Saitama's final opponent in One Punch Man could test his resolve as a Hero

As One Punch Man fans must know already, while Saitama became a hero for the fun of it, he wasn't quite experiencing what he wished for. This is because, during his training, he became so overly powerful that he could defeat any enemy with a single punch, no matter how powerful.

In fact, the strongest enemy he faced was Cosmic Garou. While the monster indeed forced Saitama to push his strength beyond his limits during the fight, he, too, was deemed ineffective in giving Saitama what he truly desired.

So, considering that Saitama vs. Garou was such a destructive battle in the manga, what do you think would happen if Saitama were to fight his truly worthy opponent in One Punch Man?

Disclaimer: This article may contain spoilers from the One Punch Man manga.

Saitama's endgame fight in One Punch Man could test his resolve as a hero

God as seen in the manga (Image via Shueisha)

While Saitama has yet to face anyone strong enough, it is to be expected that the series' final enemy won't share the same fate. With story elements involving God being introduced frequently, fans can assume that the manga's final fight might be Saitama vs. God.

So, what if Saitama were to enjoy this fight? While Saitama wished to protect the people he cared about, he has always wanted to fight someone worthy, which, by his standards, could lead to the destruction of absurd proportions. Given his fight against Cosmic Garou, there is a chance that Saitama vs. God could lead to further destruction, including that of planets, constellations, and even Earth itself.

Saitama destroying Jupiter with a sneeze (Image via Shueisha)

In this scenario, what would Saitama do? Will he protect the innocent or enjoy his long-awaited real battle? While as a hero, there is a good chance that Saitama might choose to protect the innocent, what if he chooses fun? What if, despite seeing the destruction around him, he couldn't help but be mesmerized by the emotion he had wished to experience for so long?

What if such developments lead him to become a corrupted individual seeking more epic battles without a care in the world? In doing so, Saitama might slowly lose what made him a hero in the first place.

Saitama before he became a hero (Image via J.C. Staff)

Indeed, Saitama has always been the type of person immune to being corrupted. But what if he were to change after finally getting a taste of what he had desired for so long? Upon facing such an existential crisis, there is a chance that Saitama may have a tough time choosing between saving the innocent and looking for adrenaline.

Therefore, while the story is still far from reaching its endgame, chances are Saitama's final opponent in One Punch Man could end up being his true test of resolve. While he began doing hero work for fun, such an incident could instill him with a true hero's resolve. The question is, how will Saitama decide to save the innocent while experiencing a fight he had long wished for?

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About the author

Gokul has been an anime writer in Pop Culture division at Sportskeeda since 2022. His love for watching anime and his interest in the ever-growing anime industry inspire Gokul to produce insightful content about the genre on a daily basis. He holds a Master's degree in Communication & Journalism, and has worked for close to 3.5 years in the field.

Gokul likes to thoroughly research about the anime he is writing about and only credits a source after verifying its credibility. He loves the popular Shonen anime, Black Clover, for its memorable characters and their development throughout the story.

When not racking his brain behind his next anime story, Gokul likes to play video games, read manga, and play football.

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Edited by Toshali Kritika