50 My Hero Academia Quotes from All Might, Deku & More

My Hero Academia is filled with inspiring quotes. Whether it be from characters like All Might and Izuku Midoriya, who embody peace and justice, or from characters like Endeavor and Dabi, who show the tragic side of hero work, there are plenty of relatable, inspiring, quotable moments. We talked to anime expert Megan Blue to discover some of the most quotable moments, especially those from characters like All Might, Midoriya, Katsuki Bakugo, and more! Read on to check out quotes from your favorite My Hero Academia characters. But be warned, there are spoilers ahead.

The Best My Hero Academia Quotes

Anime expert Megan Blue says one of the best quotes is when Bakugo says, “No matter who it is, I won’t let them catch up to me, let alone get ahead of me!” More top-notch quotes include:

“It’s fine now. Why? Because I am here.” – All Might
“Giving help that’s not asked for…is what makes a true hero!” – Izuku Midoriya
“Go beyond, Plus Ultra!” – All Might
Young man, you too can become a hero!” – All Might”
“You will see me as I am.” – Tomura Shigaraki

Section 1 of 12:

Izuku Midoriya (Deku) Quotes

In season 5 of My Hero Academia, Midoriya showcases his character when he says, “Don’t worry about what other people think. Hold your head up high and plunge forward.” This helps the audience understand what drives Midoriya, as he is unwilling to let the opinions of others shake him from accomplishing his goals as a hero.^{[1]
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Meet the wikiHow Expert

Megan Blue is an anime expert and content creator known as The Fangirl. She’s spent the last 10 years creating video essays about movies, fan theories, pop culture, unboxings, and more.
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“I have to work harder than anyone else to make it!” In My Hero Academia’s first season, the relationship between All Might and Midoriya is still in its beginning stages. But when he tells the symbol of peace that “I have to work harder than anyone else to make it! I’ll never catch up otherwise…! I want to be like you…! Like you. The strongest hero,” he showcases his determination, which helps their relationship progress.^{[2]
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- Izuku’s drive and determination to be the strongest hero show All Might how much he takes the hero mantle to heart, as he’s willing to put his body through hell if it means he can be like his idol.
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“I am here because of the people who have supported me.” If there’s one thing about Deku, he’s not afraid to acknowledge that his friends are valuable, especially in the earlier seasons of the show. In season 2, he acknowledges that “I have always been supported by others. That was the case earlier, too. I am here because of the people who have supported me.”^{[3]
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- This is a heartfelt moment where he acknowledges that he couldn’t have gotten to where he is without support from characters like All Might, his mother, and his classmates.
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“Giving help that’s not asked for…is what makes a true hero!” In season 2, episode 16, when Midoriya goes to save Tenya Iida after he takes on Hero Killer: Stain alone, he tells Iida that “It’s like All-Might said…Giving help that’s not asked for…is what makes a true hero!”
- This quote shows how heroic Midoriya is, as he lives by these words! You can’t expect anything else from the future number one hero.
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“It’s yours! Your quirk, not his!” Now this one’s a tearjerker. During the heated battle between Deku and Shoto Todoroki, Todoroki makes a pact with himself that he won’t use his firepower, refusing to give his father the satisfaction of seeing him win by his Quirk. While Todoroki puts up a good fight, Deku reminds him that “It’s yours! Your quirk, not his!”
- Todoroki is taken aback by this, as it reminds him of his mother’s encouraging words, “You don’t have to be a prisoner of your blood. It’s okay for you to become who you want to be.”
- Once Deku utters these words, Todoroki embarks on a journey of acceptance, igniting his flames and using them to defeat Deku, much to Deku’s appreciation.
- Want to figure out what your Quirk is? Check out wikiHow’s Quirk Generator!

