Name: My Hero Academia season 6 episode 16
Director: Kazuma Komatsu
Released: 2023-01-21T15:30:00

In My Hero Academia season 6 episode 16, a recovering Hawks delves into his past momentarily while observing the increasing anti-hero sentiments in the present; the Todoroki family has a long-needed meeting regarding the events that have transpired.

Recap

Hawks thinks back on his turbulent past as he grew up in a house rife with ruins, with a mother who’s lost most of her sanity, and a criminal father who wants to get rid of his son.

In spite of all the surreal sadness, a young Keigo keeps himself out of trouble while his eyes gleam with light of hope and heroism, watching All Might and Endeavor on TV defeating all the villains.

When his father, the villain of his life, was caught by Endeavor after he tried stealing a car, Hawks witnessed an illuminating revelation — heroes were real for the first time.

He was eventually tracked down by authorities who offered him and his mother a lucrative offer of leading a comfortable life in exchange for Hawks becoming a Pro Hero. This was just what Hawks wished for, and would go on to achieve.

In the present, Hawks travels with Best Jeanist in the latter’s batmobile-like car. Hawks shares the details of how he kept Jeanist in suspended animation to fool Dabi and other villains while he infiltrated their organization.

Meanwhile, the two heroes also observe the rising anti-hero sentiments in society, as well as the increase in the purchase and usage of support gears that the public is using to defend themselves from the villains.

Hawks takes Best Jeanist to the house where his mother lived all this time but has now left. She leaves a note for her son, apologizing to him for sharing the information regarding his true identity when Dabi and others would have coerced her to.

Hawks is now free of attachments and sees this as a fresh start. Meanwhile, he shares with Best Jeanist that Endeavor is in deep trouble in the wake of recent revelations made by Dabi.

It’s true, and as Endeavor recovers on his hospital bed, he looks at the crowd of protestors who detest him outside the building. He cries tears thinking back on the battle with Dabi and how he froze when it came to defending his son, something that had happened to him before as well.

In a fun change of pace, Shoto witnesses his dad bawling on his bed, with an expression of shock while his brother and sister are also there.

As Endeavor cries more and tributaries of tears and snot make up a river system on his oxygen mask, Rei arrives, exclaiming that they have much to discuss what has transpired and come to light recently.

My Hero Academia season 6 episode 16 ends with Endeavor shocked to see his wife as she prepares to talk about what seems to be everything that went wrong with their family.

Review

My Hero Academia season 6 episode 16 doesn’t really do much justice to its title as most of the runtime is dedicated to Hawks than the dynamic and development of the Todoroki family.
Hawks monologues a great deal about the lessons he’s taken away from the battle with the villains and Bubaigawara. It’ll be interesting to see how his arc pans out from this point.
Even if for a few seconds, it’s always a delight to get a glimpse at the intimidating anti-hero Stain.