This Little Girl Could’ve Turned the Tide in My Hero Academia’s Final Battle

In popular Shonen action series such as , fans often ponder various “if only” scenarios regarding power levels, fight outcomes, and character survival against imminent peril. For instance, in the anime My Hero Academia, one of the most thought-provoking characters to contemplate in terms of potential outcomes is the young girl Eri. She was used by Overhaul’s gang to create Quirk-erasing bullets, but even after her rescue and transition into safer surroundings, it became clear that her ability wasn’t as miraculous as it initially seemed.

In the world of “My Hero Academia,” fans might assume that Eri’s ability could effortlessly reverse injuries or strengthen other heroes’ Quirks due to its function. However, as its name suggests, Rewind can revert a person to a previous state, effectively undoing any negative events that occurred. This leads some fans to question why Eri didn’t use this power more extensively during the Final War arc in the manga. The reason for this is rooted in the narrative, as her Quirk was intentionally limited to prevent it from becoming an all-powerful solution, instead serving primarily as a plot device.

What Eri Could Have Done in a Different Narrative

A Different Plot Would Have Made Eri Overpowered

Readers of Manga can examine the actions taken by Eri during the Final War arc in “My Hero Academia” versus what she might have accomplished, and appreciate the immense disparity between the two scenarios. There is a compelling argument surrounding Eri’s Quirk, as fans are well aware of its remarkable power. In the anime’s fourth season, Eri utilized her Rewind Quirk to consistently heal Deku’s arms, enabling him to ultimately defeat Overhaul when no one else was able.

It’s clear that Eri had a tremendous reserve of energy from her Rewind Quirk and the determination to utilize it fully, indicating she could potentially shift the outcome of any conflict. With Eri’s assistance, even severe injuries could be miraculously healed, which would be advantageous for individuals like Deku, Mirio Togata, and even All Might. However, during the Final War arc, what Eri ultimately did was snap off her forehead horn and gave it to Shota Aizawa to employ in a far-off battlefield.

Because Eri wasn’t able to physically participate in the battle, she transferred her Quirk, with all its potent power and energy, into that horn of hers. Eri’s horn possessed enough energy to heal Deku’s arms, effectively taking him back two to three minutes, thereby enhancing his combat abilities. This act enabled Deku to narrowly triumph in the fight, ultimately ending the entire conflict. Now, fans ponder over how the outcome might have differed if Eri’s involvement in the Final War arc had been more substantial for her character.

It’s evident that, in its current form, Eri can only restore as much energy to Deku’s arms with her Rewind Quirk as she did, and no more. This limitation necessitates a change in the storyline if we want Eri to have enough energy for repeated uses of her power. In this revised version of events, Eri would possess an abundance of energy to sustain her Rewind ability. With a team of heroes accompanying her, she could move around on the battlefield healing characters like Deku, Katsuki Bakugo, Hawks, and even Endeavor himself.

In a turn of events, employing the Rewind ability would unexpectedly simplify the climactic battle for the seasoned fighters, as they could endure their adversaries with ease, thanks to repeated healing. At the verge of extinction, even the most vulnerable would find solace, as their recent wounds mysteriously vanished. It’s intriguing to ponder, yet fans of My Hero Academia should remember why Eri was not crafted with such an advantageous trait.

Eri’s Quirk is a Plot Device With Heavy Restraints Put on It

The Rewind Quirk is Too Convenient to be Used So Often

From an outside perspective, I find Eri’s Rewind Quirk appears to serve more as a narrative tool than a character-defining ability. Compared to One For All, which seemed almost secondary when passed onto Deku at the story’s onset, Eri’s power seems significantly more confined within the storyline.

This restriction is due to various factors. For instance, in action series like this one, healing abilities need to be carefully balanced to prevent them from becoming overly powerful. If they were too effective, there would be few repercussions for fighting, making conflict less engaging.

Characters such as Deku, Mirio, and All Might are captivating to observe because the threats they face are genuine, resulting in permanent repercussions for their decisions. If every injury could be undone at will, the suspense would vanish, making these heroes less relatable since no one can truly erase their mistakes or wounds in reality. Consequently, Eri’s ability to heal wouldn’t have significantly turned the tide of battle, even if the heroic figures deserved her aid during that confrontation.

I’ve always felt that Eri wasn’t destined for the role of a professional or even a supporting hero, darting about the battlefield assisting everyone. Characters like Recovery Girl and Uwabami demonstrate capabilities beyond what Eri can offer, given they are adult heroes with Quirks that are powerful yet have their limitations. I’m just a kid, not a seasoned hero, and my Quirk is so overly potent in theory that it seems misplaced amidst the climactic Final War arc.

Eri’s character, along with her Rewind Quirk, served as a narrative tool, tantalizing fans with the full capabilities of her ability while simultaneously highlighting its inherent dangers. Consequently, she could only employ her Rewind Quirk sparingly, which made her an apt plot device without turning her into a means for healing everyone during the Final War arc. In simpler terms, her character was designed to hint at her Quirk’s full power, but not actually use it fully.

In the grand spectacle of “My Hero Academia”, young Eri has had her moments to dazzle us with the unique abilities of her power, Rewind. A prime example was when she relentlessly healed and reverted Deku to unleash One For All’s full potential, aiding him in vanquishing Overhaul. However, these instances are exceptions rather than the rule. Both Eri and the narrative found themselves compelled, as no other means could have subdued Overhaul. It seems plausible that Eri’s Rewind Quirk is fueled by a distinct energy source, making it impossible for Neito Monoma to replicate her power with his Copy ability.

In the storyline of “My Hero Academia”, it was ensured that Neito couldn’t harness Eri’s immense power along with his heroic abilities. Instead, Eri served as a symbolic character who demonstrated aspects of Quirks, rather than turning into an instant superhero using her Rewind ability. The narrative emphasizes Eri’s unlimited potential that spans generations, but it refuses to let Eri fully utilize this power in the storyline, thus highlighting the limitations even within such extraordinary abilities.

Eri Needed to Be Protected, Not Used as a Last-Minute Hero

Only Villains Would Expose a Child to Danger to Use a Quirk

A significant factor that might have amplified Eri’s impact in the final battle was the disparity in attitudes towards abilities, or Quirks, between heroes and villains. Typically, many of the main antagonists view Quirks and their users as resources to be manipulated or controlled, often resorting to coercion or intimidation to make people serve their purposes.

Instead of regarding Quirks as separate entities to be exploited, pro heroes view them as an integral part of a person. Misusing a Quirk is equivalent to mistreating the individual who possesses it, which is deemed unacceptable. Pro heroes are committed to ensuring the wellbeing and joy of everyone, thus they were hesitant to utilize Eri’s Quirk excessively. This approach was a stark contrast to Overhaul, who manipulated Eri for his own gain, disregarding her pain while using her Rewind Quirk to create those bullets.

The professional heroes at UA handled Eri with care, recognizing she was a traumatized child rather than a weapon to be utilized on the battlefield. Despite their desperate need for Eri’s Rewind Quirk during the fight against Eraser Head and others, they chose not to involve her directly in combat because it would have been too overwhelming for her, potentially causing more trauma and exposing her to unnecessary danger.

Despite Eri having enough Quirk energy to heal every struggling pro hero, they refused to let her do so. Instead, the pros chose to safeguard Eri and uphold their principles, even if it meant facing potential danger. This is what makes victories in shonen anime heartening – they triumph not just for themselves, but for all the right reasons.

2025-04-20 04:27