AFO had the perfect winning card in My Hero Academia, but Horikoshi never let him use it

My Hero Academia's All For One (AFO) epitomizes what an evil supervillain can be. He may be one of the few characters with no redeeming qualities or the possibility of being saved. This is considering that Deku was able to save Tomura Shigaraki at the end of the series. As is known, AFO was the nemesis of All Might and later faced Deku in a destructive fight to the death.

Now that the series has drawn to a close, several things can be picked up on when looking back. One of them, and the focus of this feature, looks to be a certain ability that creator Kohei Horikoshi stopped AFO from using. The ability, or rather Quirk in question, is the Spatial Distortion Quirk (not officially named). It looked to be the perfect trump card, but the Villain never really used it.

Disclaimer: This article reflects the writer's opinion.

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My Hero Academia: Horikoshi seemingly prevented AFO from using a potentially battle-winning ability

All For One (Image via Bones)

Diving right in, AFO is practically known for stealing powerful Quirks and later using them to further his reign of terror. Throughout the series, the Villain has had his hands on a number of powerful Quirks and lost quite a few as well. Among the arsenal of abilities that he came to possess, one in particular looked to be the perfect trump card - the Spatial Distortion Quirk.

While My Hero Academia did not officially name it, the Quirk was used about twice in the series. It was first seen when Mirko fought the Nomu Robot when the Heroes raided Jaku Hospital. Using Spatial Distortion, the Robot was able to twist off Mirko's left forearm. The Quirk permitted a user to materialize a small black hole to warp a limited area, i.e., manipulating the fabric of space to a certain degree.

Given that the Quirk does not require physical contact, it can be effectively used from a distance. This is what Robot did and damaged Mirko, and it is also what AFO used when he fought Hawks. On a different note, he was made to believe that he had killed Hawks using Spatial Distortion, whereas it was an illusion created by Camie Utsushimi.

All For One (Image via Bones)

But back to AFO, a Quirk like this in his hands looked to be the perfect winning card. However, considering that he only used it twice led to some disappointment among fans. It was almost as if a Quirk like this was too powerful to be kept at the forefront of his arsenal. Using this, he could have potentially battled with ease against the Heroes, simply warping and twisting space whilst fighting.

Again, it is possible to kill using the Quirk, given that AFO killed his brother in My Hero Academia using the ability. Moreover, unlike other powers in the series, this particular Quirk doesn't seem to have downsides or drawbacks. If that really is the case, then AFO possessed a card that was likely unbeatable. In his hands, any Quirk is dangerous, and one like this, more so.

However, it is possible that Horikoshi realized the true potential of this power and chose to hold back on it. There has been a common idea that the Quirk may require lots of energy/concentration, which would make it difficult for AFO to use his other powers. In this case, the Villain would be left with limited options and open to a broader scope of defeat. But its power and potential are undeniable.

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In conclusion

All For One (Image via Bones)

AFO in My Hero Academia stands as the ultimate embodiment of evil, a Villain devoid of redemption and defined by his insatiable hunger for power. Among the many Quirks he stole, the Spatial Distortion Quirk has been shown to be quite an intriguing tool, especially given its destructive potential and its underutilization.

Making very limited appearances, the Quirk enabled the user to manipulate the fabric of space to an extent. This allows for crushing attacks from a distance as no physical contact is needed. Theoretically, a power like this may have been AFO's ultimate weapon, capable of conquering foes easily.

However, the creator appears to have opted to hold back on its use, likely to maintain narrative balance. Further, it stopped AFO from turning into an insurmountable challenge, given his existing credentials. Thus, the plot underscored strategy, emotional stakes, and strength in numbers over force.

Ultimately, the Quirk's unused potential is an example of Horikoshi's nuanced storytelling, portraying AFO as a menacing, yet not invincible foe.

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