#toga redemption

[aliandris]

I made a thing in response to 395.

[lovebeatriceplz]

I'm unwell

[someblueninja]

What if

what if Toga and Bakugo

were like related or something

.....yeah

[musicfeedsmysoul12]

I've been thinking about Toga for a little bit, and how I just pity her, sure she's a psychotic murderer, but she didn't have to be, if her parents were more open to her quirk things could have been different, if she went to a reputable pro hero things could have been different, did she have some less than ideal tendencies before she went off the deep end? Yes, but with therapy they could have been lessened, and who knows she could have been a good underground hero or whatever she wanted to be, I understand what a lot of what the community says about her being able to change, but with everything she did it wasn't going to be overnight, while I'm a little sad about her fate at the end in a way it sorta fits, she finally found someone who truly sees her for what she wants to be, someone cute and deserving of love.

I’m about to break your heart: I don’t like Toga. At all. Yeah I can sympathize for her, abusive parents suck, but like… she is still a killer. She is aware what she does is wrong and does it anyway. No amount of ‘I want love’ can change that for me. Plus I think people forget that it’s not canon she needs blood to survive. Her fascination with blood is due to her Quirk yes- but it was also what led to her killing a bird. That highly suggests psychopathic/sociopathic tendencies. These people tend to ONLY focus on themselves and what they want rather then anyone else.

Yes therapy helps but its not just ‘a few months of sessions’ its years on end therapy. Its never ending. Its in and out of hospitals sometimes to see what helps depending on the person. Its possibly being on medication, its being a young adult changing therapists ten times.

Yeah she could have been saved. But she also had a body count within like a year. I find it really hard to understand how people downplay it or try to ignore her actions- much like how they do it with Bakugou. Because she's cute and fun they want her to be part of the hero course as ‘rehab’ and ‘look how awful these kids are shunning her aren't they despite the fact they just got attacked a week ago by her’.

I'm much more interested in unrepentative Toga because I find that more interesting then a ‘good’ Toga. More so since the various ways people redeem her just fail.

A few months of therapy and it’s all good! No? Toga needs YEARS of therapy. And to be honest? With her history- she would need at least two years incarceration in a psychiatric hospital.

She gets into a rehab program at UA and then makes best friends. Okay no, she is obsessed with Izuku and Ochako. You remove people like Toga from their obsessions for their safety.

She gets caught after her first kill, gets help and then joins the hero course! It would take so much longer for her therapy to be done.

Do I think if she was found before she started killing things would be different? Yes I do! I fully think she could have been a hero if she had early intervention. If a teacher got worried, if she had proper Quirk Counseling- list goes on. She would still have her tendencies but early childhood intervention helps with that stuff. She would still be in therapy and all but she would have excelled at heroics. Psychopaths and sociopaths do wonderful in the military and similar jobs for a reason. An underground hero like Toga working as a spy? She'd rock it.

But I also think she isn't safe for society after she starts killing. Maybe in like a decade after therapy and stuff she would be, but it takes a long time for that to happen. Een then, she may not be allowed out because she isn't insane in the way she doesn't know what she's doing. She does, she does it. She might be in prison for the rest of her life because of that.

And lets say she does get out- its probably in her best interests not to have contact with Ochako. The risk of her relapsing is to much.

Of course this is me taking a more realistic approach. You can handwave everything with Quirks, but for me its just… I can’t.

I’ve read really good LOV redemption fics. One of my fav authors here (who I bug all the time) likes Toga. I don’t mind reading them because they work/are fairly crackish so its not a big deal. (Others less so). I can see why people like her, even if I don’t understand the habit of downplaying her actions. I just don’t like her. To me, she's more interesting as a selfish and unrepentive villain.

That being said: I didn't hate her ending either. I think it does fit her, and if it had to happen I like how it unfolded. Ochako did see someone worthy of love, worthy of care. And I think it says a lot about Ochako. I love it. I truly do. I love also how Ochako champions helping others like Toga to prevent the same thing happening again.

It’s one of the things I like the most about the ending.

