Enji Todoroki is a terrible person. Or at least, he started that way. Most fans of My Hero Academia spent the first few seasons absolutely loathing the guy, and honestly? That was the point. He wasn't just a "rival" to All Might; he was a domestic nightmare. But as the story shifted toward its final arcs, Endeavor My Hero Academia evolved from a one-dimensional wall of flame into something far more uncomfortable and, frankly, far more interesting.
It’s easy to write a villain who turns good. It is incredibly difficult to write a hero who realizes they’ve been the villain of their own home for twenty years.
Kohei Horikoshi didn't give him a "get out of jail free" card. That's the brilliance of it. Usually, in shonen, if a bad dad helps win one big fight, the kids suddenly think he's okay. Not here. The Todoroki family drama is messy, painful, and ongoing. It’s why Endeavor is the pillar of the series’ later half—not because he’s the strongest, but because he’s the most human.
The Obsession That Burned Everything
Endeavor didn't want to be a hero to save people. Not at first. He wanted to be Number One.
That’s a distinction that matters. While All Might was a natural force of nature, Enji Todoroki was a man who worked himself to the bone and still couldn't close the gap. That resentment turned into a "Quirk Marriage," a practice that is basically eugenics in the MHA universe. He married Rei solely for her ice powers, hoping to breed a child who could handle the heat of his own Hellflame quirk.
Think about that for a second.
He didn't just want a successor; he wanted a tool. This led to the creation of Toya, Fuyumi, Natsuo, and finally, Shoto. When Toya "died" in that mountain fire, Endeavor didn't mourn like a father. He pivoted. He doubled down on Shoto, turning the boy’s childhood into a grueling training camp that eventually led to Rei’s mental breakdown.
You can’t just "redeem" that. You can't put a band-aid on a scarred face and a broken family.
Why the Pro Hero Ranking Changed Everything
When All Might retired after the battle at Kamino, Endeavor got exactly what he wanted. He became the Number One Hero.
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But it felt like ash in his mouth.
He didn't earn it by surpassing All Might; he got it by default because the better man couldn't do the job anymore. This is the turning point for Endeavor My Hero Academia. Standing at the top, he realized the view was lonely and the weight was crushing. He started looking at the "Symbol of Peace" not as a target to beat, but as a standard he wasn't meeting.
The High-End Nomu fight (Hood) is arguably one of the best moments in the entire series. It wasn't just about the Prominence Burn. It was about Endeavor refusing to fall because "the people are watching." For the first time, he was fighting for the public, not his ego. When he raised his fist in the air after the win—a direct echo of All Might—it wasn't a victory lap. It was a desperate plea to be the hero everyone needed him to be.
The Reality of Forgiveness vs. Atonement
One of the most nuanced parts of this character arc is how the Todoroki siblings react to him.
- Shoto is wary but observant. He sees the effort but hasn't forgotten the pain.
- Fuyumi wants everyone to just be a family again, acting as the peacemaker.
- Natsuo... Natsuo is the voice of the audience who refuses to forgive.
Natsuo’s anger is vital. He reminds Enji (and us) that "doing better now" doesn't erase what happened then. In many stories, Natsuo would be portrayed as the "annoying" one holding a grudge. In My Hero Academia, he’s portrayed as being completely justified. Endeavor actually agrees with him.
Enji tells his children that he doesn't expect forgiveness. He just wants to atone.
There's a massive difference. Forgiveness is something others give you. Atonement is work you do yourself. By the time we get to the Paranormal Liberation War, Endeavor is a man who has accepted that he might die hated, and he's okay with that as long as his family is safe.
The Dabi Revelation: The Past Never Stays Buried
Everything came crashing down when Dabi revealed his true identity.
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The "Dabi's Dance" chapter changed the stakes. Seeing Endeavor literally freeze in the middle of a battlefield because his past sins had come back to haunt him was a masterclass in consequence. He wasn't just fighting a villain; he was fighting the literal manifestation of his failure as a father.
Toya Todoroki is the fire Endeavor started, and it’s the fire that eventually burns him.
Most heroes in this show fight for a better future. Endeavor is unique because he is constantly fighting his own history. He is the only character who has to grapple with the fact that the "Final Boss" of his life is someone he created out of pride and neglect. It makes his battles feel heavier. When he uses his flames now, it feels like it hurts him as much as the enemy.
How to Analyze Endeavor’s Power: More Than Just Fire
If you look at the way Endeavor My Hero Academia uses his Quirk, it tells his story.
His quirk, Hellflame, is incredibly powerful but has a massive drawback: he overheats. If he uses too much power, his internal temperature rises to dangerous levels, slowing his movements and eventually shutting down his body.
This is a perfect metaphor for his personality.
He is a man of extremes. In the early days, he didn't care about the "overheating"—he just pushed through, damn the consequences to himself or his family. Now, he’s learned "Flashfire Fist" techniques that require precision and control. He’s learning to manage the heat. He’s learning to be "cool" enough to function.
Real Talk: Is He Redeemable?
People argue about this on Reddit and Twitter every single day.
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The answer depends on your definition of redemption. If redemption means "he's a good guy now and we should forget he hit his kids," then no. He’s not redeemed. But if redemption means "a character recognizing their horrific flaws and dedicating every remaining second of their life to mitigating the damage they caused," then he's one of the best examples in modern fiction.
He doesn't want a "happy ending." He wants a "right ending."
Actionable Insights for Fans and Writers
If you’re analyzing Endeavor for a school project, a fan-fic, or just trying to understand why he’s so compelling, focus on these three things:
Look at the Scars
Notice how Endeavor’s physical appearance changes. After the fight with Hood, he gets a permanent scar on his face. It’s a mirror to Shoto’s scar. It’s the visual representation of him finally sharing the pain he caused his son.
Study the Dialogue Transitions
Compare his speech in Season 1 to Season 6. He goes from using "I" and "My" to talking about "The Next Generation" and "The Legacy." His vocabulary shifts from conquest to preservation.
Identify the "Anti-All Might" Archetype
All Might is the "Silver Age" hero—perfect, untouchable, and inspiring. Endeavor is the "Modern Age" hero—flawed, struggling, and relatable in his failures. To understand Endeavor, you must see him as the rejection of the "perfect hero" trope.
Watch the Todoroki Dinner Scene Again
If you want to see the peak of his character writing, re-watch the dinner at the Todoroki house. It’s more tense than any fight against Shigaraki. Pay attention to what isn't said. The silence in that room tells you more about Endeavor’s progress than any fireball ever could.
Endeavor proves that being a hero isn't about having the strongest quirk; it's about having the strongest will to face the man in the mirror, even when that man is a monster. He isn't the hero we like, but he’s the hero the story needed to grow up.