How Does My Hero Academia Vol 17 Develop Bakugo And Todoroki?

Reading the Provisional License arc right now, but I'm really focused on those quiet moments where Bakugo and Todoroki's rivalry starts to feel more like an alliance. Anyone else pick up on their developing dynamic this volume?
2026-08-04 11:04:00
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12 Answers

AmayaCox
AmayaCox
Clear Answerer Cashier
I've got a slightly different read. I think Bakugo's development is overrated here. He cooperates, but it's still fundamentally self-serving; he wants to pass the exam, so he does what's necessary. That's not true leadership or empathy, it's just strategic. The real development for him comes later. Todoroki's progress feels more genuine because it's built on resolved emotional stakes. This volume shows him operating from a place of peace, which allows his power to flourish. It's a showcase of his new baseline, not a struggle to change. So Bakugo is beginning a climb, while Todoroki is already enjoying the view from a plateau he recently reached.
2026-08-05 08:12:24
3
BenOlson
BenOlson
Ending Guesser Engineer
It’s all about failure as a catalyst. Prior to this, both characters had largely succeeded through sheer power. Vol 17 strips that away. Bakugo fails spectacularly and publicly. Todoroki fails quietly and internally. For Bakugo, the development is the aftermath—the simmering anger that has nowhere to go, forcing a different kind of introspection. He can't blame anyone else; the test was fair. For Todoroki, it's the realization that resolving his family drama didn't automatically fix his ability to connect with strangers. His power is now fully his, but his personality is still catching up. The volume positions them at a crossroads: adapt or remain stagnant. It's not a triumphant arc; it's a humbling one. That humility, however grudgingly accepted, is the foundation for everything that comes after in their hero journeys.
2026-08-06 14:30:15
8
AvaWood
AvaWood
Contributor Data Analyst
Lol, remember when Bakugo tried to give a thumbs-up to a scared kid and it looked like a threat? Iconic. That's the volume in a single panel. The gap between intention and execution. That's what they're both struggling with. Bakugo intends to win and save, but his execution is terrifying. Todoroki intends to be reassuring, but his execution is robotic. The development is the slow, painful process of closing that gap. The volume shows the gap at its widest. Every little step afterward is about narrowing it. It's a great visual and thematic throughline for both their arcs, even though their intentions and execution errors are completely different in nature.
2026-08-06 22:42:04
8
KaiEvans
KaiEvans
Reviewer Assistant
The civilian rescue exam is brutal for them. Bakugo, who communicates exclusively in shouts and explosions, has to be calming. Todoroki, who is emotionally reserved to a fault, has to be reassuring. Their development is painfully incremental. Bakugo doesn't learn to be sweet; he learns that shouting 'SHUT UP, YOU'RE SAFE!' is counterproductive. It's a negative lesson—learning what not to do. Todoroki doesn't become bubbly; he learns that a stiff 'Do not worry' isn't enough. He has to add a physical gesture, a softer tone. It's mechanical at first. The volume is about the birth of awareness, not mastery. We see the cogs start to turn. Bakugo's face when he realizes he's making things worse is priceless. Todoroki's slight frown when his logical approach falls flat is equally telling. They're thinking, maybe for the first time, about the people in 'hero work for the people.'
2026-08-07 06:36:56
14
RenBowen
RenBowen
Twist Chaser Photographer
What I love is that their failures are comedic but also deeply sympathetic. Bakugo yelling at a fake civilian to 'STOP CRYING OR I'LL BLAST YOU TO SMITHEREENS' is hilarious, but you also feel for him because he's genuinely trying to help in his catastrophically wrong way. Todoroki robotically reciting safety protocols is funny, but you understand his social awkwardness. The volume develops them by making their flaws endearing and human, not just annoying or tragic. We laugh, but we also root for them to figure it out. That balance is hard to strike. It ensures the audience is invested in their growth not because they're powerful, but because they're relatable in their incompetence at something 'simple.'
2026-08-08 13:30:41
8
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