Section 2 of 12:

All Might (Toshinori Yagi) Quotes

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“It is fine now. Why? Because I am here.” In My Hero Academia, hearing “I am here” from All Might is like a sigh of relief, even in the very first episode. As the symbol of peace, All Might is determined to save as many people as he can, and with his incredible power, he always has. For years. As a result, citizens in My Hero Academia can always count on him when they hear him utter these words.^{[4]
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- This quote really showcases why All Might is the symbol of peace, as he bears the weight of the world on his shoulders, determined to protect everyone he can for as long as possible.
- Blue compares “pure characters” All Might and Deku to Superman, saying, “Despite any personal issues or crises they’re experiencing, that never corrupts them away from the greater good, from being their best selves, from putting everyone else above them. Characters like this not only represent hope and peace, but the best parts of humanity. They’re the ones that make us want to be better people by showing us the way.”^{[5]
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“Go beyond, Plus Ultra!” While “Plus Ultra” is the U.A. school motto, All Might brings these words to life during the Nomu invasion in season 2. As he winds his fist, he says, “You may have heard these words before, but I’ll teach you what they really mean. Go beyond, Plus Ultra!” Then, he smashes his fist into the Nomu, sending it flying through the ceiling and away from the students.^{[6]
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- This quote is another one that proves why All Might is the symbol of peace. Despite being weaker than he was in his prime, he’s the only one who can protect his students, and he’s willing to go beyond his limits to do so.
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“I smile to hide the fear inside.” While All Might is the symbol of peace, he still gets scared when he fights against villains. Fear is a natural response, and even the number one hero isn’t immune. He confides in Deku about this fear, saying, “I’m supposed to be the guy who’s always smiling, right? I’m the symbol of peace. People everywhere have to think I’m never afraid. But honestly, I smile to hide the fear inside.”^{[7]
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- When All Might tells Deku this, it shows that he’s just as human as everyone else, no matter what his status as a hero is.
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“I have never once fought thinking there was even a chance I could lose.” Even though All Might has fear like the rest of us, he admits to All For One that “My whole life, I have never fought thinking there was even a chance I could lose,” when they fight again in season 7. Despite not having his powers, he is still determined to win in the face of adversity, which reminds the audience why he’s the symbol of peace.^{[8]
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- All Might is especially inspiring here. While he’s facing All For One in a superpowered suit of armor, All For One has an overwhelming number of Quirks at his disposal. But All Might doesn’t let himself get shaken up. Instead, he smiles.
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“You can always come out ahead by learning from experience.” All Might tends to see the lessons in ordinarily negative situations, like losing, and he takes these lessons to heart. “Whether you win or lose…you can always come out ahead by learning from the experience,” he says, reminding the audience that no matter what the outcome of a situation looks like, there’s always a nugget of knowledge to take away from it.
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“You, too, can become a hero.” In the first episode, Deku asks All Might if he could become a hero even though he’s Quirkless. While he initially says no, Deku running in to save Bakugo without thinking inspires All Might, who then tells him, “Young man, you too can become a hero.”
- This is the moment that kicked off the show and Midoriya’s hero journey. If it weren’t for All Might reassuring him that he could be a hero and later entrusting him with his Quirk One For All, Deku never would have made it into U.A.
- Find out which hero you could become by taking wikiHow’s My Hero Academia Character quiz!

Section 3 of 12:

