My Hero Academia Art Imagines All Might’s Reunion with Star and Stripe

A new piece of My Hero Academia artwork has fans in tears, feeling heartbroken. That’s because unlike so many pieces of fan art, which honor big moments or characters from a series, this piece of fan art imagines a moment of pure wishful thinking. In My Hero Academia’s latest arc, the task of stopping the hybrid version of All For One and Tomura Shigaraki fell to America’s top hero, Star and Stripe. (SPOILERS) Unfortunately, the power of AFO Shigaraki proved too great, and Star and Stripe was killed in battle. That tragic outcome denied My Hero Academia fans “The reunion they deserved.” 

Star and Stripe’s time in My Hero Academia’s storyline was brief but profound. America’s no. 1 pro hero had the godlike quirk of “New Order,” with the power to rewrite the reality of any two things she touched. However, before she had the power to be a worldly protector, Cathleen Bate was a defenseless little girl, whose family was nearly annihilated in a villain attack. It was the only intervention by a young All Might (while on sabbatical in America) that saved Cathleen’s life, and allowed her to grow into a hero that helped defend the world hundreds of times over – even in her death. 

Cathleen Bate grew up to model her entire look as Star and Stripe after All Might – even adding eight tufts of hair as her symbol of wanting to surpass All Might (who has two tufts). However, despite their Karmic connection, All Might and Star and Stripe never actually got the chance to meet and work together – thanks to the lasting legacy of All For One’s evil. 

Therein lies the deeper running theme of My Hero Academia. Kohei Horikoshi has managed to sneak in a surprisingly profound rumination on the Karmic cycle of (both its dark and light sides) running through generations – a process that is never as clean and even as stories suggest. Just like the power of One For All links heroes who never necessarily met in both triumph and tragedy, All Might and Star and Stripe’s bond is a back-and-forth transfer of hope and inspiration. All Might’s heroism created Star and Stripe;  the American hero’s sacrifice (and booby-trapped quirk) has now bought All Might and his companions the best chance they’re going to have at stopping AFO Shigaraki. 

Still, while the connective arc between All Might and Star and Stripe is nice, this beautiful reunion scene would’ve been even better… 

…Maybe in the next life? 

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