The following contains spoilers for My Hero Academia Season 6, Episode 17, “The Wrong Way to Put Out a Fire,” now streaming on Crunchyroll, Funimation and Hulu.
Ever since My Hero Academia started, the Pro Hero Endeavor, aka Enji Todoroki, has been painted as a bad parent. His youngest son Shoto used to despise him so much that the boy didn’t want to use the Quirk he inherited from his father — and understandably so. Endeavor has long pressured Shoto into overtaking the longtime number one Pro Hero, All Might. Recent developments in the anime have further expounded on the Todoroki household’s family dynamics, however, and Enji may not be as bad as he initially seemed.
The Todoroki family’s dynamic is far from ideal; the villainous Dabi recently took it upon himself to expose this to the world, revealing he is none other than Toya Todoroki, Shoto’s older brother who had supposedly burned himself to death. He also revealed how Endeavor has mistreated him, his mother and his siblings. He wants to shatter the Todoroki family’s public image and watch his relatives suffer.
MHA Further Reveals the Dark Past Within the Todoroki Household
The recent battle against the Paranormal Liberation Front has incapacitated Endeavor. Likewise, Dabi’s revelation has taken a toll on the Pro Hero’s mental fortitude, especially since he has been trying to make up for his shortcomings. While confined in the hospital, Enji receives an unexpected guest — his wife, Rei, who encourages him to get his act together. Shoto initially took it upon himself to stop his brother’s rampage, but seeing that there is still a fight left with his father, he offers to join hands instead. Unlike previous times in My Hero Academia, Endeavor’s remaining family members will be behind him now.
Episode 17 of MHA Season 6 also finally revealed the tragic backstory behind the Todoroki family. As fans already know, Enji and Rei married each other for their own individual gains. Enji wants to get Rei’s Quirk, while Rei’s family seeks Enji’s fame and wealth. Toya was the first fruit of their marriage. While their first son inherited a higher firepower, he also got Rei’s body.
His physique couldn’t tolerate the heat he generates, resulting in the boy easily getting burns. But witnessing his father’s adamance on raising to the top, Toya didn’t stop this vulnerability from exploring his Quirk. He trained in secret in hopes of earning his father’s acknowledgment. Unfortunately, this led to his untimely “death” instead.
Enji Todoroki Is Not as Callous as He Initially Seemed in MHA
It is clear that Enji Todoroki, as Endeavor, wants to usurp the title of the strongest. That is why he married Rei in the first place, and he continued to push his ideals onto his offspring. However, Season 6, Episode 17 made clear that he wasn’t willing to achieve this if it meant killing his child.
The moment he learned of Toya’s unfortunate situation, Enji continuously dissuaded the boy from using and enhancing his Quirk. He and Rei even took Toya to see a specialist; unfortunately, the latter’s desire for recognition ultimately got the better of him. That is in addition to Toya’s already unlikeable personality, as he viewed both his mother and sister as pieces of trash.
Of course, this is not to brush off Enji’s many shortcomings as a father. He didn’t necessarily wish his descendants any ill, but he also didn’t actively do anything about it. He was so blinded by his dream of getting ahead of All Might that he neglected his family, especially his wife. He has constantly pushed the responsibility of raising their children and keeping their family intact to Rei. She was also the one who took the brunt of keeping Toya under control, all while receiving harsh verbal abuse from the child. With all that being said, Enji undeniably remains one of the worst parental figures in My Hero Academia.
