My Hero Academia is packed with thrilling characters, especially the villains. From Tomura Shigaraki to Stain and All For One, the series successfully offers fans antagonists with clear motivations, backstories, and a strong sense of purpose. They become the driving forces behind the story that challenge the core values of both the cast and the hero society as a whole.

Throughout the series, My Hero Academia gives the villains moments to shine, allowing each one to leave a lasting impression. That’s why the introduction of the Meta Liberation Army felt like a major turning point. With a fully realized organization with a radical philosophy and a compelling leader, the series made it feel as though they were going to become a major force in the story. Instead, it became one of the series’ biggest missed opportunities.

The Meta Liberation Army Had So Much Potential

Re-Destro’s Vision Fits in Perfectly Among My Hero Academia’s Themes

The Meta Liberation Army was one of the most conceptually ambitious additions to My Hero Academia. The organization offered a bold and ideological counter to the values of hero society, making it a perfect fit for the series and its themes. The Meta Liberation Army aimed to create a society in which Quirks weren’t regulated and individuals were allowed to use them at will. Hero society enforced strict rules that inhibited the individuality Quirks offered, and the MLA sought to dismantle it in order to rebuild the world according to their vision.

Led by Re-Destro, the MLA had scale, organization, and a powerful influence that genuinely felt threatening. With notable characters like Geten, a strong ice directly linked to the Todoroki family through Rei’s side, the new additions offered narrative potential. They were more than just a small gang of villains because their power, reach, and structure made them stand out. However, despite this, the MLA was never fully developed. Their introduction was impactful and could have enriched the story, but after merging with the League of Villains, they gradually faded into the background.

The Paranormal Liberation Front Served Its Purpose

Instead of Growing More Powerful, the Meta Liberation Army Became a Stepping Stone for Shigaraki

After merging with the League of Villains, the Meta Liberation Army lost more than just its name. After being rebranded as the Paranormal Liberation Front, the group was reduced to a narrative stepping stone for Shigaraki’s transformation. The merger should have marked a dangerous new era where two major villain organizations and ideologies collided and evolved. However, the focus instead shifted entirely to Shigaraki’s arc, with the MLA’s goals, structure, and worldview fading into the background. The new organization, which had its power and numbers, became an army that silently served its new leaders rather than growing with the storyline.

The MLA’s leader, Re-Destro, particularly stood out due to his power and the strength of his convictions. He was the heir to a revolutionary ideology, carrying the weight of a generational movement on his shoulders. Re-Destro maintained a calm composure that made his Quirk’s destructive potential even more notable, transforming him into a villain who genuinely felt capable of reshaping society. His climactic battle with Shigaraki showed he was more than capable of challenging the League, both physically and ideologically. Yet afterward, he and his army were diminished to background figures that only served to Shigaraki.

My Hero Academia Suffers From Having Too Many Characters

The Meta Liberation Army Didn’t Have the Space To Continue Growing

One of My Hero Academia’s greatest strengths is also one of its biggest weaknesses. While the cast of heroes and villains is compelling, there are simply far too many of them packed into the narrative. As the stakes rise and the storyline expands, many characters, including those from the MLA, are ultimately pushed aside. This occurs because the series doesn’t leave enough space to continuously and meaningfully develop anyone outside the core cast, regardless of their potential. Re-Destro and other of the Liberation Army become drowned out and become little more than numbers for Shigaraki to control.

Given more time and focus, the clash between hero society and the MLA’s vision could have added compelling conflicts.

What makes the potential of the MLA especially frustrating is how easily their ideals and structure could have enhanced the series’ worldbuilding. Given more time and focus, the clash between hero society and the MLA’s vision could have added compelling conflicts. The MLA wanted to rid society of oppression, but with so many other characters competing for attention, there simply wasn’t enough space in the storyline to explore their depth.

My Hero Academia Chose a Great Focus, but at a Cost

Given More Time, the Meta Liberation Army Could Have Elevated the Series

My Hero Academia has always explored the League of Villains with great depth and purpose. Shigaraki’s evolution, Twice’s character arc, and Toga’s deepest wishes all gave the group depth that drew fans toward them. Centering the story around them was a fantastic choice and made the most sense. They are far more personal, messy, and tied to the series’ themes. However, My Hero Academia expanded in a way that could have grown beyond the League, creating intriguing additions that were then left behind. The MLA didn’t need to replace the League, but they deserved more than what they were given.

The potential was there, and the Meta Liberation Army had what the League didn’t. While Tomura was building his own movement, the MLA already had the numbers and the history to back them. Merging them into the League didn’t need to erase them, but unfortunately, that’s what happened. The series is strong and had a clear narrative vision, but it trimmed away something powerful and bold. While the story stayed true to its core themes, the cost was what could have been one of its most daring ideas.

The decision to focus on Shigaraki and the League of Villains paid off in many ways. However, neglecting the characters in the Meta Liberation Army, one of the series’ strongest developments, is a major missed opportunity. While they survive through the Paranormal Liberation Front, it’s in name only and loses some of the army’s initial momentum. My Hero Academia didn’t need to choose between excellent villains, but by not allowing the MLA space to grow, it forfeited great potential.