Shoto Todoroki has one of My Hero Academia's best character arcs by far. His childhood backstory is absolutely tragic and riddled with abuse and mistreatment from both parents, and alienation from his older brother, Toya, who distanced himself from the family and became a villain. Despite these unspeakably terrible circumstances, he still developed into one of U.A. High's best heroes.

The road to becoming a level-headed and worthy hero was not an easy one for Todoroki. Although his Quirk, Half-Cold, Half-Hot, is one of the most powerful Quirks to ever exist, he had to unpack past trauma and learn valuable life lessons in order to use it effectively. Todoroki has put in the work to become a Pro Hero who saves others, and therefore, deserves his status as one of My Hero Academia's best characters.

10 Shoto and Deku Go Head to Head in U.A. High’s Sports Festival

Season 2, Episode 23, "Shoto Todoroki: Origin"

The U.A. High Sports Festival was an incredibly crucial event for the students because it gave them an opportunity to show off their Quirks to the world for the first time. Additionally, they could also be scouted by various hero agencies based on their performance in the games, raising the stakes even higher. Shoto Todoroki definitely felt the pressure, and confronted Deku, his fellow classmate, swearing to beat him.

The impending battle was tense, with Deku masterfully using his new One For All Quirk he had inherited from All Might. Although Shoto had intended on not using his fire side for personal reasons, he realized he may lose to Deku without it. Backed into a corner, he unleashed his left side and beat his opponent.

9 Shoto Begins Using Both Sides of His Quirk

Season 2, Episode 23, "Shoto Todoroki: Origin"

During Todoroki and Deku's battle, Shoto understood that he had to push beyond his previous limits in order to be an effective hero. His father, the Pro Hero, Endeavor, was a cruel and abusive parent during Shoto's childhood. Because of his hatred for Endeavor, he vowed to only fight with his right side, which produces ice, and never utilize his fire.

However, upon fighting with a competitor on his level, he came to the realization that he could never succeed at half power. Despite his personal feelings towards his father, using his fire became a necessity. He defeated Deku using both halves of his Quirk and this led him to start training with his fire side as well.

8 Shoto Speaks With His Mother, Rei Todoroki, After Years Apart

Season 2, Episode 25, "Todoroki vs. Bakugo"

Following the Sports Festival, Todoroki found himself thinking about his mother, Rei. He had not seen her in years since she left the family due to Endeavor's abuse. Tragically, she burnt the left side of Todoroki's face with boiling water because she couldn't stand to look at anything that reminded her of Endeavor.

Todoroki obviously had an emotionally fraught and complex relationship with his mother, but still graciously decided to go visit her. Him going to see her did not negate the harm she caused to him. However, Shoto seemed more sympathetic towards her than his father, because she also suffered as a result of Endeavor's cruelty, just like him and his siblings.

7 Shoto s the Battle Against the Hero Killer, Stain

Season 2, Episode 29, "Hero Killer: Stain vs U.A. Students"

During My Hero Academia's Hosu Incident, Tenya Ida took on the Hero Killer, Stain, by himself to seek justice for his brother, Tensei, who was injured by the villain. Izuku ed the battle to protect Ida, and eventually, Shoto showed up as well. At the moment Shoto arrived, the outcome of the fight was not looking great for the U.A. High students.

Deku and Ida were both temporarily paralyzed by Stain's Quirk, but Shoto swooped in at just the right moment, unleashing his Quirk on the villain. His contribution to the battle bought Ida and Izuku some time to recover and plot their next moves. Thankfully, the group of three took down the terrifying Hero Killer by working together and protecting each other.

6 Shoto Singlehandedly Takes Down Seijin High School in the Provisional Hero License Exam

Season 3, Episode 55, "Class 1-A"

In season 3 of My Hero Academia, Class 1-A began testing to receive their Provisional Hero Licenses, which would allow them to help out the Pro Heroes in certain situations. Many different high schools competed in the first test and only one hundred students were able to . Izuku suggested that Class 1-A should stick together for safety, but Shoto and a few others chose to go off on their own.

