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Despite being a multi-focused chapter, My Hero Academia chapter 363 manages to circumnavigate Dabi having a regeneration quirk, dubbed in the fandom as “Dabi’s Phoenix Quirk.” The battle in Kamino was left at a point where Shoto had completely overpowered Dabi, but the glimpse of a white light emerging from the villain’s chest made fans speculate about this theory.
While My Hero Academia chapter 363 does bring back the fan-favorite villain and shift its focus back to Kamino, Horikoshi provides a much more logical explanation for Dabi’s return. Rather than having a regenerative quirk, it appears that Dabi simply copied the youngest Todoroki’s prized technique.
My Hero Academia chapter 363 dashes any hope of Dabi having a regenerative quirk
Fans had long speculated that Toya’s true Quirk was not “Cremation” or “Blue Flame,” but a regenerative Quirk commonly dubbed as the “Phoenix Quirk.” After it was revealed that Toya’s Quirk was burning his body from the inside (a process that was accelerated by the frequent use of said Quirk), readers theorized that the destruction was only half of the phenomenon.
They conjectured that after Toya has burned his body beyond the point of no return by overusing his Quirk, he may heal himself and return from the ashes (both figuratively and quite literally). In folklore and mythology, a Phoenix sets itself on fire, and a new bird is reborn from the ashes. Thus, this quirk is commonly dubbed as Phoenix Quirk amongst fans.
The fall and re-rise of the Phoenix theory
Before the whole fiasco of AFO retrieving Toya’s burnt body from Sekoto Peak was revealed, many fans believed that the Phoenix Quirk was responsible for Toya’s survival and his subsequent transformation into Dabi.
However, the flashback explained that Toya’s body was restored by Dr. Garaki using several unauthorized means, and his transformation into Dabi was fuelled by his misgivings about his family, especially Endeavor and Shoto.
Following this revelation, readers had completely given up on the theory. However, in My Hero Academia chapter 353, a white speck of light appeared on the latter’s chest after Shoto overpowered and defeated Dabi. The way this was framed gave rise to the theory once more, especially since the chapter heavily implied that the battle between the two brothers was far from over.
Explanation in My Hero Academia chapter 363
While My Hero Academia chapter 363 returned to Kamino once again, it did not corroborate the theory. Quite contrarily, Dabi’s return to power in this chapter is explicitly stated to be due to Shoto’s phosphor, which his elder brother simply copied.
Dabi fought off the freezing effects of Shoto’s Great Glacial Aegir by channeling his fire throughout his body in an even distribution. Considering that he was primarily self-taught and did not have to find a balance between fire and ice like his younger brother, Dabi had an easier time modifying the technique than Shoto.
However, the state of Dabi’s body in My Hero Academia chapter 363 makes it clear that he is on the verge of falling apart with no possibility of a healing quirk in sight.
He is deteriorating at a rapid rate and, as Shoto rightly guesses, has no qualms about dying in his quest to exact revenge on their father. If Dabi does indeed possess a regenerative quirk, it stands to reason that he would have employed it already or had a Quirk Awakening while trapped in Shoto’s ice.
Final thoughts
Toya Todoroki perished in the flames of Sekoto Peak, and Dabi was born from the ashes. From a literary point of view, Toya’s character is centered around both vengeance and rebirth, reminiscent of Anakin Skywalker’s transformation into Darth Vader from the Star Wars franchise. Metaphorically, Toya is the Phoenix of the series, rising from the fire and then turning to fire at the end of everything.
However, the idea of a Quirk that can emulate the same effect in practice might be too far-fetched. Dabi has overcome extreme circumstances, some might even say death, with the power of hatred and vengeance.
Since Dr. Garaki confirmed that Toya was not supposed to survive the incident at Sekoto peak, most of the fandom wondered how far his willpower could keep him going, especially when faced with someone of equal or more power.
My Hero Academia chapter 363 clearly shows that not only does Dabi have no regard for his well-being, but he is being held together by sheer willpower at this point. Perhaps readers will have to accept that despite Shoto’s valiant efforts to save his brother, Toya may not survive his destructive nature a second time.
