My Hero Academia Uncovers the Hero Origins Behind Lady Nagant

My Hero Academia has revealed the details of its mysterious new villain! This elite sniper was revealed to be hunting Deku at the end of My Hero Academia manga chapter 311, but fans have been wondering about her identity and significance to the larger My Hero Academia mythos (if any). Well, as it turns out, My Hero Academia chapter 312 confirms that this sniper villain, "Lady Nagant" is indeed a character of significance - with a significant history in the world of My Hero Academia. If you want the full spoilers on Lady Nagant's origin and powers, read on below!

Warning: My Hero Academia manga chapter 312 SPOILERS Follow!

The latest chapter of My Hero Academia, "Hired Gun", starts out with a flashback of Hawks talking to Izuku Midoriya about how All For One and Shigaraki's real goal is to take Deku alive and hold him until All For One can complete the power boost augmentation to Shiagraki's body, fully inhabit it, and finally steal One For All for himself.

In order to capture Deku alive, Hawks knows that All For One will need the best hired guns that were locked away in Tartarus Prison (where AFO staged his massive jailbreak). Hawks also knows that there's one hired gun more dangerous than all the rest: Lady Nagant.

What makes Lady Nagant so dangerous isn't just her quirk (sniper rifle arm and hair that can be twisted together into any sort of ammunition), it's her resume. As Hawks describes, Lady Nagant was "a former hero employed by the Safety Commission." She must've been a serious heroic badass, because No. 2 pro hero Hawks describes her as a "former senior colleague of mine." Her downfall came when she apparently killed a fellow hero, as she's revealed to be another believer in the idea that the current hero system is a lie that needs to be shattered.

Lady Nagant certainly proves her skills in the battle with Deku. She is able to shoot out the phone Izuku keeps for contacting his new squad of elite heroes (All Might, Hawks, Endeavor, Best Jeanist); when Deku tries to follow Hawks' advice (run from Nagant at all costs), the sniper is able to effortlessly tag him with a shot that curves around a building, as well as a second direct shot.

Deku manages to block/dodge Lady Nagant's shots using his "Danger Sense" quirk from OFA's Fourth User, Hikage Shinomori - something that shocks Nagant, who's not used to having her target endure. However, Izuku is definitely not safe, as the chapter ends with Nagant revealing All For One gave her a second quirk - Air Walk - so that she can pursue (and snipe) Deku from mid-air.

My Hero Academia releases new chapters weekly Free in Shonen Jump Magazine. Season 5 of the anime streams new episodes weekly on Funimation and Hulu.