Katsuki Bakugo wants nothing more than to be a Pro Hero who rivals the power and prestige of heroes like All Might, but sometimes, his hot-headedness and his prickly personality make this more difficult than he might have originally expected. As My Hero Academia progresses, Bakugo is forced to learn that power is not the only indicator of success.
Bakugo bullied the Quirkless Izuku Midoriya because he was jealous of Midoriya's heroic spirit despite his lack of power, and this made Bakugo insecure. He knew that this heroic spirit was exactly what he lacked. When Midoriya got a Quirk, Bakugo was enraged, but as time went on, he learned a lot from Midoriya.
10 He Learned To Put Others First
Katsuki Bakugo is known for his desire to be on top and to be the strongest. So, he often tries to outdo the other characters. Sometimes, making fights all about oneself prevents the hero from being able to save others, and this is a lesson that Bakugo had to learn.
He wanted to prove himself so much that he attacked Deku with the intent to kill during one of the U.A. trials. However, by the time the League of Villains tried to capture Bakugo, he had learned the importance of keeping his classmates safe.
9 He Learned That Heroism Does Not Just Come From Firepower
For the first part of My Hero Academia, Bakugo treats heroism as a test of strength. To him, being a great hero meant obtaining the most power and defeating the most villains. He seemed more in it for the fight than for saving others, like his classmate Midoriya was.
However, after seeing Deku save him from the sludge monster and the League of Villains, Bakugo started to realize that true heroism comes from saving others, not necessarily from raw power. Firepower helps fight villains, but that does not make one a hero.
8 He Learned To Persevere In Unwinnable Situations
Sometimes, the villain is just too powerful or their numbers are too great. Bakugo learned this the hard way when he was captured by the League of Villains. They tried to get him to join their ranks, but Bakugo stood firm and resolved to fight them anyway.
Bakugo had learned from watching Midoriya. Midoriya had stood against the sludge monster even without a Quirk. He had also fought despite the damage his Quirk did to his body. Bakugo was not going to back down easily, either.
7 He Learned To Stand By His Values
While watching Midoriya chase his dreams of being a hero despite his lack of Quirk, Bakugo learned to stand resolute in his battles. He had bullied Midoriya for years because he was jealous of Midoriya's attitude. Even without a Quirk, Midoriya was determined to be a hero.
When Bakugo was kidnapped by the League of Villains, he was not going to lose to Midoriya's spirit. He refused to join the League of Villains, even if it meant he would die fighting them all at once.
6 He Learned That Sometimes Things Are Not Fair
Midoriya not having a Quirk despite his idolization of All Might and his hero-worthy personality was not fair. All Might giving his Quirk to Midoriya and not showing as much interest in Bakugo despite Bakugo also idolizing All Might was also not fair. However, Bakugo learned to take these things in stride, partially in watching Midoriya do the same.
Bakugo blamed himself for All Might's forced retirement and injuries. However, Bakugo had learned the inherent unfairness in the world, so even though he was distraught, he knew what he had to do.
5 He Learned The Value Of Teamwork
When he first started at U.A., Bakugo had no idea of how to work as part of a team. He would go rogue, refuse to listen to others, and even blow his teammates away in his explosions. However, being a good hero often requires working with others.
In looking to Midoriya, Bakugo saw what teamwork could accomplish, and he also saw how necessary it was to a hero's success. One of the turning points in the series was when Iida, Kirishima, and Midoriya saved Bakugo from the League of Villains by providing him a means of escape. That never would have been achieved without teamwork (and Bakugo's cooperation in it).
4 He Learned That Saving Others Is More Important Than Winning
Bakugo had little patience for victims or innocents who were wrapped up in a villain's plot. He just wanted to go in, blow the villain to smithereens, and get out. However, during the Provisional License Exam, Bakugo learned that his approach would not cut it.
He watched Midoriya and the others save people and pass the exam, while he got in trouble for telling the low-priority victims that they needed to figure out how to save themselves. Bakugo learned his lesson, and as MHA goes on, he can be seen saving others more often.
3 He Learned Talent Is Not The Only Thing Needed For Success
Bakugo bullied Midoriya because Midoriya had no Quirk, meaning that he had no innate talent for being a hero. Bakugo has a superiority complex because his Quirk was a really powerful one, especially in fights. However, he never really got over Midoriya's heroic attitude and was jealous, making him perpetuate his bullying.
Midoriya was chosen to be All Might's successor not because of his power but because of his hard work, determination, and desire to help others. In the end, Bakugo realized this is what truly makes a hero.
2 He Learned There Are Serious Risks To Being A Hero
Playing hero as a child was all fun and games, but when it came time to fighting actual villains, things were far more serious than Bakugo could have imagined. Even the drills and exams that U.A. put the heroes-in-training through were nothing compared to the real thing.
Bakugo learns this the hard way when All Might is injured and forced to retire after saving Bakugo. He also learns this as he watches Midoriya get hurt, lose control of his Quirk, and put himself in harm's way time and time again.
1 He Learned That He Will Not Always Win
Just because one is a hero does not mean one will always win. Bakugo often loses to Midoriya and his tactics and teamwork. More than that, he watches both Midoriya and All Might lose. Even Bakugo loses to the League of Villains, the sludge monster, and All for One.
While Bakugo may win in the one-on-one school festivals or when he is pitted against Deku in a drill, winning in the real world is something entirely different. If All Might and his successor, Deku, lose, what does that mean for everyone else?