BNHA Chapter 187 And Mad Love: The Flower Scenes

BNHA Chapter 187 and Mad Love: The flower scenes

In chapter 187 of BNHA Natsuo and Fuyumi visit Rei in the hospital at the same time that Endeavour is fighting High End.

Natsuo ends up commenting on his fathers recent promotion as number 1 hero, and though chastised by Fuyumi he expresses resentment with everything Endeavour put their family through. He claims Endeavour left them behind. This is when Rei chimes in and says she doesn’t belive that, and that she thinks he’s trying to face the family.

What proof does she have, though? After all, she herself says she hasn’t seen Endeavour in ten years. Well, the proof to her claim is this:

Rei says that Endeavour brought her that flower and remarks he remembered she liked them despite her only telling him once.

Here’s the problem I have with this though: this chapter is the one that started building Endeavours atonement, and yet for Rei to be the one to create its foundation doesn’t sit well with me because she shouldn’t be having those opinions about Endeavour. He was her abuser for a decade, and the one responsible for her pain.

A single flower shouldn’t change Reis mind.

This fixation on the flower is what reminded me of a scene from another work that creates some unnerving similarities between the two

This is the flower scene from chapter 187:

And this is the flower scene from the DC comic Mad Love:

Some context about Mad Love:

It was a comic published in 1992 by DC comics, with Paul Dini and Bruce Timm as the writers and it was the first canonical backstory of Harley Quinn (other backstories would follow after, as is the case with American comics). The comic was all about Harleys abusive relationship with the Joker and how she seemed to be unable to realise just how bad he was for her. At the end it looks like she finally realises (after Joker throws her off a building)…. and yet, while still covered in bandages from the injuries he inflicted on her, she notices a flower he left her… and changes her mind once more.

Of course it must be said that Harley is a very, very different character from Rei, but these two scenes have a lot in common:

Both are women that experienced abusive relationships

Both of them are hospitalized because of their abuser

In the hospital, both receive a flower from their abuser as a form of “apology”

In both cases the flower seems to be proof enough for them to change their mind about their abuser for the better.

Perhaps the only difference is that in Mad Love this change of heart from Harley is framed as wrong and tragic. In the foreword of the comic, Paul Dini wrote he saw Mad Love as “… a cautionary [tale] about what happens when someone loves recklessly, obsessively and for too long”.

Horikoshis intent with his scene however, seemed to be the opposite. As I said before, what Rei says about Endeavour sets up his atonement. Its meant to be a hopeful moment, a good moment. But not for Rei. For Endeavour.

Mad Love tells the victims story. Chapter 187 is there for the abusers benefit.

Now. After writing all of this:

Do I think that Horikoshi made this connection with Mad Love on purpose? NO

Do I think these similarities with Mad Love are unfortunate and damaging to Reis story? YES

Every time I read that scene in the manga or watch it in the anime I cant help but remember Mad Love. And it’s endlessly frustating that BNHA tries to frame that scene as good when it very much shouldnt be. Because there is already a story that framed a similar scene as the tragedy it very clearly was.

Reis two appearances outside of flashbacks in the manga have mostly served to develop her abusers story, but I still have some hope that she’ll be able to escape Endeavours suffocating presence in the manga and break free of his influence.

Just like Harley eventually did.