Deku was instrumental in Aoyama's redemption (Image via Bones)

Deku had formed a friendship with Aoyama earlier in the series and this connection was a key component for the latter's road to redemption. Very few people were willing to give him a chance after he admitted that he had been working for All For One, but the protagonist gave him a chance by stating that he also wanted to be a hero.

In that regard, Deku was one of the few who understood that Aoyama wasn't doing this out of evil but because he was scared. Once given a chance to redeem himself, he switched sides and went up against All For One - a major aspect of his character.

Final thoughts

Yuga Aoyama was a somewhat peculiar character in My Hero Academia because of how long the traitor subplot ran in the series. However, most fans have been pleased with his characterization and the way it was executed during the final portion of the story.

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Edited by Janhavi Chauhan