[yellowbluemoonshine]

League of Villains Redemption Discourse;

Its been a while since i’ve been talking about redemption for villains because it kinda become obvious that it will happen at the end of Bnha and all but there is still some discourse for villains, especially league of villains. That ‘Gentleman and La Brava fits redeemable’ type of villain better. That characters like ‘Twice are redeemable’ but Dabi isnt or Dabi can be saved but Shigaraki is bad blah blah blah. Like, the idea that ‘certain type of villain deserve to be saved’ while other doesnt. It is also ironic that people think characters like Shigaraki, Dabi and Toga are too far gone or they think this wasnt hinted. Well, here we go.

I would like to focus on league of villains to try to explain why i disagree with those opinions.

First of all, Shigaraki and Dabi’s redemption is hinted since the beginning.

The first time we saw Shigaraki, he was heaviely hinted that he is abuse victim and he was groomed. This his literally first introduction and story is telling you that this character is victim. And he had a conversation with Deku at the mall. Loosing his mind while saying ‘He hates Allmight because people are laughing as if there is noone he couldnt save’. And we get a little flashback form his childhood, ‘Noone saved you, didnt they?’. His entire character literally screams ‘SAVE ME. WHY NOONE SAVE ME? I HATE EVERYONE BECAUSE THEY DONT SAVE ME’.

And Overhaul arc. It is abour saving Eri who is parallel with Shigaraki, once again it is about saving Tomura in a parallel and we also seeing Shigaraki is capable of caring about other people which is a positive character development. And MVA arc is even more obvious. Not only story making his story more empathic because it is showing how tragic it is but also because we meet with Tenko who is kind kid who would help outcasts and well, Tomura even after ewvrything does the same with league. Showing that his inner kindness didnt disappear. Which is even making it more obvious.

Theme of Bnha is questioning the meaning of hero. Main character who wants to SAVE people in a fake hero society and his enemy who is entire character is about SAVE MEEEE, never really had choice because he was kidnapped by big evil, turns out still caring people and even helping them just like he used to be as kid. Its so obvious when Deku is like I WANNA SAVE PEOPLE and Shigaraki is like SAVE MEEE so yeah, well, it was always hinted that Shigaraki will be saved by Deku. Of course, he could die by being saved, we wouldnt know at first but one thing is sure that he would be saved. Shigaraki’s story didnt change. He was always redeemable and waiting to be saved. And the more story goes on, he only proved this more. Because in stories, positive character developments usually means noble death or redemption.

Btw, i dont think he will die because after everything happenned in story, there is no point of him dying. It also loose the point of being saved.

And Dabi.

This one is tricky since Dabi was mysterious character. I think two things make kinda hint that he will most likely get redemption. 1- He is heaveily hinted that he was Todoroki. He is doing what he is doing because he was failed by abusive hero. He is very similar to Earlyroki. So there is family drama there. Shouto is already tragic character in a positive story, so i dont see him ever killing his brother or something. Not to mention, if he is Todoroki, it would mean, he became villain because of his hero father so killing victim of hero, instead of saving would be very bad look. Not to mention, during the story, Dabi acts like dark cop or something. (Not to mention Frainkeinstein parallels). Despite revenge plan, he seems to care about morals, justice and even feeling remorse. What happens later, it doesnt change his story because he is parallel with Shigaraki a lot too.

 2- Save the cat moment.

A “save the cat” is a moment, very early on in the story, where we meet or see our hero do something nice that makes us like him and say, “I want to follow this person's story.” It's important to have it because you want your audience to be sympathetic or empathetic towards your protagonist.

This was mentioned by @hamliet​ and other people. The scene when Dabi decides to spare Aoyama, despite noticing him. Note; Dabi didnt know Aoyama was traitor. ‘Save the cat moment’ for a villain can be hint as a possibe future redemption for him.

And others. League of villains. I think their redemption werent necessarely hinted or it was necessary. I think for them MVA arc hinted it.

