Pardon the pun, but this episode of MY HERO ACADEMIA truly addresses a lot of big ideas. This episode puts a cap on the Provisional Hero License Exam in a dynamic way. There are so many Class 1-A students who shine, even though it mostly focuses on Shoto Todoroki. “What’s the Big Idea?” does a great job of wrapping up the Exam with an exciting, fiery conclusion.
The conflict between Todoroki and Inasa Yoarashi is a great way to center the end of the exam. Yoarashi reveals Todoroki was a jerk to him at the 1-A entrance exam, back when Todoroki was consumed with rage against his father. Todoroki coming to terms with how that bitterness has affected his journey is a brilliant moment of character development. Midoriya unlocking revelations for both Todoroki and Yoarashi is also a great way to bring him into the episode. MY HERO ACADEMIA utilizes two of its strongest characters for a powerful climax.
The “army of heroes” focus for the exam is also great. Much like Todoroki’s inner conflict, so much of this episode revolves on Endeavor. Endeavor is now the Number One hero, in the wake of All Might losing his power. However, he’s a very bitter hero, having lived in All Might’s shadow for so long. The same bitterness that caused Todoroki to turn on him also inspires the lack of faith from the government.
There are so many big ideas that MY HERO ACADEMIA nails in this episode. There’s a lot of exposition that comes out, but only through action. Because of this, the episode can explore its history without losing momentum. The abrupt end of the exam is a bit shocking, and the sudden cliffhanger is a bit off-putting. While the scoring system justifies the exam ending, it’s a bit too quick of a turnaround from the Todoroki development. It’s a bit of a shame that Todoroki and Yoarashi have so little time to dwell on their mistakes. However, it’s merely a somewhat rushed ending on an otherwise deep episode.
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Overall, this episode excels in wrapping up the License Exam. Not only is there excellent action, but the importance of teamwork is a strong way to wrap it up. The focus of finding a lot of heroes with strong bonds hits at the heart of MY HERO ACADEMIA. It’s unlikely every 1-A student passed the exam – especially Todoroki. But putting a focus on how important teamwork is illustrates how great Class 1-A is.
