My Hero Academia season 4 episode 4 review: “Fighting Fate”
My Hero Academia’s latest episode shows Deku coming to terms with the fact that it’s not always so easy to save the day.
The most recent episode of My Hero Academia winds down the Shie Hassaikai arc and starts priming us for the Pro Hero arc in the Rise of Villians Saga. It’s the first day of Deku’s internship at Sir Knighteye’s agency. He’s patrolling the neighborhood with Mirio Togata (Lemillion) while Bubble Girl and Sir Nighteye are running surveillance on the Shie Hassaikai — the yakuza group led by the villain Overhaul.
A small girl comes running out of a dark alleyway and bumps into Deku. She’s bruised, bandaged, and scared — and who should come chasing after her but Overhaul himself. Overhaul claims the girl is his daughter. Although it’s glaringly obvious that there’s something unnatural about the interaction between Overhaul and the child, Lemillion urges Deku to walk away. They can’t afford to let Overhaul realize he’s the target of Sir Nighteye’s investigation.
It’s obvious that there’s something wrong with Overhaul’s claim to be the child’s doting parent. The little girl clings to Deku and begs him not to go. Overhaul lures the young heroes down the nearby alleyway. Sensing Overhaul’s intent to kill Deku and Lemillion, the child caves and reluctantly returns to his side. The two heroes have no choice but to watch as he carries the girl away.
The first day of Deku’s internship ends with him struggling to come to terms with the fact that it’s not always so simple for heroes to save the day.
Seeking out All Might — perhaps for reassurance — Deku also demands an explanation. Why didn’t All Might tell him that Sir Nighteye was grooming Lemillion to be All Might’s successor? Why did Sir Nighteye quit being All Might’s sidekick? Why is Sir Nighteye so disapproving of Deku?
Deku’s impassioned demands to hear the truth prompts All Might to reveal what we’ve all suspected for some time now: Sir Nighteye had long predicted the circumstances of All Might’s death. All Might ignored Sir Nighteye’s warnings, and by making Deku his successor, chose the path most likely to lead to that death.
It’s a heartbreaking moment for Deku, even though he’d pretty much seen it coming. The thing is, Deku isn’t his hopeless middle-school self anymore. I was even little surprised when, instead of wallowing in self-blaming despair, he urges All Might to live.
“I will twist fate together with you!” he boldly declares, eyes filled with bright tears of determination. (In the English dubbed version he says, “I will help you to fight fate!”)
In this moment, you can truly see how Deku has grown as a person, as a hero, and that he’s truly worthy of being All Might’s successor. No matter what happens from here on out, these powerful words of his will not be easily refuted or forgotten.
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