Our 3D Bakugou keyring charm by @evelynart051 will now be added to ALL physical preorders!
THIRD STRETCH GOAL UNLOCKED!
ALL physical bundles will now include this Dabi, Toga, and Shigaraki standee by jeaninidraws! That’s 3 pieces of free merch total. Let’s unlock the washi tape next!
the one thing about the part with touya and shouto that has truly stuck out to me above all is the way sho speaks about his brother consistently.
while it would’ve been easy for him to be angry or upset for what touya had done, from the deepest depths - shouto’s commentary and thoughts have never been more of a gentle reprimand. it is so clear and so obvious and so consistent that more than anything, he wishes for touya to be happy and safe.
a long, long while ago in the manga deku had mentioned how todoroki is truly kind. and i think the way he views touya as nothing but himself, but his big brother who has suffered and who he wants to bring back home. there is something truly soft and tender about the way he loves and cares for him. and i think the only good way to cement both his arc and touyas arc is for them to find solace within each other.
In response to Spinner’s short monologue about Dabi last week, there’s been a lot of (in my opinion) mischaracterization, of these words as misunderstanding Dabi, or even as jealousy. Spinner’s low self-worth is definitely a flaw he needs to overcome, because it leads him to doing dangerous things like accepting a quirk from AFO when he’s known to blow people up for defying him, and risk it all for Shigaraki.
However, Spinner seeing the best in other members of the league is also his greatest strength as a character. What people are missing is literally nobody before this point referred to Dabi’s determination as a good thing. Just like Toga noticing and referring to Dabi as a kind person when he burns down the home of her childhood trauma, the other members of the league are basically the only ones who see any good in Dabi’s actions or frame him in any positive light. Everyone else sees Dabi’s lifelong determination as a problem that he should just stop and give up on his goal of bringing Endeavor to justice, Spinner is the only one who recognizes that Dabi’s convictions are his strength.
1. The One With Everything.
Spinner referring to Dabi as “already having everything” isn’t jealousy, nor is it mischaracterization, because the context of which is different from the way AFO, Endeavor, Shoto and almost everyone else refers to Dabi. Yes, Spinner is in fact viewing Dabi through the lens of his own lack of self-worth, but also in complex character writing flaws and strengths are often one in the same. For example,
Dabi’s flaw is his tunnel vision the belief he’s had to do everything by himself, first proving to his father that he was worthy of being trained, and later on in life taking down his father. This tunnel vision has also led Dabi to spurn any attempt to connect with him, including other members of the league. However, Dabi’s tunnel-vision is also a positive quality, he has strong convictions he never gives up on, he got this far and survived by himself through his own hard work.
“The past never dies” his unwillingness to forgive Endeavor makes him one of the few characters who actually wants to hold an abusive hero accountable. His anger can be a positive thing, because instead of just letting go, he’s actively trying to change the world, and this drive is compelled by traditionally negative qualities (need for revenge, unwillingness to let go).
I went to length with those past two examples to show that what are considered to be character flaws are usually strength and weaknesses at the same time. Which is why spinner is not wrong, for framing Dabi’s actions in a more positive light. Yes, maybe Spinner misses out on the fat that Dabi is actively suicidal, but I think we should contrast the way Spinner refers to Dabi to the way literally everyone else does.
SHOTO: YOU CHOSE TO BE A MURDERER ALL ON YOUR OWN.
UJIKO: IDK MAYBE HE WAS JUST BORN EVIL BEFORE AFO.
ENDEAVOR: IT’S NOT MY PARENTING TO BLAME. NO IT WAS TOUYA WHO WAS SIMPLY BORN TOO STUBBORN TO GIVE UP ON TRAINING.
I’ve commented on this in past meta before, but Dabi tends to get scapegoated by his own household and also the public to blame Endeavor’s actions in a more positive light. Rather than confronting Endeavor about his actions and putting a stop to him, it’s easier to just put the blame on Touya for being the problem child and refusing to let go of his training.
