Endeavor: “Hawks! Now!” Montana: “… … …now what? 🧐” It was super quick and very easy to miss, but Endeavor actually made an arrow pointing upward with his fire in that moment. He was telling Hawks to bring him higher up in the sky.
Pretty amazing Hawks was able to discern the arrow amongst Endeavor's inferno, honestly. We were all given a zoom in on it, and so many missed it! Hawks was _far_ away! Took me like 5 watches, I swear hahaha.
Patrick Seitz is an amazing voice actor. While I wish he was playing a better character, I do massively appreciate how hard he goes when playing Endeavor.
Shoto's reactions were possibly the most heartbreaking thing about this whole situation, because as much as he doesn't want to, he does still care for his father. Endeavor might not deserve it, but he is trying.
Came back to reiterate my original comment because I'm weird like that. Also it still applies even after this episode. The thing with Endeavor is that when it comes to fighting and being a hero, he pretty much always gives it his all and never gives up. This fight pretty much solidifies that. On the level of effort for being a good person though, yeah, I gotta say he’s still pretty pathetic. But still, I gotta say, as much as I don’t like him, he totally earned this victory.
After arguably the strongest season thus far, I'd say it's fair to call this the best season finale in My Hero Academia. EVERYTHING was dialed up to 11: voice-acting, themes, animation, music. Like, DANG ENDEAVOR. 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Endeavor and Hawks were really showing off why they were number 2 and 3 right behind All Might. Endeavor's whole fight spoke for itself, but Hawks not only helped Endeavor win the fight, he also evacuated civilians. This fight and the lives of a lot of people would've been lost if they hadn't worked together.
For as much as the show loves to highlight that UA-cam clip of All Might saving all those people.. Hawks saved 76 from that building like it was _nothing!_
I agree, they go so hard on the animation in this. If you pay close attention when they close up on him talking about overheating, you even see his sweat turning into steam when it drips down to his flame beard.
Remarking on Endeavor's overheating complaint. That's the ENTIRE premise of his goal with Shoto. Shoto is a PERFECT version of Endeavor. Endeavor recognized his fundamental weakness that he can only burn so hot before he starts to overheat, and once he overheats he's basically down for the count. There's just nothing he can do to overcome that weakness, there's no amount of training or aid that will fix that, it is a core weakness of his power. So he determined because of that, he would never be able to surpass All Might, who really has NO weaknesses. So he had a bunch of kids with someone with an ICE quirk in the hopes of creating a quirk, and specifically, Shoto's quirk. Shoto can burn like Endeavor, but he can also create ice and cool himself off. Shoto can regulate his own temperature and due to that he in theory doesn't HAVE any limits or weak points. If he burns like the freaking sun and his enemy is still fighting back, he can bring on a new ice age in his next move, and if that still doesn't do the job, he can now burn again. The only danger is if he uses exclusively one half of his quirk, which is what he used previously and why he sometimes basically froze himself. So look at everything Endeavor does in this episode. Shoto, in time, will be able to do all of that, literally no cooldown, plus ice attacks.
7:05 this bit truly made me love Hawks. it shows how versatile and incredibly quick thinking he is.. before jumping down he has already sensed and located all 76 people. before he even comes close to the ground the feathers have already rescued all of them and rejoined him to brake his fall. a bit of a cocky attitude, smart wits, and knowing his own limits. it just showcases to me, why the job of Hero was created. not ''just'' because Villains appeared.. but also because Hero's can accomplish tasks, our emergency response teams like paramedics and rescue specialists could only dream about..
I love him too, he's definitely top 3 for me. I think like Mirio, Hawk's has a quirk that is only powerful because he made it that way. For him to control dozens of feathers independently, being able to figure out what is essentially echolocation with each of those feathers, and then taking in all that information and reacting in an instant? Without putting in the work he would be nowhere near the top of the charts.
@@AtrociCollector yeah shows dabi watching as well. Theyre all there witnessing the glory of no 1. Hallelujah. The season 7 fight of shoto has extra panels not shown in episode also, most cool action sequence like extra aegir panel
if i had to guess TO THE CORE , i would say she would respect him way more AS A HERO after this but will still stand strong on hating him AS A DAD ( which is completely reasonable)
Horekoshi has this inate ability at making you hate someone just to pull the rug with an amazing redemption and hit you hard with the feels this will go on the shelf next to end game and starwars as one of the goats period.
This is my ultimate favourite episode of MHA. I think I can write essay or even dissertation about it lol There's a few interesting details or contexts i want to tell (also because I had a bad hyperfixation on MHA so I just need to talk about it). Firstly, Rei being in a hospital for 10 years is also apparently one of the aspects of Japanese psychiatry system. Articles say that almost 22% of patients stay in the mental facilities for 10 years and more. There's a lot of historical and cultural context behind it and seem like it's really an actual problem in Japan. Secondly, one of the meanings of Rei's favourite flower, rindou, is 'victory over the illness' in the flower language and there's a Chinese legend about it. Thirdly, in the manga when Rei says Enji doesn't forget about them and tell about flowers, she DOESN'T actually smiles. She just says it. Also in the manga she doesn't say 'he thinks about us', she says something like 'he does not try to forget about his family and what happened. I think he tries to face with it'. I found her reaction in the manga much more realistic. And of course the whole phoenix symbolism in the fight is just amazing. Putting Hawks feathers he gave him on fire and fly with fire wings, Endeavor speaks about Nomu as his past self, pseudo human obsessed with strength only and burn both of them. Line "you are me... from past or another future. Burn up and rest' always hits me like a train, no matter how many times I rewatch it. Then Nomu dies, but Endeavor returns and stands with his fist rised, not only as a new Number 1 hero, but as a new, better human than he was. Absolutely stunning. I waited for this episode since I found this channel a few months ago and I really want to know how Montana will see Endeavour's character writing after this episode
Everyone talks about his sons reaction, but did you see all mights reaction? That was the face of care but as well as helplessness, he must feel so helpless , worried out of his mind. They did the expression so damn well. You can feel his entire body go light snd just lose strength after everything ended
(At 9:05) That might be one of the reasons why he's trying to train his youngest son to surpass him. Relying too much on the fire, he'll start overheating, causing organ failure. Relying too much of the ice he'll have developing frostbite, causing brittle nerve damage. Both of which need to cancel and/or even each other out.
They were certainly throwing a lot of death flags, this episode; and this shot 12:02 was where one of the manga chapters, that composed this fight, ended. So you can imagine how suspenseful it was, for people like me, who had to wait a whole week to find out if it was a fatal shot or the glancing blow it turned out to be. But in sense, Endeavor did die in this fight; the old one, that is. He now bears the weight of being the number one hero, and he's finally starting to see himself as the monster he truly was. So now he's fighting not just to prove he's the number one hero, but also to make amends with the people he hurt along the way. But unfortunately, the road out of hell is often paved with struggle and suffering. Endeavor's taken the first real step on this path, the question now is can he endure the long journey ahead of him?
Neat fun fact. The Look at Him kid? He is very clearly designed after Natsu Dragneel, the main character from Fairy Tail. He has short, kinda spiky pink hair and a distinct scarf, just like Natsu. And to add onto that, he's voiced by Todd Haberkorn, who is also the voice actor for Natsu. The reason for this is because Natsu uses fire magic, specifically fire DRAGON magic, so he's a very powerful pyromancer basically. Pretty cool detail I think. One of Endeavor's sons is also just straight up named Natsu too.
There’s a lot of cameos in the series but they have to tone it down for the anime for legality, I guess. I’m glad Natsu made it. I really want to see Sonic in the show, lol
Even though it's not shown, I get pure Avatar vibes when Deku looks at the other users of OFA. It's moment when Roku telling Aang what happened if he dies in the Avatar State in season 2: "If you are killed in the Avatar State, The Reincarnation Cycle will be broken....and the Avatar will cease to exist."
OFA in my opinion is a better version of the avatar state with much more clear rules and when new rules need to be made they never overlap. And the only thing ever proven wrong is an interpretation.
