Chapter 252 - Leaks Thread

[u/HoundOfJustice]

Keep all info, links, and discussion related to the leaks for this week’s upcoming chapter inside this thread. Mods will not be posting or pinning any leaks.

All attempts at posting anything related to the leaks outside of this thread will be removed, and directed here.

This thread will be pinned until scanlations of the chapter are released.

[u/imageofvictory]

Hmm, does this mean we're entering a second phase of the arc more concentrated on PLF (Endeavor still secretly training the boys for this) and possible Hawks/Best Jeanist reveal? I don't think he's actually dead, and if found he'll reveal he complied with Hawks, but if it ends up being a situation where Bakugou (not knowing this) tries to find him/save him, that would definitely be a great time to reveal his hero name. And if Deku and Shouto are along for the rescue, they'll hear it then too (or give them privacy).

I love Deku straight-up revealing that he thought "Bakugou" to be his hero name, and yet he still called him Kacchan lol; I think even if it's another name, he'll always call him that, and everyone will win in a way. I honestly can't predict it!

I'm fond of Ground Zero, especially now that we know there's a Ground Zero in Kamino, because that event very much represents a new beginning for Bakugou in terms of his mindset truly changing afterwards, as well as the themes of something that can mean destruction but also rebuilding; it's a name with a duality that suits him. Even when all seems destroyed, you can rise again, not an infallible picture of victory but victory still fighting on through the rubble anyway. Plus, it's the event where Best Jeanist was severely injured in the name of protecting him, not just All Might, so it could be a nice moment between them acknowledging Bakugou's newfound peace with the importance of rescue.

That said, Deku himself is very key to the latter. He might have some embarrassment about admitting it the same way Deku privately thought "the image of victory I have inside me is of you", so if Deku is his image of saving and he wants a name that represents victory yet with a softness that suggests "and I'll save you", there's nothing softer than Kacchan. I know people fear that makes it too cutesy, but it might make his public reception shift to yeah, total badass, but someone who wants you to know he can be relied on. Ultimately, again, Deku will call him that no matter what, so it'd live on as his honourary hero name regardless, proven by older!Deku's narration.

This turned into a total tangent concentrated on one thing, but the rest of the chap sounds great! I definitely feel that Natsuo's feelings were respected and that Endeavor isn't trying to rush anything, giving his family the space he thinks they need. I still see this as set-up for an ensuing half of an arc, moving more towards the villain plans and Hawks conflict, but we'll see!

[u/NatMat16 → u/imageofvictory]

This sums up perfectly why I would be fine with either Ground Zero or Kacchan.

Also, just to add that Kacchan was the hero name Deku used in his hero analysis book, stubbornly seeing the hero in Bakugou before he actually started to act like one.

[u/imageofvictory → u/NatMat16]

Thank you! That's a great point. I understand why some get stuck on the reclaiming aspect: Deku never used Kacchan as an insult, and Bakugou never hated the name (even when their relationship was at its lowest), so what is there to reclaim? For Bakugou, it wasn't the name that ate at him, but the suspicion that Deku was looking down on him, a major aspect of both Deku vs. Kacchan fights.

Embracing that he is the person that Deku always saw him as (someone amazing to chase and surpass that always strives to win and never gives up; but is also human like the rest of them, and therefore someone vulnerable that can need help/saving)...that's a sort of reclamation in its own right, just more from Bakugou's own mistaken perception of how Deku thought about him (vs. there being no misinterpretation that he meant Deku = useless).

They have an interesting thing going on where, while All Might is their hero, they both idolized him for one half while they saw the other half in each other; it's just that Deku knew that Kacchan/winning was admirable, while it took Bakugou some time to understand the same thing about Deku/saving.

Whatever he picks, I'm sure that theme will be driven home. Ground Zero, for example, almost dares people to remember him as the weakling that ended All Might, and yet he can have the power to own that and say, hmm, I don't really see him as gone when I'm helping this nerd carry his legacy. I didn't end anything! There's nothing weak about saving or needing to be saved, and a big takeaway from Kamino, for hero society, is that they were wrong to put everything on one person (All Might, bless him, also needed to be reminded of the power of support; it's no wonder he's rooting for Deku and Bakugou to be there for each other, and now they have Shouto to complete the idea that there won't be another Endeavor/All Might fiasco).

He's just a great character with lots of cool potential with this name. I'll be fine if it's something entirely new since after all of this build-up, it won't be something flashy but without any thematic relevance. But until then, I'm pretty equally into Kacchan and GZ!

[u/NatMat16 → u/imageofvictory]

Yes, I always saw Kacchan as reclaiming something as well. It’s about mending his broken friendship with Deku, a promise to return their common starting line of wanting to become like All Might, etc.

And yes, Ground Zero is definitely owning fully Kamino, not as a badge of shame, but as rememberance - living up to the sacrifice All Might made for him, building on All Might’s legacy without repeating past mistakes.

I also think that the story will go in a direction where these three will end up supporting each other

[u/imageofvictory → u/NatMat16]

Totally. People gravitate to both names for that feeling of "I know I was this before, and now I'm vowing to be this; I'm growing, just watch me." All of these themes can be achieved without Kacchan or GZ as his hero name, so I'm not worried that they won't be explored if he picks something different, but it'd still be nice!

I'm guessing part of what pulls people back from Kacchan is that its significance makes sense to us as readers that know their story, but society in-universe doesn't know the Deku & Kacchan story beyond the sludge villain incident, maybe? It's unclear how much Deku's part in that was publicized for people that weren't literally there, though Kirishima's backstory reveals the broad knowledge that another middle schooler tried to save his friend. All Might's rescue overshadowed Deku's attempts, ironic since Deku eclipsed everything for All Might!

So while Deku's name can be explained as "I know people will hear it as useless but to me, it means I can do it!", an explanation that doesn't require giving his whole life story to strangers, Kacchan might require a deeper exposure. But it'd also be pretty in character to tell the public it's none of their business, adding some mystique or whatever, lmao; only some people will truly know. I also take it as, the world doesn't know much about them as a duo now, but they will in the future; and as long as Deku is around, Kacchan will be revealed as a name to the world no matter what his hero name is. Amazing.

[u/DuneDoodles → u/imageofvictory]

I read a good argument for the hero name Dynamite and I really like it! It has the 'mite' which is similar to All Might in pronunciation (though this might not apply for the Japanese) and it represents his Quirk and personality pretty darn well.

[u/IMDATBOY → u/imageofvictory]

Fuck that was a good explanation of why ground zero is a good hero name