My Hero Academia – Season 7 Episode 14 Recap & Review

Together with Shoji

Episode 14 of My Hero Academia begins with Shoji being discriminated against for being a heteromorph. The scene then shifts to the past, after news spreads across the battlefield that Dabi has been captured. The war zone comes alive as hundreds of heteromorphs, under Spinner’s leadership, make their way through the security to free Kurogiri, who’s locked in the central hospital. The heroes struggle to keep the mob at bay, which consists not only of Paranormal Liberation members but also regular heteromorph citizens who sympathize with Spinner’s goal—to take revenge on the system for treating them unfairly.

However, Spinner has been under All for One’s control since he received the body bulk and power from him. He’s so brainwashed that he can no longer think for himself or logically differentiate his actions or what others say to him. In addition to Spinner, another heteromorph continues to rile up the mob, provoking them to attack the police and hero forces by reminding them of the poor treatment they’ve endured.

Shoji and Koji had previously requested to be assigned near the central hospital area when Shoji realized the heteromorph army would be gathering there. Anima volunteered to fight alongside Shoji. The two, with Present Mic supporting them, do their best to control the mob, but their efforts are in vain.

Shoji then appeals to Spinner to think clearly about their plan to attack a hospital. His speech sways some of the mob, but the villainous heteromorph keeps their sympathies in check by reminding them of the injustice they’ve faced due to their appearance. Shoji passionately fights Spinner, but Spinner further evolves, gaining scales on his body and becoming even more powerful.

In a flashback, Shoji reveals his story of being discriminated against in his village for being a heteromorph. “I’ll never forget them, but instead of tallying up the bad memories, I’d rather cling to the good memory I have of this body,” Shoji says, recalling how he saved a little child from drowning in a river using his “tentacles.”

Returning to the present, Shoji appeals to the mob, saying, “Don’t turn into people who just want revenge.” Unfortunately, his words have little effect as Spinner urges the mob to move forward and break through, insisting this is the only way they can free themselves. Spinner then breaks into the hospital, and the heteromorph mob grows stronger as the episode ends.

The Episode Review

It’s quite interesting how a shonen adventure anime like My Hero Academia incorporates profound and sensitive subjects like the systematic discrimination the heteromorphs face. The army of heteromorphs can symbolize a vast number of real-life issues, ranging from our perception of beauty to disability. Along with this, it also portrays how easy it is for those in power to take advantage of the deep-seated anger of minorities and how dangerous mob mentality can become.

“Ever since I got power from All For One, my mind keeps going blank,” says Spinner. His statement reflects how, rather than being a genuine spokesperson for the heteromorphs, he’s become merely a pawn in the hands of All for One. Of course, he cannot think clearly because that’s exactly what All for One wants—for Spinner to blindly follow his orders and for all the other heteromorphs to blindly trust their “spokesperson.”