Todoroki vs Bakugo wouldn't have changed with Shoto's flames, and My Hero Academia fans need to realize why

My Hero Academia has some truly memorable and iconic battles, but one of the most underrated is the Todoroki vs Bakugo one in the Sports Festival arc, mainly because of the way it plays out. A lot of people have mentioned that Shoto would have defeated him if he chose to use his fire powers, but the truth of the matter is that Bakugo would still have won in that scenario.

That is because Katsuki Bakugo's Explosion Quirk in My Hero Academia is perfectly suited to fight fire-based enemies, and the heat would make him sweat more, which allows him to use his powers in a much more efficient manner.

Therefore, if Shoto had chosen to use his Fire Quirk, this would have resulted in his defeat either way.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers from the manga/anime and reflects the opinions of the writer.

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Explaining why Todoroki vs Bakugo wouldn't have a different outcome in My Hero Academia if Shoto used his fire powers

Bakugo after defeating Shoto in the manga (Image via Shueisha).

As was previously stated, Katsuki Bakugo and Shoto Todoroki faced each other in the final of the Sports Festival arc, and the latter chose not to use his fire-based powers in this combat, leading the former to win the match.

Most people have assumed that author Kohei Horikoshi made it clear through this development that Shoto would have won if he had used his entire power, but the truth is a bit different.

Bakugo's Quirk is based on creating explosions, which is perfectly suited to counter fire-based powers and wouldn't have much of a difference.

Furthermore, there is also the fact that Shoto using these powers would have raised the temperature, leading Katsuki to sweat more, which is the main source of his powers, thus giving him more chances to use his Quirk in this conflict.

On the other hand, which is something that Horikoshi perhaps didn't explore a lot in the arc, is the fact that Bakugo was studying Todoroki for the vast majority of the tournament.

Therefore, this is something that could have given him another edge since he was a lot more prepared, while Shoto's mental state wasn't the best.

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The Bakugo and Shoto dynamic in the series

Shoto and Bakugo as seen in the anime (Image via Bones).

It is rather ironic that the Todoroki vs Bakugo fight might be this duo's best moment together in My Hero Academia, despite the fact that the franchise's marketing features them as part of the main trio alongside the protagonist, Izuku "Deku" Midoriya.

However, these two characters are connected heavily to Deku, but they don't spend a lot of time together, and their arcs don't truly relate in any meaningful manner.

There were several times when Horikoshi attempted to group them together, to the point that Bakugo was involved in Shoto's household when Natsuo confronted their father, Endeavor.

While it made sense to get two popular characters spending time together, the truth of the matter is that their chemistry never took off, thus feeling a bit forced at times.

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Final thoughts

All things considered, the Todoroki vs Bakugo fight in My Hero Academia would still have the same outcome even if the former chose to use the entirety of his powers.

When analyzing the battle, Katsuki would still have the upper hand, especially because of Todoroki's wavering state of mind at the time.

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