WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Season 5, Episode 11 of My Hero Academia, now streaming on Funimation, Hulu, and Crunchyroll.
My Hero Academia continually tackles the issue of an overpowered protagonist. In fact, Deku would be one of the most OP characters in anime if he wasn't so physically weak. With his body unable to withstand his own abilities, he can currently control just 20% of his maximum power. The issue regarding his limitations is only further compounded in Season 5's Episode 11 by the revelation that he is due to manifest six more Quirks that are currently cultivated inside of One For All.
In a moment of anger at Monoma's harsh taunting, a new Quirk burst out of Deku's body. This ability, Blackwhip, halts the fifth Joint Training match as the young hero is unable to control this new power. The situation became so dangerous that All Might, Aizawa, and Vlad quickly closed in to stop the proceedings. Fortunately, Uraraka's intervention resolved the crisis before anyone was hurt.
Even Deku has probably lost count of his "forget everything you think you know" moments at this point in My Hero Academia. Now that he knows he may burst with a new Quirk at any time, he's essentially back to square one. The consequences could be dire if he loses control again. Even the Predecessor responsible for Blackwhip tells Deku that he is lucky this was the first Quirk to manifest, despite the severe danger it created.
After many months of training with One For All, Deku still can't control it for the most part. This means he has little chance of being able to control the other six Quirks he possesses, turning him into a ticking time bomb. As it stands, Izuku Midoriya is much more of a liability than hero. Uraraka was lucky to have only received superficial injuries when she rushed to his aid. A possible threat to his own teammates, his viability as a hero is trending in the wrong direction.
The quickest course correction would be for Deku to learn to control his emotions. He's always been an emotional kid, but this trait is now coming back to bite him in the worst possible way. He is prone to panic when in distress, resulting in his needing to be saved. If he can maintain his composure whenever some crazy One For All stuff happens, he could be part of the solution rather than the victim.
If Deku's goal is to become a hero who saves everyone, he needs to learn to save himself first. People like Shinso or Aizawa will not always be around to bail him out with their own Quirks when he loses control. Once the power of Blackwhip subsides and he gets his wits about him, Deku immediately begins to lament having made people worry and save him. He is briefly reluctant to use his powers again, but when he finds the confidence to give it another shot, he doesn't manage much control and is left exhausted.
The biggest issue with Deku's powers in My Hero Academia is the toll it takes on his body. He can't afford to be left unable to move on the battlefield and would be unlikely to survive if this sort of thing took place in front of actual villains. Considering he doesn't even know what the remaining Quirks might be, he must tread very lightly.
For now, Deku will probably have to resort to training alone, while trying to get by with the bare minimum he can control. If he doesn't master his new Quirk, and any others that may pop up, he will be left behind again. Fortunately, Deku doesn’t know how to give up. It's only a matter of time before his body acclimates and he joins the ranks of OP anime protagonists.