@@Kaempfdog I think the avatar has clearer rules in terms of who gets the power and what can be done on the avatar state. OFA's rules are progressively revealed which makes it a little more confusing, and it's a bit iffy on what the quirk of it entails when it comes to inheriting it.
@@johndinner4418I honestly disagree a bit there, at least in the capabilities department. In terms of inheritance, they are both quite clear: avatars cycle through the nations in a pattern, OfA has its users pass the quirk on to a successor of their choosing. The avatar state is given quite a bit of ambiguity in terms of capabilities. Not a bad thing, but the comparison is being made on clarity. OfA by contrast is pretty clear, it is 9 generations of stockpiled strength and abilities. Nothing revealed has changed the basic premise of cannot be traditionally stolen, but can be forcefully given
@@relic5752 What are the so clear rules about when the 9th unlocks his quirks? Progressively as he "gets" ready to unlock the rest? The avatar is much simpler. Next nation, avatar state grants all elements due to past avatars. The only "unlocking" that has to be done in the avatar state is when no other avatar has achieved what the current one has. Spirituality of the avatar seems less convenient for the plot, and develops worldbuilding more imo, than how OFA had been progressing. Energy bending is as BS for the plot as "Oh yeah the 2nd has this convenient quirk that you just happen to unlock now and it helps a lot!"
@@johndinner4418Ah, I was confused by your phrasing, I had thought you were referring to the inheritance of the entire quirk, not awakening the dormant quirks, those are two separate topics. Spoiler Even so, the fifth explains it really explicitly: OfA is a quirk that responds to the wielder's emotions. Ninth needed to grab his enemy from a distance so he unlocks fifth's power. Ninth needed to keep his allies and enemies from touching the ground so 7th awakens. Fourth's awakened due in part to the Resonance that was established between OfA and its sibling quirk, in response to first warning ninth of coming danger. After that point, Ninth has the active support of the other wielders, who are then able to actively guide him through how to use the remaining quirks. As opposed to your reductive explanation, the dialogue between ninth and second makes it clear that ninth already had access to second's quirk prior to its use in combat. The surprise was *NOT* that ninth unlocked second, it was that ninth was using second's quirk at all after deciding (offscreen, frustratingly) that second was still too difficult to pull off in the midst of combat up until that point.
Hawks' Quirk, Fierce Wings, is EASILY one of the superpowers I'd most want to have. Giant bird wings are awesome enough, but being able to manipulate each individual feather (even change their size) really makes it for me. Hawks is AWESOME. Edit: Also, he shares the same VA with Hunter from The Owl House, and they even look similar. You think that was a coincidence? Add Flapjack (RIP 😓) to the mix, and it feels even more similar.
Fun fact about Endeavor's children: Natsu means Summer in Japanese and Fuyumi means beautiful winter. Shoto doesn mean anything, but it's written with the kanjis for burn and freeze
It’s not my favorite of the season. That still belongs to the one All-Might tells Deku that Nighteye told him I’m going to die an unspeakably gruesome death. That was a game changer for EVERY major episode that preceded it and is beyond impressive. This episode is a huge foundation episode and I love it A LOT. It’s SO great. It’s just not the top spot.
(At 12:09) too bad not only are the civilians watching this, but apparently all three of his kids are watching this as well. And they're actually starting to look concerned.
So something I always found fun, the Endeavour fanboy looks similar to a character from the manga Fairy Tale who uses fire magic, the older Todoroki is called Natsuo or Natsu for short, Natsu is the name of the protagonist of Fairy Tale who looks like the Endeavour fan.
And Endeavor beat this one (i.e. killed it), while All Might drove the other one away. Not saying one hero is better or stronger overall, just stating a fact.
I was waiting for this episode for so freaking long, since Endeavors introduction and Montana`s hate towards him. I gotta add, the imagery and symbolism on the scene is also superb. We have Endeavour accepting help to deal with a threat way over his league. We have him flying towards the sky as a new sun with fire wings and exploding, turning his self past to ash and reborning the version of him he wants and is trying to be. It`s amazing. Endeavour also don`t force his family to accept his change, nor ask them anything, nor say his sorry, because he is a person of action not words. That`s why he say "Watch me" to Shouto and to people when he`s oficially crowned number one. I would also want to point out it looks like Endeavor is Neurodivergent, social interactions puzzles him, he gotta great attention to detail about people he cares about, he`s unhealthly hyperfocused on goals his minds sets him to, he doesn`t now what to say so he just act on stuff to show what he`s feeling or thinking.
15:31 This right here is actually a small reference to the anime Fairy Tail! The pink haired kid is made to look like the other show's protagonist. He uses fire magic, has pink hair, and even has the exact same dub voice actor! The very fact he's an Endeavor fan is ironic haha. Such a cool easter egg in my opinion.
Hearing Kenny show so much love to Endeavor’s VA makes me want them to watch Vinland Saga with the Netflix dub- sure, Thorkell isn’t in the early episodes much, but it would also be a great show for these 2 in general, would love to hear Montana’s analysis, especially season 2
The thing with Endeavor is that when it comes to fighting and being a hero, he pretty much always gives it his all and never gives up. This fight pretty much solidifies that. On the level of effort for being a good person though, yeah, I gotta say he’s still pretty pathetic. But still, I gotta say, as much as I don’t like him, he totally earned this victory.
@@kingquan2608 If somebody believes they are entitled to be forgiven and if people don't then they don't believe in redemption.. That just shows the person is still shitty. As for Endeavor, he is a great fighter. But IMO, he is still a criminal who has not faced any punishment due to his status. At best, he realizes his mistakes. But he doesn't want to face consequence and I mean real one. So, he does some good acts in order to be forgiven. News flash, unless the victims want to forgive him themselves for real, there is no reason to believe he has earned it. He earned his hero status by hiding his crimes as well. So, for me... he hasn't earned anything but got everything he did by either force or deception.
I don't think Endeavor deserves a suck counter for showing up at the hospital and not seeing his wife when the doctor says "I don't think she is ready"
This is the episode that made me completely change my mind on Endeavor, I stopped hating him. In part, it’s not just because of him alone but because of Hawks. Hawks loves Endeavor so much I couldn’t help but root for Endeavor. I actually have Endeavor tattooed on my upper arm, he is for me the perfect symbol of fcking up and fcking up REAAAAAL bad, but not leaving it there, but recognizing you did and trying to do better even if no one will forgive you for it, even if no one will praise you for it, doing it because you owe it to those you hurt, and bcs you need to be better, doing it for atonement and not redemption. I still need to get Hawks too, because he is sacrifice and he is trust and he is loyalty and he is faith. 31:56 Endeavor was the only one not content with looking at Allmight’s back. Everyone else conformed with the idea of having Allmight there to protect them, but Enji said NO. Enji always knew having one symbol, one strong person was not enough, and he wanted to be better, Hawks feels the same way. There is a reason why Hawks, whose desire is for heroes to have way too much time on their hands, looked at Endeavor and never at Allmight. It’s because Allmight’s existence, the “I AM HERE” lulled everyone into a false sense of security, everyone conformed and never tried to do better because Allmight was there. Hawks didn’t, Endeavor didn’t. 32:14 I want to clarify, it’s NOT a redemption arc, Endeavor’s journey is one of atonement.
The is the first time that watching this I saw that when Endeavour says "Hawks NOW!" He used his fire to create an arrow pointing up....I love this character
Me: I'm gonna listen to this reaction while I do something on my phone (battle starts) Me: (phone abandoned, leaning into the screen, massive grin on my face, getting chills)
One thing I do love is how his children react to him. Fuyumi obviously being the most willing to let the past go. Shouto is interesting because it's more passive, which fits his character quite well. It nice to see all of his children have a different way of coping with the past and whether they can move past it and start again.
Dude Kenny reminds me so much of myself when I made my older sister watch mha and AoT, always looking out for her reactions and commenting on animations
(At 13:54) That's not really an option, Natsu. Considering what little backup he brought with him has already spread thin dealing with the other white nomus, he has to deal with _this one_ on his own. Good thing that eye still intact.
