This list contains spoilers!
Summary
While it’s a hero’s duty to protect civilians from harm whenever a dangerous villain shows up, there eventually comes a time when they will need to start thinking about hanging up their boots for good. Admittedly, while this can sometimes be their own decision, other times, a hero inMy Hero Academiacan be removed from their position due to losing their Quirk, or even just because they have lost their passion for keeping the country safe.
Still, just because a hero is technically no longer on the front lines doesn’t mean they can’t be interesting and memorable as characters. Below are some of the prime examples of heroes in theMy Hero Academiaseries who, despite being officially retired, still stand out for the legacy they’ve left behind, alongside their overall intrigue as individuals. Before jumping in, this list will be counting heroes who are retired by the end of the series, and will therefore feature heavy spoilers up to the end of the manga.
7Yoroi Musha
A Mysterious Hero Who Abandoned His Post When The Going Got Tough
Admittedly, Yoroi Musha is a hero who only shows up very briefly in the series, but fans can gleam a lot about his personality, character, and intent of becoming a hero from a single speech. After theParanormal Liberation Warended up flattening numerous cities and racking up a rather ugly death toll, Yoroi decided to step down, claiming that he couldn’t take the pressure that was mounting on the heroes after the whole fiasco went down.
Considering Dabi’s Dance completely shattered people’s trust in heroes, it makes sense that some would feel disheartened by the war that had recently kicked off, with Musha being a prime example of heroes who just don’t have the guts to keep fighting when it matters most.
6Ragdoll
Ragdoll Highlighted How Devastating It Can Be To Lose A Quirk
Ragdoll, a former member of the Wild, Wild Pussycats group of heroes, didn’t leave her post on her terms. Instead, after having her Search Quirkstolen by the evil mastermind All For One, Ragdoll had no choice but to drop out of being a hero, considering that without her Quirk, there isn’t a whole lot she can contribute to her fellow Pussycats.
Despite being a very vibrant and bubbly character, seeing Ragdoll be so distraught with her situation emphasizes just how cruel All For One truly is that he can ruin people’s lives so willingly. She also demonstrates how former heroes can still offer support through cheering on their teammates from the sidelines.
5Tensei Ida
Ingenium Faced A Humiliating Defeat At The Hands Of Stain, Ending His Hero Career As A Result
Fans of theVigilantesspin-offseries will be well aware of just how strong of a hero Ingenium truly was, being able to keep up with even the fastest of villains thanks to his impressive Engine Quirk. Despite still being very young when he encountered the “Hero Killer” known as Stain, things unfortunately go horribly wrong for Tensei in this battle after he’s cut down to size and paralyzed from the waist down.
Thankfully, Tensei was able to reach the hospital just in time to ensure he wasn’t killed in a pool of his own blood, but it was still a devastating event nonetheless. Back in his day, Tensei was an absolute blast to watch in action thanks to his lightning-fast speed and attacks, and his relation to Tenya also makes him pretty important to the development of a fan-favorite character.
4Gran Torino
It’s Hard To Believe This Old Geezer Is Retired With How Energetic He Always Is
At first glance, Gran Torino may seem like an old and feeble man who is clearly past his prime, but he’s surprisingly energetic for his age. This primarily comes from his Jet Quirk, which allows him to release pressure from his soles, enabling him to bounce around the environment at such speed that nobody, not even All Might himself, can catch him.
In the main story, even though he’s officially retired, Torino still plays an important role in fending off the villains. Not only is he the one who intercepts Kurogiri, who would later reveal the location of Garaki and Shigaraki, but he also supported All Might in his epic duel against All For One. Retirement clearly hasn’t slowed downAll Might’s former mentorone bit, making him a fun character to follow any time he appears on-screen.
3Hawks
The Endlessly Charismatic And Witty Pro Hero Lost His Wings, And In Turn, His Status As A Hero
It’s easy to see why so manyMy Hero Academiafans consider Hawks to be one of their favorite characters. Despite being introduced roughly halfway through the story, Hawks' infectious charisma, paired with his mysterious persona, makes it hard not to get invested in his character. As thenumber 2 Pro-Hero, Hawks is also incredibly strong thanks to his Fierce Wings Quirk, which he uses at several points in the story not only to fly around, but also to take down dangerous villains.
During the final war, Hawks put up a valiant fight against All For One, though in the end, he would get just a little too close for comfort. In the blink of an eye, Hawks has his Quirk ripped away by All For One. After the conflict finally ended, Hawks became the president of the Public Safety Commission, and though his career as a hero was cut short, he still managed to win over the hearts of many fans while still in his prime.
2Endeavor
After the war against All For One and Shigaraki is finally over and done with, Endeavor pays a visit to Dabi in the hospital, who, by this point, is barely even alive. Endeavor states that his intention was to always retire after the war ended, but in hindsight, he’s left one hell of a legacy. From a hero perspective, Endeavor holds the record for resolving the most cases on the job, though as a man, he struggled to come to terms with the sins of his past.
Endeavor’s obsession with overtaking All Might turned him into a cruel and abusive father, though once he actually reached the top spot, he would then desperately try to find ways to repent for how he acted towards his children. Of course, all of this becomes much worse after Dabi reveals his secrets to the public. It’s not uncommon to hear people say that Endeavor is the best-written character in the series, and his retirement feels like the perfect way to close the book on his memorable journey.
1All Might
Japan’s Most Well-Known Hero Put Everything On The Line Against All For One
Though All Might technically loses his Quirk in the very first episode, the embers ofOne For All, that is, the last remnants of power that are offered by the ability, still lingered inside of him for a little while after that. It was the explosive battle with All For One where All Might would officially lose his status as the number one Pro-Hero, but at least he was able to go out with a bang. All Might absolutely obliterates All For One in what many argue is the best fight in the entire series, but this is just one of many epic scenes All Might has been a part of.
No fan will ever be able to forget the scene where All Might shoots a High-End Nomu into the sky, or when he took on both Midoriya and Bakugo single-handedly. Since All Might is already insanely powerful when the series kicks off, it also adds a lot of intrigue to his character, as fans wonder how strong this guy truly was in his heyday. There’s a lot to love about All Might, even if he’s no longer an active hero for most of the story.
My Hero Academia
Cast
In My Hero Academia, some humans have superpowers called quirks. Izuku Midoriya, nicknamed Deku, is not one of them. Deku has always idolized heroes like the number one hero, All Might, and since he was a child, he has always wanted to be a hero. However, his lack of a quirk has always held him back, but a chance encounter with All Might after discovering a classmate in danger sets Deku on the path to becoming a true hero. My Hero Academia centers around Deku and a class of heroes-in-training at UA. This school shapes young quirk users into future heroes through fake rescue missions, combat training, and other hero-tempering tasks. With young Deku inheriting the “One-For-All” quirk, he will learn what it means to be a true hero while facing off with dastardly supervillains.
