#ninescrew

My Hero Academia: Evil vs. Evil Faction War - Miscellaneous Analysis

Context

Set early in the My Hero Academia timeline, with All Might as the Symbol of Peace, this analysis explores the roles of smaller, miscellaneous villains (e.g., low-tier members, minor recruits, or peripheral groups like the Volcano Thieves, Wild Villains, and others from our discussions) in the multi-sided villain war. It examines their importance in the conflict between the major factions—MLA/Wolfram/Nine, Humarise/Shie Hassaikai/CRC, LOV/Villain Factory/Jailbreakers, Dark Might’s faction, Hero Killers, and the corrupt HPSC—and how the heroes, caught in the crossfire, respond to this chaotic evil vs. evil scenario.

Minor Villains and Their Roles

1. LOV/Villain Factory/Jailbreakers’ Minor Villains

Key Figures:

Victor, Bye-Bites (U.S.J. Thugs): Low-tier LOV recruits from the U.S.J. attack, used as cannon fodder.

Sludge Villain: A Jailbreaker freed by AFO, impulsive and vengeful, targeting heroes like All Might.

Sam (Two Heroes): A greedy tech broker, now a Factory operative after betraying the LOV.

Mario Kugutsu, Chuma Yakumaru (Villain Factory): Trigger-enhanced operatives running small-scale operations.

Importance:

Cannon Fodder: Victor and Bye-Bites absorb damage in LOV raids, like the Deika City skirmish, allowing heavy hitters like Dabi or Shigaraki to focus on strategic targets. Their expendability makes them ideal for testing rival factions’ defenses.

Disruption: Sludge Villain’s amorphous body disrupts hero interventions (e.g., trapping Midoriya during a rescue), creating openings for Nomu or Jailbreakers like Ending. His impulsiveness, however, risks derailing LOV plans, as seen in his failed attack on Nine.

Espionage and Betrayal: Sam’s greed (noted in prior discussions) drives him to leak LOV plans to Wolfram or the HPSC, amplifying faction mistrust. His I-Island tech knowledge makes him a minor but critical asset to the Factory’s Trigger production.

Guerrilla Tactics: Mario and Chuma run Trigger distribution in Naruhata, stirring civilian unrest that distracts heroes from major battles. Their low profile keeps them under the radar, unlike high-profile Nomu.

Weaknesses: Lack of loyalty (Sam’s betrayals, Sludge’s recklessness) and limited power make them vulnerable to manipulation or elimination by stronger villains like Muscular or Overhaul.

2. MLA/Wolfram/Nine’s Minor Villains

Key Figures:

Cider House (Purse-Snatchers): MLA foot soldiers testing Detnerat gadgets.

Amplivolt, Takaie Kanigumo (Deika Operatives): MLA tech specialists and enforcers.

Hacker (Two Heroes): Wolfram’s tech support, managing the Technus Network.

Avant-G-G-Ds (Team-Up Missions): Explosion-obsessed mercenaries hired by Nine.

Importance:

Tech Support: Hacker’s Technus Network (from our Wolfram discussions) amplifies MLA/Wolfram/Nine’s tech advantage, hacking HPSC systems or disrupting Factory labs. Their role is small but pivotal in maintaining the alliance’s edge over Nomu tech.

Sabotage: Cider House and Avant-G-G-Ds execute hit-and-run attacks, like sabotaging HSH-CRC’s Quirk-destroying bullet shipments or blowing up Dark Might’s golem factories. Their chaotic tactics stretch hero resources thin.

Logistics: Amplivolt and Takaie manage Deika City’s defenses, deploying Detnerat drones to counter LOV’s Nomu. Their technical skills make the MLA a persistent threat, even after Curious’s death.

Weaknesses: Cider House and Avant-G-G-Ds’ lack of discipline risks collateral damage, alienating MLA’s civilian supporters. Hacker’s overreliance on tech makes them a target for HPSC mercenaries like the Volcano Thieves.

3. Humarise/Shie Hassaikai/CRC’s Minor Villains

Key Figures:

Octopus Clan (CRC): Anti-octopus-eating extremists targeting heteromorphs.

Eight Bullets’ Lesser Members (e.g., Setsuno, Hojo, Tabe): Shie Hassaikai’s disposable enforcers.