Well I don’t know how many people were expecting a complete foundation episode to happen for the season finale when all others are wind downs from the big events of the season. This season just decides, nah. There hasn’t been enough heart-attacks, nuanced emotions, beautiful fights, and you know who we need to know better? Endeavor. A truly beloved character at this juncture with no caveats to speak of. I know the Gentle Criminal arc to its entirety is a wind down from the Overhaul arc which had child dissection in it. But WOW when Horikoshi wants to swivel from joy to sorrow to balance his story MAN can that get you whiplash. I think I gotta split up this one up into a 2 parter because this is another dense one. So I’ll split up fighting feats and story beats again. We start off meeting the Todoroki siblings who are visiting Rei Todoroki. We’ve seen glimpses of Fuyumi during All-Might’s last stand. And Natsuo is debuting here. And then of course the bomb has to drop. What does Endeavor becoming the #1 hero mean to them? Fuyumi is scared to even talk about it in front of Rei, and Natsuo hardly recognizes the man as family at all for how he’s neglected him. But Rei? She’s the surprise here. And how she’s been in deep thought over Endeavor’s efforts. And when your WIFE says “I have no idea how his mind works.” That’s…um…enlightening. But to see her giving him the benefit of the doubt with his efforts even if the execution of his emotional care is always a disaster. Hence why the doctors have never let him near Rei. Endeavor finds himself having to make a tough realization in the 1st few moments of this fight. To come across a new higher level of Nomu that immediately overpowers him and outspeeds him. The weight of being number 1 INSTANTLY hits. Here he is fighting a SOLDIER of the villain AFO, and it doesn’t matter what backup appears. Since Endeavor is the #1 hero…there’s no one to really call for. To go from being a highly reliable individual to ask for help and going to being the last line of defense is an INSTANT increase of issues. There’s nowhere to run to. There’s nowhere to hide. This is HIS problem to contain. (I’m reminded of when AFO treated Endeavor as a loud kid in a library during All-Might’s last stand.) He has to learn how to be a symbol class hero right here, RIGHT now. Endeavor can’t do everything and Hawks is forced into action to let Endeavor deal with the major fight. I’m sure a large skyscraper being hit by something that should never be flying anywhere near it much less THROUGH it would have any historical comparisons to the scale of how bad things can get. (Well Japan is officially enduring a 9/11.) Endeavor laments that the Nomu recognizes his weakness of overheating. Sadly a clear weakness in power and personality. And it has him reflect on what made him search out the family he’s…made. To him this weakness is why he never got close to All-Might. And he even brings up in season 3 that he needs All-Might to show the world why you’re better because otherwise that devalues his own efforts that have caused so much harm to his family. And if so, what has he chased and competed with? (God if he only knew how strong Prime All-Might was) Endeavor told the public to watch him. So he shines like a beacon. The sun he engulfs himself in the air seen for miles as what he promised himself and to the people what he would be. But…that’s not who Endeavor is. He’s not the shining beacon of peace that All-Might was. And in his effort to recreate it? He falls. He’s only human. Leaving the public to stare down the reality that there is no true superhero watching them anymore. All-Might holds his gut in his desire to act and his inability to do so. And no matter HOW much you hate Endeavor he doesn’t deserve THIS. He’s slowly getting subjected to the layers of torture All-Might was subjugated to by AFO. Except it’s not because it’s even personal. He’s…just there. And it’s so bad it even has Natsuo pleading with the tv for Endeavor to wait for backup so he can survive. The media basically says there’s no one there for them now. And it’s falling into sheer panic. (Aizawa even trying, from what I can tell, to keep Todoroki AWAY from the news so he doesn’t watch his dad get killed.) But that’s not what’s happening. And his fan yells what do you MEAN there’s no hero?! Who says he’s out?! Who says he’s done or just ineffective! He’s not! You can SEE him fighting still. Things are getting from bad to worse. But he keeps getting up despite that. He may not be a superhero but he’s a hero doing his best. Getting up everytime he’s knocked down and making the most of every terrible circumstance. Lose an eye? I’ll use the one I got left to stare at the way forward. Get stabbed? That’s fine. I need the pain to stay awake. It’s all he and we can do but hope. Hope he surpasses all of this. And Hawks says of course he’s hoping. That’s all he’s done. No one cared to surpass All-Might BUT Endeavor. He hoped to be the best and worked to make it so. He hoped for things that people wouldn’t hope for because he doesn’t think normally. It’s what makes him awkward. And it’s what makes him bad with people. But it never stopped him from hoping nonetheless. And Hawks couldn’t help but be inspired by that. Hawks isn’t an All-Might super fan. He told Endeavor as such. He’s an Endeavor super fan. That’s why Hawks conversations have pointed him towards being better by giving him that opportunity. It’s his chance to show what he’s made of. And now he bolsters him so he shines again. One last confrontation has to be made. He has to be launched up where none feel like they can see him. Or look at him. But people want to watch. They ALL want to see him make it to the top. And from the highest point he reaches, he sees who he has been. What has lead him here. And that’s not the person he can be up here. The dream for the symbol All-Might was is over and it’s not Endeavor’s to inherit and continue. He has to let that part of him die. So he can move forward. And he brings himself AND the Nomu back down to earth. Where he will try EVERYTHING to find the best foot forward and hope for the path to get better. But can he kill off what he was and swear not to be it without ending himself in the process and tumbling straight into hell? Yes. Yes he can. And it’s that hope for the better tomorrow that has lead him here. Ladies and Gentlemen. Allow me to introduce you to Endeavor: The Symbol of Hope. The Number 1 Hero in the only form he could take. Inspiring everything he just fought for to the entire nation and raising his hand high just as All-Might said goodbye, this is Endeavor’s hello. Now it’s his turn. Deku knows the symbols are also his own burden to carry and as he puts himself to sleep….we see what he’s built of himself. It’s not much but it’s there. And he’s faced with the images of the past holders. Some in full shape. One as a flaming inferno. Some as nothing but silhouettes. And the foundation of it all. The memory of it beginning. And right when he reaches out, we hear the one who got it started saying “So you’re the 9th.” and the window explodes. Deku has his own symbol to build. And that is where Season 4 leaves us for Season 5. Just your reminder don’t threaten creators. Horikoshi’s decisions for this episode resulted in the 1st big wave of pretty serious threats getting sent at him. You can’t do that. I mean it’s over a fictional story arc?! Just…what is wrong with this fandom sometimes. The fact I’m going to say this MORE than once is nothing short of absurd. DON’T THREATEN PEOPLE. There’s no winners in that. WHAT A SEASON. Still gotta do fight analyzing but MAN this season is just so enjoyable front to back. What a fantastic finale.
Yeah, I don't think it's a stretch to call this episode the best season finale in the series. As for what you said about Horikoshi, I had no idea he received threats for this chapter/episode. Are you kidding me? I see where people are coming from, but come on. Not only is this fiction, but they are blindly letting their disdain for a fictional character cloud their judgment of what the series is trying to say about said character moving forward, and their gonna harass the creator for it?! You said it a while ago, and I agree: the fact that Horikoshi has stayed consistent with his work despite its toxic fandom is a testament to his character. I may not agree with some of his views or decisions in this series (Mineta, he's literally the ONE thing I would change. Not even erase, just change), he nonetheless has my respect.
@@HaydrogenBomb I’m literally going to bring this fact up TWO more times at different points in the story at points where that happened. I’m particularly talking about the manga timing not as much the anime timing. (Hopefully.) Just…yeah. I’m not saying I know if it impacted the story. But I know it happened. I agree this is the best season finale of the show thus far. It’s phenomenal and it just furthers my ambition to prove what’s fantastic about this story in spite of the toxic fanbase at times. (Enjoying little bits of the “fanbase” now as I do season 7 work.)
