Redemption Arcs

Redemption Arcs

A well done redemption arc can be amazing (see Zuko, Megamind), but generally, the basis of redemption comes from that person either being evil as a reaction to an overwhelming and seemingly inescapable situation (i.e.  evil as the only option) or thinking they are doing the right thing. In both situations, the redemption comes from recognizing the error and correcting.  Some argue Enji “Endeavor” Todoroki falls into the latter category (i.e. he thought he was doing the right thing). However, the idea that he thinks he’s doing the right thing and corrects only at the time when he does suggests - to me - that he isn’t actually remorseful, but that his last remaining victim (in whom he actually has a vested interest) has the ability and means to not only escape him but cause his furthered pursuit of the same course to have consequences. Which is also why any off-screen or otherwise move toward his wife, Rei, simply looks like an attempt to foster a connection through which he could achieve a new victim (i.e. if she forgives him, he has a chance at a new child).  We also have no idea what happened to his eldest son, Touya. Is he dead? Is he Dabi? If he is Dabi, were the scars a result of the father? I don’t just mean whether Endeavor’s fire caused the damage which likely would’ve nearly killed Dabi - but did he push his son to train in a dangerous manner or pressure his son toward suicide. Deku comments that charges could’ve been brought against Kacchan if Deku had committed suicide because of provocation, so if the big secret around Touya is the belief Endeavor pushed him to suicide (whether successful or not), that’s another charge in addition to abuse (emotional, physical, etc.) to his wife and children. 

I don’t give a hoot what Endeavor says. He can claim he wants to be the hero his son is proud of until he’s blue in the face, but nothing he has done suggests he’s changed at all. His actions as a professional hero are out of a desire to be praised and basically worshipped. He isn’t selfless, and self-destruction doesn’t mitigate the dubiousness of his motives. 

Neither Rei nor Fuyumi can serve as proof contrary. Rei has been his longest victim, and he had to woo her rather than having her under his thumb from birth, so he knows how to manipulate her. Fuyumi and Natsuo didn’t have the sort of quirk Endeavor wanted, and we’re told prior to Shoto, Touya endured his father’s closest attention. We saw how Endeavor treated his youngest son, and Touya was the eldest. However, Natsuo loathes Endeavor while Fuyumi makes excuses for him and wants to forgive him. She doesn’t generally give much reasoning behind her desires (other than expressions about being a normal family and Endeavor being their father). Perhaps she’s taking cues from when she was young, and her mother said something similar when Fuyumi saw the way Endeavor treated her elder brother. Will we ever know? Probably not. Natsuo seems to take his cue from Shoto. He recognizes the neglect he suffered was the lesser of two evils with their father, and in the manga, he’s been supporting his brother in attitude it seems. Again, like with Fuyumi, this could all be personality based. They could have the same exact information, but Fuyumi is simply more forgiving. It’s complicated especially as she’s the only daughter (which could have influenced the treatment she received, but that’s a marriage tool (women used to create strategic alliances) rant for another day). 

For me, I will always hate Endeavor. Anyone who likes him in the manga (i.e. Hawks) will immediately be colored in distrust and suspicions that they’re equally questionable behind closed doors / if given the chance, and if we get that final confirmation that Dabi is Touya, I want all of Endeavor’s deeds to come to light, and I want to see the way that shakes the already rattled faith in heroes. Honestly, if Dabi wanted to wreck the world of heroes, that information (with supporting evidence) to the right reporter would be disastrous.

Dabi has killed. He should go to jail, and honestly, if he is Touya, he needs some serious psychological help to deal with the abuse he faced as a child and the kind of obvious body horror he has faced likely as a means to / a result of his escape from his father’s influence (I mean, seriously, he didn’t heal right / well so ‘almost died’ seems to be stating it softly). 

I’ve worked in forensics. I’ve seen cases where kids and spouses were abused, and out of fear, they found ways to kill their abusers - but because of their fear, it is rarely a crime of passion (though there have been cases where sons fight back or step in for the first time and are shocked to have defeated their abuser), but most plan it out because they feel they have no choice, and more often than not, I saw them get extremely hard sentences because abuse can be difficult to prove especially if it hasn’t been documented (i.e. photographs / doctors reports of repeated injuries, etc). 

We see the Todoroki abuse hasn’t been documented. The only bit that was came from Rei burning Shoto, so I could 100% see a lawyer arguing that if someone was abusing the kids, it was her and not Endeavor. She’s the one that was locked up. Nothing has happened to Endeavor. The kids are still in his custody, so even if she did talk, nobody did anything. Nobody listened. 

What does this lengthy rant mean? 

It means the “redemption” arc for Enji “Endeavor” Todoroki isn’t one. He lost control of his prized victim, and we have no proof he wouldn’t go right back to doing the exact same thing if he had another child. Nothing he has done contradicts that. 

How could they fix that? 

If Dabi is Touya, have Endeavor not fight back. Have Endeavor recognize his eldest and do whatever it takes to give his son a redemption arc - to bring his son back into the light and damn the consequences to himself. Have Endeavor claim Dabi/Touya the moment he recognizes him. That is his son; he screwed up and pushed him to the breaking point, and have him throw himself on the pyre (not necessarily literally) to bring him back. Then - I would accept redeemed Endeavor.