Katsuki Bakugo Quotes

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“No matter who it is, I won’t let them catch up to me, let alone get ahead of me!” Blue says that this “is an excellent early quote from Bakugo, who is an extremely overpowered and competent fighter in the beginning of his UA school career. [This quote] shows his arrogance and confidence that he will be [at] the top of his class and, eventually, a high-ranking hero.”^{[9]
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“Hey Izuku, can I still catch up to you?” In season 7, episode 11 of My Hero Academia, Katsuki Bakugo uses a new move during his fight with Tomura Shigaraki, where his explosive sweat grants him great speed while taking an immense toll on his body. As he battles the pain and fights Shigaraki, he says, “My whole body hurts. Fighting while in pain, trying to spot the enemy’s tells…You already went through all this, didn’t you? Hey Izuku, can I still catch up to you?”^{[10]
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- Blue says that this “parallels his earlier quote” about not letting anyone get ahead of him. “This is Bakugo finally admitting to himself that Deku/Izuku has finally grown more powerful than he can ever become. The quote shows Bakugo becoming humbled and growing as a person.”^{[11]
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- Blue adds that in this moment, “Bakugo decides to fight a villain one-one-one, knowing there’s little chance of success, and all that Bakugo can really do is buy his team some time.”^{[12]
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- This is a huge moment of realization for Bakugo, as he finally understands how much pain Izuku dealt with when he was learning how to use his quirk, acknowledging him after years of bullying.
- This also showcases Bakugo’s determination and respect for Izuku Midoriya, his childhood rival, best friend, and new inspiration.
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“If all you do is look down on people, you won’t be able to recognize your own weakness.” Bakugo gives this piece of advice to a young child during the Remedial Course Arc. After witnessing the kid exhibit some traits not too far off from his own personality, Bakugo sits him down to let him know the lesson he himself had to learn after being kidnapped, watching his rival Izuku Midoriya surpass him, and All Might’s retirement.^{[13]
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- This moment served as major character development for Bakugo, as he was once the kid who looked down on everyone else, including Midoriya, because of his powerful Explosion Quirk.
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“Having one Quirk is more than enough!” This quote comes from season 8 of My Hero Academia, when Bakugo faces off against All For One. As All For One makes his final charge by combining all of his quirks into one big boost, Bakugo counters it with planted explosions from earlier in their battle. When he does, he tells All For One that “having one Quirk is more than enough,” then proves it by defeating him with his “Howitzer Impact” attack.^{[14]
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- Bakugo really shows his confidence here. Not only did he just come back from the dead, but he’s facing off against a villain who practically has infinite Quirks. But he doesn’t waver, confidently charging into the clash.
- Bakugo’s “Howitzer Impact” was a reference to All Might’s “United States of Smash” attack against All For One back in season 3, with the scenes sharing the same animation.
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“You have no idea how much I wanted your autograph.” Before his death, Bakugo got the upper hand on Tomura Shigaraki, dealing damage when no one else could. As his “Cluster” power begins to emerge, he makes a charge at Shigaraki, but is suddenly face-to-face with All Might’s vestige, saying, “Whenever I finally got to meet you, I was kind of a punk. Because of that, I never really saw the right time to bring this up, but… You have no idea how much I wanted your autograph.”
- This moment is bittersweet. Although his meeting with All Might’s vestige is sentimental, Bakugo’s heart explodes right after he utters those words, and it’s enough to get anyone to well up.
When the League of Villains kidnaps Bakugo and tries to recruit him, he promptly tells them, “I like to win. I want to win just like All Might. No matter what you have to offer me, that’ll never change! Do you understand?” It’s the perfect reflection of his character. Despite his standoffish, angry demeanor, he will never turn to villainy as long as he lives. He wants to be like his idol, not his idol’s enemy.

Section 4 of 12:

Tomura Shigaraki Quotes

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“You heroes hurt your own families just to help strangers.” Tomura Shigaraki is the definition of a villain, but he was driven to villainy by his neglect and abandonment. This is reflected when he says, “You heroes hurt your own families just to help strangers. You heroes pretend to be society’s guardians. For generations, you pretended not to see those you couldn’t protect and swept their pain under the rug.”^{[15]
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- Shigaraki’s trauma, from accidentally killing his family and his practical abandonment by society due to his appearance and Quirk, fuels his views, making the quote cut that much deeper when you consider the context.
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“There are no heroes and villains in this world…” This is another quote that reveals Shigaraki’s philosophy towards the world of My Hero Academia. He says, “There are no heroes or villains in this world, only those who use their power and those who are used by it,” showing that he values the use of power over the labels of “heroes” and “villains.”^{[16]
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“You will see me as I am.” Before Shigaraki awakens in season 6, he is in a mindscape full of broken memories. Memories of his family try to keep him on his once sought-after path as a hero, but he responds by saying, “Stop it…You will see me as I am. I’m done being rejected. Done.”^{[17]
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- While he’s still a tortured soul, Shigaraki accepts his role as a villain in this moment and later vows to destroy the current world.
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“I’ve got plenty of friends!” When Lemillion is trying to reason with Shigaraki during the war, he says, “If you did have friends, there’s no way you’d be doing this.” This hits a nerve for Shigaraki, and he responds by saying, “Miku and Tomu said I was really nice, and Mon always barks to go on walks with me! So there, you’ve got no idea what you’re talking about! You don’t know me! I’ve got plenty of friends!”^{[18]
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- This hits a nerve that stretches all the way down to his core personality as Tenko Shimura, the name he had before being groomed into a villain by All For One, with little Shimura saying, “Friends?” before Shigaraki responds.
- This quote is a reference to Shigaraki’s childhood as Tenko Shimura, as he’s talking about childhood friends and his dog Mon, whom he accidentally killed when his Decay Quirk manifested.