Everyone around Endeavor constantly frames Endeavor’s good qualities while ignoring his bad qualities, to excuse his actions, well he’s a good hero so who cares about his family drama. The opposite is true for Dabi, everyone focuses on how Dabi needs to stop, without seeing the good in what he’s done, that he’s trying to hold heroes who have committed murder and crimes accountable. The focus is always on Dabi stopping, and no one seems to realize Endeavor is the problem maker, he’s the one who needed to stop and still has yet to change his behavior. Maybe Dabi shouldn’t stop considering Endeavor and Hawks received slaps on the wrist for murder (Touya did in fact, die as a child because of Endeavor’s neglect), buying a spouse, etc. etc.
And I’d like to point out one final thing in regards to the relationship between Spinner and Dabi. Dabi has literally never been anything less than an asshole to Spinner. He calls Spinner by names he requests not to be called by, and doesn’t apologize. He belittles Spinner on his biggest insecurity.
When Toga was going to leave the league behind to pursue Ochaco, Spinner was witness to Dabi pretty loudly proclaiming that he doesn’t care what happened to her, and it was Spinner who rallied the league and reminded the rest of them that they were all mourning Twice’s death. Spinner has been exposed to some of Dabi’s worst traits, he’s been pretty much nothing but unsavory around him and Spinner still sees good in Dabi, and more good than his family ever saw in him because that is what Spinner does.
AFO set up Shigaraki to be a symbol of hatred, someone so broken and always constantly in a cycle of lashing out that everyone around him would only see him as someone to be hated or feared, a representation of the ugliness of society. Spinner was the first person to take all of that in, and still see the beauty behind Shigaraki’s actions. “The warped crumbling horizon… I’d never seen anything prettier” it’s not just Spinner falling in love with Shigaraki’s dream, it’s also a turning point the first time a character actually sees that Shigaraki’s destruction can actually lead to something, change, which is what motivated Spinner to start cosplaying Stain in the first place, a desire to change things. Every character before this characterized Shigaraki’s goals as just an empty desire to destroy, Re-Destro did, before him Chisaki, before him Stain. Spinner was the first to see that Shigaraki doesn’t just want destruction, but also a change to the society that excludes him and people like him.
2. Spinner’s Heart is his Strength
So marketing and merchandise has set up the league trio to be Dabi, Himiko, and Shigaraki. However, I would say the actual writing of the story (Ie the characters with character arcs), sets up the three main protagonist of the league of villains as Shigaraki, Spinner, and Toga.
Between the three of them a nice little alchemy triangle is set up. In brief, most of the time the main characters of a work are divided into three categories. The characteristics of a “Mind” character are obvious, they’re the logical thinker of the group, the planner, seperated from their emotions. While the main character is usually a heart character (think in the case of Deku / IIda / Uraraka, Deku is clearly characterized by his good heart), in this case Shigaraki is a mind character more than anything else because the main focus of his character is how detached from his emotions he is, his agency over his own mind (AFO literally tries to mind control him).
That would leave Spinner and Toga. Toga is someone who looks like an obvious heart character at first, she sucks blood, she falls in love, however I would say Toga’s entire character complex revolves around her lack of a heart. Toga doesn’t have anyone to love, and anyone who loves her, so she mistakenly searches for those two things in order to “fix” herself. However, a deeper analysis of Toga’s character will reveal she finds much more satisfaction in her platonic connections with the rest of the league which are altogether healthier, than the strangers she develops crushes on and stalks. Toga’s power is also to transform her body, into anybody else she wishes to be, in true Mystique from X-men fashion.
Which leaves Spinner as the heart. I mean, people already constantly comment on this, the way Spinner’s complete and utter devotion to Shigaraki is written, is the way most female shonen leads are written in regards to their male counterparts. If there are two lead characters of a work, protagonist and supporting protagonist one will be marked as a mind, the other as heart, corresponding as the emotinoal counterpart to the minds rationality. It’s not always male mind / female heart, but female characters in general tend to be written as more in touch with their emotions, and more actively empathic towards other people. ANYWAY. All of this to say, readers have already noticed how much Spinner is invested in Shigaraki’s emotions and well being, even going so far as to protect them, like he’s acting like SHIGARAKI’S HEART or something… idk…bro… seems pretty gay.