For Toga, we didnt know her full story and life until MVA arc and it turned out she is also victim of society, not just crazy villain. She is parallel with one of the main kids like Shigaraki and Dabi so assuming that ‘if Shigaraki and Dabi are gonna be saved by Deku and Shouto, Toga will be most likely be saved by Uraraka’ wouldnt be weird. Not to mention is this whole arc was about the family bond between league, that they are capable of caring other people. Same for Twice, Spinner and Mr Compress too. Because story is telling you that those people are here because society failed them and they have still humanity in them, they are not doing what they are doing because of evil but because they are victims so it wouldnt be weird to assume that whether they will get redemption or noble death, like Twice did.

‘Characters like Gentleman and La Brava are better example of redeemable villains’

No, they are not. They are not even real criminals. They never even did serious crime. I like them but they are like joke villains, they are not meant to be ‘actually’ villains. Whole point of ‘redemption’ is people who did commit serious crimes. If there is no actually wrong action, then we wouldnt need redemption at first place. I think redemption exist for characters like league.

Note; Of course, other villains can get redemption too, i am just focusing on them because they are good example to use. Especially since even characters in story told them, characters like Stain and Overhaul and even Redestro seen as ‘better person’ just because they have ‘goal’, just because they dont want destruction, like Tomura did. But in the end, Tomura proved them wrong because despite being at the lowest of low, he still showed more humanity and positive character development than them, just by treating his comprades better.

And i also dont like it when people see one league of member more redeemable than another. Especially with Twice and others. Because Twice is very obvious when it comes to showing how much he cares about others. He is obvious victim. He is not ugly victim like Tomura, Dabi and Toga. But the thing is;

Every member of League has side that makes them look irredeemable but also they have their own redeemable features.

Tomura's desire to destruction makes him look ireedemable but he is the only villain who never had a choice at life, he feel miserable with his life and he is very kind leader to his comprades.

Dabi’s distancing himself from others, using people he cares, even trying to kill his brother just for revenge against his father makes him look irredeemable but he is the only villain in league that feels remorse for killing others. He has strong sense of responsibility and he doesnt think its justified. He doesnt even plan to live long. He just wants to punish his father for his sins and thats it.

Toga’s self centered side, not caring about others without remorse makes her look irredeemable but one, she is the only one who born with serial killer quirk, with urges, like damn and second, this one is interesting. Compared to Shigaraki and Dabi, Toga never once had a grudge against people who hurted her. She never hated the society, heroes, people for calling her monster. She just accept this monster label and decide to live her life according to it.

Twice, Spinner, Compress arent different from them. Their redeemable side is how much they care about league and how much they go for their friends but they also kill many people and they dont seem to care which makes them look irreedemable too. Basically, it is pointless to separate one from another.

Also, i think it is kinda wrong to decide who ‘deserve’ redemption (i am talking about hero characters because you can always hate bad writing) because it not up to you to decide. It is up to you to do right thing by giving them a chance to rehabilate and changing or not will be theirs. Well, it is complicated.

Point of league of members isnt that they are just pitifull victims or they are just evil. The thing is they are bunch of losers. And thats what makes them beautiful.They are mentally ill victims. They need help and they need to be stopped at the same time. They lash out because they are messed up. Their violence arent justified because there is no such a thing that violence that can be justified. Violence is bad. But you can understand where it comes from. The thing about league is especially main villain trio, they are written to be metahpor for pain of abuse/society victims. Some victims never get saved, some of them make wrong choices and they messed up but some of them can still be rehabilate which is why redemption is exist. It makes sense why they get redemption because they are not bad people. And redemption isnt a bad thing either, it means taking responsibility and healing. It also fits to their characters so its good writing, well, hopefully it will written good later as well.

[kitsunefyuu]

This chapter was fire also guys is it gay to offer your blood to a vampire lady for life? Goal man.

[nightowl1556]

Short Random R.A.T. Universe Headcanon #3

Toga LOVES Vee. Vee is terrified.

