Summary
Author Horikoshi has a clever way of writing parallel characters and pinning them against each other, an aspect ofMy Hero Academiathat lends the series considerable depth.Dabi and Hawksare two characters that are strikingly similar in many ways, yet their roles inMy Hero Academiais entirely contrary to each other. Despite bearing similar beginnings and comparable treatment by hero society, Dabi and Hawks ended up on opposing sides, which further backs the notion of the two characters being a reflection of each other.
Dabi’s rejection and Hawks’ embrace of the hero system, coupled with their relationship with Endeavor, pins the two characters against each other. This theme was further examined during the war arc inMy Hero Academia, though subtle hints of this nuanced subtext were already apparent from its introduction.
Dabi and Hawks: Two Sides Of the Same Coin
The Two Characters Bear Similar Beginnings
At first glance,the No. 2 Pro Heroand Japan’s most heinous villain couldn’t be further apart, yet a closer look reveals a striking similarity between these two characters. While Dabi and Hawks currently bear very different characterizations, their initial beginnings as Toya Todoroki and Keigo Takami are uncannily similar. Both children were brought into this world as nothing more than objects and tools, with their self-worth being associated with the value they could offer to their parents.
Toya was brought into this world as nothing more thana tool to surpass All Might, and Endeavor attempted to mold him into an image of himself. Keigo may not have been born under similar circumstances, yet his existence was tied to the value he could offer to his parents in their survival. As soon as their value was lost, both Keigo and Toya were discarded and cast aside. Both characters discarded their identities for a new persona, one that mimicked their new perspective of the hero world.
Endeavor’s Influence on Dabi and Hawks
Endeavor Is a Key Figure for Both Characters
Another key similarity between the two characters is their relation to Endeavor, and how the Pro Hero influenced their current personas. Dabi’s relationship to Endeavor is rather obvious, as he was raised as a successor to his father who could finally surpass All Might’s legacy. Endeavor implanted his obsessive ideals on to Toya, leading to the child becoming obsessed with training his quirk and improving his power. However, Toya’s image of Endeavor became distorted after he lost control of his quirk and went into a coma for two years. His admiration for his father turned into sheer hatred, in-turnfueling his blue flame.
Surprisingly, Hawks also bears a relationship with Endeavor, one that shaped his view of the hero world in an entirely different way. As the man who captured his father and saved him from a miserable life, Hawks came to view Endeavor as a true hero. This view was further exacerbated by Endeavor’s achievements in the hero world, leading to young Keigo wanting to follow in his footsteps. When he was recruited bythe Hero Public Safety Commission, Keigo erased his previous identity for a new name and persona, all to be a hero just like Endeavor.
Endeavor played a major role in both Toya and Keigo’s early years, which directly influenced their current personas of Dabi and Hawks respectively. However, the striking difference in the role that Endeavor played in shaping the two characters is rather intriguing, as Hawks embraced his role as a tool just to be like his idol, while Dabi rejected his father’s ambitions and vowed to turn the world to ashes.
Two Prodigies With Opposing Destinies
Hawks And Dabi Are Destined To Serve Opposing Sides
While their quirks might not be the strongest powers inMy Hero Academia, there’s no denying that both Hawks and Dabi are prodigies in their respective rights. Dabi possesses a blue flame that burns brighter and hotter than Endeavors, whileHawks’ Fierce Wings, coupled with his intellect and wits, deems him a genius on the battlefield. It’s clear that the two are prodigies in their own rights, yet their genius has been used in two opposing ways.
Dabi’s twisted flames and unending hatred was exploited by Shigaraki and All For One for their villainous goals, leading him down a path of utter hatred. Even without the League of Villain’s influence, however, Dabi would still have continued on this path of evil.After Kudai Garaki confirmedthat Dabi was never meant to live more than two months after he woke up from his coma, it became evident that it was his sheer hatred for Endeavor that kept him alive. In a way, Dabi was destined to use his prodigal powers against his own father and the hero world at large.
WhileHawks’ past was never as tragicas Dabi’s, he still underwent considerable trauma. He could have ended up similar to Dabi, with his accumulated hatred being used against the hero society. However, Hawks channeled his pain and trauma to work towards shining as bright as Endeavor. His past suffering could have easily pushed him into villainy, yet Hawks embraced the hero world and used his prodigal powers for the betterment of the hero world.
I wanna make this world one where heroes have time to kill - Hawks
An Existence Tied to the Hero World
Dabi and Hawks’ Identities Are Tied to the Hero World
For both Hawks and Dabi, the Hero Society is what gives their existence purpose. However, this purpose is entirely contrary for both characters. For Dabi, the current state of the Hero Society, including its injustices, is what gives his existence purpose, as he seeks to topple the status quo and destroy all that made him suffer. This also includes making Endeavor suffer, the man behind his suffering. Beingthe current No. 1 Heroalso deems him the face of the hero world, making him a target by default.
On the other hand, Hawks clings to the idea of protecting the Hero Society, because this system is exactly what gave him his current identity and persona. Without the Hero Public Safety Commission taking him in, Hawks would not be the person he is today. This is exactly why protecting the status quo, includingEndeavor’s status as the No. 1 Hero, is his current goal. My Hero Academia has cleverly pinned these two characters on multiple occasions, as their opposing ideologies make for a nuanced narrative. One character seeks to destroy the status quo while others clings to the notion of protecting it — all to protect their own identity.
Come and dance with me in hell, won’t you? - Dabi
An Obsession With Proving Their Worth
Hawks and Dabi Fight to Prove Themselves
Another intriguing parallel between Hawks and Dabi lies in their obsession with proving their worth. While this obsession started off in their early years, it has trickled down to their current personas. For Dabi, his obsession with proving his worth stems from Endeavor’s high hopes and expectations of him as a child. Since he was never able to live up to Endeavor’s expectations, Toya continued practicing his quirk, though this led to an unfortunate tragedy. While Dabi now rejects Endeavor’s beliefs, he still clings to the idea of proving himself, albeit by proving that his flames burnstronger than Endeavor and Shoto.
Hawks is in a similar situation, as he believed that he was not worthy of taking up the mantle of Japan’s strongest hero. He thought that the only way he could be useful is by being a tool for the Hero Public Safety Commission, and by supporting the number one hero from the shadows. While he has resigned himself to the backdrop, Hawks still aims to prove his worth as a hero, one worthy of supporting the No. 1 Hero Endeavor.
