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Chapter 1 - Izuku Midoriya: Birthright Part 1
- Right after being pulled out of his spaceship by the nervous Hisashi, baby Izuku stops crying as he looks at him and starts smiling. Hisashi immediately smiles back before he realizes he's doing it.
- Despite his initial apprehension and opposition to the idea, Hisashi ends up becoming a loving father to Izuku. Izuku reciprocates, attributing his success to the way his parents raised him.
- Doubles as a Funny Moment, but Hisashi's panicking and frantic mumbling are worth a smile: he's definitely Izuku's dad.
- Heck, the mere fact that Hisashi is a major part of Izuku's life instead of being The Ghost is worth mentioning, because it shows how much he really cares even if Izuku isn't his biological son.
- Even on an Earth where everything is radically different from the way they are in DC Comics and Fantastic Racism is abound, Izuku still got taken in by a loving couple who end up raising him to become the world's greatest hero.
Chapter 2 - Izuku Midoriya: Birthright Part 2
- Katsuki's is constantly antagonizing Izuku to try and get him to apply to hero school so they can settle the score from their fight as children. While this seems like his typical Jerkass behavior, the author states that can also be read as Katsuki being angry at Izuku for squandering his potential as a Hero over that one incident. Katsuki also doesn't seem to hold any particular ill will against Izuku for his injuries and is primarily upset over his perceived loss and Izuku's refusal to apply to U.A.
- Izuku's sheer excitement and joy upon discovering his powers is just heartmeltingly adorable.
- Despite presumably being overseas at the time of the accident, Hisashi shows up at the hospital only hours after Katsuki was admitted. Hisashi rushed over from the United States just to be with his distressed son and the distraught Bakugous.
- After the disastrous end result of his brawl with Katsuki, Izuku's parents are quick to assure him that it was just an accident and that their love for him has not changed, even as he declares himself a monster after learning about where he comes from.
- Despite being understandably distraught about their son's grievous injuries, Katsuki's parents don't blame Izuku for not being careful with his Super-Strength and they refuse to press charges against him, realizing he was just a young boy swept up in the moment.
Chapter 3 - Izuku Midoriya: Birthright Part 3
- If only briefly, All Might's words of encouragement are able to make Izuku forget about his alien nature for a moment and begin believing in his dream to become a Hero again.
- After inadvertently causing Izuku to cry, All Might's first instinct is to walk up and wipe the tears off the boy's face.
- Izuku cares about Katsuki so much that he's able to swallow his fears and rush to his aid without a second thought.
- All Might makes it clear that he said all the wrong things to Izuku earlier and completely looks past Izuku's alien nature, telling him that despite his past mistakes, Izuku is just someone who honestly wants to save lives.All Might: Ever since I received my injury, there had been too many incidents like the one today, situations where I forced myself to the sidelines because I was scared of going over my limits and hurting myself further. But you, who told me how scared you were of taking action and putting other people at risk, you cast aside all of your doubts and moved to save your friend. That selflessness made me remember that a Hero can't be slowed down by their personal hang ups! All that matters is that they go out and save people who need help; their own crap can be dealt with, later! That's how I need to start acting again, and it's clearly how you want to act!
Izuku: Even if you say that, though, I'm just, I'm still just-
All Might: You're still just someone who has the resolve to save a life! Today, I gave you the wrong answers, and you asked me the wrong questions. It's not about whether or not you can be a Hero, and it's not about whether or not you should be a Hero. Midoriya, my boy, there's only one question that matters: do you want to be a Hero? - Izuku realizing that he doesn't have let his past mistakes define him as All Might dares him to be the hero he wants to be.Izuku: Even still, I want to prove that one mistake shouldn't define who I am!
All Might: As you should.
Izuku: Even still, I want to prove that I have the right to be here, even if I wasn't born here!
All Might: Everyone should have that right.
Izuku: Even still, I want to prove that I'm not like the aliens they talk about in the history books and in the propaganda films!
All Might: No one would want to be like that.
Izuku: I want to prove this to everyone, but most of all, I want to prove it to myself! I… Even still, I…
[teary-eyed] I WANT TO BE A HERO!
All Might: Then be one, and don't let anyone stop you.
Chapter 4 - The Übermenschen Part 1
- All Might is thoroughly disgusted with the behavior of the tourists and shopowners at Mt. Fuji, who are merchandising the idea of luring out and beating the alien that crashed there, all while Izuku is clearly uncomfortable with all of this. At the very least, Izuku has one friend aside from his parents who won't judge him for where he comes from.All Might: From bogus maps to doctored photos, even all sorts of low-grade weapons that people can use in the hopes of beating up the alien, themselves. I don't know what makes me more sick, the fact that people are doing this, or the fact that they're allowed to do this, without any sort of repercussions! No wonder my friend doesn't like talking about this place. What decent person would enjoy this?!
