I'm sure somewhere between end of the war and Deku's return that he realized that he's still a hero. We got a moment of it when he runs into those kids at the end. There just wasn't enough time to explore it, which is disappointing when it feels like it's the point of MHA from the start.

We see him grow over the last decade after winning the quirk lottery, but once the quirk is gone there was just... lament. Deku goes back to "I'm fine, everything is fine". It's everyone else around him that grieves for him. Then we turn the page, he's granted a support suit and nothing changes.

So we go through this adventure with Deku, already knowing that the answer is yes. The problem is that we never see Deku reach this answer. We see All Might reach this answer when he granted Deku his quirk. We see Bakugo reach this answer when they were toddlers in the river. But Deku never does.

My Hero Academia is a love letter to American Super Heroes. Deku is not only a homage to Spider-Man, but also a challenge. "With great power there must also come great responsibility". But what about those without power? Are they able to shoulder that responsibility as well?

*stares at my neglected tablet*

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
*breathes*
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

It doesn't take long before they inadvertently make it everyone else's problem, so now we have a counsel of pro-heroes trying to figure out how to get these two to fuck.

Katsuki breaks first, but now Izuku has new resolve and says no. The Cold (shower) War lasts about 9 weeks.

We'll make it through together. Somehow.