All For One’s Fatal Flaw: How Ego Cost Him the War

by

In the world of My Hero Academia, no villain with a powerful Quirk has struck such terror or left an indelible mark as All For One. Throughout the series, he consistently demonstrates an extraordinary strength and poses a significant threat due to his exceptional ability to steal other people’s Quirks. During the climactic war, it appeared that victory was within his grasp – he possessed the power, devised clever strategies, maintained momentum, and continued to embody the same fearsome presence that had subdued heroes for generations.

Initially, he’d swept through numerous heroes en route to confront Tomura Shigaraki, executing his intentions. However, the heroes were rapidly depleting their resources – time, energy, and hope. Yet, he was on a roll, just needing to press forward. But then, he chanced upon All Might, someone he couldn’t dismiss. Overpowered by ego, he deviated from his path, making a choice that cost him dearly. It turned out that All For One wasn’t vanquished by a superior foe or bad fortune, but by his own downfall – self-destruction in the end.

The Need to Dominate, Not Just Win

In another words, Toshinori Yagi, more famously known as All Might, served as Japan’s embodiment of peace. His power and presence instilled hope in the hearts of ordinary citizens while striking terror into the villains. However, his initial clash with All For One resulted in grievous wounds for him. Although he managed to recuperate, he was never the same afterwards. In a subsequent battle, he defeated All For One once more, but in doing so, he exhausted the remaining essence of One For All within him, effectively rendering him Quirkless and ultimately leading to his premature retirement.

Despite All Might losing his powers, All For One continued to see him as the man who’d haunted his life for decades – a fixation that proved disastrous when All Might reappeared on the battlefield in a special suit, acting as bait. In the heat of the moment, All For One couldn’t resist the chance to finally vanquish his longtime rival. Instead of heading towards Shigaraki, he made the strategically unsound decision to turn back, drawn by the allure of this final confrontation.

Despite his immense power and years of expertise, All For One had a fatal flaw that brought about his downfall: he harbored an unshakable belief in his invincibility. His overconfidence clouded his judgment to the point where he couldn’t fathom the idea that he could be controlled. This misconception became evident when a Quirkless All Might confronted him, and All For One unwittingly fell for the trap.

All Might Knew Exactly What He Was Doing

Moreover, what adds to its poetic nature is this: All Might knew exactly how All For One would respond. He had vanquished him, broken his facade, compelled him into seclusion, and was the sole one who had ever truly embarrassed All For One. He comprehended his adversary’s psychology better than anyone else, so in the climactic fight, All Might put himself in harm’s way, not to triumph, but to engage in a final psychological duel, acting as bait that his foe couldn’t help but pursue.

Initially, All Might deliberately goaded the Symbol of Evil, his taunts causing All For One to explode with uncontrolled fury. As his anger grew, All For One’s actions became more reckless, and he even seemed to regress in age while using his powers to heal during battle. In contrast, though wounded severely, the Symbol of Peace continued to smile and fight on, understanding that every moment he held All For One’s focus increased the chances of winning.

Delving into this petty feud, All For One inadvertently provided us with an invaluable opportunity: a chance to regroup, summon reinforcements, and swing the battle back in our favor. Frankly, it was moments like these that made our struggle so captivating. In a universe brimming with extraordinary abilities, it was his human frailty – pettiness – that brought down an almost invincible villain. It served as a stark reminder that sometimes, understanding your enemy’s Achilles’ heel can be more powerful than any superpower. In the end, blinded by his thirst for revenge against All Might, All For One tossed away a virtually guaranteed victory, sacrificing his strategic edge and, ultimately, his entire scheme, all due to an unrelenting desire to crush All Might one final time.

This Wasn’t the First Time

To put it in my own words as an ardent fan, it’s disheartening to admit that All For One’s ego wasn’t just a one-time issue; it’s been a persistent blemish throughout the series. This villainous figure was a master of manipulation, preferring to rule from the sidelines and control others. In his past, he utilized his powers altruistically, but only for those who served him. Once they became obsolete, he discarded them without a second thought.

He seized unique abilities from individuals who didn’t value them, distributing them instead to those craving strength, thereby creating a devoted army that unquestioningly followed him. This development sparked a belief in his god-like stature, even likening himself to a demonic character from comic books. His compulsion to grab powerful abilities for the sake of possessing them suggests kleptomaniac inclinations; he was unable to resist taking what he perceived as rightfully his. This insatiable desire for power and superiority ultimately contributed to his eventual ruin.

Read More

2025-05-27 02:10