My Hero Academia Season 2 Episode 12 (Review)

By: AlanV[yasr_multiset setid=11]It’s finally time to crown a champion with the final competition of the sports festival, and it’s a dramatic showdown between Todoroki and Bakugo. While the physical displays of raw power are impressive, what comes to the forefront is a psychological struggle within both competitors.After his fight with Deku, Todoroki is easily able to dispatch his next opponents. However, his internal struggle of using the quirks he gained from his father rears up again in this final bout. He is unable to give Bakugo the best of what he is capable of as he continues to think about what that quirk means to his sense of self.This leads to the psychological issues for Bakugo. His usual angry demeanor is ramped up even higher because he knows that Todoroki is holding back. He can’t understand why someone like Deku can inspire a better fight from his opponent. It feels like such a slap in the face that he refuses to accept the results of the match even though they are in his favor.Once the sports festival is over Todoroki does something he hasn’t done in years, and visits his mother in the hospital. Even though he knows it will be a difficult reunion for the both of them, it’s the only way he can get past his inner demons and become the hero he wants to be.Meanwhile, Iida has his own hospital visit to contend with. His brother was seriously wounded by the Hero Killer Stain, and was seemingly knocking on death’s door. His brother’s fate still isn’t a certainty, so time will tell how that type of loss might affect Iida and his personality.There was a lot to digest in this week’s episode, but at the very least it has a positive ending. There are some touching scenes of Ochako being surprised by her parents and Deku spending some quality time with his mother. Bakugo, of course, is still salty.