Eddie Soul (World Heroes’ Mission): Humarise’s tech operative.

Importance:

Terror Tactics: The Octopus Clan’s anti-heteromorph attacks (e.g., targeting Spinner’s allies) inflame tensions, drawing LOV retaliation and distracting heroes from larger threats like Overhaul’s experiments.

Muscle: Setsuno, Hojo, and Tabe execute Overhaul’s dirty work, guarding Quirk-destroying bullet labs or clashing with MLA’s Geten. Their loyalty to Overhaul (unlike Nagant’s defection) ensures reliability in small-scale operations.

Tech Support: Eddie Soul’s bomb tech (from World Heroes’ Mission) supports Humarise’s terrorist plots, rigging traps in Kamino Ward to slow heroes and rivals. His role amplifies HSH-CRC’s destructive potential.

Weaknesses: The Octopus Clan’s fanaticism isolates them from potential allies, while the Eight Bullets’ weaker Quirks make them easy targets for Muscular or Nomu. Eddie Soul’s tech reliance falters against Hacker’s superior skills.

4. Dark Might’s Minor Villains

Key Figures:

Ginji Kurau: Defected ally, managing golem production.

Simon, Ugo (Gollini Family): Loyal enforcers running Overmodification distribution.

Importance:

Logistics: Ginji’s organizational skills keep Dark Might’s golem army operational, supplying Overmodified thugs to overwhelm LOV underlings or HPSC mercenaries. His defection from a rival faction adds insider knowledge.

Enforcement: Simon and Ugo’s loyalty ensures Dark Might’s orders are followed, unlike Bruno and Paulo’s betrayal. They lead small raids on HPSC outposts, drawing hero attention from major battles.

Weaknesses: Overmodification’s side effects (e.g., Kamil’s berserk state) destabilize their operations. Their blind devotion to Dark Might’s ego makes them predictable targets for Stain or Hawks.

5. Hero Killers’ Minor Villains

Key Figures:

Abegawa Tenchu Kai (Rojiya, Tetsu, Haruhisa, Soji): Stain’s cult-like followers.

Starservant: Religious zealot spreading Stain’s manifesto.

Importance:

Propaganda: The Abegawa Tenchu Kai spread Stain’s ideology via guerrilla attacks, inspiring civilians (like Spinner’s book followers from our talks) and destabilizing HPSC’s image. Their small size allows stealthy strikes on corrupt heroes.

Disruption: Starservant’s orb-based Quirk creates chaos in battles, disorienting HPSC agents or Dark Might’s golems, indirectly aiding the LOV or MLA by sowing disorder.

Weaknesses: Their small numbers and lack of resources limit their impact. Starservant’s fanaticism risks alienating potential recruits, as seen with Sludge Villain’s defection.

6. HPSC’s Minor Villains/Mercenaries

Key Figures:

Volcano Thieves (Maguma, Konako, Tsumuji): Hired mercenaries from Clash! Heroes Battle.

Wild Villains (Curator, Zookeeper, Bearhead): Additional mercenaries from Clash! Heroes Battle.

Importance:

Firepower: The Volcano Thieves’ synergy (lava, ash, wind) makes them effective against Dark Might’s golems or LOV’s Nomu, as discussed previously. They bolster HPSC’s covert operations, targeting MLA safehouses or Factory labs.

Flexibility: The Wild Villains’ unique Quirks (Curator’s art manipulation, Zookeeper’s animal control, Bearhead’s brute strength) allow the HPSC to counter diverse threats, like Kunieda’s plants or Stain’s ambushes.

Weaknesses: Mercenaries’ loyalty is tied to payment, making them susceptible to betrayal (e.g., Wolfram’s deals). Their visibility draws Stain’s ire, risking exposure of HPSC’s corruption.

Importance of Minor Villains

Force Multipliers: Minor villains like Victor, Cider House, or the Eight Bullets amplify their factions’ reach, handling logistics, sabotage, or distractions that allow leaders like Shigaraki or Re-Destro to focus on high-stakes battles.

Catalysts for Chaos: Figures like Sludge Villain, Starservant, or the Octopus Clan create unpredictable disruptions (e.g., civilian unrest, hero ambushes), escalating the war and stretching hero resources, as seen in Kamino’s chaos.

