Say what you will about My Hero Academia, there is no debating that the superhero shonen series is absolutely filled with unexpected plot twists. From unanticipated, heart-wrenching deaths to major surprises that change the entire course of the story, My Hero Academia certainly keeps viewers on their toes at all times.
Every season contains even more unbelievable reveals than the last, capturing fans' attention until the very last episode of My Hero Academia airs. Of these unforeseen events in the story, ten stand out as particularly jaw-dropping, reminding fans that everything in My Hero Academia can change in an instant at any time.
10 Bakugo Getting Kidnapped by the League of Villains
Episode 45, "What a Twist!" and Manga Chapters 82-83
When U.A. High's students began an exciting training camp with the Pro Heroes, the Wild, Wild Pussycats, they received more than they bargained for, especially Bakugo Katsuki. In the midst of their lessons, the League of Villains stormed onto the scene, catching everyone off guard as they began attacking students and heroes alike. During the clash, they kidnapped one student, Bakugo Katsuki, and took him back to their lair.

Bakugo Wasn't a Real Hero Until One of His Darkest My Hero Academia Arcs
Bakugo's lowest moment in My Hero Academia was essential to him becoming a real hero because it forced him to reflect on his behavior.
A villain kidnapping a U.A. High student was completely unprecedented, and left everyone, heroes and fellow students alike, in a state of absolute panic. Thankfully, Deku and a group of friends were able to retrieve Bakugo from the clutches of the villains safely, with the help of All Might, but that does not make this scene any less shocking.
9 Deku Inheriting a Quirk
Episode 3, "Roaring Muscles," and Manga Chapters 2-3
Deku's life was turned upside-down when the doctor revealed to him that he was Quirkless and would never develop a superpower naturally. He felt doomed after this and like he was fated to never achieve his lifelong dream of becoming a noble hero like All Might. In an opportune twist though, he ran into All Might and the interaction inspired the Pro Hero to down his One For All Quirk to Deku.
Without All Might's interference, Deku might have stayed Quirkless forever, never being permitted to attend U.A. High, his dream school. All Might's sudden decision to choose Izuku as his successor was indeed shocking, since he had previously been considering a handful of other potential candidates and had never met Deku before this moment, but it is safe to say he made the right decision.
8 Toga Dying to Save Ochaco
Episode 159, "Battle Without a Quirk," and Manga Chapters 395-398
Toga Himiko, a member of the League of Villains, is one of My Hero Academia's most tragic characters who was doomed from the beginning of her character arc. Pushed away by her own family and friends because of her unusual, disturbing Quirk that requires human blood, Toga became a full-fledged villain, and her redemption arc did not begin until it was far too late.
Toga had a soft spot for Ochaco, one of the only heroes who showed her kindness and mercy, and this led the villain to give up her own life in the most astonishing way. Toga gave her blood to Ochaco, so the hero could survive, and this was one of My Hero Academia's most shocking scenes of all time, since Toga was a villain dying for a hero's sake.
7 Deku Becoming a Vigilante
The Dark Hero Arc, Episodes 132-138 and Manga Chapters 307-328
Deku is usually a team player who values friendship and helping others above all else, so his decision to go off on his own as a vigilante hero was something no fan could have ever predicted. After a few particularly dangerous battles, Deku made up his mind to fight independently instead of with his U.A. classmates, because he was terrified of endangering others.

Deku Is My Hero Academia's Most Unhinged Hero and That's Why We Love Him
Some of Deku's decisions throughout My Hero Academia were undoubtedly risky or even outright dangerous, but that only makes fans love him more.
The Dark Deku arc was so different from any other My Hero Academia arc because it showcased a previously never-before-seen side of Deku, as the hero took the liberty of chasing down All For One on his own. His friends eventually convinced him to come back to U.A. and re them, but the moments leading up to Deku's return to U.A. contain some of My Hero Academia's most flabbergasting scenes ever.
6 Endeavor’s Redemption Arc
Episode 157, "I Am Here," and Manga Chapter 390
If there is any My Hero Academia character fans never expected to receive a redemption arc, it would be Enji Todoroki, better known as the Pro Hero, Endeavor. Endeavor was an abusive father and husband to his children and his wife, Rei Todoroki, subjecting everyone in the family to physical, emotional, and mental abuse for the majority of their lives.
Endeavor seemed highly unlikely to ever realize the error of his ways, but towards the end of My Hero Academia, he began apologizing to his family and vowed to do everything in his power to heal the relationships he had destroyed. Although his apologies do not negate the harm he caused, fans never anticipated that he would change at all, making Endeavor's redemption arc a big surprise.
5 Tomura Shigaraki’s Relation to Nana Shimura
Episode 49, "One For All," and Manga Chapters 92-94
In the same episode where All Might lost the final embers of his One For All Quirk, the Pro Hero dropped another astonishing bombshell: his mentor, Nana Shimura, and Tomura Shigaraki, the villain, are actually related. The evildoer's name was once Tenko Shimura, and he is Nana's grandson.

