Anime villains are often portrayed in clear contrast to their heroic counterparts, either through pure evil or misguided ambitions, butMy Hero Academiaturns this on its head with one character. Stain, the Hero Killer, isn’t a typical power-hungry antagonist. Instead, he is driven by an ideology that has a good deal of merit. His hatred for “fake” heroes pushes people to considerwhether the heroes and hero society that they admire are as virtuous as they seem.
Stain’s ideology is compelling due to his critique of hero society and the flaws he points out. While his murderous crusade against pro-heroes is blatantly wrong,it’s impossible to ignore the truth in his criticisms. With Stain,My Hero Academiacreates a blurred line, sparking conversation about what truly makes a hero a hero and those who are only in it for fame and fortune.
Heroes in My Hero Academia Didn’t Always Prioritize Being Heroic
Stain’s role as a villain inMy Hero Academiais indisputable. From the moment he is introduced, his methods of killing and attacking pro-heroes leave no room for doubt over his brutal nature. Stain’s willingness to kill those he deems unworthy shows off theextremism in his ideology and leaves him unable to peacefully coexist within societyas his actions instill chaos and fear in heroes and civilians alike, regardless of his motives and vision for a “true” hero society.
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However, despite taking his ideals to the extreme,his claims were not entirely baseless.Stain critiques the heroes who are superficial,concerning themselves with fame and fortune rather than protecting others. Stain’s introduction to the series and continuing influence force fans to consider how heroes like Endeavor, who prioritize surpassing All Might, or even Mount Lady, who enjoys fame, fall into this category. The fact that heroism has become commercialized negates the very notion of what true heroism should be and allows heroes to lose sight of what their utmost priority should be.
In this way, Stain’s character serves as both an antagonist and a reflection of the flaws within hero society. For example, his confrontation with Iida in Hosu City revealed the cracks within Iida’s own motivations for being a hero, pointing out his desire for revenge and inability to act selflessly due to it. Even after Stain is taken away,his ideals remain and leave a lasting impact throughout the series. Therefore, while his actions make him irredeemable inMy Hero Academia, his critique of hero society strongly resonates within the storyline.
Stain Wanted To Get Rid of “Fake” Heroes
Stain Acted as Judge, Jury, and Executioner to Push His Ideas Forward
Stain’s driving goal was to rid the world of these “fake” heroes in order to create a new one that falls within his principles. To him, heroism was a sacred idealthat demanded selflessness and a willingness to put oneself on the line for the greater good. Yet, as heroism increasingly grew more commercialized, Stain saw heroism becomingtainted by those who treated it as a means to gloryor simply just another profession. The pro-heroes who prioritized anything over their duty to defend others became the representation of everything Stain despised.
As a result, this belief festered until Stainbegan his crusade against those he judged unworthy of the title of “hero.”One of his most notable targets was the hero,Ingenium, Iida’s older brother. Ingenium was a well-respected hero, but to Stain, he didn’t meet the impossibly high standard of what true heroism should be. Stain’s subsequent assault on Ingenium was more than an act of violence and served as a symbolic move to send a message to other heroes. Stain played this pattern out repeatedly, methodically selecting those he believed were superficial in order to “purify” hero society.
What made Stain even more dangerous is the fact that hewasn’t driven by personal gain or desire for power but rather by a genuine beliefin a higher purpose. This made him a near-unstoppable force, and when paired with his willingness to sacrifice his life for his values, he became a symbol himself.Stain’s ideals resonated with many, and he became a revolutionary figure whose philosophy continued to spread and forced people to reconsider their views on the state of hero society.
Stain Blurred the Line Between Hero and Villain in My Hero Academia
Stain’s character is one ofMy Hero Academia’sboldest attempts to blur the line between hero and villain. While his ideology is extreme, it was grounded ina genuine desire to see hero society return to its rootsinprioritizing altruism and selflessness over wealth and status. Part of what makes him so compelling is that his philosophy is inherently heroic, but his methods in achieving it were villainous. His extremism drove him to act in harsh and violent ways, alienating potential allies who may have agreed with his stance had he adopted a more peaceful form of protest.
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Yet, despite his actions, Stain resonated with heroes and villains alike. For heroes, he pointed out thegrowing commercialization and corruption in their profession. For villains, he served as a symbol ofrebellion against the hypocrisy of hero society. While Stain manages to incite conversation, his reliance on violence limits the reach of his philosophy and causes it to become warped and misunderstood by those who want to follow in his footsteps.
Ultimately, Stain was unable to become more than his role as a villain due to his unwillingness to compromise. His extremist approach undermined his ability to spark meaningful change himself and left his ideals to be carried forward by others, such as Deku or Spinner, albeit in vastly different ways. Even so, theimpact of his beliefs was proof that Stain was more than a run-of-the-mill villain. Instead, he became a catalyst for rhetoric surrounding the flaws of hero society inMy Hero Academiaand urged society to reconsider the definition of heroism.
