My Hero Academia Just Brought Shoto's Arc Full Circle in the Best Way

My Hero Academia Final War Arc has brought one of the series' biggest subplots full-circle, a Shoto Todoroki finally stepped up to redeem his tarnished family legacy by facing his villainous brother, Dabi. As so many My Hero Academia fans hoped, the final fight between Shoto and Dabi wasn't just a flash of big powers (althought there was plenty of that!): it was also a classic shonen manga moment of deep character reflection – before a hero steps up and does something aswesome! 

(WARNING: My Hero Academia Chapter 352 SPOILERS Follow!)

The Final War has seen All Might and his army of heroes split All For One and his villain army into different factions, with some strategic divide-and-conquer opponents. Shoto and Dabi's battleground became a literal inferno, when the latter finally let loose the fatal flames he's been holding inside, ever since his tragic transformation first happened (courtesy of All For One and Dr. Garaki). Well, it turns out that Shoto has been holding onto his own answer to Dabi's inferno attacks – one that also represents a thematic balancing of his own family turmoil. 

The new form of "Flashfire Fist" that Shoto developed takes both the hot and cold powers of his respective parents (Enji/Endeavor and Rei) and literally mixes them together inside his heart, giving his bloodflow a hot/cold balance. As Shoto explains to Midoriya (in a flashback): 

"I can cycle heated and chilled blood throughout to created stability inside my body, via a cold fire of sorts." 

More touchingly, Shoto revals the deep emotional logic behind the new techniqe: "My old man sought out ice that could stifle that inner heat. While I'm going in the other direction. All so that I can be the one to affirm the reason I was born into that family. Yes this is my power. Thank you."

Shoto's new fire/ice balance allows him to simultaneously boost his own flame powers, while using the icy cool to stifle Dabi's flames. Attacks like "Icebound Crash Coldflame's Pale Blade" stagger Dabi – but it's Shoto's ulitmate move, "Great Glacial Aegir" that allows him to deliver a fire-boosted punch to his brother, will blasting him with an ice blast so massive, the final panel shows the entire cityscape around them frozen in ice. Dabi's flame is seen finally going out. 

Shoto Todoroki's connection between his fire and ice powers and turbulent family history has been one of fans' favorite things about My Hero Academia. Whatever other criticism he may get, Kohei Horikoshi brought this arc around to a perfect resounding circle, with some stunning battle artwork to hammer it into memory forever. Bring on the anime!

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