Once I called you brother, once I thought the chance to make you laugh, was all I ever wanted.Credit
The Turn
is an Alternate Universe Fic from My Hero Academia written by aconstantstateofbladerunner written for tunafishprincess. It's a What If? universe where Izuku was the illegitimate son of Endeavor and another victim of the Todoroki Family Drama. To make matters worse, his father has decided to force an ultimatum on him during the Sports Festival that may cost him his hero dream.
The Turn provides examples of:
- Abusive Parents: Endeavor fills this in spades. Along with his canonical children, he treats Izuku as a mistake and constantly threatens to ruin his and his mother's lives if they tell the world about his scandal. And after he obtains a Quirk, he decides to use him as a tool to not only measure Shouto's powers but also to serve the Todoroki hero lineage.
- Adaptational Angst Upgrade:
- It was bad enough for Izuku to be bullied and friendless for being Quirkless, but now he has to deal with being Endeavor's out-of-wedlock child and has to put up with not only his domineering presence but also antagonism from his half-brother Shouto.
- The same applies to Inko who claims that she was forced to let Endeavor have his way with her. Having to raise Izuku resulted in her losing her scholarship and taking up an inadequate retail job while dealing with ongoing threats from the abusive monster.
- Adaptational Jerkass: Shouto gets this treatment due to the Adaptational Angst Upgrade Izuku had for being Endeavor's illegitimate child. Their relationship deteriorated over the years due to the abuse they received from Endeavor which led to Shouto blaming Izuku for being the reason why his own mother was institutionalized to the psyche ward among other reasons. This is also a Justified case as Shouto's Jerkassery is based on how the scarred prince started out before his canonical Character Development during the Sports Festival, thus lacking any of the positive qualities and development he would gain until after the event.
- Adaptational Relationship Overhaul:
- Endeavor, instead of being a stranger and future mentor to Izuku, is now an abusive and neglectful parent to him in this story in regards to Izuku being the product of a past infidelity.
- On top of the canonical bullying he endured under Bakugou, Izuku's relationship with Shouto is less friendly than it had been in canon due to them being half brothers and the abuse they faced under Endeavor's hand. The abuse they've endured has deteriorated and destroyed what little chances they could have to get a good brotherly relationship. At the very least, until after the Sports Festival where Shouto wanted to make amends and the story ended on a hopeful note that things may get better for them both. Though Izuku has no intention of treating him like a brother anymore...
- Additionally, Izuku starts off the first months of Yuuei not befriending anyone in Class 1-A until after the Sports Festival.
- And Then What?: Shouto had a belated realization after Izuku's emancipation and Armor-Piercing Question that outside of his own Goal in Life to spite Endeavor, he literally had nothing else and if he did accomplish his goal, then it'll only end up as a hollow victory as he doesn't know what he would actually want to do after that.
- An Offer You Can't Refuse: Endeavor presents this to Izuku at the start of the story with the implied threat of hurting his mother if he disobeys. If he loses to Shouto or is eliminated from the Sports Festival, he'll be forced to drop out and attend the Business Management Course. If he beats Izuku, then he'll be allowed to continue in the Hero Course but will endure the ongoing hatred of his half-brother.
- The Atoner: Both Shouto and Endeavor become this after Izuku's emancipation. Shouto apologizes for his years as a cruel half-brother while wanting to build a better relationship with Izuku. Endeavor also does some self-reflecting and "apologizes" to his son via texts.
- Badass Boast: Izuku gives a stellar speech to not only his half-brother who's been worn down by their ongoing battle but the whole world about who he truly is.Izuku: “I am Midoriya Izuku, the hero who never gives up! Hand-chosen successor to All Might and the next Symbol of Peace! I have a purpose outside my hatred. Who are you without it?”
- Barrier Warrior: Both Shiozaki and Tokoyami use their powers to defend Izuku's team during the dodgeball challenge.
- Be Careful What You Wish For: For as long as he remembered, Shouto wished that Izuku was not really another son of Endeavor and that he would leave them forever. He gets his wish when All Might declares himself as the boy's true father resulting in Izuku being allowed to cut ties with the Todorokis. Additionally, Shouto realizes too late at how much he burned the bridge too many times whenever Izuku tried to reach out to him as a brother before and how horrible he had been to the poor boy who is just as much of a victim of the abuse as he is; it's because of this revelation that he now wants to make amends and build a better relationship with his half-brother again. But by that point, Izuku could no longer accept Shouto as a brother anymore and can only offer to start over as friends, but nothing more or less than that.