You said people were threatening Horikoshi?? I had litterally no idea about this could you maybe explain further ? What was it for?? [Only if you want to of course. Also adding but I love your huge comments so much I do hope atleast one of those 2 read them because you've definitely changed my perspective on a few things]
Me: He's a horrible person and I'm not going to like him better if he brings her a gift, it doesn't make up for what he's done! Endeavor: *brings Rei her favorite flowers* Me: omg he brought her her favorite flowers 🥺 But in all seriousness, Endeavor is one of my favorite anime characters ever. He's so well developed, with so much symbolism and heavy themes, and despite being a horrible father, he's a great hero, he's strong and intelligent, but also dense and socially inept, and he's so unintentionally funny, and no I'm not a fangirl what are you talking about?
As a man with a dark past I strongly believe that nobody is beyond redemption and atonement, Such a strong moment. You were both awesome for this one :) 5 * reaction
In a way, this is one of the most beautiful episodes in the series. Seeing Endeavor recognize his own faults in the Nomu, and burn it all away in his effort to become a better person. Seeing society come together to have faith in Endeavor, now that All Might is gone. Seeing Endeavor's family so worried as they watch it all happen, like even they didn't realize how much they cared about him. Seeing Hawks recognize how Endeavor was the only hero that ever tried to surpass All Might, with the visuals of him attempting to build that impossible bridge. And, of course, the visuals and sounds, from the music to the voice acting, are stellar. All of it happening as part of Endeavor's redemption story (I think redemption stories are the best kind of stories). It all really makes this a beautiful episode. Also Spoilers We couldn't have known it when we first saw this episode, but having seen through season 6 by now, we now know that Endeavor means a lot more to Hawks than just as another hero. Endeavor was Hawks' personal hero from a young age. I think Hawks puts him on more of a pedestal than he would like to admit. This episode was the first glimpse we got into Hawks' admiration for Endeavor, continuing to see Endeavor as an inspiration for himself. I think he really wanted the world to see Endeavor the way he sees him.
I remember making my way through the show and just thinking to myself “how could someone come up with so many different quirks??” And being so impressed by the uniqueness of powers. Then here comes the #2 hero and instantly blows my mind away with his quirk. To be able to control every single one of his feathers in such a way I was amazed. And as we come to know him more he really enters amongst my top favorite characters in MHA.
You think she's gonna guess the identity of THAT character, or will she be actually surprised at the reveal? It'd be fun if she didn't see it coming, for once.
(At 10:14) as if he actually consider bringing his wife involved in this. He's stubborn and reckless but he's not stupid to bring others on dangerous situations. He probably wouldn't even let Shoto join in on this, yet.
The monster that Endeavor used to be died in this episode, though the scars left behind from his actions still need healing. And like a phoenix from the ashes, a true hero has been born in his place, and will only continue to grow.
What I like about endeavor and the whole todoroki family ordeal, is that this isn’t a story about redemption, it’s the story of an ATONEMENT, someone trying to amend all he has done, but knowing well enough that not everything will go back to normal and that there will be repercussions for his actions
I personally will never understand the people who continue to say endeavor doesn't show or deserve any glazing bro is trying to atone and though he may never fix and put it all back together the way it was before he can do his damned best to prove that he wants to try by picking up the pieces. Bro continues to send flowers, and is trying his damned hardest to protect the city. Not because of the psychological rivalry he had with All Might but because he is now the defacto symbol of peace that Japan needs. He is smart and logical to the point where he almost killed himself with prominence burn he is an absolute POS but he is trying to dig himself out of the hole he dug and make amends.
I think my favorite line in this episode is when Hawks says “ I was watching you, so I understand…. There wasn’t a single other person who seriously attempted to surpass him… you were the only one…you never stopped trying to take his spot…” It was something I never really thought about and realized was true, it gave me such a new respect for Endeavor
3X11 is a strong candidate, but this might be my favorite episode up to this point in the series. Endeavor is one of the most interesting characters in the series because (superpowers aside), he's a realistic portrayal of a deeply flawed man who lives with regrets that are entirely his own fault. Most high-achieving people are more like Endeavor than All-Might.
What I liked was the subtle detail where after evacuation, Endeavour slices the building so that Hawks can safely dispose of the rubble rather than keeping it there as a major hazard for the people who are evacuating the streets.
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Will you be reacting to the hero’s rising movie?
@@Caitlin2007 yep! Right after episode 13 of season 5!
@@LettsReact can’t wait !
Could you guys please do a reaction to solo leveling and the eminence in shadow. Pretty please.
the character you sad was itodori wos voced by natsu from fairy tail
The “you are me from the past or another future burn up” with the music really grabs you.
Forreal. I get chills every time I listen to that track, which is often.
@@HaydrogenBomb Everytime i workout its on repeat lol
While I really hate that line, it was adapted beautifully. Animation, music, and voice acting.
My favorite moment was when Hawks sent his feathers to Endeavor and Endeavor looks like a Phoenix, symbolizing his rebirth
Spoilers: A shortlived rebirth tbf
@@You-Tube-n5k ? Bros still alive in the manga so far as I know
@@jaceclarke6139 Oh no, I meant like, “the rebirth of Endeavor as a changed man” is short lived.
Endeavor: “Hawks! Now!”
Montana: “… … …now what? 🧐”
It was super quick and very easy to miss, but Endeavor actually made an arrow pointing upward with his fire in that moment. He was telling Hawks to bring him higher up in the sky.
ok because I (Kenny) had been wondering why he said that as well, makes total sense!
Pretty amazing Hawks was able to discern the arrow amongst Endeavor's inferno, honestly. We were all given a zoom in on it, and so many missed it! Hawks was _far_ away! Took me like 5 watches, I swear hahaha.
@@qrowing well, hawks do have one of if not the best eyesights in the animal kingdom
I missed it like the first 3 times I watched this ep myself lol
This episode made me appreciate and respect endeavor. That voice actor though omfg. Prominence burn!!! ❤️🔥❤️🔥
Tell me about it. Patrick Seitz is a GOAT!
He gained me, not as a person, but as a hero. Still i respect that he is trying to fiz his mistakes
Patrick Seitz is an amazing voice actor. While I wish he was playing a better character, I do massively appreciate how hard he goes when playing Endeavor.
I have mad respect for this dub! That prominense burn in the end is PEAK!
Shoto's reactions were possibly the most heartbreaking thing about this whole situation, because as much as he doesn't want to, he does still care for his father. Endeavor might not deserve it, but he is trying.
I mean, just because you hate someone doesn’t mean you wanna see them die.
@@natsuotodorokiThat depends on the individual hahaha
Came back to reiterate my original comment because I'm weird like that. Also it still applies even after this episode. The thing with Endeavor is that when it comes to fighting and being a hero, he pretty much always gives it his all and never gives up. This fight pretty much solidifies that. On the level of effort for being a good person though, yeah, I gotta say he’s still pretty pathetic.
But still, I gotta say, as much as I don’t like him, he totally earned this victory.
After arguably the strongest season thus far, I'd say it's fair to call this the best season finale in My Hero Academia.
EVERYTHING was dialed up to 11: voice-acting, themes, animation, music. Like, DANG ENDEAVOR. 🔥🔥🔥🔥
I saw a quote for this episode that I always loved:
This is the episode when the Symbol of Peace was replaced, by the Flame of Hope.
Endeavor and Hawks were really showing off why they were number 2 and 3 right behind All Might. Endeavor's whole fight spoke for itself, but Hawks not only helped Endeavor win the fight, he also evacuated civilians. This fight and the lives of a lot of people would've been lost if they hadn't worked together.
For as much as the show loves to highlight that UA-cam clip of All Might saving all those people.. Hawks saved 76 from that building like it was _nothing!_
I agree, they go so hard on the animation in this. If you pay close attention when they close up on him talking about overheating, you even see his sweat turning into steam when it drips down to his flame beard.
Yup
Remarking on Endeavor's overheating complaint.
