Some people have been saying that Deku can't lose OFA because he opened the manga/anime by saying "This is how I became the greatest hero," but him losing OFA isn't impossible. To begin with, being the greatest hero doesn't necessarily mean that he has to continue the journey after all this mess with Shigaraki is over. It could be a one and done scenario where Izuku defeats him (one of the worst villains in their recent history), loses his powers and essentially retires as a hero with powers, but is still considered the best because of all he achieved in the time he had...
But I also think it gives Horikoshi an opportunity to...I guess kind of change or solidify the underlying meaning to Izuku's narrative?
One of the things that always bothered me with BnHA was that Izuku was never considered worthwhile until All Might gave him OFA. It was the equivalent of telling someone "You aren't special until you ARE special" rather than "you can do it even if you aren't special". It felt doubly weird that Izuku (and Uraraka) give meaning to the name Deku as "I can do it", as opposed to the original meaning of "useless or worthless" so, you can read further into his hero name as being "I can do it — even though I'm useless" ... but then him getting a quirk directly reinforces the negative idea that Izuku really can't do anything until he's *made* useful by having a quirk. Does that make sense?
It felt like a weird message to tell your audience, especially coming from a creator who has been so consistent in giving various sincere motivational messages throughout the series through other characters.
I think, if written well, Izuku losing OFA, and that sacrifice of becoming quirkless having some underlying significance could change that message. I think it would be hard though, without making it cheesy or weakening the story somehow, but Horikoshi is a magnificent writer so...
If my ideas don't make sense btw, I'm sorry. My brain has been half absent today and it's hard to find the right words I'm looking for.
AGAIN, SPOILERS FOR CHAPTER 412
Some people have been saying that Deku can't lose OFA because he opened the manga/anime by saying "This is how I became the greatest hero," but him losing OFA isn't impossible. To begin with, being the greatest hero doesn't necessarily mean that he has to continue the journey after all this mess with Shigaraki is over. It could be a one and done scenario where Izuku defeats him (one of the worst villains in their recent history), loses his powers and essentially retires as a hero with powers, but is still considered the best because of all he achieved in the time he had...
But I also think it gives Horikoshi an opportunity to...I guess kind of change or solidify the underlying meaning to Izuku's narrative?
One of the things that always bothered me with BnHA was that Izuku was never considered worthwhile until All Might gave him OFA. It was the equivalent of telling someone "You aren't special until you ARE special" rather than "you can do it even if you aren't special". It felt doubly weird that Izuku (and Uraraka) give meaning to the name Deku as "I can do it", as opposed to the original meaning of "useless or worthless" so, you can read further into his hero name as being "I can do it — even though I'm useless" ... but then him getting a quirk directly reinforces the negative idea that Izuku really can't do anything until he's *made* useful by having a quirk. Does that make sense?
It felt like a weird message to tell your audience, especially coming from a creator who has been so consistent in giving various sincere motivational messages throughout the series through other characters.
I think, if written well, Izuku losing OFA, and that sacrifice of becoming quirkless having some underlying significance could change that message. I think it would be hard though, without making it cheesy or weakening the story somehow, but Horikoshi is a magnificent writer so...
If my ideas don't make sense btw, I'm sorry. My brain has been half absent today and it's hard to find the right words I'm looking for.