- Berserk Button: For Endeavor, it's anyone mentioning Touya. Izuku exploits this to make him display his abusive nature in front of All Might and Recovery Girl.
- Big Damn Heroes: Just before the flaming monster can strike Izuku for saying Touya's name, All Might immediately intercepts him and instills the Fear of God into forcing him to back away.
- Bittersweet Ending: Izuku is scarred but finally is able to set his own boundaries with the Todorokis and live free from Endeavor's control; he's also effectively been adopted by All Might. Shouto becomes self-aware of his part in the cycle of abuse and is actively working to be better, with the door left open to his one day becoming Izuku's friend, but his abusive past behavior has destroyed their chance at an actual sibling relationship. Endeavor is revealed to have genuinely, if selfishly, loved Izuku this entire time, but realizes his parental mistakes too late to save their relationship. He reaches out to tell Izuku he loves him and he's sorry for not reaching out sooner, only to be left on read as Izuku doesn't know whether it's another attempt at manipulation. Endeavor mournfully accepts that he never actually acted like Izuku's father and so it's his own fault he's now lost the chance, thereafter deciding to work towards salvaging his relationships with the family he still has.
- Brought Down to Normal: Enforced during the Obstacle Tower challenge where all the competitors must reach the top of the tower without using their Quirks.
- Bullying the Disabled: Shouto used Izuku's Quirklessness to bully him throughout their childhood, even using the term "statistic".note
- Calling the Old Man Out: Izuku does this to Endeavor after the monster declares his intention of removing him from the Hero Course. The boy goes into detail about his existence as an out-of-wedlock child that Enji sees as a tool while also abusing the rest of his family members for not living up to his expectations.
- Combat Pragmatist: During his fights with Shinso and Shouto, Izuku has to resort to dirty fighting in order to get an advantage over his opponents. One example includes dislocating his half-brother's shoulder and breaking his arm.
- Disqualification-Induced Victory: To Bakugou's fury, Shouto willingly forfeits his place during the final round claiming that he didn't earn it. Thus granting the bully the title of winner of the Sports Festival.
- Dodgeball Is Hell: The second challenge of the Sports Festival is an epic game of dodgeball.
- Dramatic Irony: Throughout their match, Shinso chews out Izuku for having an easy life with an amazing Quirk and never having to suffer, completely oblivious to how so many of his points don't apply to his Dark and Troubled Past.
- Failure Is the Only Option: Inko never had a chance to say no to Endeavor. As the Number 2 Hero with an impeccable reputation and vast resources, he could easily ruin her if she refused his advances or told anyone about his intentions. And he would continue to hold that power over her even after she failed to deliver a child with a valuable Quirk.
- Fake Relationship: Inko and Toshinori decide to make a cover story where they were lovers who gave birth to Izuku but the Number One Hero was forced to leave them to keep them safe from his many enemies. They continue the "charade" after Toshi confirms that Izuku was his long-lost son and successor.
- Family Business: Endeavor's vision for Izuku is working under his agency as an analyst while also managing Shouto's hero career.
- Foil: Izuku and Shouto. Both of them are children born out of their father's ambition and have different manners of reacting to their abusive situations.
- While Izuku is motivated to become a selfless hero who helps people, Shouto is driven to be his own hero for the sake of spiting his father.
- Izuku offered nothing but friendship and kindness to his half-brother while acknowledging the abuse he had to suffer through. Shouto spits at his attempts and refuses to accept until it's too late that Izuku is just as much of a victim as him.
- Izuku doesn't inherit any of Endeavor's personality traits, instead taking more after his mentor All Might. Shouto, however, inherits Endeavor's spiteful nature and selfishness.
- And despite having conflicting feelings for his "father", a part of Izuku did sincerely want to earn his approval and love. The same can't be said for Shouto who wants nothing to do with the monster who raised him.
- Friendless Background: Izuku has virtually no friends in Class 1-A as he's too anxious to make himself known because of his childhood bully Bakugou shutting him down mixed with his half-brother Shouto giving him judgmental expressions. At least until after the Sports Festival was over.