[evilkitten3]

Wanted to tell you that YES while all that happened bakugo is (even tho being held by multiple people) just laying on the ground for multiple chapters

it's incredibly funny to me bc like irl it's been. almost a year since that chapter came out. and he's been lying there the whole time. he's one of my favorite characters but tbh i really want the story to finally cut back to him and have edgeshot pop back out and go "yeah no there's nothing i can do he fuckin dead" bc it would be so freaking funny.

ofc it'd also be pretty bad writing but that's neither here nor there

[wolfgiselle]

Summary: Five years ago, fourteen year old Touya Todoroki's name was buried here. Today, Dabi has come home to make them all remember. He's gonna make them feel just what it's like to wish for death so the pain can stop. He's gonna destroy the little prodigy that took his place. He's gonna make his father say his goddamn name until he chokes on it.

---

Or; Dabi breaks into the Todoroki house one night to kill his little brother. Things don't go as planned.

Dabi and Shouto go on the run together, with Dabi raising his little brother to become the weapon that will destroy Endeavor.

(And then the League kidnaps a UA student and a bird shows up.)

------

(REVIEW)

This is one of the best Dabi / Shouto Todoroki brotherhood-centered fics I've ever read! It manages to keep them both in character. Dabi's portrayal is the true accomplishment here, though. He isn’t written as a saint or a perfect brother. He starts the story off exactly the way he starts it in canon: Fully willing and capable to burn through anything and everything in order to get back at Endeavor. He fully plans to kill Shouto at the beginning of this story and series. Even when he changes his mind and decides to take Shouto away with him to raise instead, it wasn't initially out of any newfound change of heart or love but to turn Shouto into his 'own' weapon to use against Endeavor. The love and relationship between the two of them builds throughout the story without making either character something they're not. This story doesn't shy away from their collection of mental and emotional issues.

Hawks' and Dabi's romance was also a treat to read. It was the next best part of the story, and the greatest relationship after Dabi's and Shouto's. I've always loved how their backstories and place in life parallel each other's (the hero's kid becoming a villain / the villain's kid becoming a hero). It's a shame such a relationship couldn't work out in canon. They had a capacity for true understanding of each other’s circumstances. Them finally confessing their pasts to each other was one of my favorite scenes because of how intimate it was. They each deserved to have somebody like this they could confide in about such things without judgement. These talks went a long way towards both of their recoveries.

BakugouXTodoroki is not a relationship I am a fan of. Mostly because I am not at ALL a fan of Bakugou, and also because I see a lot of Endeavor and some of his worst qualities reflected in Bakugou (his obsession with winning and being number 1, above all else). I think it's understandable that I wouldn't typically ship a character that has a terrible/abusive relationship with his father with a character I think emulates some of those father's characteristics. This story makes their relationship work, however. I think that's one of the true miracles of this fic - it was so well written I loved  even the shipping of two characters I would usually hate together.

I love the Commission being the true main villain of this story. I've hated the commission since we got Hawks' backstory. That organization deserves to die a public and painful death. Rei Todoroki also gets to be a brief badass. Toga is pretty much the sister neither Dabi or Shouto asked for. ShinsouXKaminari, EraserheadXPresentMic, and OchakoXToga are all a sideline thing.

[kaleidoscopic-quiddity]

best thing about shigaraki being back in control is that deku (or nana and the vestiges) is probably gonna pull some talk no jutsu ‘youre free from AFO’s influence, you can be better person now!’ shit and hes gonna look him dead in the eye as he says ‘actually, i’m going to be worse’ and tries to decay the entire planet or smthn

[the-grimm-writer]

Toga's entire story is actually so devastating I'm gonna cry

[foxskip]

Is bnha just yuri now what is going ON over there??

[cheeseofmysteriousorigin]

To Live and Love Our Way — Chapter 2

The fic is a WIP but there are 40+ chapters up now! This is a 🔞 Izuku x Himiko x Ochako fic and focuses primarily on a redemption arc for Himiko Toga.

