REVIEW: ‘My Hero Academia,’ Episode 129 – “The Hellish Todoroki Family, Part 2”

My Hero Academia Episode 129 continues to show the aftermath of the massive battle between the heroes and the Liberation Front. It also serves as a sequel episode to My Hero Academia Episode 105, which focuses on the Todoroki family and the trauma and healing they have gone through.

My Hero Academia Episode 129 focuses on the trauma that all of the heroes have endured, both in the past and the present. Not a single person came out of the fight with the Liberation Front unscathed, both [physically and mentally. It’s the mental scars that My Hero Academia Episode 129 tries to draw attention to, primarily with Hawks and Endeavor.

In My Hero Academia Episode 129, viewers look into the backstory of Hawks as he looks inward at himself and what it means to him to be a hero. In these flashbacks, we see that Hawks’ upbringing was far from ideal. He lived with an abusive father and was eventually forced to flee to safety with his mother. My Hero Academia has never shied away from showing the darker parts of some heroes’ lives and getting to learn more about what made Hawks the hero he is was really interesting. It certainly makes him a more sympathetic character and even helps explain some of his over-the-top ego at times.

My Hero Academia Episode 129 is also a beautiful showcase of growth and healing. There is a moment at the start of the episode where Bakugo loudly yells “if he dies, I’ll kill him” in reference to seeing Deku still not recovered from the battle. While only a small moment, it shows just how much their relationship has changed. While Bakugo might still be a loudmouth, it’s clear that he cares for Deku and sees him as a close friend, even if he might not want to admit it out loud. Watching their growth from the very first episode all the way until now has really been a masterclass in storytelling.

The other relationship that My Hero Academia Episode 129 highlights is the one between Endeavor and his family. Despite the episode title, this only gets a few minutes of screen time at the end of the episode, but it’s the moment that hit me the most emotionally. Endeavor has already wrestled with the things he has done to hurt his family and push them away, but when they come to see him in the hospital and tell him they feel even more regret and guilt than he does. Seeing his wife and kids all come to see him was genuinely moving. It’s clear how much Endeavor wants to right his wrongs, that the actions of his past have truly broken his heart, and I’m glad he’s given a chance at redemption. Studio BONES has done an incredible job bringing this emotional storyline to life.

My Hero Academia Episode 129 takes a step back from the action and instead hammers viewers right in the feels. It was a challenge to make it through the episode without tearing up, which is a testament to how well the show has made me care about the characters. I’m incredibly invested in their growth and can’t wait to see how the rebuilding of these relationships continues in further episodes.

My Hero Academia Episode 129 is streaming now on Crunchyroll.

Kyle Foley