Summary
The war arc inMy Hero Academialed tonew power-ups for heroes and villainsalike. While a plethora of new techniques made rounds throughout the war, one new technique in particular stood out — Phosphor. Created by Shoto Todoroki, Phosphor is a complex technique that creates ice-cold flames that scorch and freeze simultaneously.
Phosphor was initially thought to only be viable for Shoto, given the technique’s requirements, yet one more character acquired this deadly power. Dabi, the infamous villain among the League’s ranks, was able to mimic this technique and turn it into an even deadlier version. Dabi’s use of Phosphor inMy Hero Academiatruly comes as a surprise, as this technique revealed the presence of another quirk in the villain’s arsenal.
Users
Shoto Todoroki, Dabi
My Hero Academia’snarrative has witnessed the growth of manyheroes from Class 1-A, yet Shoto’s leap is arguably the greatest, and Phosphor testifies to this very fact. The technique was invented by Shoto to utilize the fire and ice aspects of his Half-Hot Half-Cold quirk in unison. The primary principle of the technique revolves around merging both quirks by circulating cold and hot blood throughout his body.
With the heart acting as the central point, Phosphor allows the user to manifest the power of both quirks simultaneously, leading to a significant boost to both defense and offense. Phosphor can boost every single one of the user’s techniques by multiple folds, as witnessed in Shoto’s improved Great Glacier Aegir technique.To activate Phosphor, a high degree of concentration is required, and any disruptions can throw off the intricate balance that keeps the technique active.
How Did Dabi Activate Phosphor?
Sheer Determination or Luck?
Achieving Phosphor requires the activation of bothFire and Ice Quirkssimultaneously. Shoto was believed to be the only character in My Hero Academia who could logically achieve this state. However, Dabi defied all logic by mimicking Shoto’s technique and activating Phosphor with his own Blue Flame Quirk.
Since Dabi only inheritedEndeavor’s flame quirk, achieving Phosphor would have been impossible for him. However, Dabi was still able to concentrate his flame and use his heart as a generator for the power to flow through him, a feat that became possible after he awakened his mother’s Ice Quirk inside of him. This event revealed that Dabi had inherited both parents’ powers, yet his Ice Quirk remained dormant inside him, only to be manifested in a life-or-death situation.
The Strength of Dabi’s Phosphor
A More Potent Form Of the Technique
Despite only learning the technique after mimicking Shoto’s Phosphor, Dabi was able to achieve an even more potent form of Phosphor. SinceDabi’s Blueflame already burned hotterthan both Endeavor and Shoto’s flames, he was naturally able to acquire a much stronger form of the technique. However, his rage and hatred further exacerbated the intensity of his Phosphor.
Dabi used Phosphor to reinforce his Blueflame in an attempt to render Shoto’s ice useless. His flames burned bright enough to overpower Shoto altogether, and his fight against Endeavor further showcased the intensity of his firepower. Dabi’s Phosphor turned his flames into a weapon of mass destruction, as he was set to self-destruct and incinerate everything in a five mile radius.
How was he able to keep going until now… with heat that’s hot enough to burn even me…? - Endeavor
The intensity of Dabi’s flame became so overwhelming that it took his entire family’s combined ice power to save him from self-destructing. The combined ice power of Rei, Natsuo, and Fuyumi failed to bring him down, and it was only after Shoto’s Phosphor-empowered Great Glacier Aegir that Dabi could be stopped in his tracks.
How Does Dabi’s Phosphor Affect the Narrative?
Dabi’s Phosphor Brings a New Perspective to the Todoroki Family Drama
Dabi’s newfound power puts him on the map as one of thestrongest villains inMy Hero Academia, second only to Shigaraki and All For One. However, the events that unraveled right after Dabi acquired this power have quelled the threat of this fearsome villain, meaning Dabi’s Phosphor is unlikely to be witnessed again inMy Hero Academia. Nevertheless, Dabi’s usage of this technique was quite significant, as it revealed his latent Ice Quirk that lay dormant within him.
Dabi’s awakening of Rei’s Ice Quirk also holds symbolic value, as it revealed that Toya was the perfect protégé that Endeavor was looking for, yet he was quick to throw him away at the first signs of failure. With both quirks, Toya could have followed an entirely different path, yet Endeavor’s selfishness sent him down thetragic road of becoming Dabi. While Dabi’s Phosphor may have been used once in the series, it has left a profound impact onMy Hero Academia’snarrative, whether through its symbolism or the display of power that is fueled purely by hatred and detest.