That's the ENTIRE premise of his goal with Shoto. Shoto is a PERFECT version of Endeavor. Endeavor recognized his fundamental weakness that he can only burn so hot before he starts to overheat, and once he overheats he's basically down for the count. There's just nothing he can do to overcome that weakness, there's no amount of training or aid that will fix that, it is a core weakness of his power. So he determined because of that, he would never be able to surpass All Might, who really has NO weaknesses.
So he had a bunch of kids with someone with an ICE quirk in the hopes of creating a quirk, and specifically, Shoto's quirk. Shoto can burn like Endeavor, but he can also create ice and cool himself off. Shoto can regulate his own temperature and due to that he in theory doesn't HAVE any limits or weak points. If he burns like the freaking sun and his enemy is still fighting back, he can bring on a new ice age in his next move, and if that still doesn't do the job, he can now burn again. The only danger is if he uses exclusively one half of his quirk, which is what he used previously and why he sometimes basically froze himself.
So look at everything Endeavor does in this episode. Shoto, in time, will be able to do all of that, literally no cooldown, plus ice attacks.
This comment ☝🏾. I was hoping Kenny would point this out when Montana learned that Endeavor could overheat.
Far too often I think that for someone who’s smart has some pretty damn blonde moments pretty often
7:05 this bit truly made me love Hawks.
it shows how versatile and incredibly quick thinking he is..
before jumping down he has already sensed and located all 76 people.
before he even comes close to the ground the feathers have already rescued all of them and rejoined him to brake his fall.
a bit of a cocky attitude, smart wits, and knowing his own limits.
it just showcases to me, why the job of Hero was created.
not ''just'' because Villains appeared..
but also because Hero's can accomplish tasks, our emergency response teams like paramedics and rescue specialists could only dream about..
I love him too, he's definitely top 3 for me. I think like Mirio, Hawk's has a quirk that is only powerful because he made it that way. For him to control dozens of feathers independently, being able to figure out what is essentially echolocation with each of those feathers, and then taking in all that information and reacting in an instant? Without putting in the work he would be nowhere near the top of the charts.
And this is why i apreciate Endeavors Character. He is the "I am trying Character" to me.
“He was a planet briefly” 😂😂😂😂 I’m dying!
Endeavour really proves his worth and rank in this episode. Our old perception of him changed completely in this episode.
Kenny: All of his kids were watching him.
Me: 👀👀😏😏
Manga has extra panels of that
A subtle, mysterious frame of him also watching would've been a nice touch, easily overlooked in the chaos
@@robertfishburn8545him and his pals looking on would have made sense, with just an extra moment or two focused on him.
@@hkaayaakuuwait actually?
@@AtrociCollector yeah shows dabi watching as well. Theyre all there witnessing the glory of no 1. Hallelujah. The season 7 fight of shoto has extra panels not shown in episode also, most cool action sequence like extra aegir panel
You think after this episode Montana will have a higher opinion of Endeavor or has that happened already or will she still hate him?
This episode definitely will change her opinions in a certain sense! Guess you will have to watch to find out!
I'd say it'll be around the middle of season five when even the concept of Montana coming around to Endeavor will be possible.
if i had to guess TO THE CORE , i would say she would respect him way more AS A HERO after this
but will still stand strong on hating him AS A DAD ( which is completely reasonable)
Horekoshi has this inate ability at making you hate someone just to pull the rug with an amazing redemption and hit you hard with the feels this will go on the shelf next to end game and starwars as one of the goats period.
@@satiramalek2572my exact reaction.
Endeavour is a shitty person and dad.
This is my ultimate favourite episode of MHA. I think I can write essay or even dissertation about it lol
There's a few interesting details or contexts i want to tell (also because I had a bad hyperfixation on MHA so I just need to talk about it).
Firstly, Rei being in a hospital for 10 years is also apparently one of the aspects of Japanese psychiatry system. Articles say that almost 22% of patients stay in the mental facilities for 10 years and more. There's a lot of historical and cultural context behind it and seem like it's really an actual problem in Japan.
Secondly, one of the meanings of Rei's favourite flower, rindou, is 'victory over the illness' in the flower language and there's a Chinese legend about it.
Thirdly, in the manga when Rei says Enji doesn't forget about them and tell about flowers, she DOESN'T actually smiles. She just says it. Also in the manga she doesn't say 'he thinks about us', she says something like 'he does not try to forget about his family and what happened. I think he tries to face with it'. I found her reaction in the manga much more realistic.
And of course the whole phoenix symbolism in the fight is just amazing. Putting Hawks feathers he gave him on fire and fly with fire wings, Endeavor speaks about Nomu as his past self, pseudo human obsessed with strength only and burn both of them. Line "you are me... from past or another future. Burn up and rest' always hits me like a train, no matter how many times I rewatch it. Then Nomu dies, but Endeavor returns and stands with his fist rised, not only as a new Number 1 hero, but as a new, better human than he was. Absolutely stunning.
I waited for this episode since I found this channel a few months ago and I really want to know how Montana will see Endeavour's character writing after this episode
15:15 When Natsu appeared in MHA. still my favorite moment lol. It's awesome that Todd Haberkorn voiced him too.
Everyone talks about his sons reaction, but did you see all mights reaction? That was the face of care but as well as helplessness, he must feel so helpless , worried out of his mind. They did the expression so damn well. You can feel his entire body go light snd just lose strength after everything ended
and he also held his side after endeavour lost his eye or when it looked like his eye was gone
(At 9:05) That might be one of the reasons why he's trying to train his youngest son to surpass him. Relying too much on the fire, he'll start overheating, causing organ failure. Relying too much of the ice he'll have developing frostbite, causing brittle nerve damage. Both of which need to cancel and/or even each other out.
Natsu from Fairy Tail really the mvp cheering on Endeavor in this ep.
Its really easy to miss, but when Endeavor said "Hawk's now!" he made a little arrow pointing up with his flames.
They were certainly throwing a lot of death flags, this episode; and this shot 12:02 was where one of the manga chapters, that composed this fight, ended. So you can imagine how suspenseful it was, for people like me, who had to wait a whole week to find out if it was a fatal shot or the glancing blow it turned out to be. But in sense, Endeavor did die in this fight; the old one, that is.
He now bears the weight of being the number one hero, and he's finally starting to see himself as the monster he truly was. So now he's fighting not just to prove he's the number one hero, but also to make amends with the people he hurt along the way. But unfortunately, the road out of hell is often paved with struggle and suffering.
Endeavor's taken the first real step on this path, the question now is can he endure the long journey ahead of him?
Always loved endeavors' voice actors' performance, especially Dio in JoJo
Neat fun fact.
The Look at Him kid? He is very clearly designed after Natsu Dragneel, the main character from Fairy Tail. He has short, kinda spiky pink hair and a distinct scarf, just like Natsu. And to add onto that, he's voiced by Todd Haberkorn, who is also the voice actor for Natsu. The reason for this is because Natsu uses fire magic, specifically fire DRAGON magic, so he's a very powerful pyromancer basically. Pretty cool detail I think. One of Endeavor's sons is also just straight up named Natsu too.
There’s a lot of cameos in the series but they have to tone it down for the anime for legality, I guess. I’m glad Natsu made it. I really want to see Sonic in the show, lol
Even though it's not shown, I get pure Avatar vibes when Deku looks at the other users of OFA. It's moment when Roku telling Aang what happened if he dies in the Avatar State in season 2:
"If you are killed in the Avatar State, The Reincarnation Cycle will be broken....and the Avatar will cease to exist."
OFA in my opinion is a better version of the avatar state with much more clear rules and when new rules need to be made they never overlap. And the only thing ever proven wrong is an interpretation.
@@Kaempfdog I think the avatar has clearer rules in terms of who gets the power and what can be done on the avatar state. OFA's rules are progressively revealed which makes it a little more confusing, and it's a bit iffy on what the quirk of it entails when it comes to inheriting it.
