Warning: Contains spoilers for Chapter 396 of My Hero AcademiaDespite My Hero Academy there have been three movies, none of which has had a lead role in the manga until now. To face All For One in the final battle, All Might needs the support of the two original heroes in the film. Without his quirks, these allies arrived at the last hour to level the battlefield for All Might. All Might knew he had to be the one to put an end to All For One before reaching Shigaraki. To do this, he built an armor to make up for the lost power after he transferred One For All to Deku. And the creators behind it have been since the very first movie.
The recent chapter 396 of My Hero Academia shows All Might facing All For One for the last time. To stand a chance in this battle, the hero uses an armor that gives him the strength he used to have with the Quirk. During the fight, All Might reveals the origin of this new technology. It was created by friends he made in America after All For One forced him to flee Japan: Melissa and David Shield. A console is then displayed showing Melissa Shield watching All Might’s battle through a screen since it was broadcast to the world.
Melissa and David Shield have been helping All Might for the past hour
This isn’t the first time My Hero Academia characters have appeared in the manga, but it’s the first time they’ve been explicitly shown to have a major role in the story. Previously, only their cameos watching the final battle were shown. However, Melissa Shield has been the standard of My Hero Academia as the manga and anime show pieces of equipment she designed being used by Deku in his wary arc. It is not explicitly stated that she is the one behind Deku’s gauntlet, but in episode 19 of season 6, Deku praised the equipment brought in from America after he fought Muscular, hinting that they were sent by Melissa.
The end of My Hero Academia could introduce more sub-heroes
With the arrival of David and Melissa Shield, Kohei Horikoshi is opening the door for more and more characters to appear in the finale. My Hero Academia can add international heroes to Japan even though governments around the world forbid it. But besides the movies, My Hero Academia also has a number of side stories, the most famous being My Hero Academia Vigilantes. This alternate story takes place before the events of the main manga, and fans have been wondering if the main character Koichi Haimawari will appear in the end of the main series. With this new chapter and rumors of an anime adaptation of the spin-off manga, it looks like Horikoshi might be able to surprise fans one last time.
Horikoshi has shown he plans to give each character attention in the final battle, even if only for a moment. This means anything is possible, even multiple characters facing Shigaraki and All For One. In fact, one character who hasn’t joined the fight is Hero Killer Stain. He played a huge role in the previous installment, so seeing his return in the finale would mean as a final redemption for the anti-hero. In any case, the arrival of Melissa and David proves Horikoshi will find a way to add any character he wants. The two heroes in the movie helped All Might in the final battle, bringing My Hero Academy closer to its end.