As Shoto wandered alone, some Seijin High School students ambushed him, sparking a ten against one fight. Anyone else might have lost their cool, but this threat did not phase Todoroki. He cleverly lit a gas tank on fire and blew all his opponents away, literally, earning him an impressive victory.

5 Shoto Sets Aside His Rivalry With Inasa To Beat Gang Orca

Season 3, Episode 59, "What's the Big Idea?"

Inasa Yoarashi was recommended to U.A. High School and even scored number one on the U.A. Recommendation Entrance Exam, beating Todoroki by just a hair. However, he chose not to attend U.A., choosing Shiketsu High School instead. Inasa developed intense hatred for Shoto, who he had previously ired, when Shoto refused to interact with him during the U.A. Entrance Exam.

Inasa's resentment towards Shoto caused him to act rudely towards the U.A. High hero during the Provisional Hero License Exam, much to Shoto's annoyance. Shoto and Inasa began battling one another during the test, instead of fighting Gang Orca like they were supposed to. Eventually, Shoto and Inasa revealed their maturity by both putting aside their petty feud for a moment to create a tornado attack to blast their opponent with.

4 Shoto Realizes His Resentment Towards Endeavor Is Hindering His Growth as a Hero

Season 3, Episode 60, "A Talk about Your Quirk"

It is common knowledge that Shoto's relationship with his father is very tense and cold. Shoto hates Endeavor for the way he treated not only him, but his siblings and mother. Although he eventually did start using the fire side of his Quirk, he still harbored resentment in his heart towards the Pro Hero.

Failing the Provisional Hero License Exam was a wake-up call for Todoroki. This loss helped him realize that he needed to work through his issues with his father. He began to see that even if he did not reconcile or rebuild a relationship with Endeavor, he had to start processing these issues to remove the emotional burden from his own shoulders and help him approach his hero work with a clearer mind.

3 Shoto Mentors a Class of Rowdy Elementary Schoolers

Season 4, Episode 79, "Win Those Kids' Hearts"

When Bakugo and Shoto failed the Provisional Hero License Exam, they were required to take some extra classes before being allowed to retest. One of the tasks they had to complete was controlling a group of misbehaving elementary school students with out of control Quirks. In some ways, this challenge was even harder than a normal training mission.

Although he had never experienced anything like this test before, Shoto excelled. He used the ice aspect of his Quirk to build an amazing playplace to amuse the young students. He won the elementary schoolers' adoration with his creativity, stopping their bad behavior by keeping them entertained and out of trouble.

2 Shoto Sarcastically Comments on His Father, Endeavor’s, Scar

Season 5, Episode 91, "Clash! Class A vs. Class B!"

In one of Todoroki's most blunt scenes yet, he comments sarcastically on his father, Endeavor's facial scar. After a Nomu fight, the Pro Hero received a scar that is strikingly similar to Todoroki's own burn scar. As he loudly slurped on the noodles he was eating, Todoroki stated, "That's a nasty scar you've got there," when he noticed the mark.

This moment was not just a slightly humorous jab against his father, it had deeper meaning. Endeavor is partially to blame for Todoroki's facial scar, since he broke Rei down mentally, leading her to burn her own son's face. After receiving this scar, Endeavor finally got a taste of the physical and mental pain Todoroki had been struggling with for all those years.

1 Shoto Attempts to Bond With His Brother, Toya, One Final Time

Chapter 426, "The Hellish Todoroki Family: Final"

Later in the manga, Shoto and his family defeat Dabi, keeping him from harming innocent civilians. Dabi still did not forgive his family for all the pain they had caused him, even as he was on the brink of death. He did not die during the fight itself, but was in a near-death state.

Despite his vehement hatred, both Shoto and Dabi reached out kindly towards one another, proving that despite everything that had happened, some brotherly love still existed between them.