Section 5 of 12:

Ochaco Uraraka Quotes

Growing up, Ochaco Uraraka had to watch her parents deal with financial issues and quickly decided that she wanted to help them out. She hopes to use her powers to earn money and be able to support them, and this is what drives her to live by the words “Giving up isn’t an option for me!”^{[19]
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“Everyone is giving all they can, which only makes it fair that I do the same.” During the school festival in season 4, Uraraka sees Tenya Iida and Izuku Midoriya go off on their own even though they’re friends, showing how determined they are to carve their own path. She responds to this by thinking to herself, “Everyone is giving all they can, which only makes it fair that I do the same.”
- This shows Uraraka’s determination to carve her own path, as she puts trust in her abilities to bring her far rather than being outshined by other talents.
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“I’ll focus on working just as hard as he does.” Uraraka is constantly inspired by her peers, especially Midoriya. So, when everyone starts to do hero work alongside the pro heroes as interns, it makes sense that she reaffirms her determination by saying, “I’ll focus on working just as hard as he does” as she thinks of Deku.
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“I’ll win and be just like Deku, too!” During her battle against Bakugo at the Sports Festival, Uraraka reaffirms herself by saying, “I’ll win and be just like Deku, too!” Even though she loses, she tries her hardest and reaffirms herself with these words again when she’s fighting Himiko Toga later on, showing how much her peers inspire and motivate her to succeed.
After the Hideout Raid Arc, where the students acted on their own without permission from higher-ups, they are reprimanded for their actions. Due to the state of the world, they move into U.A. dorm rooms and can finally express how they feel. Tsuyu tells Ochaco that she had trouble dealing with the situation, and Ochaco responds with positivity, saying, “Let’s all work hard together and laugh together again.”

Section 6 of 12:

Himiko Toga Quotes

While this is a lofty goal, it’s a tragic one when coming from Himiko Toga’s mouth. To her, the world is hard because no one understands her desire to become those she loves, which she can literally do thanks to her Quirk. While it’s noble that she wants to make the world easier to live in, she plans on going about this by murdering others and freely drinking their blood, which is how she activates her quirk.
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“I was told to stop being me! But that doesn’t work!” This quote gives deep insight into Himiko Toga’s philosophy. “When I was little, I was told to stop being me! But doesn’t work! When you shut your feelings away, it only grows inside!” she explains, expressing that she wants to freely satisfy her bloodthirsty cravings while mourning her childhood.
- Who knows, maybe if Himiko Toga had a healthier way to satisfy her bloodlust and express herself during her childhood, she wouldn’t have been a villain.
Sounds like a cute quote, right? Wrong! When Himiko Toga said, “You have no idea how happy I am to see you again! Come here, let’s get closer, Izuku!” she was talking to Midoriya while chasing him with a knife. While stabbing someone and drinking their blood is her way of expressing love, it’s still terrifying to anyone who doesn’t understand her.

