Summary
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All Might, aka Toshinori Yagi, had animpressive reign as the most powerful herofor a long time in the world ofMy Hero Academia.He manages to accomplish this even though he was originally born without a quirk. This fact was one that he hid from the world, along with the powerful quirk he inherited, One For All. Originally, the holders of One For All had their own quirks in addition to it, something that only changed when Toshinori became the eighth holder.
While Toshinori didn’t contribute his own quirk to the mix as the previous holders did, the fact that he was quirkless actually ended up saving the quirk and the world against the evil of All For One. The details of why being Quirkless was actually a benefit for All Might are first revealed in Season 6 of theMy Hero Academiaanime.
The Perfect Vessel
Why All Might as the 8th Wielder Was Almost Fate
In episode 131 of the series,Deku discovers in a meeting with the vestiges of the previous wieldersthat One For Al has negative effects when inherited by those already with their own quirks. As One For All grew stronger with each generation, the power contained within it harmed a normal person’s body and could shorten their lifespan.
I’m quirkless. Born without a role.
This was discovered when the 4th holder’s autopsy report revealed that he had died of natural causes and old age at only 40 years old. The 4th holder, Hikage Shinomori, had isolated himself during his turn to avoid the powerful All for One and train the quirk as much as he could before passing it on. However, he eventually found his body started to break down prematurely. This side effect could have only worsened ifmore quirk holders were chosen as successors.
However, unbeknownst to the holders of One For All, they had made an incredibly fortunate choice by having Toshinori become the next bearer. If Toshinori had held a quirk, he wouldn’t have had 40 years to become the world’s symbol of peace because his lifespan would be shorter. Not only didToshinori’s reign as All Mightprepare the world for All For One’s eventual defeat, but Toshinori himself was critical in aiding his new successor in the final war.
In Deku’s meeting with the vestiges, Toshinori is described as the perfect vessel for the culmination of One For All’s power. His incredible physical prowess, despite being quirkless, allowed him to safely contain the quirk and use it at 100% without repercussions, unlike Deku.
A Twist of Fate
Why One For All Would Eventually End
Despite being a power that was successfully passed down so many times, One For All had a limited lifespan. This was because it would eventually grow too strong to be used by normal humans. Only a quirkless person stood a chance to use it properly as it grew, and even then, that quirkless person needed to be someone who was incredibly powerful on their own. This is why it was so lucky that All Might became the holder when he did. If One For All was passed onto another person with a quirk instead of him, even for just one generation, it might not have ever made it to a quirkless person again. This would have meant its lineage would have ended before All For One could be stopped.
I believe you’re worthy… of inheriting my power!!
In episode 131, it is implied that Deku, regardless of what happens in the future, would likely be the last holder of One For All. Not only would it be difficult to track down a worthy quirkless person in an era where quirkless people were becoming extinct, but One For All could only continue to grow in power. This could mean it would eventually outscale anyone’s capacity to use it. Although he was chosen to be a One For All wielder without this in mind, the fact that he was quirkless saved the timeline inMy Hero Academiaand the quirk One For All long enoughto accomplish its original goal of defeating All For One.
My Hero Academia
Cast
In My Hero Academia, some humans have superpowers called quirks. Izuku Midoriya, nicknamed Deku, is not one of them. Deku has always idolized heroes like the number one hero, All Might, and since he was a child, he has always wanted to be a hero. However, his lack of a quirk has always held him back, but a chance encounter with All Might after discovering a classmate in danger sets Deku on the path to becoming a true hero. My Hero Academia centers around Deku and a class of heroes-in-training at UA. This school shapes young quirk users into future heroes through fake rescue missions, combat training, and other hero-tempering tasks. With young Deku inheriting the “One-For-All” quirk, he will learn what it means to be a true hero while facing off with dastardly supervillains.
