WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Season 5, Episode 22 of My Hero Academia, "Sad Man's Parade," now streaming on Crunchyroll, Funimation and Hulu.
As an aspiring criminal kingpin and All For One's chosen successor, Tomura Shigaraki faces his most critical moment in MHA's My Villain Academia story arc. He is the dark parallel of Izuku Midoriya, needing to overcome incredible odds to prove his worth and grow as a villain. In Season 5's latest storyline, the villains assume the role as twisted protagonists.
The My Villain Academia arc is more than a novelty; it's an opportunity for villains such as Tomura, Twice and Himiko Toga to gain new powers, grow as people and delve into their backstories. These villains are being treated like heroes, and it makes for a compelling narrative, complete with high-tension stakes and battles.
The My Villain Academia arc may stand as Season 5's strongest yet -- even when compared to the Joint Training arc where Class 1-B's students were showcased, or the Work Study arc when Ochaco and co. took on some villains with Selkie. The Joint Training arc was exciting but retreads familiar ground, reasserting Class 1-A's dominance in the race to become Pro Heroes. Little was at stake aside from the pride of winning the five battles -- and Class 1-A indeed won overall. It was almost like a victory lap, thus the tension was low. The My Villain Academia arc changes all that.
The League of Villains' remaining members have thin plot armor since, being antagonists, they're liable to be captured or killed to advance the plot. However, Tomura Shigaraki and his allies are now temporary protagonists of My Hero Academia, facing steep odds against the Meta Liberation Army. It's not inconceivable for Re-Destro and his army to capture or kill the League's members and replace them as Izuku's main enemies, though Tomura's plot armor is surely thicker than Twice's or Himiko's, at least. After all, Shigaraki is the one who's destined to fight Izuku in the fated final battle of One For All vs All For One.
The My Villain Academia arc has another advantage over Season 5's Joint Training arc: character development. Class 1-B's students were fleshed out in terms of their Quirks but not their personalities or backstories, and none of them are particularly compelling or sympathetic personally. By contrast, My Villain Academia dives deeper into the psychology and pasts of Tomura, Himiko and Twice, revealing them as tragic figures. They could have become heroes or innocent civilians in different circumstances, but trauma pushed them to desperation and villainy since they believe there is no place in superhero society for them.
These villains shouldn't be forgiven for their many criminal deeds, but My Hero Academia's current arc does reveal the tragic price that is paid for maintaining superhero society. People like Gentle Criminal, born with naturally villainous or burdensome Quirks, slip through the cracks and end up with nowhere to go.
The League of Villains' members aren't noble or forgivable but their position is understandable, making them more than just a vehicle for action scenes with the heroes. This, combined with the Meta Liberation Army's overwhelming power, creates palpable stakes and tension for the villains as they fight to survive and find people who accept them, faults and all. On a deep enough level, those are fundamental things all shonen protagonists seek, whether society deems them heroes or villains.