@@johndinner4418I honestly disagree a bit there, at least in the capabilities department. In terms of inheritance, they are both quite clear: avatars cycle through the nations in a pattern, OfA has its users pass the quirk on to a successor of their choosing. The avatar state is given quite a bit of ambiguity in terms of capabilities. Not a bad thing, but the comparison is being made on clarity. OfA by contrast is pretty clear, it is 9 generations of stockpiled strength and abilities. Nothing revealed has changed the basic premise of cannot be traditionally stolen, but can be forcefully given
@@relic5752 What are the so clear rules about when the 9th unlocks his quirks? Progressively as he "gets" ready to unlock the rest? The avatar is much simpler. Next nation, avatar state grants all elements due to past avatars. The only "unlocking" that has to be done in the avatar state is when no other avatar has achieved what the current one has. Spirituality of the avatar seems less convenient for the plot, and develops worldbuilding more imo, than how OFA had been progressing. Energy bending is as BS for the plot as "Oh yeah the 2nd has this convenient quirk that you just happen to unlock now and it helps a lot!"
@@johndinner4418Ah, I was confused by your phrasing, I had thought you were referring to the inheritance of the entire quirk, not awakening the dormant quirks, those are two separate topics.
Spoiler
Even so, the fifth explains it really explicitly: OfA is a quirk that responds to the wielder's emotions. Ninth needed to grab his enemy from a distance so he unlocks fifth's power. Ninth needed to keep his allies and enemies from touching the ground so 7th awakens. Fourth's awakened due in part to the Resonance that was established between OfA and its sibling quirk, in response to first warning ninth of coming danger. After that point, Ninth has the active support of the other wielders, who are then able to actively guide him through how to use the remaining quirks. As opposed to your reductive explanation, the dialogue between ninth and second makes it clear that ninth already had access to second's quirk prior to its use in combat. The surprise was *NOT* that ninth unlocked second, it was that ninth was using second's quirk at all after deciding (offscreen, frustratingly) that second was still too difficult to pull off in the midst of combat up until that point.
Hawks' Quirk, Fierce Wings, is EASILY one of the superpowers I'd most want to have.
Giant bird wings are awesome enough, but being able to manipulate each individual feather (even change their size) really makes it for me. Hawks is AWESOME.
Edit: Also, he shares the same VA with Hunter from The Owl House, and they even look similar. You think that was a coincidence? Add Flapjack (RIP 😓) to the mix, and it feels even more similar.
Endeavor had to do the two things he hated the most: grow as a person and quote All Might.
Fun fact about Endeavor's children: Natsu means Summer in Japanese and Fuyumi means beautiful winter. Shoto doesn mean anything, but it's written with the kanjis for burn and freeze
This is my favorite episode
Might be mine, too, or it's up there.
Mine too!
Definitely up there as one of the best in the series, makes you feel all kinds of emotions.
It’s not my favorite of the season. That still belongs to the one All-Might tells Deku that Nighteye told him I’m going to die an unspeakably gruesome death. That was a game changer for EVERY major episode that preceded it and is beyond impressive. This episode is a huge foundation episode and I love it A LOT. It’s SO great. It’s just not the top spot.
This episode made endeavor become in my top 5 favourite hero’s I also loved his voice actor this episode
In the show, or in general?
@@HaydrogenBomb in mha
(At 12:09) too bad not only are the civilians watching this, but apparently all three of his kids are watching this as well. And they're actually starting to look concerned.
The pose at the end is actually the same as All Might's but with the other arm raised up, so like an inversed All Might pose
So something I always found fun, the Endeavour fanboy looks similar to a character from the manga Fairy Tale who uses fire magic, the older Todoroki is called Natsuo or Natsu for short, Natsu is the name of the protagonist of Fairy Tale who looks like the Endeavour fan.
Coincidence? I think NOT!
He doesn't just look like Natsu, he has the same (ENG) voice actor as well.
(At 17:58) Hawks made Endeavor look like a Phoenix.
that nomu is stronger than the one all might faced at the usj
And Endeavor beat this one (i.e. killed it), while All Might drove the other one away.
Not saying one hero is better or stronger overall, just stating a fact.
The music and VA work are _so good_ in this episode!
Endeavor had his death of Superman moment in this episode I liked that node to the famous comic panels.
PLUS ULTRA PROMINENCE BURN!
There's a reason I like this episode. Endeavor shows some "new" character development like he did on the _hero killer arc._
Endeavour turned into a planet to minimise damage to himself getting thrown through buildings
natsu hyping up a fellow fire user in both sub and dub is the best
Pink hair, scaly-looking scarf, voiced by Todd Haberkorn... Love to see Natsu making a cameo.
“Old man, I’m watching you!” Still gets me
Best MHA episode ever
I love this episode. There's nothing like seeing a person finally come to terms with their own actions and begin the journey of rectification.
One of my favorite comments on this fight that ive seen. "Careful Endeavor. Your Jiren is showing."
this is still one of the best season finales
When everything seemed lost in darkness a beacon of hope shined brighter than the sun, and his name is endeavor🔥
I was waiting for this episode for so freaking long, since Endeavors introduction and Montana`s hate towards him. I gotta add, the imagery and symbolism on the scene is also superb. We have Endeavour accepting help to deal with a threat way over his league. We have him flying towards the sky as a new sun with fire wings and exploding, turning his self past to ash and reborning the version of him he wants and is trying to be. It`s amazing.
Endeavour also don`t force his family to accept his change, nor ask them anything, nor say his sorry, because he is a person of action not words. That`s why he say "Watch me" to Shouto and to people when he`s oficially crowned number one.
I would also want to point out it looks like Endeavor is Neurodivergent, social interactions puzzles him, he gotta great attention to detail about people he cares about, he`s unhealthly hyperfocused on goals his minds sets him to, he doesn`t now what to say so he just act on stuff to show what he`s feeling or thinking.
15:31 This right here is actually a small reference to the anime Fairy Tail! The pink haired kid is made to look like the other show's protagonist. He uses fire magic, has pink hair, and even has the exact same dub voice actor! The very fact he's an Endeavor fan is ironic haha. Such a cool easter egg in my opinion.
Hearing Kenny show so much love to Endeavor’s VA makes me want them to watch Vinland Saga with the Netflix dub- sure, Thorkell isn’t in the early episodes much, but it would also be a great show for these 2 in general, would love to hear Montana’s analysis, especially season 2
montana sweet summer child thinking the hands are vacum thingis is at the same time HILARIOUS and FCKED knowing the context
What context is that?
@haydenberends3905 HUGE SPOILERS
the hands belong to his family members which HE killed
@@satiramalek2572 Oh, you were referring to that.
The thing with Endeavor is that when it comes to fighting and being a hero, he pretty much always gives it his all and never gives up. This fight pretty much solidifies that. On the level of effort for being a good person though, yeah, I gotta say he’s still pretty pathetic.
But still, I gotta say, as much as I don’t like him, he totally earned this victory.
Great hero, still a bad person.
Somebody doesn't believe in redemption but at the same time I get it
@@kingquan2608 I believe in redemption and atonement, I just don’t think he’s really embodying those things as much as some people say he is.
@@kingquan2608
If somebody believes they are entitled to be forgiven and if people don't then they don't believe in redemption.. That just shows the person is still shitty.
As for Endeavor, he is a great fighter. But IMO, he is still a criminal who has not faced any punishment due to his status.
At best, he realizes his mistakes. But he doesn't want to face consequence and I mean real one. So, he does some good acts in order to be forgiven.
News flash, unless the victims want to forgive him themselves for real, there is no reason to believe he has earned it. He earned his hero status by hiding his crimes as well.
So, for me... he hasn't earned anything but got everything he did by either force or deception.
@natsuotodoroki have you seen this last season?
How many Impact frames do you want ?
Bones - YES
Literally get chills and cry every time I watch this ep. lol
I’m not even 100% sure why, but this episode is one of the ones that gets me the most emotional. It’s so good.
