WARNING: The following contains spoilers for My Hero Academia Chapter #324, "A Young Woman's Declaration” by Kohei Horikoshi, Caleb Cook and John Hunt, available now in English from Viz Media.
Chapter #324 of My Hero Academia shines the spotlight on Ochaco Uraraka as she tries to convince the civilians to allow Deku to receive shelter at U.A. Aside from all the heartfelt words she shares, Deku ends the chapter with some telling words of his own: “The story of how we all became the greatest Heroes.”
The continuing narrative of My Hero Academia has always been about how Deku is going to become the greatest Hero, but now the narrative is shifting. This could be a good thing -- or setting the stage for further calamity. Let’s explore the possible meaning behind Deku’s fascinating last words in Chapter #324.
My Hero Academia's next arc could be about Deku stepping out of the spotlight to give Uraraka and the other young heroes a moment in the sun. The narrative has been heavily focused on Deku and One For All ever since the time skip, but now it's being flipped. Deku is at his breaking point, and it’s unclear if he’s able to fight. Now is the ideal time for All For One to strike, and that moment could be looming over the horizon.
In Chapter #323, Principal Nezu made it clear that U.A. High can travel as a form of defense. This is perfect story fodder to force everyone to split up if the school goes into defense mode when being attacked. Like in many other manga, including One Piece and Black Clover, the split could lead to another time skip -- a golden opportunity to showcase the other young Heroes’ development. The villains' infiltration could also prove to be too much for the students, leading to further casualties. Some who have given up the Hero mantle could make a guest appearance to sacrifice themselves one last time for the greater good of society.
By saying “how we all became the greatest Heroes,” in Chapter #324 it’s almost as if Deku is foreshadowing some kind of grief. By grouping everyone under the term “greatest Heroes,” it takes away from him trying to save everyone and acknowledges the potential sacrifices that could come in the future. If Kohei Horikoshi is going to make more Heroes sacrifice themselves, MHA's current arc would be the perfect opportunity. The potential of Deku losing some classmates could be closer than we’d like to believe, or maybe some of them will wind up betraying their class, which some would argue is worse than dying.
Shifting the narrative from Deku's solo journey to everyone becoming the greatest Heroes -- supported by Uraraka's passionate defense of him -- should not be overlooked. With many Heroes quitting, All For One rising to power and society at the brink of collapse, something more catastrophic is bound to happen. And as the League of Villains hasn’t made a move yet, their activity seems very suspicious.
If Shigaraki and All For One are still against each other, then U.A. might be the site for their ultimate showdown. Both are after Deku and will go to any lengths to acquire the power of One For All. Protecting Deku from both factions will not be an easy task, and definitely presents the right setting for calamity. Deku hasn’t been able to smile for a while in My Hero Academia, and it’s looking like he won't get the opportunity anytime soon.
