It was the moment that broke the internet—or at least the corner of it dedicated to Kohei Horikoshi’s My Hero Academia. When Midoriya Izuku, battered and bleeding on Nabu Island, pressed his glowing forehead against Katsuki Bakugo’s, the rules of the quirk world felt like they were shattering in real-time. For a brief, explosive window, Deku and Bakugo One For All became a dual-wielding reality.
But honestly? A lot of people still don’t get how it actually worked.
There is this persistent myth that Bakugo "stole" the quirk or that the movie Heroes Rising isn't canon. Both are wrong. Sorta. Horikoshi actually intended this specific beat to be the original ending of the entire manga series. Imagine that. The massive, world-ending finale we just witnessed in the manga's final chapters was almost replaced by two kids sharing a torch on a remote beach. Because the movie used that "discarded" ending, the mechanics of how One For All (OFA) behaved in that moment are actually grounded in the series' deepest lore.
How the Deku and Bakugo One For All Transfer Actually Happened
Let's talk logistics. OFA isn't just a strength enhancer; it’s a sentient, multi-layered energy core that requires a DNA transfer. Usually, that's the "Eat This" hair-swallowing method. On Nabu Island, against Nine, there wasn't time for a snack. The transfer happened through blood-to-blood contact combined with a conscious will to pass the power.
You've probably noticed that OFA has a mind of its own. It’s got the "vestiges"—the ghosts of past users like Nana Shimura and Yoichi Shigaraki. This is why the transfer didn't stick for Bakugo. While they were fighting Nine, the quirk resided in both of them simultaneously, creating a feedback loop of power that essentially doubled the output. It was terrifying. Bakugo's explosions became nuclear-level events. Deku was moving at speeds the human eye couldn't track.
But then, the quirk stayed with Deku. Why?
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The vestige world essentially "voted" to stay with Midoriya. Since Bakugo lost consciousness shortly after the fight, and because the quirk is fundamentally a "gift" that requires the recipient to be able to hold it, the embers in Bakugo flickered out. Think of it like a temporary administrative override. The quirk saw the intent—to save everyone—and granted a one-time bypass of its "one user" rule.
Why This Moment Redefined the Rivalry
Bakugo isn't exactly the "sharing is caring" type. For him to accept OFA was a massive character shift. It wasn't about power-scaling; it was about the death of his ego. For years, he viewed Deku as a "pebble" in his path. In that moment of Deku and Bakugo One For All synchronization, he had to admit he couldn't win alone.
It’s a subtle detail, but look at the color of the lightning. Usually, Deku’s OFA discharge is green. When Bakugo held it, the sparks were orange and chaotic, mirroring his own quirk, Explosion. This tells us that OFA adapts to the host. It doesn't just give you super strength; it supercharges whatever is already there. If Bakugo had kept it, he would have eventually become a human supernova, likely burning out his own body within months due to the quirk factor strain we later learn about in the series' final arc regarding "Quirkless" vs. "Quirked" hosts.
The Canon Question: Does It Even Count?
Yes. It counts.
While some fans dismiss the movies as "non-canon fillers," Horikoshi has gone on record stating that the movies exist within the same timeline. The events of Nabu Island are referenced in the manga (look for Nine’s silhouette in chapter 222). The fact that Bakugo "forgot" the specifics of the transfer due to a convenient concussion is just a writing trope to keep the status quo, but the physical reality of the transfer is a hard fact in the MHA universe.
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It also serves as a foreshadowing of the "Quirk Singularity." The idea that quirks are becoming too powerful for humans to handle is the central thesis of the story. Seeing two teenagers handle a power that could level a city was our first real glimpse into how dangerous OFA had become after nine generations of cultivation.
The Physical Toll of Sharing the Flame
One For All is a heavy burden. We know from the lore (specifically the Fourth User, Hikage Shinomori) that having an existing quirk while holding OFA essentially rots the user from the inside out.
If Bakugo had kept the power, he would have died young.
- Host Compatibility: Deku is the perfect vessel because he was a "blank slate" (Quirkless).
- The "Embers" Effect: Bakugo experienced what All Might felt—the residual heat of a power that had already moved on.
- The Vestige Choice: The spirits within the quirk recognized that Deku was the true successor.
The sheer intensity of the fight against Nine showed that even with two people splitting the load, the power was nearly uncontrollable. Their suits were shredded. Their bones were literally shattering with every punch. It wasn't a "power up" in the traditional sense; it was a desperate, suicidal gamble that only worked because of their shared bond.
What This Means for Your Rewatch
Next time you watch that final sequence in Heroes Rising, don't just look at the pretty colors. Look at the way they move in sync. The Deku and Bakugo One For All partnership wasn't just about two guys hitting a villain really hard. It was a fulfillment of the "Victory and Rescue" theme. All Might represented both, but he was one man. To truly surpass him, the next generation had to split those roles.
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Bakugo is the "Victory" half—the drive to win no matter what.
Deku is the "Rescue" half—the drive to save everyone regardless of the cost.
When they shared the quirk, for five minutes, the "Perfect Hero" existed. And then it was gone.
Key Takeaways for MHA Historians
If you're trying to explain this to a friend or win an argument on a forum, keep these points in your back pocket.
First, remember that the transfer was intentional, not an accident. Deku gave it away willingly because he truly believed it was the only way to save the kids on the island. That's peak heroism. Second, the reason Bakugo doesn't have it now isn't because he’s "unworthy," but because the quirk itself decided to return to the vessel that was empty of other powers—Midoriya.
Third, and this is the big one: the movie's ending is a "What If" scenario made real. It’s a glimpse into the original plan for the series finale. Knowing that changes the weight of every interaction between those two in the later seasons of the anime. They aren't just rivals; they are two people who once shared a soul and a singular destiny.
To get the most out of this lore, you should go back and watch Season 6, Episode 15, and compare Bakugo’s "Apology" to the Nabu Island transfer. You’ll see that the emotional groundwork for his redemption started the second he felt the heat of One For All in his own palms. It didn't just give him power; it gave him perspective.
Go back and watch the Nine fight with the sound turned up—pay attention to the music shift when the transfer happens. That "Might+U" track isn't just for atmosphere; it’s a eulogy for the version of Deku that thought he had to do everything alone.