“A diversion program?” It was my own fault that I got captured, but I couldn’t help myself. Most of the rest of the villains were able to get away from the raid on the UA training camp, but I got distracted. Izuku and Ochako just looked so cute all beat up. I had my eyes locked on them, and so when Tsuyu wrapped her tongue around me, I was totally unable to react. Before I knew it, I and the other captured villains were in containment chambers. The police kept me in a separate room, away from Muscular, Moonfish, and Mustard. I don’t know how long I was in there for, but eventually, two cops came in and sat down across from me. They told me I was eligible for a villain diversion program. I didn’t even know that that was a thing that existed. “What does that even mean?” “It means you’re getting another chance.” One of the officers had a file open. My picture was stapled to the front. It was an old picture of me, but I was grinning. “The government is trialling a program for villains who they feel can be rehabilitated.” The other cop stood up, pacing. “Right now, you’d be looking at a minimum of five years in prison, possibly more. But you’re young. Your psychological profile is apparently promising for the program.” He took a piece of paper out of the file and slid it across the table for me to read. My hands were chained to the chair, so I leaned my head in. “So what do I have to do?” “You agree to participate and spend a year in the program, followed by two years on probation. If you go three years without offending again, they’ll expunge your criminal record. There wouldn’t even be anything stopping you from enrolling in a post-high school hero course.” “Of course, if you do reoffend…” the other cop cut in. He acted like he was the one in charge. “You’ll be charged and tried not just for that crime, but for all of the ones you’ve committed before now. It seems like an easy choice to me, but we can’t make it for you.” I stared at that paper for a long time. The outline of the program called for six months in group housing with intensive rehabilitation sessions, then another six months in a halfway house, and then two years of probation on my own. Until then, I hadn’t known anything but running from people who thought I was weird. Who thought all the things I loved were disgusting. I just wanted to live my own life, in my own way. I wondered, was this going to give me a chance to do that? I didn’t trust hero society. Back then, I certainly never thought of joining it. But it beat five years in prison. “So…just three years then? And I’m out on my own after just one?” I shifted as far forward as my chains allowed me. “Fine. I’m in. Where do I sign?”

[mysteroads]

Chapter 10: Back in Black

Summary: Exam Day is finally here and it's time to terrorize some teenagers! The unsuspecting third years are ready to do their best and go Plus Ultra!, and the League is prepared to do their worst.

Excerpt:

Truck Three, disguised as an oversized armored truck, barreled down the main road that spiraled through Ground Beta, trying desperately to outrun the buildings collapsing behind it. They were the ‘official target’ and not until this moment did the students realize exactly what that would mean.

There was a whistle next to the driver’s window. The boy driving looked over and went bug eyed at the sight of Winged Hero Hawks. Hawks grinned a grin that didn’t belong on his face, waved, then used a pointy little device to shatter the window. 

“License, registration, and blood type please!” Toga chirped, then laughed a wild, insane laugh and angled away, only to come back in a blur of speed with two blade feathers in either hand. “I missed having real fun!”

~*~

Magne, Spinner, and Mr. Compress all watched with amusement as the road in front of Truck One was blocked by a flood of panicking ‘citizens’ fleeing both fire and collapsing buildings. The robotics department did not mess around when it came to realism. There was even one clutching a screaming baby robot. There was no way the truck, already oversized for this street, could get through without running over any of the robots— which would definitely result in an automatic fail. Heroes did not squish civilians, no matter how annoying they were. 

Mr. Compress tapped the com in his ear as he got to his feet, eyeing the distance between himself and the truck. “Such a theatrical display, Dabi! You've certainly motivated your audience above and beyond expectation. And a hand of applause to Tomura’s clone as well. The plan is going perfectly! We're even ahead of schedule!”

“Just be careful,” Hawks cautioned. “There’s only one of me.”

Magne blew a raspberry. “Not our first rodeo. We got this, Chicken Wings.”

The three all grinned at the rude noise Hawks made in reply and readied themselves. Spinner summed up their feelings, “Been too long since we all did something like this together. Missed it.”

“Agreed!” Compress said. “Now, on my mark…”

~*~

Twice sighed, tucking his legs up and propping his chin in his knees. It was dim and a little damp, this little nook tucked away in Ground Beta’s only underground road. “I wish we would've gone with the original idea and just collapsed this place under the truck!” “Nah, I love waiting in the dark!” 

