The End of the War! Who Won, Though?!

My Hero Academia S6, Ep. 13 Review

The Paranormal Liberation War has reached its thrilling conclusion. What should’ve been a triumph for the heroes of Japan became a bloodbath, and Deku and the heroes of UA found themselves in the center of everything. Everyone fought with all their strength, but sometimes, all the planning in the world won’t be enough. This week, the heroes truly lost the fight.

From the Jaws of Defeat…

At the end of the last episode, it looked like the heroes had the villains dead to rights. Shigaraki couldn’t fight anymore, the League of Villains couldn’t move, and Gigantomachia was out cold. It should have been their victory. However, at this crucial moment, the heroes get blindsided by the resolve of the villains, specifically Mr. Compress.

Through a flashback, it’s revealed that Mr. Compress is the descendant of a vigilante from the early days of heroes. His ancestor used his powers to target corrupt heroes as a Robin Hood-esque figure, and his family still sees itself as fighting for real justice. It’s this idea that gives Mr. Compress the resolve to get the League of Villains out of their seemingly impossible situation, despite badly injuring himself in the process. 

…Comes Victory for One Side…

In the end, when everyone’s spent everything they have and is at the end of their rope, the outcome isn’t due to who has the most power. It’s the one that has the most resolve to keep fighting despite the pain. As a result, Mr. Compress manages to give his comrades the opening they need to escape Best Jeanist. All for One then takes over Shigaraki’s body and uses him to order the Nomu to save them before retreating, much to the fury of Deku.

More than any other hero, Deku knows how great a threat All for One is and what Shigaraki could become. Despite being unable to move, he still has the resolve to keep fighting. More than that, though, despite all the horrible thing’s he’s done, Deku knows that somewhere, deep down, Shigaraki’s still the scared little kid who wants someone to save him. The frustration as he watches Shigaraki escape is palpable.

…And Bitter Defeat for Another 

Thus, the first half of the sixth season to My Hero Academia comes to a close. Despite capturing most of the Paranormal Liberation Front, including Gigantomachia and Dr. Garaki, the heroes still failed their main goal. Shigaraki escaped along with most of the League of Villains, who managed to level several cities in the process. In addition, many heroes gave their lives in the fighting, while many others are in critical condition. Worst of all, their reputation will take a serious hit thanks to the revelations about Endeavor’s family life and Hawks killing Twice.

The next half of the season is going to be exploring the aftermath of his massive failure. Having read the manga ahead of time, I can be honest when I say that things are about to get dark for the heroes. Darker than it’s likely ever been for them. And I’m going to enjoy every moment of it. GO BEYOND, PLUS ULTRA

I Give “Final Performance” a 4/5

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