This time, it's personal.
"Deku Vs. Kacchan Part 2" is the 23rd episode of My Hero Academia's third season, and the 61st episode overall.
Bakugo begins fighting Midoriya. Although Midoriya is at first reluctant to hit back, he realizes that he is the only one who can understand Bakugo's conflicted feelings about All Might and gives it his all. Although Midoriya is able to use One for All at 8%, Bakugo is able to pin him down. A surveillance robot alerts the teachers to the fight, and All Might appears. He comforts both boys and encourages them to become both heroes that win and heroes that save people.
Later, Aizawa sentences the boys to three to four days of house arrest as the new semester begins.
Tropes:
- Animation Bump: The animation in Midoriya and Bakugo's fight is amazing.
- Characterization Marches On: All Might acknowledges that Midoriya and Bakugo's rivalry is properly reformed when the latter learns about One For All.
- Fighting Your Friend: Midoriya and Bakugo are hardly friends, but the former somewhat cares for the latter. He considers this fight pointless, but decides to face Bakugo anyway to finally break the tension between the two.
- Friendly Rivalry: Thanks to All Might telling Bakugo about One For All, he and Midoriya become a downplayed version of this. It's at least a start as far as he's concerned, considering how they started in the semester.
- Hit Me, Dammit!: The real reason for Bakugo wanting a brawl with Midoriya: he wants someone to punish him for All Might's retirement, and a fight is the only way he knows how to process his emotions.
- It's All My Fault: Bakugo finally breaks down in the middle of the fight, tearfully revealing that he feels responsible for All Might's loss of power and early retirement.Bakugo: Don't you dare worry about me! Attack me! Why won't you fight back?! Why did I end up having to chase after someone who was always so far behind me?! Why did a damn small fry like you get strong, and become the number one hero's sidekick, his favorite?! You got so much better, and I destroyed All Might! I admired him so much... but it's because of me that he ended up losing his power! If I had been strong... if I hadn't been kidnapped by villains... then it never would have happened. All Might knows it's my fault but he hasn't said anything. Everyone has to know, though! I can't get it out of my head! It's like it's constantly playing on loop! So what the hell am I supposed to do?!
- Metaphorically True: All Might tells Aizawa that the reason for Bakugo instigating the fight stemmed from pent-up negative emotions from his kidnapping and All Might's early retirement. Though there is actually more to it, Aizawa reluctantly accepts the excuse.
- No Good Deed Goes Unpunished: After hearing the above Metaphorically True reason from All Might, Aizawa acknowledges that the fight was for a legitimate reason, but doesn't let Midoriya and Bakugo slide at all. As punishment, he forbids them from seeing Recovery Girl for their injuries and sentencing them both under house arrest (though this is downplayed; While Bakugo gets four days for starting the fight, Midoriya gets three for following through despite being forced to).
- Secret-Keeper: Bakugo resolves to help keep the truth about One For All a secret.