Section 7 of 12:

Shoto Todoroki Quotes

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“What you say doesn’t matter nearly as much as what you actually do.” Even though he may be awkward sometimes, Shoto Todoroki always has words of wisdom when it counts, like “To have a complete stranger change your mindset sounds like a pretty irritating conversation. What matters are actions. You have to show him what you’re trying to prove, right? If you’re going to rely on words alone, then they’d better be incredibly powerful. What you say doesn’t matter nearly as much as what you actually do.”
- Todoroki’s mindset here really helps put his character into perspective. He’s a kid who was born to fulfill his father’s dream of becoming the strongest, and when he fell out of line, he was abused for it.
- Endeavor’s words can’t make up for the abuse, but his actions can be a start in Todoroki’s eyes.
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“Are you All Might’s secret love child or something?” For as serious as Todoroki is, he’s also hilarious! Before everyone knew Deku had been given the One For All Quirk by All Might, many were wondering why the two hung out so much. Todoroki’s suspicions had especially been raised, and in a moment of interrogation, he bluntly asked Deku, “Are you All Might’s secret love child or something?”
- This one really shows how unintentionally funny Todoroki can be. He spent most of his childhood training, so he wasn’t able to socialize like other kids, leading to the hilariously blunt awkwardness he often exhibits.
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“No, I think heroes cry when they need to, too.” Todoroki’s an insightful young man, and this really showed during the Shie Hassaikai Arc. During this arc, Deku is dealing with the Yakuza and is unable to tell his friends. But Tenya Iida and Todoroki can tell that something is bothering him. When Deku tells himself not to cry, Todoroki reminds him that “I think heroes cry when they need to, too.”
4
“The only words I can say to you are: Look properly at what you want to be!” During the battle against Hero Killer: Stain, Tenya Iida isn’t in his right mind due to what Stain did to his brother. He’s focused on vengeance, which Todoroki knows all too well. So, he tells his friend that “The only words I can say to you are: Look properly at what you want to be!” Ahh, Shoto, forever the voice of reason.^{[20]
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“Midoriya, thanks for showing me the truth. This is my Quirk.” During his battle against Dabi, Shoto manifests his fire and ice powers simultaneously, bringing them together to form something new. He explains to Deku that “Dad sought out an ice power that would regulate the heat of the fire Quirk, but I’ve chosen a different path. This is the only way I could accept myself, despite the real reason I was born into this world. Midoriya, thanks for showing me the truth. This is my Quirk.”^{[21]
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- Shoto’s progression really shines here. During the Sports Festival, Midoriya was the one who told him that his Quirk was his, not his father’s. Since then, he started to see his Quirk in a different light, finding acceptance thanks to his friend.

Section 8 of 12:

Endeavor (Enji Todoroki) Quotes

1
“I don’t want your forgiveness, I want to atone.” Endeavor’s a tragic character. His determination to be the number one hero caused him to alienate some of his children and abuse the others, destroying the relationship he has with his family. As he begins to come to terms with this in season 5, he admits that “It’s okay if you don’t forgive me. I don’t want your forgiveness, I want to atone.”
- Endeavor knows that he isn’t necessarily worthy of forgiveness. But instead of fighting against this fact, he embraces it and works to atone for his wrongdoings, no matter how long it takes.
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“Stand up and show them why you’re better!” During All Might’s fight against All For One in season 3, All For One reveals All Might’s true identity to the public as a skinny, scrawny man who’s losing his Quirk. He also catches All Might off guard with the fact that Shigaraki is the grandson of All Might’s former mentor, Nana Shimura. Although All Might’s all but lost his will to fight, it’s Endeavor, his longtime rival, who reminds him to “Stand up and show them why you’re better!”
- Endeavor’s admiration for All Might gleams through here. While he has worked his whole life to surpass him, he knows that All Might is number one for a reason and isn’t afraid to remind him when it counts.
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“There will never be a day when I’m able to pat myself on the back.” Endeavor’s journey to atone is lifelong, and he knows it. During the fight with All For One in season 7, he admits this, saying, “For the rest of my life, there will never be a day when I’m able to pat myself on the back, or find peace by thinking I did my absolute best. My duty is to win the fight against you, so that’s what I’m going to do.”
- These words struck fear in All For One, giving him flashbacks to the night All Might killed him in his prime.
- This shows how much Endeavor has progressed. At the start of the series, he was only obsessed with power, but now, his only goal is to protect the future generation.
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“My anger, my resentment, and my punishment, they’ll forge the future.” As Endeavor continues to fight All For One, he says, “My anger, my resentment, and my punishment, they’ll forge the future. One that belongs to a new generation. Their’s is a path… full of choices… which is why I must defeat you. So that, as the kids walk further down that path, the mistakes we adults made in the past won’t get in their way. That’s why I’ll continue to pay my penance, to ensure their prospects.”
- In this moment, Endeavor’s true feelings emerge. He’s devastated over the path his son Toya walked down, and he rightfully blames himself for it. But he uses this to carve a new path for the next generation, proving why he’s the new number one hero.

