WARNING: The following contains spoilers for My Hero Academia Season 5, Episode 10, "That Which Is Inherited," now streaming on Crunchyroll, Funimation and Hulu.
In Season 5's “That Which Is Inherited,” My Hero Academia's Deku manifests a new Quirk known as Blackwhip, which originates from one of the past users of One For All. And that's not all: This new power is a precursor to his potential inheritance of five more Quirks that have been stored up in the core of One For All.
The revelation comes at a frustrating time for Deku. Just as he was starting to manage his current techniques in the anime, the past users seemed to have decided that now is the time for the ninth user to begin harnessing the true potential of One For All. With that in mind, let’s go over some of the key details about Blackwhip, and what the new power means for the overall development of One For All.
Blackwhip's Original User Is the Fifth Predecessor of One For All
Blackwhip is the inherited Quirk factor from the deceased Pro-Hero Lariat, whose name is Diagoro Banjo. His muscular build and super energetic attitude are the key characteristics that make him stand out against the other predecessors. When he appears in Episode 10 of Season 5, his charismatic demeanor is immediately evident, correlating with his punk/army vibe that somehow radiates positivity. He is also the first predecessor to directly communicate with Deku. As such, he will guide Deku in gaining a greater understanding of how One For All has developed from user to user.
Blackwhip’s Abilities and Characteristics
Deku has far from mastered the new Quirk yet, but when he does, he will unlock some keen abilities that will make it a useful tool for his arsenal. Blackwhip manifests as black energy tendrils that can emerge from anywhere on the user’s body. The tendrils have a wide range, and the user can manifest many at a time so long as they remain focused on the task. The tendrils do put a strain on the body, though, leaving the user feeling numb afterward.
Blackwhip is similar to Hanta Sero’s Tape as it can be used to bind things or latch onto surfaces to grant the user a greater range of mobility. It can also be used to destroy surrounding environments, which is what happened to Deku in Episode 10. Blackwhip’s overall power has also been enhanced thanks to One For All, but Deku is going to have to develop better control over the Quirk than Lariat did in the past.
Blackwhip Requires Emotional Control to Master
Lariat makes it very clear that Blackwhip’s controllability and power derive from the user’s emotions. Deku is filled with anger when Blackwhip first manifests in the Joint Training battle, which leads to him losing control over the Quirk factor’s intense energy. Lariat lets him know that anger is a good amplifier for Blackwhip, but Deku must focus on harnessing that anger and keep his other emotions in check. If Deku does not do this, he will run the risk of losing control over Blackwhip.
Deku Will Inherit Six New Quirk Factors
Aside from manifesting the Blackwhip Quirk factor, Lariat notifies Deku that he will eventually manifest five other new Quirks in his journey. The details of how each Quirk will manifest are still unclear, but now, One For All’s story is starting to get more intricate in the My Hero Academia anime.
The other five Quirk factors will come from the second through seventh users only as All Might and Deku were Quirkless. Not only is this major news for both Deku and the viewer, but the notion of Deku going from being Quirkless to potentially inheriting six new Quirk factors that have been amplified by One For All completely flips the script on everyone’s favorite young hero. This means that he will be able to face off against All For One on common ground at some point, the time of which will be determined based on how soon the Quirks manifest, and what their powers are.
Deku was clearly not ready for Blackwhip’s manifestation in Match 5, but now he is aware that new Quirks are on their way, his training methods are going to have to be modified in some way. If each new Quirk has different attributes that he’s not accustomed to, there might also be more moments in the future in which Deku will put his classmates in harm’s way. One For All being a catalyst for six Quirk factors is a great development for the story overall. It will be interesting to see how Deku manages and utilizes his new abilities to defeat All For One.