A lot of people tend to act like Spinner worships the ground Shigaraki walks on and that’s all there is to his character, but no, Spinner is just extremely emotionally intelligent and capable of understanding emotions in Shigaraki that Shigaraki himself isn’t understanding. Spinner often acts as the voice to the emotions Shigaraki is repressing. He will even get confrontational with Shigaraki about it, when he noties something Shigaraki doesn’t seem to notice.
Shigaraki is just as disatisfied as the rest of the league here with the poor state they’ve been living in and their lack of progress, but Shigaraki won’t ever voice it, because he’s a repressed little baby (this is the proper academic terminology). He relies on Spinner to act as his heart for him and actually confront him about the emotions he’s feeling.
Spinner also doesn’t just act this way in regards to Shigaraki. I would say previously Twice was the heart of the league, seeing the good in everyone’s actions, focusing on the league as a group of friends above all else, but as a part of Spinner’s character development in reaction to Twice’s death, Spinner has almost comletely stepped into the role Twice previously inhabited of giving everything he has to be of use to the league, and seeing the good in the league’s bond with each other. Spinner and Twice even share the same flaw of low self worth, Twice doesn’t see a life outside being a crimminal in the league of villains, Spinner views himself as the most expendable member of the league. However, that trait is both a positive and negative, because it’s that exact insecurity that also drives their protectiveness for the league and their determination to help their friends.
Another common trait of heart characters, they tend to be both strong and weak of heart. Spinner is weak of heart, because he lets his insecurities get to him and constantly belittles himself. However, he’s strong of heart because he can remain such a caring person after everything he’s been through, even in the case of the event that pretty much shattered the bond between the league, Twice’s death, the loss of Compress, AFO taking over, Spinner is still desperately working to protect both Shigaraki and the rest of the league. His lack of a self makes him not want to take care of himself, but his lack of a self also makes him want to take care of others.
So people point to Spinner’s low self esteem and say it’s a problem that’s causing him to critically misunderstand his friends, but it’s more complicated than that it’s just a part of who he is with both positive and negative aspects. For example, you have to look at the way Spinner views the league in comparison to the way everyone else does.
Yes, Spinner might be slightly mischaracterizing Toga’s desire for love as freedom, but also he’s also the only one who engages with her and talks with her, and doesn’t dismiss her as crazy. Dabi just thinks she’s an insane girl until right before the second hero war arc. Spinner asks questions about Toga’s love, because he views her as a person and wants to understand her, he doesn’t just reject the idea of her chasing love from the outright. Spinner’s remarks are humanizing because he actually listens, in contrast to how dehumanizing the heroes can be.
There’s no, BUT IF YOU FEEL THAT WAY, YOU MUST NOT BE HUMAN. There’s no characterizing Toga’s flaws the same way Dabi’s flaws are characterized. They’re not a human being, just a villain to be stopped for exhibiting those qualities. So yes there’s the ‘you’re so free’ line, but there is also the fact that immediately after Twice’s death, Spinner is the one who recognized her grief over Twice and the desire for the league to stay together.
The heroes only see Toga as the destruction she causes. Twice and Spinner are the first characters to frame her actions in any sort of positive light, and give value to her emotions, and motivations, to see past the destruction she might be causing in her lashing out. That’s the power of this scene. Twice calls Hawks out, because he only sees villains in terms of the destruction they might cause or the threat they present to society, and not as human beings who are just as capable of empathy and kindness as any other human. Twice was the only one who recognized that Toga had the ability to do just more than destroy, she could reach out and help people, she helped Twice and that meant something to him. She’s not just a serial killer, she’s also a little girl in pain capable of sympathizing with other people’s pain. The ability of the league members to see Toga as more than just the serial killer she presents herself as, is pretty telling of their bond. Compress goes from being a solo act in the league to constantly babysitting her and checking up on her. Spinner goes from not understanding her, to telling her that he mourns Twice’s death the same way she does. Even Dabi, very recently started to realize that Toga was more than just a murderer, she was someone treated horribly by her household.
This is in stark contrast to the heroes who constantly say shit like.
“Yeah, I’m looking at the destroyed city scape to remind myself that these villains aren’t people.” (I know that Uraraka is still debating what to do about Toga, but seriously how messed up was the implication of that before Deku actually spoke up that he wanted to see Shigaraki as a child in need of saving too.)
