WARNING: The following contains spoilers for My Hero Academia Season 5, Episode 7, "Match 3," now streaming on Crunchyroll, Funimation and Hulu.
My Hero Academia slows down in Episode 7 to focus on family as the third match-up between Classes A and B begins. Though Izuku Midoriya has predominately been a bystander as he watches the matches, he connects with All Might, who offers him words of caution.
Episode 7's primary focus is split between Shoto Todoroki and Tenya Iida. Throughout the story of My Hero Academia so far, both Todoroki and Iida have experienced their own familial strifes. However, with Class A's reputation on the line, they'll have to step up and showcase their individual growth.
The aftermath of the second match results in a break as the mess is cleaned up. All Might takes this opportunity to connect with Midoriya, checking if he's experienced any additional abnormalities with One For All and to give him a warning. Midoriya's match against Shinso will begin soon, and it might have unforeseen effects on One for All. After all, the last time they fought was when the vestiges of the former users first manifested.
Bakugo notices the two talking and snarkily tells them that if they want to keep their relationship a secret, they're doing a lousy job. But, of course, Bakugo has a point. Their classmates, such as Uraraka, are noticing that Midoriya and All Might are close. Still, after hearing of One For All's spontaneous activation, Bakugo tells Midoriya that he can't tell if he's moving forward or backward, which All Might interprets as heavily guarded praise.
As the third match gears up to begin, Tokoyami pulls Todoroki aside. He regrets his lackluster performance, explaining and that Todoroki has to do better than him since they are associated with Endeavor and Hawks, the respective number 1 and 2 heroes. Todoroki naturally has mixed feelings about this, flashing back to his highly abusive childhood 'training' from his father. Todoroki knows his father's reputation is important --and that he's looking to change -- but it takes more than that to forget a lifetime of abuse. Still, he pledges to do his best.
Class A's team seems confident ahead of their match, with Iida seeming especially sprightly. He mentions that his older brother is doing much better, recovering from his wounds at the hands of Stain. Since Iida took his brother's hero name of Ingenium, he plans on living up to his legacy. On the other hand, Class B's team is feeling much more apprehensive. They're aware of how well-rounded their opposing team is, and Tetsutetsu's reaction is to start destroying the environment around them.
Before the match begins, we cut to a villain racing through the city that Endeavor ultimately captures. The hero's road to righting his previous wrongs is slowly coming along, and it's clear that Endeavor is learning what it means to be Number 1 -- briefly asking some children he saved if they're alright. Still, he isn't trying to be something he's not, still very terse, but showing even a modicum of care for his fans is an improvement. It's also clear how desperately Endeavor is trying to reconcile with Todoroki. His phone is full of unanswered texts, something his sidekicks wryly comment on.
Back at the training grounds, the competition commences. Despite the combination of Todoroki's raw power, Iida's speed, Shoji's scouting abilities and Ojiro's up-close combat skills, Class B stands their ground. As they hone in on Tetsutetsu's wild attacks on the environment, Todoroki unleashes a massive ice blast, quickly capturing his opponents. Unfortunately, Iida mistakenly thinks they have it in the bag but sinks into the ground as he tries to sprint into action.
Honenuki reveals his Softening Quirk, where everything he touches develops a soft mud-like consistency. This immediately starts wreaking havoc with Class A's team as their attempts to maneuver around the site find them sinking into the muck. It quickly becomes apparent that Honenuki has a strong tactical mind and is already two steps ahead of Class A's team.
The other Class B team members take advantage of the chaos. Ojiro faces off against Kaibara, whose Gyrate Quirk lets him rapidly spin any part of his body like a drill. This gives Kaibara's physical attacks devastating power, and he presses his advantage against martial artist Ojiro. Meanwhile, Shoji is immobilized by Tsunotori's horns, which she can launch and control, and Todoroki finds himself in the grasp of Tetsutetsu.
Iida struggles in the muck, as Honenuki comments on Recipro Burst's restrictive time limit that was showcased during the Sports Festival. However, a flashback to Iida's conversation with his older brother Tensei reveals an old family secret to improving their Quirks. Iida can "tune his engine" by physically removing the mufflers on his calves. The experience is incredibly painful, but it allows him to use his Recipro Burst at higher speeds for a longer duration.
Iida takes full advantage of his new ability, blasting forward like a speed boat towards Honenuki and revealing he can now use his Recipro Burst for a full 10 minutes, as opposed to 10 seconds. As long as it's within that time limit, no one can touch him. It's a massive leap forward for Iida, and as he surges forward, the episode comes to a close.
The battle's just beginning between Iida and Honenuki, and, likely, Todoroki will still have a massive say on this swing of this match. But, as Midoriya commented earlier, everyone's Quirks are advancing quickly, and these match-ups are pushing Class A and B to their limits and beyond -- Plus Ultra indeed.