Same Kenny! I get chills every time I see Endeavor's fight
I don't think Endeavor deserves a suck counter for showing up at the hospital and not seeing his wife when the doctor says "I don't think she is ready"
The counter actually went down in that scene
@@Schramm456 wow thanks I did not notice
This is the episode that made me completely change my mind on Endeavor, I stopped hating him. In part, it’s not just because of him alone but because of Hawks. Hawks loves Endeavor so much I couldn’t help but root for Endeavor. I actually have Endeavor tattooed on my upper arm, he is for me the perfect symbol of fcking up and fcking up REAAAAAL bad, but not leaving it there, but recognizing you did and trying to do better even if no one will forgive you for it, even if no one will praise you for it, doing it because you owe it to those you hurt, and bcs you need to be better, doing it for atonement and not redemption.
I still need to get Hawks too, because he is sacrifice and he is trust and he is loyalty and he is faith.
31:56 Endeavor was the only one not content with looking at Allmight’s back. Everyone else conformed with the idea of having Allmight there to protect them, but Enji said NO. Enji always knew having one symbol, one strong person was not enough, and he wanted to be better, Hawks feels the same way. There is a reason why Hawks, whose desire is for heroes to have way too much time on their hands, looked at Endeavor and never at Allmight. It’s because Allmight’s existence, the “I AM HERE” lulled everyone into a false sense of security, everyone conformed and never tried to do better because Allmight was there. Hawks didn’t, Endeavor didn’t.
32:14 I want to clarify, it’s NOT a redemption arc, Endeavor’s journey is one of atonement.
(At 20:35) Nomu: Are you… above… your own… hype?!
Endeavor: *I **_AM_** THE HYPE!*
Dub was amazing but man that sub was just something else. My heart was pumping, on edge every moments. The music, the va, the animation was just godly
Been waiting for months for this and it was well worth it
The is the first time that watching this I saw that when Endeavour says "Hawks NOW!" He used his fire to create an arrow pointing up....I love this character
INSANEEEEE i cant watch this episode without tearing up
I think collectively we're all waiting for Montana's post episode thoughts on this one
Me: I'm gonna listen to this reaction while I do something on my phone
(battle starts)
Me: (phone abandoned, leaning into the screen, massive grin on my face, getting chills)
That finishing prominence burn is still by far one of the best attacks in the show. Animation was so good there
One thing I do love is how his children react to him. Fuyumi obviously being the most willing to let the past go. Shouto is interesting because it's more passive, which fits his character quite well. It nice to see all of his children have a different way of coping with the past and whether they can move past it and start again.
some stellar hero work being displayed
Dude Kenny reminds me so much of myself when I made my older sister watch mha and AoT, always looking out for her reactions and commenting on animations
(At 13:54) That's not really an option, Natsu. Considering what little backup he brought with him has already spread thin dealing with the other white nomus, he has to deal with _this one_ on his own.
Good thing that eye still intact.
Well I don’t know how many people were expecting a complete foundation episode to happen for the season finale when all others are wind downs from the big events of the season. This season just decides, nah. There hasn’t been enough heart-attacks, nuanced emotions, beautiful fights, and you know who we need to know better? Endeavor. A truly beloved character at this juncture with no caveats to speak of. I know the Gentle Criminal arc to its entirety is a wind down from the Overhaul arc which had child dissection in it. But WOW when Horikoshi wants to swivel from joy to sorrow to balance his story MAN can that get you whiplash. I think I gotta split up this one up into a 2 parter because this is another dense one. So I’ll split up fighting feats and story beats again.
We start off meeting the Todoroki siblings who are visiting Rei Todoroki. We’ve seen glimpses of Fuyumi during All-Might’s last stand. And Natsuo is debuting here. And then of course the bomb has to drop. What does Endeavor becoming the #1 hero mean to them? Fuyumi is scared to even talk about it in front of Rei, and Natsuo hardly recognizes the man as family at all for how he’s neglected him. But Rei? She’s the surprise here. And how she’s been in deep thought over Endeavor’s efforts. And when your WIFE says “I have no idea how his mind works.” That’s…um…enlightening. But to see her giving him the benefit of the doubt with his efforts even if the execution of his emotional care is always a disaster. Hence why the doctors have never let him near Rei.
Endeavor finds himself having to make a tough realization in the 1st few moments of this fight. To come across a new higher level of Nomu that immediately overpowers him and outspeeds him. The weight of being number 1 INSTANTLY hits. Here he is fighting a SOLDIER of the villain AFO, and it doesn’t matter what backup appears. Since Endeavor is the #1 hero…there’s no one to really call for. To go from being a highly reliable individual to ask for help and going to being the last line of defense is an INSTANT increase of issues. There’s nowhere to run to. There’s nowhere to hide. This is HIS problem to contain. (I’m reminded of when AFO treated Endeavor as a loud kid in a library during All-Might’s last stand.) He has to learn how to be a symbol class hero right here, RIGHT now.
Endeavor can’t do everything and Hawks is forced into action to let Endeavor deal with the major fight. I’m sure a large skyscraper being hit by something that should never be flying anywhere near it much less THROUGH it would have any historical comparisons to the scale of how bad things can get. (Well Japan is officially enduring a 9/11.)
Endeavor laments that the Nomu recognizes his weakness of overheating. Sadly a clear weakness in power and personality. And it has him reflect on what made him search out the family he’s…made. To him this weakness is why he never got close to All-Might. And he even brings up in season 3 that he needs All-Might to show the world why you’re better because otherwise that devalues his own efforts that have caused so much harm to his family. And if so, what has he chased and competed with? (God if he only knew how strong Prime All-Might was)
Endeavor told the public to watch him. So he shines like a beacon. The sun he engulfs himself in the air seen for miles as what he promised himself and to the people what he would be. But…that’s not who Endeavor is. He’s not the shining beacon of peace that All-Might was. And in his effort to recreate it? He falls. He’s only human. Leaving the public to stare down the reality that there is no true superhero watching them anymore. All-Might holds his gut in his desire to act and his inability to do so.
And no matter HOW much you hate Endeavor he doesn’t deserve THIS. He’s slowly getting subjected to the layers of torture All-Might was subjugated to by AFO. Except it’s not because it’s even personal. He’s…just there. And it’s so bad it even has Natsuo pleading with the tv for Endeavor to wait for backup so he can survive. The media basically says there’s no one there for them now. And it’s falling into sheer panic. (Aizawa even trying, from what I can tell, to keep Todoroki AWAY from the news so he doesn’t watch his dad get killed.)
But that’s not what’s happening. And his fan yells what do you MEAN there’s no hero?! Who says he’s out?! Who says he’s done or just ineffective! He’s not! You can SEE him fighting still. Things are getting from bad to worse. But he keeps getting up despite that. He may not be a superhero but he’s a hero doing his best. Getting up everytime he’s knocked down and making the most of every terrible circumstance. Lose an eye? I’ll use the one I got left to stare at the way forward. Get stabbed? That’s fine. I need the pain to stay awake. It’s all he and we can do but hope. Hope he surpasses all of this.
And Hawks says of course he’s hoping. That’s all he’s done. No one cared to surpass All-Might BUT Endeavor. He hoped to be the best and worked to make it so. He hoped for things that people wouldn’t hope for because he doesn’t think normally. It’s what makes him awkward. And it’s what makes him bad with people. But it never stopped him from hoping nonetheless. And Hawks couldn’t help but be inspired by that. Hawks isn’t an All-Might super fan. He told Endeavor as such. He’s an Endeavor super fan. That’s why Hawks conversations have pointed him towards being better by giving him that opportunity. It’s his chance to show what he’s made of. And now he bolsters him so he shines again.
One last confrontation has to be made. He has to be launched up where none feel like they can see him. Or look at him. But people want to watch. They ALL want to see him make it to the top. And from the highest point he reaches, he sees who he has been. What has lead him here. And that’s not the person he can be up here. The dream for the symbol All-Might was is over and it’s not Endeavor’s to inherit and continue. He has to let that part of him die. So he can move forward. And he brings himself AND the Nomu back down to earth. Where he will try EVERYTHING to find the best foot forward and hope for the path to get better. But can he kill off what he was and swear not to be it without ending himself in the process and tumbling straight into hell?