Section 9 of 12:

Dabi (Toya Todoroki) Quotes

In season 6, episode 11, it’s finally revealed that the villainous Dabi is actually Toya Todoroki, the presumed-to-be-dead son of Endeavor. He tells his father that “The past never dies. You will reap everything you’ve sewn, Enji Todoroki.” This reveal comes as a gut punch to both Endeavor and the audience, as it shows that despite Endeavor’s atonement for his abusive ways, the past can (and has) still return to haunt him.^{[22]
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“Come dance with me in hell, won’t you?” This quote also comes during Dabi’s treacherous reveal as the fallen son of Endeavor in season 6, episode 11. His father’s abusive ways had already pushed him to the brink before his supposed death, so it makes sense that he was so animated during his reveal. He sought to destroy everything precious to Endeavor, and embarked on this journey when he said, “Come dance with me in hell, won’t you? Well?! Speak up, Dad!”^{[23]
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- This quote reflects the animosity that Dabi has towards his father. As the eldest son, he suffered years of abuse at the hands of Endeavor, and that abuse pushed him to try and impress him with his firepower by whatever means necessary.
- His desire to impress his father not only mentally crushed him, as Endeavor forbade him from using his firepower, but it also physically destroyed him, as he burned up in the forest and had to be saved by the villainous All For One.
- As he reunited with his father, this desire had turned into a burning hatred, and he sought to burn in hell with him after destroying everything he held near and dear.
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“Everyone’s…watching…Is that all it was?” In season 7, episode 19, when his family is trying to save him, Dabi finally realizes what he was missing, saying, “Everyone’s…watching…Is that all it was? Something as simple as this? I wish I’d realized sooner…”^{[24]
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- Unfortunately, he realizes this after he’s already committed to blowing himself up, alongside Endeavor and the rest of his family.
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“Poor little Shoto Todoroki.” Before it was revealed that Dabi was Toya Todoroki, he had multiple encounters with his family members, like when the League of Villains kidnapped Bakugo and other heroes, and Shoto Todoroki was trying to retrieve one of the capsules housing them. Dabi grabbed the capsule from in front of Shoto at the last second and said, “Well, isn’t that a tragedy? Poor little Shoto Todoroki.”
- This moment alludes to Dabi’s resentment towards his younger brother, as he sarcastically calls it a tragedy and talks about “poor little Shoto,” who he had always felt was the family favorite over him.

Section 10 of 12:

