Deku, the quirkless protagonist of My Hero Academia, sets a prime example of an underdog’s tale. His lack of a quirk is what made him a prime recipient of One For All, and set the stage for his conquests. Yet, a recent theory that has the power to topple everything you know suggests that Deku’s original quirk was stolen.
As you know, 80% of the population in My Hero Academia has quirks, and the other 20% don’t. A fan theory suggests that 20% of people might have a minor quirk or something that they never had to use.
Someone could have the quirk of breathing in space, but they will never know their quirk because they have never been to space. They might be immune to poisons, or they can converse with alligators, but they have never encountered one. All For One, for example, seemed quirkless but could transfer quirks.
If the theory is true, Gege Akutami’s fate might be awaiting Kohei Horikoshi.
Did Deku have an original quirk before One For All in My Hero Academia?
A fan theory suggests that Shigaraki’s quirk, Decay, initially belonged to Deku. In episode 1 of My Hero Academia, Deku is taken to a doctor who suggests that Izuku is quirkless. However, we later find out that the doctor was Kyudai Garaki, All For One’s lackey. Thus, fans find it possible that Deku’s quirk was stolen at a young age and stockpiled for All For One.
Garaki finding out Deku’s powerful quirk could be completely coincidental. However, he could have stolen the quirk and covered it up by diagnosing Deku as quirkless. As for the five-year age difference between Deku and Shigaraki, Deku’s parents could have taken him to the doctor when he was a newborn for early analysis, and that’s when it could have been stolen and stored for a suitable person who could be controlled by All For One.
Did Shigaraki get his Decay quirk from Deku in My Hero Academia?
It was revealed that Shigaraki first manifested his quirk at 5 years of age, and accidentally killed his family. It is well-known that quirks typically manifest by the age of four in children. However, a quirk as strong as Decay manifested quite late in Shigaraki.
The immediate victims were his dog and sister. In fact, Shigaraki’s mother, Nao, saw this unfold and reached out to her son despite knowing she would be killed by it. The aftermath left him vulnerable; coincidentally, that is when All For One found him.
As you know, All For One only acts in his own self-interest. So, showing sympathy to an unknown boy in the middle of the street is a very random and uncharacteristic act for him.
Shigaraki’s reminiscence began with an unknown man in a coat and hat bringing him home. It seemed like an indication that All For One, who always wears a crusty dusty coat, was the one who brought him back. This would also explain why Shigaraki’s body itches so much as it might be trying to reject the unknown quirk.
That is most probably when he transferred Deku’s Decay quirk. He knew that Shigaraki’s emotions would trigger the quirk soon, leaving a ticking time bomb in the household. When Shigaraki did lose control, All For One swooped in to cultivate the hatred of heroes in him.
If the theory is true, Deku will be in immense pain if he finds out that his original quirk was destructive. Decay is the exact opposite of Deku’s kind and helpful nature. So, is this what Kohei Horikoshi has planned for My Hero Academia? Will All For One reserve this knowledge until the final moment? Or is it all just wishful thinking?
You can watch My Hero Academia on Crunchyroll and the manga is available to read on Viz Media.