A Controversial My Hero Academia Twist Is Still Consistent with the Theme of the Manga
A controversial twist reveal about Shigaraki's backstory still fits with the theme of the Shonen series.
This revelation was particularly jaw-dropping because Nana and Shigaraki took such different paths in life. While Nana became a hero who helped others using her One For All Quirk, which she later ed down to All Might, Shigaraki grew up to be a villain who brought nothing but pain and agony to those around him.
4 All Might Losing One For All
Episode 49, "One For All," and Manga Chapters 92-94
Although it was clear from the beginning that All Might would not have his One For All Quirk forever, considering the fact that he was looking for a successor, the moment the final embers of the power died out was still completely unexpected and emotional. When Bakugo was kidnapped by the League of Villains, All Might raced to his rescue and came face to face with the villain, All For One.
All Might won the fight against All For One and got Bakugo home safely, but the battle exerted all of his remaining strength, causing One For All to fade away completely. Even though Deku was already gearing up to succeed All Might, this does not make the hero's loss of the Quirk he was known for his entire life any less of a surprise.
3 Dabi Revealing His Identity
Episode 124, "Dabi's Dance," and Manga Chapters 288-291
Dabi's true identity was not revealed until well into the story of My Hero Academia, and when his family were finally identified, fans' jaws dropped. Dabi itted that his name is Toya Todoroki, and he is the son of Enji, Pro Hero Endeavor, and Rei, and this massive announcement completely shook his family and the series' society as a whole.
Dabi became a villain to get revenge on his family as payback for the mistreatment Endeavor subjected him to throughout his childhood, but for so long, he masked who he really was from the world and hid behind his villain codename. His years of fighting simply as "Dabi," made the reveal that he is actually Toya Todoroki even more surprising when it finally occurred.
2 Bakugo’s Temporary "Death"
Episode 149, "Light Fades to Rain," and Manga Chapters 359-362
One of My Hero Academia's most upsetting occurrences happened during the Pro Heroes' fight with Tomura Shigaraki and All For One, when U.A. High student, Bakugo Katsuki, became caught in the crossfire. Bakugo was often a hot-headed, rude character, but in this scene, he made a surprising sacrifice for someone he used to despise, Deku.

My Hero Academia Finally Fixed Its Most Criticized Bakugo Scene
Bakugo's revival was handled a lot better in the anime than in the manga, showing how the two media can complement each other.
In one of the series' most astonishing and tragic scenes, Bakugo threw his body between Deku and Shigaraki, allowing the latter to punch a hole through him and temporarily kill him. This moment caused an uproar among fans, who, at this time, were unsure if the hero would be revived, or was gone forever. Although he did indeed return, Bakugo's temporary death will go down in My Hero Academia history as one of the series' most unexpected moments.
1 Deku Losing His Quirk For Good
Manga Chapter 430
The biggest plot twist in My Hero Academia actually occurred at the very end, during the last battle of the series. Deku and the Pro Heroes triumphed over the villains eventually, and Shigaraki and All For One did not survive the momentous fight. Although Deku did make it out alive, he lost something very valuable: the One For All Quirk that he had inherited from All Might.
Deku started My Hero Academia completely Quirkless, but All Might noticed his boundless potential quickly and chose him as his successor. Deku's time as a Quirk was pretty short-lived though, and after this battle, he went on to start teaching as a professor at My Hero Academia's U.A. High instead. Although some fans were disappointed by this astounding and unanticipated development in Deku's character arc, this fate is perfect for the hero, bringing him back to his roots and allowing him to help others in a new way.

- Movie(s)
- My Hero Academia: Two Heroes (2018), My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising (2019), My Hero Academia: World Heroes' Mission (2021)
- First Film
- My Hero Academia: Two Heroes (2018)
- Cast
- Daiki Yamashita, Kenta Miyake, Nobuhiko Okamoto, Ayane Sakura, Yûki Kaji, Aoi Yuki, Kaito Ishikawa, Toshiki Masuda, Marina Inoue, Yoshimasa Hosoya
- TV Show(s)
- My Hero Academia
- Video Game(s)
- My Hero Academia: Battle for All, My Hero One's Justice, My Hero One's Justice 2
- Character(s)
- Izuku Midoriya, All Might, Katsuki Bakugo, Ochaco Uraraka, Shoto Todoroki, Tsuyu Asui, Tenya Iida, Eijiro Kirishima, Momo Yaoyorozu, Fumikage Tokoyami