One for All…Shigaraki Must Have One for All

My Hero Academia S6, Ep 5 Review

You know that moment in a Shonen anime when the bad guy gets a massive power-up? The one where they reveal how strong they really are, and how far behind them the hero is? For Deku and the heroes, this episode is that moment. If you thought things looked bad for the heroes as is, then buckle up. This entire arc’s going to be one long rollercoaster of pain and suffering for Deku and the heroes. The gates of Hell have been flung open, and demons are coming through to lay waste to the world! 

The Hunt for One for All Begins

Just when everything seemed to be going for the heroes, the tide turns against them. Having learned about Twice’s death, Toga goes on a killing spree, swatting down heroes left and right. 

Gigantomachia starts to move from his spot underneath the PLF’s HQ, which only makes things worse for the fight there.

And Shigaraki? None of the heroes can lay a hand on him. Not only is his original Quirk, Decay, augmented to terrifying levels, he now has some of All for One’s stolen Quirks, making him even stronger. In addition to all of this, his body’s as strong and durable as a Nomu, meaning he doesn’t even need his Quirks to fight the heroes. His raw strength’s enough to let him hold his own. It’s like watching the Jedi fight General Grevious, but the version from Tartakovsky’s Clone Wars mini-series. A being without the Force, but still able to kill Jedi!

Shigaraki’s not satisfied, though. Not until he gets the one Quirk that All for One couldn’t control: One for All. All for One’s influence on his mind compels him to seek it out. And, in what’s a major turning point for the series, Endeavor hears him mention One for All and tells the other heroes. They may not know the context, but to Deku, this is his worst nightmare come true.

One for All Can’t Stay Secret Forever

In a world where heroes are all public figures, the concept of a secret identity is a moot point (save for vigilantes.) Horikoshi got around this in a very unique fashion with One for All. Only a handful of people know what it is to protect it from All for One. In other words, having it is Deku’s equivalent to Spider-Man hiding his identity from almost everyone. However, now that the other heroes have heard about it, it’s only a matter of time before they learn the truth about why Deku’s so important. That could either make things harder or easier for Deku, and even with Bakugo and Gran Torino to help him…he’s not ready to fight Shigaraki.

This episode also reinforced my love for Mr. Aizawa, AKA the hero Eraser-Head. His Quirk-Erasure power is like kryptonite for Shigaraki and the Nomu’s. So long as he’s looking at them, the villains can’t use their Quirks, giving the heroes a chance. In other words, it makes him a major badass. But not even it might be enough to stop what the Villains have in store. For example, another batch of Nomu’s that Garaki’s had tucked away have awoken, and they look even more monstrous than the others. Considering how scary Nomu normally are, that’s saying something. 

Given how the next episode’s previews see Gigantomachia joining the battle, it’s clear that the heroes are about to go through Hell. This is going to be painful to watch…and yet, I will. GO BEYOND, PLUS ULTRA!!!

I Give “Encounter, Pt. 2” a 4/5

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