My Hero Academia Season 2 Episode 3 Recap – In Their Own Quirky Ways

Obstacle Race

The UA sports festival continues with the preliminary test event: an obstacle course. Todoroki manages to move past everyone by freezing the ground and the robot villains. Kirishima and another student from 1B named Tetsutetsu get caught in the ice and discover their identical quirks. The former has a hardening power, while the latter can turn his skin into steel.

The students left behind start cooperating to go through, but Bakugo aims to surpass everyone. Tokoyami and Sero try to catch up to him with their dark shadow and tape attacks.

Aizawa sees his student’s newfound determination. After the incident at USJ, each one seems to have grown to accept the challenge that they must be stronger. Midoriya manages to outwit the villains by using one of their panels as a shield. The zero-point villains were something to be avoided during the practical exam, but now they’ve become a great hindrance. Still, the students manage to defeat them with their combined efforts.

Soon the course changes into a sprawling canyon formation consisting of small islands connected by a tightrope. The rope is thin, and falling could prove fatal. Tsuyu finds it easy to cross with her agile frog powers, while a student from the support course sees it as an opportunity to use her inventions.

Canyons

Support course students train themselves to be the gadgeteers and inventors for heroes. She proudly displays her grappling hook for everyone to see and easily crosses the canyons. Uraraka and Ashido follow behind her.

Todoroki still maintains the lead while Bakugo follows closely in second place. The audience applauds Todoroki’s performance and recognizes him as the son of the number two hero, Endeavor, not knowing that All Might’s successor is also in the games. Midoriya continues to cross the canyons by dangling across the ropes.

The third and final barrier for the course is a huge minefield, where students will have to be careful, or they’ll get launched to the sky. This time, Bakugo is at an advantage compared to Todoroki, and he takes the lead. Iida’s speed gets thwarted as he steps through the mines. The obstacle proves to be ideal for cutting the lead.

Midoriya stops and tries to dig up the mines with his shield panel. Finally, he gathers a small clump of mines on the ground and uses the shield as a sled to propel him forward. He blasts the mine, and it moves him past the two bickering students on the lead. Bakugo sees him and goes in for a chase, with Todoroki not far behind.

Explosive Move

As Midoriya falls, he finds himself awfully close to the other two, smashing his shield to the ground, propelling him forward. The final moments are close, but Midoriya secures first place, to everyone’s surprise. He and All Might get pumped up as they manage to get to the top. Popularity is one of All Might’s strengths, making him the symbol of peace. Now, his student seemed to have passed that barrier.

Eyes start focusing on Midoriya, and he hasn’t even shown his quirk yet. Bakugo and Todoroki look at their winning classmate in frustration.

Midnight declares the hero of the obstacle course, which consists mostly of 1-A and 1-B students. Forty-two students make it through the preliminary. She introduces the second event, a Cavalry Battle–a group consisting of four members per team. Being first place in the previous event, Midoriya’s group will earn his opponents the most points. Now everyone is looking to get him.

Our Thoughts

This was a great setup to show students’ powers, including those from other classes. 4/5.