REVIEW: ‘My Hero Academia,’ Episode 134 – “The Lovely Lady Nagant”

My Hero Academia Episode 134 continues the fight between Deku and Lady Nagant, the former hero now working with All for One. The question of how a hero could turn so dark is explored, as one of the larger themes of what it means to be a hero is the primary focus here.

The world of My Hero Academia is a complex one, and one that has drastically changed before our very eyes. Or, rather, has been revealed for what it really was. At the start of the series, it was a story about a plucky kid who just wanted to help people and be like the hero he looked up to. Instead, Deku learns that All Might is putting up a facade and things are more complicated than they seem. While that reveal in the first season doesn’t seem as drastic in hindsight, it was a catalyst to help reach where things are now in My Hero Academia Episode 134.

Lady Nagant’s appearance at the end of My Hero Academia Episode 133 was a bit of a shock, and her bloodthirst for Deku was harrowing. Seeing a former hero taking on the role of villain in such a deadly way is not what I expected, but perhaps I should have. As My Hero Academia Episode 134 shows, Lady Nagant was used by the Safety Commission to commit heinous acts all for the “greater good”. Her power, the ability to use her body as a deadly sniper rifle, was inevitably used to kill others in the name of justice. This complicated approach to justice inevitably drove Lady Nagant away from the idea of being a hero and into the arms of All for One.

What really impresses me with My Hero Academia Episode 134 is how Deku deals with learning about Lady Nagant’s motivations. He hears what she is saying and recognizes that the black-and-white world he thought existed is really gray. It’s a theme that the show has explored throughout, especially this season, but one Deku has always tried to avoid seeing. He doesn’t want to believe that justice isn’t always just, and it’s a commendable trait. It is shown in the stories of heroes like Endeavor and Hawks that even the highest profile heroes have their dark pasts that still affect their future. Deku, wanting to always see the best in people, is learning that even those at the forefront of justice are in need of help as well.

It’s in this belief that we truly see Deku become the hero he needs to be. He isn’t trying to defeat All for One, but the ideas he represents and the problems that gave way to his rise. The idea that justice is messy and heroes are not always the good guys isn’t one anyone would want to believe. Despite that cruel realization, Deku still sees a path to redemption for Lady Nagant. He knows that the heart for justice exists and wants desperately to make it a reality. It’s a cruel fate for all of that pressure to be put on a kid, but Deku handles it with maturity and is really helping bring about the change he seeks.

All for One won’t be defeated just by beating him in battle, but by undoing the issues that caused people to flock to his side. Deku realizes this, and My Hero Academia Episode 134 gives a glimpse at how he is going to undo that. There is not always going to be a happy ending, Deku knows this, but that won’t stop him from doing what is right in a world filled with so much that is wrong. His evolution as a hero is inspiring, and it’s exciting to watch that growth continue to permeate the rest of the world around him.

My Hero Academia Episode 134 is streaming now on Crunchyroll.