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The uncertainty surrounding Keigo Takami aka Hawks' allegiance is no news to the My Hero Academia fandom, and his morally gray and overly pragmatic personality isn't making matters any clearer either.
Despite technically being on the "good guy" side, certain actions of his have left fans wondering if he might switch to the dark side. So, is he or is he not a villain in My Hero Academia? Let us go through the issue and reach a conclusion.
Disclaimer: Contains spoilers for My Hero Academia anime/manga
Explaining whether Hawks is a villain in My Hero Academia
The genesis of the ambiguity
The general air of suspicion that his job as an undercover agent for the Hero Public Safety Commission arouses is the main reason behind the belief that Hawks might be the bad guy. He was tasked with infiltrating the League of Villains and obtaining sensitive information that could aid in the villains' downfall. But this narrative has become significantly more complicated over time.
In order to gather information on the villains successfully without raising eyebrows, he had to adopt a shrewd and fierce persona that contrasted with his true beliefs. He knew that to solidify his footing in the League, he needed to make himself valuable to them, which unfortunately ended up costing lives.
It is safe to assume that he takes his job very seriously because this facade was convincing to both the villains and the fans.
Some events that fanned the spark
In order to keep his cover safe, he had to commit several nefarious actions. His wildly pragmatic nature, which was one of the reasons he was chosen for the job in the first place, and his willingness to go to great lengths to uphold a mission, have made him a divisive figure.
Some of his actions explicitly contributed to his perceived ambiguous nature. He was seen delivering Best Jeanist’s supposed dead body to Dabi to gain his trust, something that did not sit well with the fandom.
The recent controversy in the My Hero Academia fandom surrounding his killing of Twice only added fuel to the flame. Hawks made a difficult decision when he realized that the Sad Man's Parade could overpower the heroes, and with Dabi present, he took no chance and killed Twice. This sparked outrage among fans, who accused Hawks of taking advantage of a mentally unstable man. His unfeeling straightforwardness with his actions, combined with his connection to Twice, made him appear to be the bad guy.
That being said, the gravity of the situation must not be overlooked. With the mission at stake, Hawks made the decision he thought was ideal. He even gave Twice the chance to back down but was met with refusal.
Is he the bad guy?
Looking into the narrative with a more holistic and nuanced approach will give us a clear answer that Hawks is definitely not a villain in My Hero Academia, he’s just really good at his job. He had to have known the cost of going undercover was high, but he stood his ground and acted calmly in life-or-death situations. Though morally gray, his allegiance never wavered, not once. He is a skilled Pro Hero with tactical proficiency, which often comes off as ruthless, causing debates such as this.
Hawks may continue to be misunderstood in the future, or the mangaka may decide to change his fate entirely, but for the time being, it is safe to say that Hawks remains committed to the Hero cause.