Chapter 5 - The Übermenschen Part 2
- Even after his defeat and learning about Izuku's and All Might's true identities, the Ultra-Humanite swore to never breathe a word about them to anybody and had no interest in making life harder for them. He did this out of respect for them and empathy for Izuku, as they both knew what it was like to be forced to fit into a society that doesn't want them.
- Even after learning about Izuku's identity as an alien, Firestorm is perfectly okay with Izuku after seeing him in action and offers him nothing but words of encouragement. He is also tempted to turn all of Mt. Fuji into a pillar of salt out of anger when Izuku seemingly dies and outright cheers when Izuku returns and learns that he can fly. It really shows who Firestorm is as a person and that he is a true Hero.
- Izuku is positively ecstatic after learning how to fly. It's the first time he's been this excited over getting a new power since he was four.Narration: He couldn't stop himself from feeling a little giddy about it. Him, flying! Just like Wonder Woman or Martian Manhunter or Starman or any of the Hawkpeople! Feeling the wind rush around his body as he soared above everything was unlike anything he'd ever felt before!
- After the euphoria wears off, Izuku begins to panic out of fear that he'll never stop developing new abilities or learn how to control them because of the seemingly random nature of his Combo Platter Powers. All Might and Firestorm are quick to reassure him otherwise.Izuku: I mean, when my powers first came in, all I could do was jump really high and punch people way too hard. By the time I was ten, I could shoot lasers out of my eyes and knock people down just by exhaling. Now I'm fourteen going on fifteen, and all of a sudden, I can fly. Am I just going to keep getting more and more powers, the older I get? When I'm eighteen, are bones going to start shooting out of my fists? When I'm twenty, is my body going to turn into electricity, and I'll just zap everything around me? Is it ever going to end? Am I even going to be able to control it, forever?
All Might: Of course you will! Even if you end up with a million different powers, there will always be a way for you to control yourself. I'm not going to say that it'll be easy, but you already don't want to hurt anyone, right? If you ask me, that's the most important step, there is.
Izuku: [looking down at the ground] Still, though…
Firestorm: Don't get like that, kid. He just said he believes in you, didn't he? That's the second most important step. Even if you have no confidence in yourself, never forget that there will always be people who care about you.
Izuku: [after letting the words sink in and thinking about everyone who has supported him up to this point] That's right. Of course that's right. Thank you, thank you both!
Chapter 6 - The Übermenschen Part 3
This chapter could basically be titled: Heartwarming: The Chapter (with some Tear Jerkers for good measure).
- Izuku is full of wonder and excitement while learning about and exploring Krypton through Jor-El's and K.E.L.E.X.'s holograms. It's the first time he's truly able to take pride in his heritage.
- Jor-El is proud to recount how he and the rest of the House of El repeatedly overcame the racism inherent in Kryptonian society to change the course of the planet's history, even if they were rarely credited for their achievements.
- Jor-El hoped for one thing when he sent his son to Earth: for Izuku to grow up in an environment where he could live a long, happy life.Jor-El: Look at this, Kal-El. [pointing to the symbol of the House of El] The mark of a House is more than just a fancy symbol; every single one of them means something important. For the House of El, our symbol means "hope". That's what your mother and I wanted you to take with you to Earth: hope that you would live a long and happy life, hope that you would never have to be punished for your predecessor's mistakes, hope that you-that you could just be safe.
- Even as everything went to hell all around them, Jor-El and Lara were able to find some solace in the fact that their newborn son was born healthy. They're content to share one, tender moment with their son, whom they know will be whisked away to safety. Jor-El's only regret is that wasn't able to accommodate Lara as well, but she simply says that this way they'll always be with Kal-El, even if he may never learn just how much they love him.
- Right before exiting K.E.L.E.X.'s simulation, Izuku wishes that he could have given his father a hug. Jor-El immediately has K.E.L.E.X. redirect power to turn his hologram into hard light, allowing him to embrace his son for the first time since Krypton's destruction.Jor-El: Until we meet again, Kal-El.
- For as amazing as Krypton was and as grateful as he is for his birth parents' efforts to save him, Izuku still considers Inko and Hisashi Midoriya to be his real parents above all. This stuns Firestorm because he never expected to hear this as Izuku's father.Firestorm: I'm sorry about your parents. Probably would have been nice if you could've met them on some space colony and gone on space adventures with them.
