My Hero Academia: Did Todoroki Rei Overcome Her Trauma, Explained

My Hero Academia: Did Todoroki Rei Overcome Her Trauma, Explained

Key Takeaways

  • Rei faced mental health issues due to her marriage with Enji and trauma from family dynamics.
  • Despite struggling with trauma, Rei confronted her past and took responsibility as a mother.
  • Rei showed strength by stopping Toya’s flames and working towards healing her family post-war.

As a gamer who has spent countless hours immersed in the captivating world of My Hero Academia, I can’t help but feel a deep connection with Todoroki Rei. Her story is one that resonates deeply within me, not just as an observer, but as someone who understands the complexities and struggles that life can sometimes throw our way.


Rei Todoroki, known as the spouse of Japan’s former second-ranking hero, Endeavor, seldom graced the public eye. Despite being married to a renowned figure, her appearances were minimal. Regrettably, due to struggles with her mental health and a fractured family background, she spent multiple years in a psychiatric institution.

Despite being consumed by guilt, Rei didn’t shy away from assuming responsibility for her son’s actions. Though she may have been grappling with the aftermath of her ordeals, she managed to gather inner strength to halt Toya in the world of My Hero Academia.

What happened to Todoroki Rei?

Rei’s marriage was not always as tumultuous in the beginning

My Hero Academia: Did Todoroki Rei Overcome Her Trauma, Explained

In essence, Todoroki Rei is married to Todoroki Enji and they have four children: Shoto, Natsuo, Fuyumi, and Toya (who was later revealed as Dabi). Before her union with Enji, Rei hailed from a lineage of individuals with Ice-based Quirks known as the Himura family. Given her proficiency in controlling ice, she was matched with Enji to be his wife. During Season 6, Episode 17, it’s revealed that Rei acknowledges the constraints on her romantic possibilities. As a consequence, she consented to a Quirk Marriage with Enji, hoping to find love within their union.

However, although Rei had hope that the marriage would work out, Enji’s determination to produce a child with both their Quirks would result in the failure of their marriage and many of the children being traumatized by their father. Inherently, Rei knew that Quirk Marriages were frowned upon within society; however, she still married Enji for the sake of the Himura family, which had lost their prestige.

At the beginning of their married life, Rei, Enji, Toya, Natsuo, and Fuyumi shared a contented existence together. Yet, as the years passed, Enji’s relentless drive to outshine All Might only intensified, leading him to have more children. Prior to Shoto’s birth, Enji had begun to accept that he might not conceive a child with both Fire and Ice Quirks, gradually letting go of this dream. Still, he harbored hope that he would eventually father such a child, which is why he decided to expand his family further.

After Shoto was born, Enji started neglecting and mistreating his family, favoring Shoto over them and frequently arguing with Rei about Toya. Toya had long aspired to be like Enji, to emulate him as a Pro Hero and carry on the family tradition. Unfortunately, his Fire Quirk and frail physique made this goal unattainable for him, ultimately leading to his apparent demise. This tragic event caused the family to disintegrate.

Even though it was not solely Enji’s fault, his intense anger towards his family made Rei feel terrified of him and fearful of his actions. Due to her naturally submissive disposition, Rei generally deferred to Enji’s leadership within the household. Despite trying to prevent Toya from misbehaving, her son had adopted a similar temperament to his father, making it difficult for Rei to challenge him directly.

In the heat of our game, I found myself so petrified of Enji that even seeing Shoto’s fiery red hair sent me over the edge. In a moment of panic, I ended up hurling boiling water at him, which left an unmistakable scar on the left side of his face – a mark he now bears as a symbol of our shared story. Due to my deteriorating mental state, I was admitted to a psychiatric hospital for treatment, as my presence around Enji seemed to bring out cruelty within me that I wasn’t aware I possessed towards my own children.

At the hospital, Shoto frequently stopped by or penned letters when he wasn’t able to visit in person. Meanwhile, Natsuo and Fuyumi would make visits whenever they could. Despite not showing up at the hospital himself, Enji never forgot her favorite flowers and would send them as a way of apologizing and mending fences. However, once Dabi unmasked himself as Todoroki Toya, she found the courage to aid her family.

Did Rei Overcome Her Previous Trauma?

While not fully healed, Rei takes the first step of accountability

My Hero Academia: Did Todoroki Rei Overcome Her Trauma, Explained

Despite standing up to Enji over his mistakes and acknowledging her own wrongdoings, Rei confesses she has yet to conquer the emotional scars left by their past abuse. In Chapter 301, she openly expresses her struggle with these traumatic experiences, explaining that this is precisely why she is tackling them head-on.

Okay? No, I’m not. That’s why I’m here.

During my separation from Enji, I believe I had the chance to truly be me and recover from the traumas experienced in our marriage. It’s possible that I’ve always been a strong-willed individual, contrasting the submissive demeanor initially displayed in our union. Yet, given my family circumstances, I may have suppressed my emotions for the sake of preserving our marriage.

After discovering that Toya, now known as Dabi, was alive, I found myself compelled to act, feeling the stirrings of a mother’s heart. In Chapter 302, Rei openly acknowledges her past mistakes and accepts the weight of her maternal duties, promising to correct the family wrongs.

In the Final War’s Chapter 387, Rei notices that Toya and Enji are in grave danger, engulfed by flames. Being an Ice Quirk user, she swiftly moves to the battlefield to extinguish Toya’s fiery explosion. Alongside her are Fuyumi, Natsuo, and later Shoto, who join efforts to put out the flames. Following the Final War, in Chapter 426, Rei and her family members bear visible scars from their fight with Toya. In subsequent scenes, she is depicted pushing Enji’s wheelchair after a hospital visit with Toya. Despite lingering impacts of past traumas, Rei continues to strive for self-improvement in the interest of her loved ones.

My Hero Academia is now available to stream on Crunchyroll.

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2024-09-09 22:34