REVIEW: ‘My Hero Academia’ Episode 140 — “Specter”

Tomura Shigaraki’s (Kôki Uchiyama) pinned by Star and Stripe’s (Romi Park) laser spear. Knowing the concentrated energy is only enough to contain him, she has used her special authority as the U.S.’s number one hero to summon a flight of super-sonic Tiamet cruise missiles. When they arrive, Star plans to deliver the final blow to end the menace to the world that Shigaraki has become in My Hero Academia Episode 140 (Boku no hîrô akademia) “Specter.”

This week’s episode opens with a flashback. We see Star and her squadron hanging out after a hard training session. We learn that Star has insecurities about her quirk and some of the misconceptions many people have about it. While Star may have her doubts, her squadron doesn’t. They know the limits of New Order aren’t a reflection on her. The support they give her lifts her spirit, allowing her to smile again.

The opening moments of My Hero Academia Episode 140 are critical in informing the later events of the episode. Starr’s choices and confidence are heavily influenced by this casual moment of camaraderie. The unwavering support of her team is a gift that she will return in kind, as a true hero does.

When our story returns to the present, it picks up where the last episode left off. With Shigaraki pinned and the Tiamet missiles screaming towards them, Star makes the final preparations with her squad for the attack. Since New Order can only change two things simultaneously, she must release the laser to grab the missiles, trusting her squad to keep Shigaraki at bay until she can deliver the final blow.

Even though My Hero Academia Episode 140 focuses on Star, it doesn’t forget how dangerous a foe Shigaraki is. While the overwhelming number of quirks he now possesses is the biggest threat, the villain’s cunning mind is just as sharp as anyone’s. This element of the character is utilized skillfully here as Star delivers the explosive payload of the missiles.

How Shigaraki manages to avoid a fiery death is believable. It takes a massive amount of quick thinking to come up with, but it’s nothing that breaks what he and others have managed to pull together on the fly before. The best part about it is how it reintroduces an element of the fight that was previously introduced, but viewers are likely to forget is present. Simple misdirection is a fantastic trick for narrative surprises.

We also have to discuss the visual presentation of Star’s big attack. Bones goes all out in delivering an explosion capable of slaying the powerhouse Shigaraki has become. The blast is massive. The vibrancy of the colors used relay the intensity of the heart projected by the inferno as we see the state-of-the-art fighter jets thrown like dust motes in the winds whipped up by the explosion. The episode even momentarily cuts away to Endeavor, Jeanist, and Hawks as they witness the gargantuan orb of fire from the distant mainland. All these elements come together to present a truly awe-inspiring moment.

My Hero Academia Episode 140 sees Shigaraki and Star’s battle reach its climax as the antagonist reappears, leaping through the smoking remains of Star’s attack. Despite her pilot’s offer to use their planes as weapons to slay Shigaraki, Star allows him to approach. Knowing her opponent plans to steal New Order, the hero lays a trap for the villain. Even as Starr’s body begins to crumble under the decaying touch of Shigaraki, she manages to ensnare him.

As Shigaraki prepares to give New Order its first command, a small explosion erupts on his body. Then another. And another. Soon, his entire person is wracked with explosions. It turns out that Shigaraki isn’t the only clever fighter here. While all eyes were on Shigaraki, Star gave New Order one final command: rebel against other quirks.

The moment Shigaraki took New Order into his body, the quirk began destroying the carefully curated collection of quirks the villain had built up. Unable to simply expel New Order, Shigarraki rushes to find someone that he can give it to before all his powers are gone. Haaried by the fighters of Star’s squadron, he rushes back to the mainland to dispatch the now troublesome quirk.

While the brutal explosion meant to slay Shigaraki is impressive, how Bones delivers the rampant New Order’s assault on Shigasraki is utterly terrifying in its power. Shown as a massive version of Star in Shigaraki’s inner self, we see New Order tear away at the fused Shigaraki/All For One with reckless abandon. Peeling away quirks as it roars in a white-hot rage. That Shigaraki is powerless to even slow down its rampage speaks to the might of the quirk.

As the battle speeds away, My Hero Academia Episode 140 returns to Star one last time. As she crumbles to dust, she says goodbye to her men and her mentor. If her sacrifice allows the battle to turn against the villains, then it is one she is happy to make. The final moments of Star’s brief time in the series are poignant ones, as we are once more reminded of the true nature of heroism and the price it frequently requires.

While Star’s defeat considerably weakens Shigaraki, it does also harm the situation. With the knowledge that both America’s number one hero and advanced technology were not enough to bring Shigaraki down, the nations of the world elected to keep all their heroes at home. Not only do they desperately need them to deal with their problems, but throwing them against the monster that not even Star could stop seems wasteful.

As My Hero Academia Episode 140 ends, we learn that the heroes of Japan have one week to prepare before Shigaraki is fully healed and ready to launch his final attack. When All Might delivers the update to the students of class 1A, he is reassured to learn that the class hasn’t been idle while he and Deku are away. Doubling down on their training, the class prepares to give their all in the coming battle.

My Hero Academia Episode 140 brings the opening fight of the season to a close. It delivers action and heart and perfectly sets the stakes for the coming battle. With the rest of the world standing back, the heroes of Japan are the first and only line of defense against Shigaraki and All For One. All that remains now is for the battle to begin.

My Hero Academia Episode 140 is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.