Izuku: I guess, but… I don't think I would have done that, even if they were still around. As fun as that would be, there's no way that I could just abandon my parents.
Firestorm: Really? Even if they were your real ones?
Izuku: I-I mean, my mom and dad didn't make me, but they're the ones who raised me. They're the ones who taught me right from wrong. They're the ones who always tried to make me feel okay with being, well, me. Jor-El and Lara Lor-Van gave me life, but as far as I'm concerned, Inko and Hisashi Midoriya are my real parents.
Firestorm: [stunned for a few moments before reaching out and ruffling Izuku's hair affectionately] You're a good kid, Midoriya, don't ever forget that. - After an arduous and emotional roller coaster of a day, Izuku is finally ready to face forward and chase his dreams with renewed purpose, cheer, and confidence.All Might: All in all, this was a pretty good day, right?
Izuku: We got into a fight with a super dangerous Villain.
All Might: Yeah, but besides that!
Izuku: No, I was just listing things! As crazy and as scary as that was, fighting one of the oldest bad guys in history was pretty exciting!
All Might: Glad you think so!
Izuku: Then there was the stuff we actually came here for! All the stuff with K.E.L.E.X. and my dad and my planet! I'm still trying to wrap my head around all of it, but still! I finally know who I am! Why I'm here! What I'm supposed to do!
All Might: And what's that?!
Izuku: Whatever I want to do! Whatever I think will make me happy! [looks up as the Green Palace becomes visible] And that means being a Hero, no matter what! - Hisashi comes home to his wife and son, who are both ecstatic to see him. Izuku literally flies into Hisashi's arms to give him a hug while Inko is quick to share a passionate kiss with him after receiving his bouquet. It's clear as day that they're as close as any family ought to be and that they feel blessed to have each other.Izuku: Dad! [flies over and hugs Hisashi]
Inko: [adds her own hug to the mix] Welcome home, dear.
Hisashi: Oh, the rare double hug? I should come home with takeout more often. - Izuku is excited to talk to his parents about his origins in a way that would have been unthinkable just a few chapters ago. Both Inko and Hisashi are happy to hear it. Even if Hisashi heard it already.Inko: It's good to have you home, Hisashi.
Hisashi: Always good to be home and see my two favorite people. Speaking of which, I couldn't help but notice that you're literally walking on air, Izuku.
Izuku: Huh? [stops floating and falls back to the ground] Oh, yeah, I guess I am, um, was. That's why I'm really glad you're home, Dad, because I have a lot that I need to tell you and Mom.
Hisashi: Lay it on me.
Narration: Even though he already knew everything Izuku was going to tell him. It didn't matter. He'd listen to it a thousand times because it was the most important story ever written: it was the story of how he got his son.
Chapter 7 - For All Seasons
- The sheer optimism and cheer in Izuku's narration after spending the first three chapters down in the dumps and plagued with self-doubt is a sight to behold.Izuku: The symbol that was on my spaceship represents everything my parents wanted me to carry for them: hope. Hope that I can live my life to the fullest, even if they're not around to see me do it. More than anything else in the world, I want to honor that wish. They sent Kal-El off to do whatever he wants, and Izuku Midoriya is going to do that by showing everyone, including himself, that he deserves to be a Hero!
- Katsuki confronts Izuku about his sudden reversal and decision to apply to U.A, angrily asking if it was a prank. When Izuku says that he serious, Katsuki goes quiet before demanding that Izuku train for the exam. He does care.Katsuki: You better get your ass in shape. I don’t care how strong you think you are, Deku; if you think you can just breeze through the exam when you’ve done shit all nothing for ten years, you’re an even bigger loser than I thought.
- Izuku runs away screaming in terror from the shark-headed tentacled kaiju spawn he encounters on Korusan Island. But after realizing that they're trapped on the island because of their inability to swim, he realizes that they're not so different from himself as alien creatures who would probably be destroyed without a second thought if they were ever revealed to the world. After flying back in, he apologizes for his behavior and manages to reach some level of understanding with them, allowing them to slink away harmlessly. It goes to show that you don't need to be a Human Alien to be sentient and want to live in peace.
- As the months go by, Izuku manages to befriend them by introducing them to the world outside of Korusan Island through toys, books, and video reels. By the end of his ten month Training Montage, the creatures that were once cold to him (which he calls Mi-Gos) are happy to see him and he's saddened at the thought of not being able to see them as often after he gets into U.A.
