REVIEW: ‘My Hero Academia’ Episode 168 — “Epilogue, The Hellish Todoroki Family: Final”

The battle against All For One might be over, but there is still plenty to be resolved for our heroes. My Hero Academia Episode 168, “Epilogue, The Hellish Todoroki Family: Final,” begins tying up loose ends as the heroes rebuild and recover from their epic fight. 

My Hero Academia Episode 168 starts by focusing on the literal rebuild. The fight with All For One caused extensive damage, and it would be impossible to rebuild the demolished buildings without superhuman effort. Seeing the heroes and civilians working side by side highlights the main message of My Hero Academia.

Having a quirk doesn’t inherently make you different; it is what you do with your gifts (or lack thereof) that makes you special. Here we see people from all walks of life living that out as they come together to rebuild the city they call home, with any sense of “us vs. them” completely eradicated. 

After such an epic fight, My Hero Academia Episode 168 spends its time embracing its aftermath.

Buildings need to be rebuilt, but they aren’t the only thing damaged from the fight. Bakugo is shown recovering in the hospital, with doctors unsure if he will ever fully recover. It shows just how much they risked in the fight, and the fact that they don’t just return to normal gives more weight to what they have endured. Bakugo, as always, is ready to jump headfirst into rehab because he refuses to let his injuries change him. It is a testament to how hard he has always fought, and he is not about to give up now.

But the real highlight of My Hero Academia Episode 168, the part that brings everything home, is when Bakugo sees Izuku Midoriya and All-Might in their own hospital beds. He sees how badly damaged Deku is, but he still has a smile on his face. Then, the camera blurs as if viewers are seeing through the tears in Bakugo’s eyes as he realizes that Deku is quirkless again.

This moment is so powerful because it shows how far these two friends have come. Bakugo is shown early on in the show making fun of Deku for his lack of a quirk. He finds him weak and pathetic, and thinks his dreams of becoming a hero are embarrassing for someone without any power. Now, he is brought to tears by his friend losing what he had always dreamed of, because he knows how great a hero Deku has become.

With the arrival of graduation in My Hero Academia Episode 168, it is the end of a chapter in multiple ways.

For his part, Deku has no regrets about giving up his powers to save everyone. That selflessness has always defined him, and it is no different now. When he sees how hard Bakugo is taking it, his first instinct is to encourage his friend that everything is going to be okay. That mentality is what makes Deku such an incredible hero, and it allows him to have a vital impact even without a quirk.

There is a tonal shift halfway through My Hero Academia Episode 168 that focuses on the heroes graduating from U.A. High School. It is a nice way to break up to more emotional moments, and it also serves as a reminder that these heroes are still just kids. Their lives will go on, they will go back to school, and enter the real world once they finish. It is crazy to think that they could return to normal things like school after everything they have been through, but it is also important to show them a sense of normalcy.

It also shows viewers that Deku and his friends have more to fight for, even if the stakes are much lower. They still have work to do to become the heroes they are capable of being, and they want to keep learning so that they can keep the peaceful world they have fought so hard for. Taking the time to show this is a nice way to continue their character growth, even as the series is wrapping up.

After all of that, My Hero Academia Episode 168 turns its focus towards the titular Todoroki family. Shoto, Endeavor, and the rest of the family are going together to see Toya, otherwise known as Dabi, as he approaches his own death. Watching him decay is unnerving, but the rest of the family needs to get some semblance of closure. 

Redemption and resolution hover in the air as the death of a loved one rapidly approaches.

This is Endeavor’s chance to say what he needs to speak to his dying son, as well as the rest of his family. The once-great hero is forced to retire, allowing him to reevaluate what matters most in his life. His conversation here is emotional, revealing how much he has changed over the course of the series. The whole family has so much they want to say to Toya, even Shota, who discovers they share the same favorite food. This is a family that has been through so much, and their journey is not over yet.

It is also a perfect way of showing the realistic side of redemption. Everyone expects Endeavor’s entire family to welcome him back with open arms, but that is not the case. Natsuo sees what his father has done, but he still chooses to separate himself from the family.

This is a grim moment for the family, since they will never be completely whole, but it’s a realistic one. Natsuo has been through so much because of Endeavor, and it makes sense that he would want to make the tough decision to distance himself as much as possible and live his own life.

My Hero Academia Episode 168 is a slow-paced, emotional roller coaster that shows the heroes rebuilding physically and emotionally after their epic battle. It is an emotional high point as storylines that have been building since the first episode finally receive satisfying, realistic endings.

My Hero Academia Episode 168 is streaming now on Crunchyroll.

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