My Hero Academy has finally revealed Dabi’s true identity. (SPOILERS) As it turns out, longtime fan theory was correct: Dabi is actually Toya Todoroki, eldest son of Enji Todoroki/Endeavor, and older brother to Shoto Todoroki. Dabi made a Joker-style announcement of his true family ties – both telling Endeavor and Shoto face-to-face on the battlefield, while also launching a broadcast of a video where he explains to the nation that he – the notorious flame-powered serial killer – was a creation of its no. 1 hero. This big reveal from Dabi may not have surprised many My Hero Academia fans, but here’s why it’s still a very exciting twist!
The Dabi/Toya Todoroki connection has been one of My Hero Academia’s longest-running fan theories. The clues were sprinkled all over the series by creator Kohei Horikoshi; in fact, every new chapter that looked in on Shoto, Endeavor, or Dabi himself, seemed to offer yet another hint or inference about how the Todoroki family history was connected. That long build-up made it hard for Horikoshi to make the big reveal all that shocking – but it’s also the reason why it’s one of My Hero Academia’s most exciting and well-earned twists.
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Horikoshi has focused a great deal of attention on making the Todoroki family drama one of the most intriguing parts of My Hero Academia‘s story – even without the Dabi connection. Shoto and Endeavor’s dynamic was one of the driving forces of the early arcs, as Shoto struggled to utilize his fire powers, alongside his ice abilities. Heading into the Paranormal Liberation War arc, Endeavor got a lot more humanization and focus, as he tried to be the symbol that All Might had been. The larger Todoroki family also got introduced to fans, as Endeavor’s other son, Natsuo, had to be saved from a villain attack.
The fact that Dabi orchestrated all of these events – building Endeavor and his family back up, just to tear them apart for good – truly puts Dabi on a level of The Joker when it comes to sadistic punchlines. Thanks to his broadcast, the Todoroki family drama is now a potential world-changing scandal. Even if the heores win the war (or at least fight off the villains), the League of Villains, Dabi, and their Paranormal Liberation Front army may have damaged hero society beyond repair by undermining public confidence in the pro hero institution. That’s immensely exciting for My Hero Academia‘s future, in terms of world-building – or rather, reshaping the world that was built.
On a more personal front, what this reveal does to Shoto and Endeavor individually will be intriguing to see; what it does to their fragile relationship with one another will be equally interesting to see.
My Hero Academia is in production on season 5 of the anime. Online chapters of the manga can be found HERE.
