The most recent chapters of the My Hero Academia finally answer the question that has been on many people’s minds since the first season of the anime. Who is the U.A. traitor? Many people believed the culprit to be Toru Hagakure, but to their shock, it is Yuga Aoyama who was responsible.
Originally Quirkless, Yuga is trapped by All for One’s schemes when his parents make a deal with the villain to give him a Quirk. While Izuku Midoriya still feels Yuga Aoyama can be redeemed, some classmates may not feel the same. Meanwhile, fans look behind and wonder if there were clear signs of Aoyama’s true intentions and actions.
10 He Is The First Student Izuku Meets During The U.A. Entrance Exam
Yuga Aoyama first makes his appearance during the U.A Entrance Exam. A desperate Izuku is trying to find and defeat the robots he needs, but he is completely unprepared for the exam. A fellow competitor—Yuga Aoyama—steps in and blasts a robot from right under Izuku’s nose. He thanks Izuku for being a distraction and departs, commenting that they will likely never see each other again.
The interaction doesn’t appear to be significant at the time but it may have been a hint on what was to come. The entrance exam is Izuku’s first step toward achieving his dream, and Yuga’s Navel Laser actually comes close to hitting him. The two characters, therefore, have a connection from the very beginning, one that is later cemented through the problems they have with their Quirks.
9 He Tends To Face The Proverbial Camera A Lot
Throughout the anime, Yuga displays an unusual personality that is presumably meant to draw everyone’s attention to him. Because of this, he has the tendency of facing the proverbial camera a lot, as if breaking the fourth wall.
Fans waved off his unusual demeanor as merely another way Yuga has to express his true ‘sparkle’ to the world, but it could have been yet another clue.
8 His Quirk Isn’t Compatible With His Body
One of the things that stand out about Yuga’s character is that his Quirk isn’t compatible with his body. So far, this has appeared most preeminently in two people—Deku, who inherits his Quirk from All Might by becoming his successor, and the villain Dabi, whose Cremation Quirk burns him due to his genetic background. Yuga is similar, as his body cannot cope with the repeated use of Navel Laser.
Granted, Quirk overuse has side effects on other people too, such as Shota Aizawa who gets dry eye, Katsuki Bakugou whose explosions can hurt his wrists, or Shoto Todoroki who can get hypothermia because of his own Quirk. But the incompatibility is never quite at that level, and Yuga has to rely on a support item—his belt—to even use his ability. To top it off, Yuga only approaches Izuku about this similarity, which suggests that they are far more similar than they appear.
7 He Knows A Lot About His Classmates Even If He Doesn’t Have Close Friends
Yuga always seems to be somewhat isolated in Class 1-A. Many students have their own little groups or talk to others more often, but not him. This isn’t necessarily unusual, as the anime doesn’t necessarily center on Yuga. What is an interesting fact is that he seems observant, catching on to relevant details about his classmates despite not being personally close to them. This is made obvious when he reveals he knows about Ochako’s crush on Izuku.
The information embarrasses Ochako during the Final Exams so much she lets out of the guardrail when trying to protect herself from Thirteen's Black Hole. It turns out to be useful, as she takes Thirteen by surprise and the two pass the exam. Viewers wave off the strangeness of the comment but now, one can only wonder what other things Yuga noticed.
6 His Flamboyant Costume Is Far More Practical Than It Seems
Yuga’s eccentric personality shines through in every part of his life—from his room to his hero costume. The costume itself seems flamboyant and impractical as if it is intended for a fairytale Prince Charming. In reality, though, it is far more practical than it seems.
His glasses protect his eyes from his lasers, and the armor keeps the vulnerable parts of his body safe from immediate physical harm. It also includes highly advanced technology that allows Yuga to channel his Navel Laser through both his shoulders and his knees in a Super Move called Navel Buffet Laser. This wildly contrasts with the costumes of some of his classmates that are more ornamental than anything else. It suggests he may be more than he seems.
5 He Is Absent During The U.S.J. Incident
The League Of Villains first appears at the U.S.J., when Tomura Shigaraki and the group of roughly seventy villains sneak past U.A. security in an attempt to kill All Might. During the attack, the students of Class 1-A are scattered by Kurogiri. Many of them are displayed fighting the attacking villains.
Izuku and his companions Minoru Mineta and Tsuyu Asui naturally take up a lot of screentime, but others like Fumikage Tokoyami, Momo Yaoyorozu, Katsuki Bakugou, and Shoto Todoroki also provide contributions. Yuga is completely absent.
4 His Meeting With Dabi Is Very Suspicious
One of the most suspicious things about Yuga’s arc is easily his strange meeting with Dabi during the Vanguard Action Squad's attack on the training camp. While in the forest, Yuga hides behind a bush and questions the disappearance of Mustard’s gas. His conclusion of the villain’s defeat seems natural but it may have also been related to prior knowledge of Mustard’s involvement.
That is when Dabi shows up, accompanied by Twice. The villain seems to spot Yuga, with Yuga even commenting mentally that their eyes met. Dabi starts to make his way toward Yuga’s hiding spot but is interrupted by Twice and seems to change his mind. The incident could have been explained by Dabi’s lack of interest in a student, not on his capture list, but clearly, it meant far more.
3 He Uses His Navel Laser As A Beacon During The Provisional Hero License Exam
The Provisional Hero License Exam is very difficult for Class 1-A. Other schools are prepared for them, familiar with their Quirks due to the U.A. Sports Festival. During the Crushing of U.A., Izuku and his classmates have to fight off the concentrated assault of many other students. Yuga is unexpectedly helpful, using his Navel Laser as a beacon that rallies the remaining students of 1-A.
With his assistance, they manage to pass the first stage of the exam. But as important as Aoyama’s contribution is, this is a power that could have been used far more insidiously. As Aoyama had been practicing with his Navel Laser at the Forest Training Camp, the use of his Quirk could have easily drawn the League there, even if he didn’t know the exact location of where they were headed.
2 He Just Wants To Be Everyone’s Equal
The Provisional Hero License Exam includes some more powerful insight into Yuga’s character. While channeling his Navel Laser beam, he comments to Tenya Iida that he just wants to be everyone’s equal.
Despite his vain persona, Yuga feels very insecure and different. Viewers believe that it is because of his incapacitating Quirk, but in reality, it is due to him being originally born Quirkless.
1 His Sneaking Around With Cheese Was A Fake Red Herring
In one notorious suspicious instance, Yuga is shown spying on Deku. The chapter heavily hints at Yuga having dark intentions, only for the incident to later be dubbed harmless. Yuga merely wanted to support Deku and offer him some cheese, due to the fact that he empathized with Deku’s troubles.
As a result, viewers deemed Yuga’s visit a red herring. In hindsight, it should have been obvious that even Yuga’s sneaking around in the middle of the night was suspicious.