Warning: SPOILERS for My Hero Academia's ending

The Final War arc of the My Hero Academia manga series allowed various underrated characters to shine. As the battle against All For One and his forces progressed, everyone from the beloved pros to the students of U.A. ed forces to bring down the Symbol of Evil and save the world. In a moment that truly showcases the strengths of this series, the weakest student of class 1A stood up to the strongest villain of all time, and that act of courage proved to be fundamental in bringing forth All for One's defeat.

Among the heroes who fought against the series’ main antagonist, Mineta shocked readers with his uncharacteristic display of bravery. Despite being surrounded by the many victims of the battle against All For One, Minoru stood up for Tokoyami, awakening a deep trauma in the villain. This small action led the Symbol of Evil to his ultimate defeat at the hands of Deku.

Mineta's Bravery Awakened a Deep Trauma in All For One

The Villain Was Reminded of His Brother and his Tragic Origins

In episode #156 of My Hero Academia, All for One stood triumphant after his battle against dozens of heroes. These events were first shown in chapter #385 of the manga. After taking Hawk’s Quirk for himself, the villain began approaching Tokoyami, wanting to also absorb Dark Shadow for himself, impressed by its strength. With just a few steps between the Symbol of Evil and Class 1-A’s student, an object is thrown at All For One. In a desperate attempt to save his friend, Mineta uses his Quirk to distract the villain, and later he taunts him to take his Quirk in exchange for Tokoyami's.

This moment is outstandingly similar to another one seen later in chapter #407, which revealed the backstory of the series’ main villain. During his childhood, All For One was forced to fight for his life against a Quirkless army that saw individuals with powers as their enemy. During one of these encounters, his younger brother Yoichi threw a can at him, asking him to stop killing others. While not explicitly stated, the manga hints at Mineta’s selfless act having awakened this memory in the Symbol of Evil. His emotions became unstable, which ultimately became his downfall.

All for One Could Have Won the War If He Kept His Cool

His Recklessness to Reabsorb Yoichi Cost him the War

After Mineta's desperate words, All for One actually leaves without taking Dark Shadow or killing anyone. He justifies this by saying that the battle is being broadcast all over the world, and people will lose faith in the heroes by seeing them humiliated, but he could have obtained the same result by killing them. Also, considering that All for One's entire existence is defined by his hoarding of powerful Quirks, it's odd that he doesn't take Dark Shadow when he can. This was however explained later in chapter #407. His major change in attitude could have been ignited by Mineta’s actions.

When Minoru threw his hairball, the Symbol of Evil was reminded of the only person who was by his side for most of his life, Yoichi. His desire to become more powerful by absorbing more Quirks was suddenly changed to an urge to get One For All back at all costs. All for One became unstable, and that's why he couldn't resist engaging All Might when he saw him waiting for him, despite knowing that his former nemesis now posed no threat. It was thanks to this recklessness that the incredible Armored All Might and Bakugo were able to deal so much damage to him. If he had controlled his emotions and acted more cautiously, All For One might have even defeated Izuku and the heroes.

Mineta's Big Moment Shows What My Hero Academia's True Message Is

Minoru Went From A Coward to a Brave Warrior

Ever since he was first introduced, Mineta was the opposite of what a hero student should be. Not only was he a coward terrified of any kind of conflict but he also acted in an extremely distasteful manner around women. Yet, as he grew along with his classmates, Minoru began letting go of his toxic behavior and becoming a fearless fighter, one willing to sacrifice himself for the safety of others. Despite being one of the least heroic students in Class 1-A, Mineta was fundamental to defeating All For One.

His incredible growth as the series progressed is an amazing example of the core values of My Hero Academia. Mineta has perhaps the weakest Quirk of his class, but he still became a hero who saved the world. While My Hero Academia is full of impressive powers and amazing battles, the true message of the series is that anyone can become a hero. Regardless of their Quirk, past actions, or origins, anyone could work to better themselves and rise once again as a hero. Mineta might not have been the most promising student of Class 1-A, yet he still demonstrated that he was worthy of the title just as much as Deku and the rest of his classmates.

Having Mineta’s small act of bravery become such a vital part of All For One’s downfall is one of the examples of how incredible the writing in My Hero Academia can be. In the world of the series, even the most unassuming events can become fundamental for the story later on. It was also an outstanding way of showcasing the growth Grape Juice went through, reinforcing one of the series’ core tenets.