My Hero Academia Season 8 Episode 4: The origin of All For One unfolds, and Bakugo’s last explosion of defiance

My Hero Academia Season 8 Episode 4 was undoubtedly one of the most intense episodes of the series. It covered the twisted origin story of All For One (AFO) and Bakugo heroically fighting against him while being pushed way past his limits.

This episode managed to blend tragedy, symbolism, and intense action, marking a turning point in the final saga. While the action was indeed flawlessly animated, it was more lore-heavy and yet managed to keep its viewers on the edge of their seats.

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The birth of a monster

This episode starts with showing us a mysterious woman who is heavily pregnant and by herself in a shady alleyway. Moreover, even if anyone tried to help her, she violently rejected them.

My Hero Academia Season 8 Episode 4 does not reveal anything else about her except for the fact that she was carrying twins. One peculiar thing about this was that one baby was larger than the other.

During one gloomy rainy night, she gave birth to her babies near a riverbank, but unfortunately did not survive. What no one could predict was that one of her babies was going to become the most feared figure in My Hero Academia’s world.

Before we got any other information, the episode shifts to give the audience more information about the time when AFO was born. It was different than the current timelines, as then people just started to identify something known as Meta Abilities.

Those were early forms of a Quirk, and not many had this genetic mutation that caused one to have a superpower. These new genes divided humanity between those with powers and those without, sparking fear, hatred, and chaos.

Even as a child, AFO’s nature was clear. He killed a group of “Normals” who tried to harm people with powers, using an ability he had stolen from his own mother. Born with the instinct to take whatever he desired, he grew up believing power was his birthright.

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The twin who believed in heroes and the origin of One For All

AFO in My Hero Academia Season 8 Episode 4 was shown to have a twin brother who was weaker and timid than him. He kept on bullying his brother, but never let him go. It was because his mind had a twisted ideology that his brother was his first possession, and he owned him.

As children, they had no one to look upto or guide them, and as time passed, the weaker twin tried his best to make his brother use his powers for good and become a hero. Nothing worked as AFO was born evil.

AFO eventually stole the Quirk of the first known Meta human, solidifying his warped philosophy: “All For One, and One For All.” In his mind, villains were superior as they lived freely without moral restraints. One day, as adults still powerless, his younger twin was granted a Quirk by AFO himself, both as an act of control and mockery.

Yet, in an ironic twist, this ability merged with the twins’ innate power to transfer Quirks, giving rise to the legendary ability One For All. Before he could have taken the power back with his brother's found Qurik, it was already transferred to the guy who had come to rescue him.

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Bakugo vs. All For One: A legacy of power

My Hero Academia Season 8 Episode 4 cuts to the present, where Bakugo is facing off against AFO. It is one of the most beautifully animated and emotionally charged fights in the series.

Tension is at an all-time high for both of them. For AFO, it is that his body is rapidly de-aging, and he knows he must fuse with Shigaraki soon if he wants to survive. In his last efforts due to desperation, he unleashes his most devastating technique: Omni-Factor Unleash: All For One.

The sequence in this episode is absolutely breathtaking; purple lightning crackles, AFO’s monstrous aura consumes the battlefield, and the haunting music amplifies the chaos.

Yet Bakugo stands firm, channeling every ounce of creativity and determination into his explosive counterattack. AFO senses something strange while continuously taking attacks from Bakugo.

There is a resemblance between Bakugo and Kudo, one of the past inheritors of One For All. It’s a subtle but emotional touch that ties Bakugo to the core legacy of heroism in the series.

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Final thoughts on My Hero Academia Season 8 Episode 4

With AFO finally being defeated in this episode, the preview of the next episode shows us a glimpse of Deku and Shigaraki finally taking the center stage in this battle.

In the end, it was pure visual poetry, and because of that, My Hero Academia Season 8 Episode 4 has the potential to become a revered episode of all time in his franchise.