Tenya Iida Quotes

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“I’ll always race to you!” When Deku goes off on his own to keep Shigaraki and All For One from attacking U.A., his classmates are rightfully upset. They go as far as to battle him and bring him back with them, and Iida is able to grab Deku. When Deku tells him to let go, Iida says, “Not a chance! I’ll always race to you! Did you forget that my name is Ingenium? Meddling when you don’t need to…is the essence of being a hero, right?”
- In this moment, Iida takes Deku’s words from season 2’s fight against Stain and flips them back on him, showing how much he took them to heart.
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“Attention: Home Room class is about to begin!” This line is hilarious, as it shows how dedicated Iida is to his position as Class 1-A’s representative. He bursts into the class in high gear, saying, “Attention: Home Room class is about to begin! Everyone stop talking and take your seats,” only to be met with a class full of students already sitting and ready to start learning.
- Even though he was off the mark, at least he’s dedicated to the cause!
3
“Ten minutes. For ten minutes, no one can stop me!” During his battle against Mudman, Iida pushes his Quirk into overdrive, gaining incredible speed and endurance. As he prepares to overwhelm his opponent, he says, “Ten minutes. For ten minutes, no one can stop me!” Then, he bursts into action, nearly defeating Mudman before he’s able to make his escape.
- While Iida doesn’t capture the villain here, this moment still shows his overwhelming tenacity. He pushes Mudman into a corner, forcing him to escape and putting a temporary stop to his villainy.

Section 11 of 12:

All For One Quotes

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“What’s the matter, All Might? Where’s that winning smile of yours?” During the fight between All For One and All Might in season 3, All For One catches the number one hero off guard when he reveals that Tomura Shigaraki, the villain he’s been grooming since childhood to hate heroes, is the grandson of Nana Shimura, All Might’s former mentor. This wipes the everlasting smile off of his face, to which All For One says, “What’s the matter, All Might? Where’s that winning smile of yours?”^{[25]
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- This moment is a real showing of All For One’s character, as he’s no stranger to using mind games like this to throw off his opponents and secure the victory.
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“Unlike yours, my chick has left the nest.” All For One loves getting into his enemies’ heads, especially All Might’s. So, when he has the chance to belittle All Might’s skills as a mentor, he quickly tells him, “Unlike yours, my chick has left the nest,” in reference to Shigaraki’s progression. This is a huge dig, too, as All Might already feels unsure about his ability to mentor Midoriya, showing the lengths All For One’s willing to go to shake him up.^{[26]
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“Show the world how pitiful you really are, symbol of peace.” All For One really loves to hate All Might, as shown when he breaks his spirit after exposing his scrawny form to the world. He belittles him in this exposure, seemingly shattering the symbol of peace and telling him to “Show the world how pitiful you really are, symbol of peace,” as everyone is watching.^{[27]
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- These words almost get to All Might, who’s unable to smile as he once was. But the world he protected came back to protect him, giving him the words of encouragement he needed to finally defeat All For One.

Section 12 of 12:

Eraser Head (Shota Aizawa) Quotes

1
“Each has grown from that experience and forgotten how to hesitate.” Eraser Head is willing to lay everything down to keep his students safe, but after the attack on U.A. in the earlier seasons, he isn’t afraid to acknowledge the fact that “They’ve been exposed to the outside world… Each has grown from that experience and forgotten how to hesitate.”^{[28]
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- This is both a blessing and a curse, because even though they had to face unforeseen hardship, the attack on U.A. prepared Aizawa’s students for the reality of hero work, and he’s proud of them for facing that reality.
2
“Their presence raises the standard for the whole class.” Bakugo and Midoriya didn’t make the best cases for themselves when they first stepped onto the U.A. campus. Their rivalry, coupled with Midoriya’s inexperience with his Quirk, initially caused Aizawa to dismiss them. But after seeing how hardworking the two were, his perspective shifted, and he said, “Even if they’re not physically with everyone, their presence raises the standard for their whole class. That is my class: Class 1-A!”^{[29]
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- This shows how proud Aizawa is of his students. He knows they’ve been inspired by Deku and Bakugo, and he isn’t afraid to acknowledge how far this inspiration pushes them to grow.
3
“Self-sacrifice and recklessness are very different concepts.” Aizawa tends to be hard on his students in the earlier seasons, but it’s because he knows how much hard work and determination are needed to succeed as a hero. So, he admits that “Self-sacrifice and recklessness are very different concepts. But, in order for those headstrong students to learn this, I’d like for them to experience ‘death’ once.”
- This gives a glimpse into the philosophy behind his teaching style. He knows some of his students are headstrong, so he works to turn that headstrong energy into resolve that drives them to be heroes.