WARNING: The following contains spoilers for My Hero Academia: World Heroes' Mission.
Throughout My Hero Academia, Katsuki Bakugo has proven to have a keen intellect both on and off the battlefield, which is a vast contrast to his explosive personality. In fact, it is his brute strength and power that make it easy for the audience and characters alike to forget that he is also one of the smartest students in Class 1-A.
Fortunately, the latest film in the franchise, MHA: World Heroes' Mission reminds us of this fact yet again as Bakugo's intelligence plays a key role in finding the movie's antagonist, Flect Turn the leader of the radical terrorist group Humarise, during the climactic final battle.
Bakugo, Deku, Shoto Todoroki, and Rody Soul discover a data disk relating to Humarise within a briefcase. However, when accessing said disk they find a multitude of files to sift through. Just when it looks like the characters are in for a lengthy and frustrating task, Bakugo is able to deduce which file they need surprisingly quickly. This uncovers a helpful message and finds the secret location of Flect in record time.
Additionally, during the final battle where Bakugo, Deku, and Todoroki are split up to fight the strongest members of Humarise, Bakugo displays his ability to strategize in the heat of battle. Forced to fight The Serpenters --a villain duo encompassing twin brothers Ena and Dio-- it becomes clear from the start that raw power and talent aren't enough to win. The Serpenters are massively elusive with their Sword Kill Quirk able to transform their arms into long, bellow swords. Outmatched in mobility and under their added strength of what appears to be a Quirk-enhancing drug, Bakugo fights with immense power and grit, strategically placing his grenades to launch a sneak attack that secures his win.
But Bakugo has always been incredibly clever behind that rough exterior. Academically, he placed third in his class only behind Momo Yaoyorozu and Tenya Iida. He even ranked higher than both Deku and Todoroki who placed fourth and fifth, respectively. But beyond academia, he's accomplished plenty merely by using his brains over brawn. With little context, he was able to decipher the truth in that All Might gave Deku his Quirk simply by observing their interactions. Moreover, during the USJ arc, he was able to realize that Kurogiri is the key to stopping the villains, finding and attacking Kurogiri's weak point shortly after.
On the battlefield, Bakugo habitually doesn't attempt to plow through with brute strength alone. Rather, every move is calculated and has a reason behind it. His ability to stay calm despite the sheer rage he emits allows him to analyze the situation and change tactics to adapt. The first instance we see this is during season 1's Deku vs. Kacchan. Seemingly blinded by his anger, there is a part of Bakugo that is aware of his actions and the circumstances, which enables him to be in control. However, this also requires a thorough understanding of his own Quirk and how to utilize it in any scenario -- something he's always been well-adept at.
Unfortunately, it's Bakugo's short temper and poor attitude in the most vital of situations that often lead to him being misunderstood. This is attributed to his lack of understanding others' emotions, which has had disastrous consequences in the past. For example, Bakugo failed the provisional license exam not because he is physically inadequate, but because of his poor treatment of others. Granted, Bakugo has grown much from the wild, hotheaded teenager of the series' first few seasons and he continues to grow stronger from his mistakes. By widening his horizons through his friends and classmates at U.A. and by experiencing the harsh realities of battle, he's on the verge of reaching his true potential.
Though muddied by his attitude, Bakugo is much more than just natural talent. Rather, it's a combination of perceptiveness, technique, and power that allows him to be one of the best up-and-coming heroes and World Heroes' Mission does a fantastic job of reminding us of this. If he continues on his current path, Bakugo will likely soon be able to rival the best of the best as his reputation speaks for itself. Even beyond his classmates, Bakugo has long since solidified himself as one of the most intelligent characters in MHA.