- Friendship Denial: Of the brotherhood variety. Shouto constantly refused to accept Izuku as his brother believing that he was enjoying special privileges as Endeavor's secret child. Then after he gets a good reality check and realizes that Izuku only had pure intentions, Shouto's offer of brotherhood is rightfully refused as Izuku grew tired of the years of unjust antagonism.
- Green-Eyed Monster: Shouto realizes that one of the reasons he hated Izuku was because Endeavor always spoke to him with gentle finesse rather than verbally lashing out or hitting him during their training sessions. He also holds a tinge of jealousy near the end as his half-brother was able to escape his abusive situation and will no longer deal with their father's wrath.
- Hoist by His Own Petard: To keep his fling with Inko a secret, Endeavor forces her and Izuku to never openly admit that he is the true father. To their benefit, Inko decides to roll with it by declaring All Might as Izuku's biological father. It also helps that Endeavor never used his name in any of Izuku's official documentations allowing the Number One Hero to fill in all the blanks.
- I Am Not My Father: Shouto hates to be compared to Endeavor. Izuku uses this to get under his skin during their fight, even mentioning how they share the same abusive qualities.
- I Lied: Even after beating Shouto in battle, Endeavor always intended to pull Izuku out of the Hero Course and transfer him to Business Management regardless of the outcome. Additionally, he also lied to Inko about the Yuuei staff being informed about Izuku being his son.
- I'm Standing Right Here: Shouto and Endeavor have no trouble arguing about his fling with Inko and the "mistake" that resulted, not even caring that Izuku is in the same room as them.
- In Spite of a Nail: The main events of the original timeline still stand despite Izuku's new lineage.
- Internal Reveal: Inko becomes fully informed of Izuku becoming All Might's successor and inheriting his Quirk.
- It's All About Me:
- Shouto genuinely believes himself to be the only victim and how Izuku takes great pleasure in partaking in the Todoroki Family Drama or following along with his father's will. His half-brother even accuses him of this and how he thinks the whole world revolves around him.
- His father is even worse as he constantly reminds Izuku that his existence is a threat to his legacy as a hero and how he, and his half-siblings, can only exist to showcase his greatness to the world.
- Jerkass Realization:
- Shouto had one past the Sports Festival as a visit to his mother in the psyche ward makes him realize that he had been cruel to Izuku for little reasons for years, and the realization stretched further as he witnessed how Izuku was so quick to move on and have his own life away from Shouto and their shared family drama as he starts to talk and befriend the rest of 1-A with ease. He also finds it jarring with how self-absorbed he is at his own abuse that he failed to see the big picture that Izuku is just as much of a victim as he is, along with a realization that even if Izuku was never in the picture in the Todoroki Family Drama, it would have changed nothing of his situation as an abuse victim.
- Endeavor also had one as he looked back to how he treated both Touya and Izuku in contrast and how his attempt in trying to prevent what happened with Touya only drove Izuku further away from him.
- Laser-Guided Karma:
- Endeavor's motivations tie to his hatred for All Might claiming everything that's of value to him (ex. the Number One Hero title, adoration from the world). It strikes a nerve when his rival has the tenacity to claim his illegitimate son as his own.
- Shouto cruelly rebuked Izuku's offers of brotherhood and constantly declared that he'll never see him as anyone worthy of his existence. After reflecting on his past cruelty and asking if they can start over, Izuku tells him that it's too late and that he no longer sees Shouto as a potential brother. Maybe a friend, but nothing more.
- Mundane Solution:
- After Izuku realizes that Shinsou's Mind Control Quirk is activated by vocal responses, he decides to ignore his callous insults and just fights him in silence.
- Endeavor's held a cold grip on the Midoriyas by threatening to stop giving them money to survive. Thankfully, they can get by thanks to All Might using his vast wealth to cover them.
- My God, What Have I Done?: Shouto reacts this way when his mother explains how abuse victims can often hurt and lash out at others. He becomes horrified to learn that he became a complete monster to Izuku who did nothing to deserve his wrath despite being on a similar boat as him.
- My Greatest Failure: Endeavor considers sleeping with Inko to create a worthy heir out of desperation to be his greatest mistake.
