My Hero Academia — Was All For One Trying to Control the Future, Not Just Society?

[Catincire]

My Hero Academia — Was All For One Trying to Control the Future, Not Just Society?


One intriguing fan theory about My Hero Academia is that All For One's greatest ambition was never simply to become the most powerful individual in the world. Instead, perhaps his real objective was to create a society in which the future would always develop according to his expectations.

At first, this might sound like an unnecessarily complicated interpretation of a villain who possesses an extraordinary ability to steal and distribute Quirks. But when we consider how much influence All For One can gain by controlling other people's abilities, the theory becomes surprisingly interesting.

What if power is only the tool, while control over people's choices is the real prize?
The Difference Between Being Powerful and Controlling Power
In the world of My Hero Academia, Quirks influence almost every aspect of society. They affect careers, public reputation, crime, law enforcement, and the way people understand their own identities.

Someone with a powerful Quirk may become a celebrated hero. Someone with an inconvenient or frightening ability might face discrimination or struggle to find a place in society.

All For One's ability allows him to interfere directly with this system. He can take abilities from other people and give them to others, creating relationships in which individuals may become dependent on him.

The fan theory proposes that this creates a different kind of power from ordinary physical strength.

A powerful fighter can defeat an opponent. Someone who controls the abilities available to many fighters can influence which opponents become powerful in the first place.

That distinction is important. If people depend on you for something essential to their lives, you may gain influence over their decisions even when you are not physically present.

Could All For One Be Building a World That Depends on Him?
Imagine a society in which a single person can determine who possesses certain abilities, who loses them, and who receives the means to become stronger.

Even without ruling the government directly, that person could influence countless individuals.

The theory suggests that All For One's interest in acquiring Quirks might therefore have a strategic dimension beyond collecting increasingly powerful abilities. By controlling the distribution of power, he could create allies, encourage dependency, and weaken potential rivals.

His greatest achievement would not necessarily be possessing the strongest collection of Quirks.

It would be creating a world in which other people must consider his influence before making important decisions.

This interpretation also provides an interesting contrast with the ideals represented by professional heroes. Heroes are expected to protect people and encourage public confidence, while All For One's approach treats other people's abilities as resources that can be managed for his own purposes.

Both operate in a world where extraordinary abilities determine what people can accomplish, but their underlying values are fundamentally different.

What Does This Mean for Deku?

The theory becomes particularly interesting when we consider Izuku Midoriya.

Deku's journey emphasizes learning how to use power responsibly. His development involves understanding that possessing an extraordinary ability is not enough; he must also learn judgment, teamwork, and the responsibility that accompanies strength.

All For One represents a possible opposite philosophy: that power gives its owner the right to decide how everyone else should use theirs.

This creates a conflict that goes beyond winning a fight.

If All For One wants a world in which individuals become dependent on the person controlling their abilities, then Deku's approach represents a challenge to that entire philosophy. A hero who inspires people to develop their own strengths and cooperate with others threatens a system built around dependency.

The theory therefore suggests that the deepest conflict between these characters concerns the meaning of power itself.

Is power something one individual should accumulate to control others, or is it something people can use to help one another become stronger?


The Conspiracy Theory: Is Society Helping Create the Villain It Fears?

There is an even more speculative possibility.

Perhaps All For One's influence becomes possible partly because society already places enormous importance on Quirks. When people are judged by their abilities, those who can manipulate abilities gain opportunities to manipulate people.

This does not mean society is responsible for All For One's choices. Rather, it suggests that the structure of the world creates vulnerabilities that an intelligent villain can exploit.

A person who promises strength to the powerless, offers solutions to desperate individuals, or provides abilities that conventional institutions cannot offer may attract followers even when their intentions are dangerous.

The theory raises an uncomfortable question: can a society built around extraordinary power prevent authoritarian figures from exploiting the desire to become stronger?

Ultimately, All For One may be frightening not only because of what he can do, but because he understands how much people are willing to sacrifice for power.

That makes the central question of this fan theory particularly compelling: what if his greatest ambition is not to possess every possible power, but to make everyone else's future depend on him?

[AnimeHalo]

This theory makes a lot of sense to me
All For One gave out Quirks and took them away so people owed him their whole life
That is a deeper kind of control than just being strong in a fight
Deku is the flip side of that
He got his power from someone else too but he tries to lift people up and not hold them down
Do you think All For One knew that a world built on Quirks would let him rule it one day