Theprotagonist of My Hero Academy, Izuku Midoriya, has been through quite a journey since the beginning of the anime. He was originally a quirky boy, but becomes All Might’s successor, inheriting the One for All Peace Symbol.
Many people have argued that All Might may not have made the best choice when choosing Izuku, and that Mirio Togata would have been better. Actually, there is more than one reason why All Might’s decision was correct. At the same time, Izuku could have followed other paths, which could have sent different and perhaps more understandable messages. Had he run out of quirks, he could have become a hero or a villain.
10 They should have remained karat free: One for all does permanent damage
One for All is an incredibly powerful Quirk and Izuku is not naturally gifted to wield it. At first, Izuku isn’t even capable of throwing a fist without hurting himself. He seriously injures his hands in his fight against Shoto Todoroki in the United States Tournament, and his showdown with Muscular doesn’t help. Later, he discovers his Full Cowling and Shoot style, but by then, permanent damage has already been done. It’s a sad thing to see and it wouldn’t have happened if it had run out of quirks.
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9 He should have become a villain: He was mistreated and persecuted
There’s a good reason why a lot of people in the MHA fandom view Izuku as a villain. Being quirky is a curse in the world of My Hero Academia. Since his diagnosis, Izuku has suffered abuse and mistreatment. His old childhood friend, Katsuki Bakugou, is his worst bully and even commits suicide with him. Nobody ever does anything to help Izuku. These kinds of things don’t just go away and should turn into real resentment. Canon Izuku seems to channel his feelings into his determination to become a hero, but that’s not very healthy for him either.
8 He should have remained karat free: He could have become a hero
The main reason All Might chooses Izuku as his successor is his courage and heroic spirit. During the Mud Villain’s attack on Katsuki, Izuku is the only one to intervene, even though there are three Pro Heroes present. Powerless and without power of his own, he finds the strength and creativity to help a person in need, even if that person attacked him on the same day. What really makes Izuku a hero is his heart – and he still might have been one without One For All.
It’s true that in such a quirky society, with villains like All for One and Overhaul, it would be much more difficult for Izuku to make a difference. Not having a peculiar character, he would lack the necessary support to become what he could become. But the potential was always there. You just had to give it a chance.
7 He should have become a villain: Everyone would have understood the consequences of his actions
All Might may have given Izuku his quirk, but that’s not his original answer to Izuku’s question. Despite having been himself without rarity, he originally tells Izuku that he cannot become a hero. In a way, it’s understandable, as even with One for All, he suffered a serious injury. But he’s still cruel, and in addition to everything that happened to Izuku that day, he could have easily blown him up.
After all, it is unfair for someone violent and rude like Katsuki to be automatically branded heroic, while Izuku is considered an inferior life form. With his hero shattering his dreams, Izuku could have abandoned his last hopes and embraced a life of crime.
6 Should have remained undisturbed: Could have shown that unusual people deserve to be respected
Regardless of Izuku’s chosen path, just because it has no rarities does not automatically mean that it is worthless. In fact, if it had remained without rarity, it could have shown that people without rarity deserve to be respected.
In a way, Izuku shouldn’t have to carry that kind of responsibility for the rest of his life. Even Melissa Shield, who has the support of her father David, has only limited success in earning people’s respect. But that is precisely why it is important. Izuku’s incredible determination, which is what has helped him the most in his hero life, could have fueled him if he had also run out of quirks.
5 He should have become a villain: Villains could have easily seen Izuku’s potential
With the amount of discontent in hero society, villains are always on the lookout for promising recruits. Izuku would have undoubtedly been a worthy addition to any villain organization. All for One or Overhaul could have easily reached out to Izuku that fateful day, and if that had happened, Izuku could have followed a very different, more violent path.
4 I should have remained aimless: I could have given hope to other people without personality.
Most of the people in MHA it has oddities, but “most” does not include everyone. There are countless people like Izuku who are mistreated and abused. If Izuku had become a hero with no quirks, he might have given them hope. It could have been what All Might was, but for the forgotten, for the people who are always on the sidelines. Someone with the intensity of Izuku could have even started a revolution if he had wanted to.
3 He should have become a villain: He would have given the redeemable villains someone else to follow
Becoming a no-quirk hero might have brought hope to no-quirk people, but it could also have given some villains someone to follow and believe in. The Hero Killing Spot would have at least recognized and respected Izuku’s position, even if he is an unrepentant assassin. People like Twice, Spinner or even Himiko Toga, who are haunted by their quirks, would have seen it as a kindred spirit.
Even Dabi would have empathized with Izuku’s situation, as he himself has a history of abuse. It seems unlikely that a shy and quirky kid could lead an organization of volatile people, but stranger things have happened. At the very least, he would have been more approachable than Tomura Shigaraki.
2 He should have stood by doing nothing: He could have made better use of his intelligence
An unfortunate consequence of Izuku receiving the One for All is that he seems to use the natural intelligence with which he is endowed far less than he should. His tendency to analyze oddities is still there, and interestingly, he shines more when he uses his wits in the Sports Tournament instead of his weirdness. Even so, especially in the beginning, Izuku looks a lot like All Might.
In the fifth season, he begins to overcome this trend, even beating All Might when he learns to use the quirks of previous One for All users. But he is still too reckless and does not fully understand the true value of his intelligence. Had he remained without oddities, perhaps he could have learned to overcome this and better utilize his innate abilities.
1 should have become a villain: Izuku’s acceptance sends the wrong message
Izuku’s noble character and ideals are one of the most remarkable things about him, but overall, they are not very realistic. In a way, they also send the wrong message. Katsuki Bakugou ends up apologizing to Izuku, but there are no real consequences for his actions, beyond his own feelings of remorse. The systemic abuse of quirks is not addressed in any way after Izuku receives the One for All.
It suggests that it is okay to hurt someone as long as they are different, a mindset that is unfortunately already too powerful in our society. If Izuku had become a villain – and really managed to revolutionize society – it would have been a bit clearer that abuse doesn’t just go away. Trauma has side effects, and sometimes society itself has to suffer for the crimes it has committed.