- Mythology Gag:
- In terms of canon:During Shouto's Jerkass Realization, he at one point asked himself if things would have changed if Izuku was never his half-brother and realizing that it changed nothing of the family's situation, whether or not Izuku existed. This is a nod to canon of the Todoroki Family Drama where even without Izuku in the picture, the Todorokis were already a Dysfunctional Family long before Shouto or Izuku were born.
- In terms of the author's works:Inko and All Might's "romance" and how the Number One Hero was forced to leave her and his child to keep them safe from his enemies is the basic premise from the For Kurou story.
- The Needs of the Many: The only reason Shouto doesn't denounce Endeavor for his abuse is because of his commitment to helping the public and exposing him for his crimes without a gentle touch could lead to drastic consequences.
- No-Holds-Barred Beatdown: Izuku and Shouto do not hold back when having their designated battle during the Sports Festival.
- Papa Wolf: Just before Endeavor can strike Izuku for talking back to him, All Might appears in the nick of time and strikes him down. He also forces Enji to leave Yuuei by threatening to reveal everything he heard about his history as a domestic abuser to the police and press.
- Parental Substitute: All Might to Izuku. He provides unconditional love and support to the young boy after making him his successor and always assures him that he's proud of him. Izuku even wishes that he was his true father. His wish is granted after Toshinori learns of his abuse by Endeavor's hands and decides to declare himself as the boy's true father.
- Related in the Adaptation: Izuku is the illegitimate son of the Flame "Hero" in this story.
- Scars Are Forever: Izuku now has a cross-shaped burn across his chest thanks to Shouto.
- Secret-Keeper: Both Endeavor and Shouto know fully well that Izuku is not All Might's biological son. But the former won't expose the truth under risk of revealing his infidelity and the latter doesn't want to take away the happiness Izuku was denied for so many years.
- Secret Other Family: Subverted. The Todoroki children are well aware of the Midoriyas and how they relate to their patriarch's infidelity.
- Sibling Rivalry: Majorly one-sided on Shouto's part. Shouto hates Izuku for being a representation of his biological father's unfaithfulness to his own mother and seeing Izuku as the reason why his mother turned for the worse and eventually sent to a psych ward. This is subverted with Fuyumi and Natsuo who are more kinder towards Izuku as they understand what he's going through as an abuse victim but still don't bond with him as true siblings should due to Izuku's status as an illegitimate son and are walking eggshells around him because of it.
- Slut-Shaming: Shouto often accuses Inko of being a Gold Digger slut to belittle Izuku.
- Surprisingly Happy Ending: Despite all the trauma and heartbreak he endured because of his tragic origins, everything comes up Milhouse for Izuku after the Sports Festival. For starters, All Might and Inko decide to have the Number One Hero admit to being Izuku's true father thus allowing him to cut ties with Endeavor. And unless the Flaming Garbage Hero wants to publicly admit to being Izuku's father while confessing to his infidelity, he'll be sure to leave him and Inko alone. Things get better at school as the 1-A kids begin to bond with Izuku and form new friendships with him. And Shouto openly apologizes for hating and hurting him for so many years; while Izuku won't accept him as a brother anymore, he can consider making him his friend.
- Taught by Experience: Izuku mentally credits his skills at overcoming the obstacle course to running from Bakuou and his cronies during their middle school years at Aldera.
- Troubled Abuser: Shouto can be considered this. He constantly lashes out at his half-brother Izuku, refutes his offers of friendship, and looks down at him with nothing but disgust. But then you remember that he's also an abuse victim who was born as a weapon against his father's rival and has to deal with the various forms of abuse Endeavor throws at him.
- The Workaholic: Endeavor has begun taking more hero patrols after the Sports Festival. No doubt to de-stress from the fact that his hated rival successfully stole away one of his abused children.
- Yank the Dog's Chain: While Izuku does succeed in beating Shouto during the final rounds of the Sports Festival, Endeavor shows up in his hospital room revealing that he was always going to pull him from the Hero Course. Additionally, because he's too injured to continue the tournament, he's disqualified and Shouto is given the win. But Shouto later decided to forfeit himself from the match, leaving Bakugou to win the tournament by default.
- You Remind Me of X: Endeavor partially sees Touya in Izuku and his treatment of Izuku was influenced in not wanting Izuku to end up like his lost first son.