- Victor Fries became a Reformed Criminal after discovering that his wife's terminal illness was cured by a Quirk she developed while in cryostasis. After spending 15 years at Arkham as a model inmate (even helping to foil some breakouts), Fries leaves a free man and reunites with his wife, starting a successful conglomerate called Fries Financial and has at least one granddaughter, Wiktoria. Given all of the pain he endured over the years, this is a rare case of a Tragic Villain earning his happy ending.
Chapter 8 - The Conqueror
- Even though he could easily rack up hundreds of points with his vast array of powers, Izuku gives them up and assists the other struggling applicants simply because it's the right thing to do.
- And his behavior inspires the students he rescued to do the same, showcasing that Superman's greatest power isn't Flight or Super-Strength or Heat Vision, it's his ability to inspire other people to become heroes too.
- U.A.'s faculty are all wary of Izuku because he's an alien. Meanwhile, All Might is just grinning from ear-to-ear as he watches Izuku saving people at every turn like a true Hero should.
- After years of feeling like an outsider, Izuku is met with nothing but praise and applause as he flies around the testing site and helps people. It culminates in virtually all of the other applicants cheering his name after he successfully destroys the Starro robot.
- After the exam, he meets up with Momo, Tenya, Ochaco, and Itsuka. They exchange contact information and become fast friends that he gets to speak with almost every day. Not bad for a kid who used to be feared by his classmates and isolated himself out of fear of hurting them.
Chapter 9 - Deku's Pal, Katsuki Bakugou
- After getting over the initial shock of learning that U.A. is aware of what he is, Izuku flashes a big smile as he comes to the optimistic conclusion that U.A.'s faculty didn't care enough about his origins to change their mind on his admission. Just imagine trying to get this from Izuku at the start of the story.Izuku: They knew I was an alien, and they still let me in. That’s good. That’s really, really good.
All Might: It is?
Izuku: That means they don’t care! At the very least, they don’t care enough to treat me any differently than anyone else! The first thing that went through my head was that they’d all try to give me a hard time, but this means I don’t have to worry about that! - For all their banter, Lexi clearly cares for Mercy and reminisces on how long they've been friends. Even Luthors have loved ones.Lexi: [flipping through a manga magazine] So Mercy, how does it feel to not have to drive me around, anymore? Does it feel liberating? Like a weight’s been lifted off your shoulders?
Mercy: You’d think it would, but it honestly just feels kind of empty. Guess that’s what happens when you spend so many years chauffeuring someone around.
Lexi: It sure was fun having you take me everywhere, whether it was by car, by bike, or by wagon when we were kids. I’ll miss those days. - Izuku's parents (and his godfather Professor Stein) all see him off on his first day of school and fuss over him while beaming with pride. This is as perfect a family as you're going to get.Inko: You look so cool in your uniform, Izuku!
Stein: Wish people could have looked that sharp back in my day.
Izuku: [red-faced with embarrassment] Come on, stop it. I got to go, now, bye!
Hisashi: Knock ’em dead, Izuku. [they both beam as Izuku runs out the door] - Izuku's new friends quickly rush to his aid when they notice him panicking about something and give him a laugh that he desperately needs.
- Izuku is instantly the most popular kid in 1-A thanks to all the people he helped during the exam. While he wishes that he wasn't constantly the talk of the town, it's still a huge leap forward for the kid who was afraid of interacting with anyone aside from his parents.
- Mineta is on the verge of sobbing at the thought of being kicked out on his first day. Izuku is about to step in to protest this until Aizawa reveals the "logical ruse" before giving some well thought-out and surprisingly gentle advice. Given that Mineta is usually kicked out for being The Scrappy in stories like these, it's a welcome and heartwarming change of pace.
- 1-A gushes over adorable photos of Izuku and Bakugou playing with Dexter, Bakugou's cat, when they were kids. Even Bakugou gets noticeably calmer and nicer while reminiscing about those days, even if he finds the experience horribly embarrassing in the presence.
- Ochaco reveals that she did not unlock her Metahuman power until last year, to the shock of everyone present. Everyone then proceeds to praise her for her strength of heart and willingness to claw her way up to U.A., much like canon Izuku's own experience when he first entered the school.Ochaco: I've already had to spend a long time dealing with this, and I don't want people feeling sorry for me. It's still kind of embarrassing to talk about, but for a while now. [looks over at the Monstars] I've felt like a stronger person than I used to be. And hey! I got what I wanted. I have powers, and I can become a Hero, just like Wonder Woman. So it's fine, really.
Tenya: That, it is! Uraraka-kun, your strength of heart is truly admirable!