So, yes Spinner does tend to put other people on pedestals in order to belittle himself, but that’s not all there is to his character. Spinner is the heart of the league. It’s because he believes his own heart to be empty (almost full on tin-man style) that he is not only constantly trying to take care of the emotions of other people, but also acting as a humanizing force for all of the league.
People bring up Spinner’s decision to put the hand on Shigaraki’s head in the first place as what allowed AFO to start taking over, but that’s not really true. What allowed AFO to start taking over was… the fact that Ujiko was already planning to do that in the surgery. Remember, the symbolism for that last remaining hand is two-fold. Yes, the hands are representative of Shigaraki’s trauma and the past he’s trapped in.
However, the hand on his head is also theorized to be Nana Shimura’s hand. Nana Shimura, the same one who after testing Deku on his willingness to kill Shigaraki, also requests him to save the last remaining member of her family. Even in the hallucination itself the above panel appears in, Shigaraki is shown to have mixed feelings on whether or not he wants to remember or forget his family. He first appears as a child saying he’s forgiven Hana, and apepars quite affectionate for his mother, and it’s not only until he’s reminded of his father’s violence appears again that he shifts back into his adult self and rejects all of his family.
Destroying the hands in Deika was not in fact the final moment of Shigaraki’s character arc, because the solution is not for him to just destroy his past trauma. If Shigaraki let Tenko, and his connection to his family die entirely, that would be doing exactly what AFO wants him to do. He’d cease to be Shimura entirely and become “Shigaraki” the next vessel for AFO. This is symbplized from the fact that despite him destroying the ahnds, one of them revived from the wreckage still.
And of all people it’s Spinner who finds that hand. Symbolic of Shigraki’s last connection to his past tauma, despite his desire to be rid of it and destroy it. So yes, Shigaraki’s rage is what allows AFO to manipulate him, but that’s not all it is.
Spinner was the first and only to see the beauty in Shigaraki’s rage, his destruction, because he’s right to be angry about a society that excluded him and continues to scapegoat both him and his friends rather than confront it’s own flaws and it’s own heroes. Shigaraki doesn’t rage because he’s an empty force of destruction like AFO has tried so hard to condition him into. While Spinner putting Shigaraki up in order to keep putting himself down might not be the healthiest thing in the world, it’s also important to remember that Spinner is one of the few characters genuinely invested in Shigaraki’s well-being, who desire him to live past all of this. (Toga showed concern for him too while he was writhing around on the ground in pain. Dabi didn’t show any concern at all, and that was when AFO gave him the you have no friends speech, so it’s my opinion Dabi’s lack of concern for Shigaraki in that scene was to show how cold he still is to other members of the league and how that’s a flaw).
It’s because Shigaraki is still human, his rage comes from the part of him that values his friends, is angry about the way he was treated by society, it’s because he cares that he rages and that human part of him is what cannot be discarded. Trauma isn’t something you destroy, you just, live with it.
There are two characters who are invested in saving Shigaraki, one of them is Deku, the other is Spinner. These two characters are also, coincidentally, the hearts of the trios they inhabit. (Idk even if you think Uraraka and Iida and Deku aren’t the canon trio then the other trio set up for Deku is with Bakugo and Todoroki and he’s still the heart in there). It is Spinner and Deku who are constantly thinking of other people’s emotions first before their own, and reaching out to protect their hearts. If it’s Spinner’s flaw to have no regard for his own well-being and not to value himself enough, he also shares that flaw with Deku. It’s the two of them acting as the heart for different aspects of Shigaraki that are going to save Shigaraki in the end, because Spinner cares for Shigaraki’s adult self and believes the way he currently is isn’t beyond salvation because that’s what Spinner does, sees beauty in the empty, destroyed horizon, and Deku is the one who recognized that Shigaraki’s past self deserved better and he’s still a child in need of saving.
The line AFO uses to manipulate him is specifically a Deku line, and also the central theme of the series. “Everyone can be someone’s hero.” Deku was already a hero when he was just a faceless quirkless kid in the crowd, Spinner when he was just a random NEET with a desire to change things was already a hero, because it’s not powers or a costume that makes a hero but the ability to reach out and try to save others, and that’s what Spinner and Deku do.
