My Hero Academia Season 7 Episode 21, “Battle Without A Quirk,” is the final episode of this season. I have wondered how All Might would participate in the war against All For One after losing his powers. For a while it seemed like he would be in the background given the other heroes directions. Especially because of the “Foresight,” vision Nighteye saw that showed All Might dying in a fight with an “unknown villain.” All Might believes that this “de-aged” AFO was that villain. Despite this he’s will to die to delay AFO from reaching Tomura.
All Might confidently tells AFO that “he’s here,” as he opens his briefcase revealing an armored suit. Clearly inspired by Ironman, All Might’s new armor features many powers of Class 1-A students. AFO isn’t threaten at the sight of a Quirkless All Might, but he’s still enraged by the sight of his smiling foe.
All Might holds his own
All Might barrels toward his archenemy with blinding speed, calling out to Hercules for “Red Riot.” The car responds instantly, forming a cocoon of gleaming metal panels around him. All For One retaliates with a devastating laser, slicing through All Might and carving a path of destruction through several buildings. As the “Red Riot” panels burst apart, All Might rockets upward, undeterred, toward the Villain. Hercules warns that the shield’s energy is down to one-third and that the same maneuver won’t hold up again. All Might barely acknowledges the caution, brushing it off with unwavering confidence as he soars higher.
All For One, his arm blown clean off from his last attack, retreats further into the sky, taunting All Might. He sneers that without One For All, his head-on fighting style is doomed to fail. But All Might counters with a sharp command: “Blackwhip.” Metal cables erupt from the suit, latching onto All For One and piercing through his body. With precision, All Might follows up with “Chargebolt,” sending a jolt of electricity coursing through his foe, halting his regeneration mid-process. As sparks fly, All Might declares that All For One’s usual tactics—wearing opponents down with ranged attacks before stealing their Quirks—are useless against someone with no Quirk to take.
Watching from below, Naomasa clenches his fists, awe-struck. Despite everything, All Might remains the same unyielding hero he’s always been, a man who protects everyone, powers or not.
Symbol of Peace
As this fight continues, All Might proves that his stalling tactics are working. He uses an array of his students abilities, he also mocks AFO, questioning his strength. By enraging AFO, All Might forces AFO into behaving recklessly. All Might jabs, “Bet you didn’t see this coming, huh? A mighty Demon Lord getting thrashed by someone with no Quirk.” AFO does counter, using a combination of “Quirks: Spring-ify, Brawn Boost, Air Cannon, Rivet Stab, Dark Ball, and Impure Beam. With a roar, he unleashes the combined attack, a devastating beam that engulfs All Might and obliterates a massive chunk of the city.”
The explosion sends All Might hurtling into a nearby building, but he manages to brace the impact with “Utility Cape Auto-Guard: Tsukuyomi.” Battered and bruised, he pulls himself up, his mind razor-sharp. His stalling tactics were working. All For One was growing visibly agitated, his attacks increasingly wild and unfocused. All Might knew he was getting under the Villain’s skin—and that was exactly the plan.
We get some flashbacks from All Might’s meeting with Nana. It’s revealed that both of them have lost their families. However, Nana rejects All Might claiming that she won’t train someone that doesn’t have a Quirk and is seeking vengeance. All Might says “he can’t just sit idle and allow the world to continue making evil prosper in these current times.” This get’s Nana’s attention. All Might wishes to become a “Symbol of Peace,” given something for the people to aspire to.
The fight between Tomura and Deku, and AFO and All Might will have too conclude next season. While I’m certain Deku will prevail somehow, I’m not so sure about All Might. He holding his own right now and I think he might stall AFO long enough to be useful. I not so sure he’ll survive after doing it.
