Episode 25

Todoroki vs. Bakugo (轟爆豪) is the twenty-fifth episode of the My Hero Academia anime and the twelfth episode of the second season.

Summary
In the waiting room, Shoto ponders the conflicting thoughts of his mother's breakdown and Izuku's encouragement. He's interrupted when Katsuki abruptly kicks in the door and berates him for being in the wrong room. Katsuki realizes that he's actually the one in the wrong waiting room, but decides to stay when he's irritated by Shoto's lack of acknowledgement.

Katsuki tries to intimidate Shoto by slightly blasting the table and warning him to do his best. Shoto replies that Izuku told him the same thing, and comments that he was foolish for trying to help him rather then winning the match. He asks Katsuki if Izuku was helpful during their childhood, but this only infuriates the former. Katsuki kicks over the table and yells for Shoto to ignore Izuku and his family issues so that he can use his fire during their bout. He angrily exits the room and states he wants everyone to know he beat Shoto at full strength.

The final battle of the U.A. Sports Festival begins with Shoto using a more controlled version of the giant ice attack he defeated Hanta with. Katsuki endures the ice blast by tunneling through it using his explosions. Katsuki rushes Shoto, commenting that his attacks are powerful but he has bad aim and needs to try harder. Shoto moves to counter attack, but Katsuki evades using a mid air explosion and grabs onto Shoto's left side before throwing him.

Shoto creates and surfs an ice wave to avoid going out of bounds. Katsuki attacks again and Shoto is able to stop him by evading his blast and grabbing onto his forearm. Rather than using the flames in his left arm (the same arm he used to grab Katsuki), he simply tosses him away. This only angers Katsuki, causing him to ask if he's unworthy of Shoto's flames.

Aizawa comments that Katsuki is continuing to show his aptitude for battle during the fight, but Shoto appears to have lost his spark after his match with Izuku. Aggravated, Katsuki demands Shoto use his fire so that he can defeat him at his best and prove that beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is the strongest student at the festival.

Shoto mulls over his opponents words, internally apologizing to Katsuki because he is still too unsure about what his left side means to him to use it. Then suddenly, Shoto is once again encouraged by a shouting Izuku, who tells him not to give up and to do his best. Impassioned once again, Shoto ignites his flames and prepares to counter Katsuki's next move. Katsuki is excited to see Shoto's fire and readies his special move: Howitzer Impact. Just as the two superpowers are about to clash, Shoto thinks about his parents and extinguishes his flames, leaving himself completely open to Katsuki's powerful explosion.

Once the smoke from the blast clears, Katsuki realizes Shoto didn't use his fire and has been blasted outside the ring. He runs over to Shoto even though he's unconscious and furiously demands that he get back up and use his powers because a victory in this manner is meaningless. Midnight uses her Quirk to knock the angered Katsuki out and declares him the victor of the battle, and first year champion of the U.A. Sports Festival.

With the festival concluded, the awards ceremony begins. The first, second and third place contestants take the podium, but Katsuki is restrained because he's been going wild ever since waking up, still furious that Shoto basically threw the match. Fumikage shares third place with Tenya, but he had to leave to check on the condition of his injured brother Tensei. All Might arrives the distribute the awards, but he's annoyed when Midnight ruins his introduction though she apologizes. Even so, he distributes medals to each of the three contestants.

All Might advises Fumikage to train harder so that he doesn't rely so heavily on Dark Shadow and gives him the bronze medal. Then he awards Shoto the silver medal and asks why he didn't use his flames during the final fight. Shoto replies that although Izuku opened his eyes, he still doubts himself and believes his path to becoming a hero is still clouded. He also mentions that he understands why All Might has such an interest in Izuku. Lastly, All Might moves on to Katsuki, but the champion refuses the gold medal because he feels this hasn't proved that he's the best. All Might forces Katsuki to take it by putting it in his mouth, and then moves on to close out the ceremony.

Afterwards, Aizawa excuses Class 1-A from the next two days of school to recuperate and announces they will review draft forms when they return. Elsewhere, Tenya arrives at Hosu General Hospital to check on his brother's condition. He rushes to Tensei's side, where the severely injured latter apologizes to him for failing as a role model.

The next day, Shoto decides to visit his mother in the psychiatric ward, much to his sister's disapproval. Throughout his life Shoto believed the sight of him would only cause his mother more pain, so he never visited her. Nevertheless, Shoto needs closure from his mother so that he can continue on his path to becoming a hero without anything holding him back. He musters up the courage to approach her, and resolves to talk over everything and free her from the ward's custody.

Ochaco finishes grocery shopping and returns home to her parents surprising her with a celebration for her efforts. Izuku's mom tells him she fainted seven times during the Cavalry Battle at breakfast. He recalls telling her he acquired a Quirk simply because he is a late bloomer. He also ponders how he can make One For All his own and become the true successor to All Might. Still fuming over the festival, Katsuki threatens his mouth germs while brushing his teeth, making his mother scold him for yelling so early in the day.