A clone Compress patted his shoulder comfortingly. “I know it’s not as much fun as being with the others, but Toga will be here soon! Think how much fun that will be. It will be like being back with the yakuza!”

Twice brightened. “You got a point, Mister! I have missed getting into trouble with my bestie!”

~*~

On the other side of the city, far from the rest of the teams, Truck Two was trundling along what would be considered a ‘bad side of town.’ Disguised as a cheap moving truck, they blended well with their surroundings. If they were doing this in real life, they would’ve had a very good chance of getting away with it. 

Shigaraki hummed his approval from the flat roof several blocks away, examining the driver and passenger through his scope, then smiled a predatory smile as he squeezed the trigger. 

He’d missed this.

~*~

Hawks circled idly above Ground Beta, impressed by the amount of damage his boyfriend and their leader could cause in under two minutes. Honestly, it was almost a pity he hadn't just flown Shigaraki to the Commission building during a meeting and let him go to town. Would've been worth being labeled a villain. Especially since he was, you know, labeled one anyway.

Taking a deep breath, he flapped his wings and increased his height a little. It was nearly impossible to see through the cloud of dust and the roiling smoke, but that was where years of training and his raptor traits came in handy. Plus, he only had two jobs today: 

Provide backup to any League member who signaled. 

Keep any “hero” with a flight quirk from getting too high in the air or leaving to help another team.

Not difficult, especially since flight quirks were rare and there was only one that really had the necessary mobility to be a problem… A flash of motion caught his eye and he folded his wings and dove, exulting in the burst of speed until he pulled up alongside the slim youth with winged heels. The kid stared at him in horror while Hawks just grinned and gave him finger guns. “Hey, nice wings! I haven't had a good flight in like, two months! Wanna race? You have no idea how much I've missed this!”

~*~

Dabi took a long drag of his cigarette and leaned back on the lip of the huge fountain that took up the center of the main square, careful not to accidentally put his hands in the boiling water. He blew out a cloud of smoke, his own and the cigarette’s, adding to the miasma of black smoke and gray steam that covered the sky above the square. Looking back down, he let out a snort and struck sparks with the heel of his boot, sending a whip of blue fire out to redirect some screaming “civilians”. If they were going to run, they were going to run where he wanted them to.

He chuckled, running glowing blue eyes over the half dozen melted robots scattered over the cobblestones. “Well,” he mused, “they're not as good kindling as worthless low-lives, but not too shabby.” A grin slashed across his mouth as a wall half collapsed and the screaming picked up. “God, I missed that sound.”

[spacebunniesmha]

I'm absolutely devastated after chapter 395, but at the same time i'm very happy with the way horikoshi decided to kill toga.

Toga is my second favorite character, but it wouldn't have made sense for her to get an immediate redemption. And she didn't. Even if she did survive, she'd have to do jail time which she expressed a lot of hatred for. That's not to say she wouldn't deserve it, because she killed a lot of innocent people. Ochako said, even, that she needed to face the consequences of her actions and that she couldn't forgive toga.

So i feel like killing toga off was a better decision than her surviving. The way she went out was perfect for her character. She died for someone she loved, even if ochako didn't love her back. And she was happy doing it.

[yinyuedijun]

I think people have talked at length about the fact that bnha ended up basically being super pro-cop and delivered nothing on its narrative critiquing hero society. but one thing I haven't seen commentary on yet is how bizarre the narrative on abuse is. bnha is a series where abusive father figures (e.g. endeavor, overhaul, shigaraki's father) and neglectful parents (e.g. toga's family) have been the origin for marginalization of children and, in the cases of the league, their eventual descent into actual crime and villainy. yet the single most prominent abusive father figure of the series (endeavor) got a redemption arc, while the second-most prominent abusive father (overhaul) got to survive. yet the children who suffered abuse (toga, shigaraki, touya) were not worthy of redemption nor even survival. it has very bleak implications on who gets a second chance in life and who doesn't. this is possibly the worst narrative on childhood abuse I have ever consumed btw lol