Yes. Yes he can. And it’s that hope for the better tomorrow that has lead him here. Ladies and Gentlemen. Allow me to introduce you to Endeavor: The Symbol of Hope. The Number 1 Hero in the only form he could take. Inspiring everything he just fought for to the entire nation and raising his hand high just as All-Might said goodbye, this is Endeavor’s hello. Now it’s his turn.
Deku knows the symbols are also his own burden to carry and as he puts himself to sleep….we see what he’s built of himself. It’s not much but it’s there. And he’s faced with the images of the past holders. Some in full shape. One as a flaming inferno. Some as nothing but silhouettes. And the foundation of it all. The memory of it beginning. And right when he reaches out, we hear the one who got it started saying “So you’re the 9th.” and the window explodes. Deku has his own symbol to build. And that is where Season 4 leaves us for Season 5.
Just your reminder don’t threaten creators. Horikoshi’s decisions for this episode resulted in the 1st big wave of pretty serious threats getting sent at him. You can’t do that. I mean it’s over a fictional story arc?! Just…what is wrong with this fandom sometimes. The fact I’m going to say this MORE than once is nothing short of absurd. DON’T THREATEN PEOPLE. There’s no winners in that.
WHAT A SEASON. Still gotta do fight analyzing but MAN this season is just so enjoyable front to back. What a fantastic finale.
Yeah, I don't think it's a stretch to call this episode the best season finale in the series.
As for what you said about Horikoshi, I had no idea he received threats for this chapter/episode. Are you kidding me? I see where people are coming from, but come on. Not only is this fiction, but they are blindly letting their disdain for a fictional character cloud their judgment of what the series is trying to say about said character moving forward, and their gonna harass the creator for it?!
You said it a while ago, and I agree: the fact that Horikoshi has stayed consistent with his work despite its toxic fandom is a testament to his character. I may not agree with some of his views or decisions in this series (Mineta, he's literally the ONE thing I would change. Not even erase, just change), he nonetheless has my respect.
@@HaydrogenBomb I’m literally going to bring this fact up TWO more times at different points in the story at points where that happened. I’m particularly talking about the manga timing not as much the anime timing. (Hopefully.) Just…yeah. I’m not saying I know if it impacted the story. But I know it happened.
I agree this is the best season finale of the show thus far. It’s phenomenal and it just furthers my ambition to prove what’s fantastic about this story in spite of the toxic fanbase at times. (Enjoying little bits of the “fanbase” now as I do season 7 work.)
You said people were threatening Horikoshi?? I had litterally no idea about this could you maybe explain further ? What was it for?? [Only if you want to of course. Also adding but I love your huge comments so much I do hope atleast one of those 2 read them because you've definitely changed my perspective on a few things]
Me: He's a horrible person and I'm not going to like him better if he brings her a gift, it doesn't make up for what he's done!
Endeavor: *brings Rei her favorite flowers*
Me: omg he brought her her favorite flowers 🥺
But in all seriousness, Endeavor is one of my favorite anime characters ever. He's so well developed, with so much symbolism and heavy themes, and despite being a horrible father, he's a great hero, he's strong and intelligent, but also dense and socially inept, and he's so unintentionally funny, and no I'm not a fangirl what are you talking about?
This is probably the best choreographed fight in the series aside from the movies
As a man with a dark past I strongly believe that nobody is beyond redemption and atonement, Such a strong moment. You were both awesome for this one :) 5 * reaction
In a way, this is one of the most beautiful episodes in the series. Seeing Endeavor recognize his own faults in the Nomu, and burn it all away in his effort to become a better person. Seeing society come together to have faith in Endeavor, now that All Might is gone. Seeing Endeavor's family so worried as they watch it all happen, like even they didn't realize how much they cared about him. Seeing Hawks recognize how Endeavor was the only hero that ever tried to surpass All Might, with the visuals of him attempting to build that impossible bridge. And, of course, the visuals and sounds, from the music to the voice acting, are stellar. All of it happening as part of Endeavor's redemption story (I think redemption stories are the best kind of stories). It all really makes this a beautiful episode.
Also Spoilers
We couldn't have known it when we first saw this episode, but having seen through season 6 by now, we now know that Endeavor means a lot more to Hawks than just as another hero. Endeavor was Hawks' personal hero from a young age. I think Hawks puts him on more of a pedestal than he would like to admit. This episode was the first glimpse we got into Hawks' admiration for Endeavor, continuing to see Endeavor as an inspiration for himself. I think he really wanted the world to see Endeavor the way he sees him.
I’ve said this before, but it’s fitting that one of the worst characters in the series gets one of the best fights. Equivalent exchange.
I remember making my way through the show and just thinking to myself “how could someone come up with so many different quirks??” And being so impressed by the uniqueness of powers. Then here comes the #2 hero and instantly blows my mind away with his quirk. To be able to control every single one of his feathers in such a way I was amazed. And as we come to know him more he really enters amongst my top favorite characters in MHA.
Oh, how I look forward to Montana's reactions to the next two seasons.... 😁
You think she's gonna guess the identity of THAT character, or will she be actually surprised at the reveal?
It'd be fun if she didn't see it coming, for once.
(At 10:14) as if he actually consider bringing his wife involved in this. He's stubborn and reckless but he's not stupid to bring others on dangerous situations. He probably wouldn't even let Shoto join in on this, yet.
Endevor just casually fighting Disturbed's The Guy
I love a good redemption episode
I felt Montana was having some deep thoughts about endeavor character at 12:33 to 12:53
Endeavor has earned the number one spot
Let's go, Endeavor!
His growth has only just begun
I am surprised Montana didn’t recognize Nana Shimura at the end there. She was a huge part of the All for One fight.
Honestly after this and endeavor making a pledge to be better, he becomes one of my top 5 pretty quick
The monster that Endeavor used to be died in this episode, though the scars left behind from his actions still need healing. And like a phoenix from the ashes, a true hero has been born in his place, and will only continue to grow.
Well, the monster he used to be died this episode, and then comes back with a vengeance not long after.
(At 24:50) WHAT?! No, that was Shigaraki's grandmother!
What I like about endeavor and the whole todoroki family ordeal, is that this isn’t a story about redemption, it’s the story of an ATONEMENT, someone trying to amend all he has done, but knowing well enough that not everything will go back to normal and that there will be repercussions for his actions
I personally will never understand the people who continue to say endeavor doesn't show or deserve any glazing bro is trying to atone and though he may never fix and put it all back together the way it was before he can do his damned best to prove that he wants to try by picking up the pieces. Bro continues to send flowers, and is trying his damned hardest to protect the city. Not because of the psychological rivalry he had with All Might but because he is now the defacto symbol of peace that Japan needs. He is smart and logical to the point where he almost killed himself with prominence burn he is an absolute POS but he is trying to dig himself out of the hole he dug and make amends.
YES! I’ve been waiting for this episode for so long
I think my favorite line in this episode is when Hawks says “ I was watching you, so I understand…. There wasn’t a single other person who seriously attempted to surpass him… you were the only one…you never stopped trying to take his spot…” It was something I never really thought about and realized was true, it gave me such a new respect for Endeavor
3X11 is a strong candidate, but this might be my favorite episode up to this point in the series. Endeavor is one of the most interesting characters in the series because (superpowers aside), he's a realistic portrayal of a deeply flawed man who lives with regrets that are entirely his own fault. Most high-achieving people are more like Endeavor than All-Might.
This is my fav ep as well. Probably until a certain ep comes out in season 7
Every ost this episode is perfect
What I liked was the subtle detail where after evacuation, Endeavour slices the building so that Hawks can safely dispose of the rubble rather than keeping it there as a major hazard for the people who are evacuating the streets.
Endeavour should hire Kenny for all this PR work in the opening cuts 🤣
This anime is very all over the place. The manga released the epilogue ch on saturday