Episode 22

"Bakugo vs. Uraraka" is the twenty-second episode of the My Hero Academia anime and the ninth episode of the second season.

Summary
The last duel of the first round in the finals between Katsuki and Ochaco commences. Katsuki warns her to give up before they start fighting because he's not going to hold back. Tenya asks Izuku what his advice for Ochaco was, and Izuku says that she needs to strike first and touch Katsuki to send him out of bounds using her Quirk.

She predicts Katsuki's first attack but is unable to avoid it, getting blasted with his signature right hook. He reminds her that she should've dropped out of the match and attacks, but he ends up exploding her P.E. uniform that she sent through the smoke as a distraction. Ochaco gets the drop on him, but Katsuki's lightning fast reflexes allow him to counterattack and blast her away. She continues her onslaught, attacking Katsuki over and over without rest. He continues to use his explosions to keep her away, upsetting the viewing crowd.

Some of the fans believe that because her faint didn't work Ochaco is getting desperate with her attacks. Neito notices the comment and says that they need to look closer. The viewing fans start to boo Katsuki for being too rough, but Aizawa calls out the man who starts the uproar. He explains that Katsuki's fierceness is an acknowledgment of his opponent's strength, and he's simply doing everything he can to keep Ochaco at bay so he can come out on top.

The smoke clears from the initial scuffle, and Ochaco remains undeterred, still standing from Katsuki's barrage of explosions. Uneasy, Katsuki mulls over the fact that Ochaco "isn't dead yet". Ochaco thanks Katsuki for keeping his focus on her. Katsuki looks up to see a vast amount of debris floating above the stadium. Neito explains that Ochaco kept low to the ground as she moved so that Katsuki's explosions tore up the floor of the ring, creating weapons for her. Then she kept him focused on her by attacking relentlessly, rendering Katsuki oblivious to the impending meteor shower.

As she releases her Quirk, causing all the debris to fall down towards Katsuki, Ochaco rushes at him to try and capitalize on an opening. However, Katsuki unleashes a large, powerful explosion that repels all the debris, horrifying his opponent as she gets blown away as well. Ochaco tries to stand up and fight, but ends up collapsing, having reached her limit after taking the brunt of many explosions. Despite loosing consciousness, Ochaco crawls towards Katsuki as she recalls the memory of her promising to help her family by becoming a hero. She ultimately falls unconscious and Katsuki is declared the winner of the match.

Midnight has Ochaco carried off the Recovery Girl's office, and Katsuki leaves the ring, having advanced to the next round. He happens upon Izuku while walking back to the stands and is instantly irritated by his presence. Katsuki accuses him of providing Ochaco with her strategy, but Izuku stands up for Ochaco and informs Katsuki that the plan was Ochaco's own. He confesses to having nothing to do with it and tells Katsuki if that battle was more difficult then he had anticipated, then it's because of Ochaco and not him. This irritates Katsuki and he walks to the stands only to be greeting by his other classmates teasing him for his villainous approach to the fight. Denki comments in disbelief of Katsuki attacking a fragile girl, but Katsuki replies that he definitely wouldn't label Ochaco as frail.

In anticipation of his next match against Shoto, Izuku goes to the waiting rooms to prepare. He is surprised when he finds Ochaco there and not recovery girls office. She explains that she was completely healed other then a few scrapes and scratches, and goes on to criticize herself for losing. Taken back by Ochaco's lively attitude, Izuku asks if she's okay, to which she replies she's fine.

Meanwhile, Eijiro and Tetsutetsu's arm wrestling match commences. Tetsutetsu's iron arm gives way and Eijiro is able to best him, allowing him to advance to the next round. Afterwards, Eijiro offers his hand to Tetsutetsu and commends him for putting up a great fight. They shake hands, and Midnight is aroused by their sportsmanship. With the second round roster filled, the next battle is slated to begin soon. Izuku leaves Ochaco after she wishes him good luck, and then she receives a call from her father.

He praises Ochaco's performance and her true repressed feeling surface. Saddened by her loss, Ochaco claims that she didn't do well and that she failed. Ochaco's father continues to encourage her and she gets emotional as she admits to wanting to help her parents out sooner then later. Her emotions pour out into tears after her father says he believes that she will become a great, caring hero and that he is immensely proud of her. While walking towards the stage, Izuku gets emotional himself while reflecting on Ochaco's encouragement to him, when he was supposed to be the one to reassure her. Then suddenly, Endeavour appears in the corridor.

The Flame Hero tells Izuku that his power is similar to All Might's, but Izuku brushes it off and tries to walk away. Endeavor continues, saying that he expects Izuku to fight Shoto hard to prepare him to surpass All Might. Aggravated, Izuku reminds Endeavour that he is not All Might and Endeavor's son is not him.

Izuku walks away and ponders Shoto's proclamation to win the festival using only his right side. When Ochaco returns to her seat with the rest of the class, Tenya is alarmed by the marks on her face created from rubbing her tears away. He confesses that he'd be frustrated if he were in Ochaco's position. Fumikage advises her not to wollow in remorse, and instead use Izuku's match as a source of encouragement.

The stadium goes wild with anticipation for the second round's first match between Izuku Midoriya and Shoto Todoroki. The two Sports Festival frontrunners exchange a few words, while Tenya, Ochaco and Fumikage discuss how Izuku could win the match. Elsewhere, Tomura Shigaraki is advised to pay close attention to the match because the two boys may become formidable obstacles to him one day. Tomura simply replies that he's not worried about a couple of kids.

Back at the stadium, Thirteen recalls that Shoto and Izuku tried to save All Might from the villains at the U.S.J. All Might responds by saying they have more in common with each other then they realize, each of them having an intense vibe about them. Izuku and Shoto take their battle stances and brace themselves for their epic bout.