The Hero Public Safety Commission (HPSC) in My Hero Academia is depicted as an organization deeply entrenched in corruption, operating under the guise of maintaining public order and the pristine image of heroes. While the series ultimately shows its downfall and a move towards reform, it's a compelling thought experiment to consider the ramifications if the HPSC had remained as corrupt as it was, continuing its dubious methods without significant internal or external pressure for change.
The Foundation of Corruption
As detailed in the provided document, the HPSC's corruption stemmed from a "Utopia Justifies the Means" philosophy. Their core aim was to preserve society's trust in heroes and maintain the status quo, even if it meant resorting to extreme, illegal, and morally reprehensible actions. Key aspects of this corruption included:
Assassinations: Employing individuals like Lady Nagant to secretly eliminate "stains" on society, including corrupt heroes, terrorists, and even protesters, without due process.
Child Soldiers and Brainwashing: Scouting young children with powerful quirks, like Hawks, and grooming them from a young age to be loyal agents, effectively brainwashing them and forcing them to abandon their identities.
Cover-ups and Manipulation: Fabricating stories (e.g., Lady Nagant's arrest) and concealing evidence to protect the Commission's image and prevent information leaks.
Abuse of Power: Overturning decisions of other hero bodies, conducting their own criminal investigations with questionable ethics, and even endangering students for high-profile missions.
Disregard for Individual Rights: Depriving individuals of fair trials and due process, prioritizing the collective "peace" over individual liberties.
Treating Heroes as Disposable Assets: Viewing their agents as tools to be used and discarded, as exemplified by their threats to Lady Nagant.
The Erosion of Public Trust and Hero Morale
If the HPSC had continued its corrupt practices, the most immediate and devastating consequence would be the complete and irreversible erosion of public trust. While the Commission successfully managed to keep many of its darker secrets hidden for decades, "rumours would spread about their illegal methods." With the increasing interconnectedness of society and the heightened scrutiny on heroes, it would become progressively harder to suppress the truth.
Leaks and Whistleblowers: The sheer volume of morally compromised actions would inevitably lead to more internal dissent. Heroes or agents, like Lady Nagant, who became disillusioned, would either actively work against the Commission or leak information, further exposing their misdeeds.
Public Outcry: Once the full extent of the assassinations, child soldier programs, and cover-ups became public knowledge, the faith that society placed in heroes would shatter. This wouldn't just be a loss of trust in the HPSC, but a deep-seated cynicism towards the entire hero system, potentially leading to widespread social unrest and protests.
Loss of Hero Credibility: The very image the HPSC sought to protect would be irrevocably tarnished. Heroes, even those genuinely striving for good, would be viewed with suspicion, their motives questioned, and their actions scrutinized. This would make their work significantly harder, as public cooperation is crucial for effective heroics.
A Dysfunctional and Decaying Hero Society
A continuously corrupt HPSC would lead to a hero society that is outwardly stable but internally rotting.
Disillusioned Heroes: The best and most morally upright heroes would find it increasingly difficult to operate under such a system. Many might retire, become vigilantes, or even defect, creating a brain drain of genuine talent and integrity. Heroes like Hawks, who were "swayed partially into the Commission's ideals" but remained "conflicted," would either break under the pressure or become hollow shells of their former selves.
Rise of "Commission-Approved" Heroes: The heroes who remained would likely be those willing to compromise their morals for status, or those too deeply entrenched to escape. This would create a hero landscape dominated by individuals who prioritize obedience to the HPSC over true justice, further alienating the public.
Ineffective Crime Fighting: The Commission's focus on image over substance would severely hamper their ability to combat genuine threats. Their methods, such as assassinating potential criminals before they commit crimes, would be reactive and short-sighted, failing to address the root causes of villainy. Their "Oddly Small Organization" and "understaffed" nature, combined with their dubious tactics, would make them inefficient against large-scale threats like the Paranormal Liberation Front.
Increased Villain Power: Villains, particularly intelligent ones, would exploit the growing distrust between the public and heroes. They could easily expose the HPSC's secrets, turning public opinion against the heroes and recruiting disillusioned citizens to their cause. The moral high ground would shift, making it easier for villain organizations to gain traction and legitimacy among certain segments of the population.
Political Instability and International Condemnation: A government agency operating with such impunity would eventually face severe political backlash. Other nations would likely condemn Japan's hero system, leading to diplomatic crises and potentially sanctions. The "collapse of Japan" seen after the Paranormal Liberation War would be less about physical destruction and more about societal and governmental breakdown due to internal rot.
Specific Character Fates
Hawks: If the Commission remained corrupt, Hawks would likely be trapped in a cycle of moral compromise. His optimism would be crushed, and he might eventually become as jaded and broken as Lady Nagant, or perhaps even turn against the Commission in a more direct and destructive manner, unable to reconcile his true desire for peace with the dirty work he's forced to do.
Lady Nagant: Without the HPSC's collapse and Hawks's influence, Lady Nagant might have remained a hardened villain, or her trauma could have led to a complete mental breakdown, making her even more dangerous or entirely incapacitated. Her potential for reform would be non-existent.
Yokumiru Mera: Mera, who became the acting president and initiated reforms, would either be sidelined, forced to comply with the corruption, or driven to exhaustion and despair without the opportunity to enact positive change.
Conclusion
In essence, a perpetually corrupt Hero Public Safety Commission would lead Japan down a path of societal decay. The outward facade of a powerful hero society would crumble, revealing a rotten core. Public trust would evaporate, heroes would become disillusioned, and villains would thrive in the ensuing chaos and moral vacuum. The system designed to protect would instead become its own greatest threat, ultimately leading to a more profound and irreversible collapse than the one depicted in the series, where at least the opportunity for genuine reform emerged from the ashes. The "Utopia Justifies the Means" philosophy, when taken to its extreme, inevitably leads not to utopia, but to dystopia.
