The Potential For Quirkless Heroes, Explained

From the series’ very beginning, My Hero Academia had already cemented the fact that there is no room for quirkless individuals in its hero world. This was further backed by the fact that possessing a quirk was a necessary prerequisite for joining a hero program in any of Japan’s top hero schools. It was only until My Hero Academia’s later seasons that the notion of a quirk being a prerequisite for being a hero was questioned.

All Might is a perfect example of how a quirkless character can rival one of the strongest villains in the series, all thanks to support items and high-tech gear. Armored All Might opens up a gateway for quirkless characters to potentially make their way into My Hero Academia’s hero landscape, but the concept is still rather juvenile and unheard of. It’s likely that quirkless heroes could take center stage if My Hero Academia were to be continued in the form of a spinoff down the line.

Related

My Hero Academia: The Significance Of Support Items For Heroes, Explained

Support items are a crucial element of hero work. Here’s a look at how support gear has shaped quirk usage in My Hero Academia.

The Role of Quirķless Characters in My Hero Academia

Quirkless Individuals Are Relegated to the Sidelines

In a world where quirks and superpowers reign supreme, and 80% of the population bears some sort of power, quirkless characters effectively have no significant role or status. While not all quirk-possessing individuals became heroes, their quirks are still useful in other industries and sectors. This further puts quirkless individuals at a severe disadvantage, as they have nothing special to offer to society.

In the beginning of My Hero Academia, it was stated that those who wanted to become heroes but were quirkless ended up joining the Police Force, where they were relegated to catching petty thieves and other low-skilled work. Moreover, being in a clear minority, quirkless individuals also suffer discrimination and prejudice at the hands of their quirk-possessing counterparts.

This was evident from Deku’s early days, where he became a victim of Bakugou’s constant bullying, all because he was born without a quirk. While Deku is one example, it’s clear that there are several other cases where quirkless individuals were bullied by their counterparts, all for being born without a special ability. The discrimination against quirkless individuals may not have been as severe as the Heteromorph discrimination, though a prejudice still clearly exists.

How Support Gear Challenges the Status Quo

Support Equipment Can Give Way to Quirkless Heroes

“Quirkless heroes” is a concept that is unheard of in the world of My Hero Academia. However, it’s surprising that such a notion was never given much thought before, considering that heroes had access to such high-tech and advanced support equipment. Throughout the series, all sorts of support equipment are used by heroes, giving them a considerable boost in their abilities. The series is dotted with many examples, including Deku and Bakugou, whose quirks were elevated by multiple folds, all due to possessing support gear molded specifically for their quirks.

Related

My Hero Academia: 6 Heroes With Shockingly Low Ranking

Horikoshi recently revealed the newest hero ranking. Some characters are too low seeing their contributions in MHA.

The same concept can be applied to quirkless individuals, who can benefit from support gear and equipment that can double as weapons for them, effectively turning them into heroes who could do the same work as their quirk-possessing counterparts. Regular civilians taking on the role of a superhero with the help of high-tech gear and equipment isn’t a novel concept, as this has been witnessed in Marvel and DC Comics. The most obvious example of this form of heroism is apparent from Iron Man or Batman’s heroic endeavors, two famous superheroes that are normal, average human beings.

With the help of high-tech gear and equipment, these characters have turned into superheroes that are able to fight on par with their superhuman counterparts. The same concept can be applied to the world of My Hero Academia, where those who are born without a quirk can also take part in heroism with the use of support gear that doubles as weaponry.

How Armored All Might paves the way for Quirkless Heroes

Armored All Might Is the First Quirkless Hero in My Hero Academia

The concept of Quirkless Heroes was never exactly considered a solid prospect in My Hero Academia. However, with the introduction of Armored All Might at the conclusion of Season 7, the possibility of regular civilians taking on the role of heroes has now become possible. After losing One for All, All Might became a regular, quirkless individual, essentially reverting to his original form with no superpowers at all. However, with his specially designed armored suit, All Might was able to take on the likes of All for One, a being that is akin to a god in the world of My Hero Academia.

Related

My Hero Academia: 8 Best All For One Quotes

All For One loves the sound of his own voice, and as a result, he has let out a fair share of iconic quotes that feed into his villainous persona.

All Might’s armored suit incorporates the quirks and powers of almost every student in Class 1-A, allowing him to use these powers in succession, similar to his students. While many believed that All Might would never stand a chance against All for One with mere support equipment, the fight between these two characters proved otherwise. The fight showcased the potential that Armored All Might has, as he was able to land several blows on the villain without sustaining much damage himself. While the fate of Armored All Might still hangs in the balance, the mere fact that he was able to go against a heinous villain such as All for One shows that the notion of Quirkless heroes is more than probable.

Limitations of Quirkless Heroes

Quirkless Heroes Are Held Back By a Few Weaknesses

While there aren’t exactly any specific drawbacks or negative consequences of quirkless individuals becoming heroes, there are, however, a few barriers to entry for them to enter the hero landscape. Firstly, affording support gear is rather expensive, as even Pro Heroes who have spent years in the field cannot easily afford such advanced tech. For regular civilians to afford such equipment would be even less probable.

This would leave only the wealthy and affluent to be able to afford high-tech gear that could turn them into heroes. Armored All Might is a clear example, since the only reason he was able to take on the role of a hero once again with the help of gear was due to the limitless financial resources that he had access to. For any normal individual to achieve the same feat would be next to impossible.

Another prominent aspect that should be considered is the fact that quirkless individuals would be inherently vulnerable without their support gear. In the event of their support equipment being destroyed or malfunctioning, they would be rendered helpless and entirely at the mercy of villains. Since quirk-possessing heroes can always rely on their quirks, it’s less risky for them to be in the line of fire. However, for quirkless heroes with support gear fighting villains, the risk is significantly higher as they can be left vulnerable in any unforeseen circumstance. This drawback makes quirkless heroes a less viable concept, though the drawbacks can still be mitigated with more advancement.

My Hero Academia is available to stream on Prime Video.

Studio

Bones

Japanese Title

Boku no Hero Academia

Creator

Kōhei Horikoshi