My Hero Academia: Why killing Endeavor will be a waste of his character arc, explored

Enji Todoroki, also known as the Flame Hero: Endeavor, is a Pro Hero in mangaka Kohei Horikoshi’s My Hero Academia. He has established himself as one of the strongest Heroes in the series, and he currently occupies the Number One spot after All Might’s retirement.

In the latest issue of My Hero Academia, Endeavor came very close to death while fighting. Fans and readers of the series were left hanging, wondering if this would be the end of Endeavor's journey. However, killing off such a vital character would be a grave disservice to the story at large. So, here is why killing Endeavor off would be an impractical and quite disappointing move to make by the mangaka.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers.

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Why My Hero Academia will suffer if it kills off Endeavor

Endeavor's character arc in My Hero Academia has been one of the most complex and intriguing in the series. He began the series as the number two Pro Hero and was obsessed with surpassing All Might. He believed he could accomplish this goal through his children, particularly his eldest son Toya.

Endeavor's fixation with outdoing All Might has had disastrous effects on his family, particularly his wife Rei and his son Toya, who he abused, after discovering that his kid did not inherit his mother's Ice Quirk and, secondly, that his body is unable of handling high flames.

Endeavor, frustrated, deprived Toya of any sort of validation and became extremely abusive. This eventually drove both Rei and Toya to the brink of insanity, with Toya eventually becoming the villain Dabi. As the Todoroki family's dark secrets came to light, Endeavor was forced to confront the reality of his actions and the pain he caused his family. This realization marked a turning point in his character arc, as he sought to make amends for his past mistakes and mend his relationship with his son, whom he wronged so heavily.

For Endeavor, reconciliation with Dabi is crucial to his journey of redemption. Killing off Endeavor at this point, especially at the hands of Dabi, would be a wasted opportunity for both characters to have a fulfilling closure. It would deny Endeavor the chance to confront the consequences of his actions and seek forgiveness from his son, and rob Dabi of the opportunity to confront his father and find peace from the pain and trauma he endured.

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A quick summary of Endeavor and Dabi’s fight in My Hero Academia chapter 388

The question of whether Endeavor will be written out of the story has arisen due to the severe injuries he sustained while battling his own son in the previous chapter of My Hero Academia. As depicted in the latest chapter, Endeavor was bracing himself for Dabi to explode when he realized that his son was still seeking his approval, even in the midst of their fight.

Endeavor displays a genuine desire to atone for his past actions, including those committed by Dabi but because of him. Endeavor's attempt to redeem himself culminates in an act of self-sacrifice, where he puts his life on the line to protect those around him, by flying away with Dabi. It was only Rei’s intervention at the end of the chapter that seemed to suggest that Endeavor can be saved.

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Endeavor has undergone a significant character development arc, evolving from a cold and distant parent to one who is more empathic and loving. Killing him off at this point would be a huge letdown.

The focus of My Hero Academia chapter 388 will most likely shift from Dabi versus Endeavor and Rei to All Might versus All For One. Fans will be treated to the sight of All Might fighting in his new outfit, possibly for the last time. At this point, neither spoilers nor raw scans are available, hence nothing can be said definitively about the future of the series.