Pawns in Betrayals: Sam, Hacker, and Ginji’s insider knowledge makes them pivotal in faction betrayals, echoing our discussions on Wolfram’s greed or Nagant’s defection. Their actions shift battle outcomes, like Sam’s leaks to Wolfram.

Narrative Weight: Minor villains reflect the war’s broader impact on society. The Abegawa Tenchu Kai and Octopus Clan’s extremism highlight hero society’s flaws (e.g., heteromorph discrimination, HPSC corruption), tying into my concern about systemic issues.

Expendability: Their disposability allows factions to test strategies (e.g., Trigger, Overmodification) without risking key players, but their deaths (e.g., Cider House in Deika) fuel faction grudges.

Heroes’ Response to the Villain War

Key Heroes Involved

All Might: The Symbol of Peace, leading hero efforts but strained by his injury.

Class 1-A (UA Students): Midoriya, Bakugo, Todoroki, Uraraka, Iida, and others, still in early training.

Pro Heroes: Endeavor, Best Jeanist, Edgeshot, Mirko, and less corrupt HPSC agents.

Hawks: A double agent, torn between HPSC loyalty and exposing their corruption.

Hero Challenges

Caught in the Crossfire: The evil vs. evil war creates unpredictable battlefields (e.g., Deika, Kamino), forcing heroes to respond to multiple threats simultaneously. Minor villains like Sludge Villain or Starservant target civilians, complicating rescue efforts.

Resource Strain: The HPSC’s corruption and mercenary hires (Volcano Thieves, Wild Villains) divert Pro Hero focus from protecting civilians to managing HPSC cover-ups, as seen when Hawks leaks intel to Stain.

Moral Dilemmas: Stain’s ideology and the HPSC’s exposed corruption (via Nagant, Aoyama) challenge heroes’ trust in the system. Midoriya and Iida grapple with Stain’s critique, while Endeavor faces Ending’s vendetta.

Inexperience: Class 1-A’s early-stage training limits their effectiveness against coordinated villain attacks (e.g., Nomu, golems). Minor villains like the Octopus Clan or Cider House exploit this, targeting weaker students like Mineta or Koda.

Hero Strategies

Divide and Conquer:

All Might and Pro Heroes: All Might leads strikes against high-profile targets (e.g., Shigaraki, Dark Might), while Endeavor and Mirko tackle Nomu and golems. Best Jeanist and Edgeshot focus on smaller threats like the Volcano Thieves or Abegawa Tenchu Kai, using precision to minimize collateral damage.

Class 1-A: Midoriya coordinates Class 1-A to protect civilians during battles, leveraging Bakugo’s firepower, Todoroki’s versatility, and Uraraka’s gravity to counter minor villains like Sludge Villain or Mario Kugutsu. Iida’s speed helps evacuate areas targeted by Avant-G-G-Ds’ explosions.

Exploiting Faction Rifts:

Hawks uses his double-agent role to sow discord, leaking Wolfram’s betrayal to the MLA or Overhaul’s plans to the LOV, weakening alliances. This mirrors our discussion on HPSC’s manipulation but risks backfiring if Stain exposes him.

Midoriya and Todoroki appeal to defectors like Nagant or Bruno, offering redemption to undermine HSH-CRC or Dark Might. Nagant’s disillusionment (from prior talks) makes her a key target for recruitment.

Countering Minor Villains:

Tech Disruption: Heroes target Hacker and Sam’s tech operations, with Kaminari and Momo disrupting Technus Network signals or Factory labs. This counters MLA/Wolfram/Nine’s tech advantage.

Crowd Control: Tsuyu and Shoji handle chaotic threats like the Octopus Clan or Starservant, using their Quirks to subdue mobs without escalating violence.

Containment: Best Jeanist uses fibers to restrain Sludge Villain or Eight Bullets members, preventing their hit-and-run tactics from overwhelming civilians.

Public Relations:

All Might and Endeavor publicly counter Stain’s propaganda, addressing heteromorph discrimination (echoing my Spinner book concern) to regain civilian trust. Uraraka and Asui lead community outreach to counter Abegawa Tenchu Kai’s influence.

The HPSC, despite corruption, uses media to downplay their role, framing villains like Dark Might or Overhaul as the primary threats, though leaks from Hawks undermine this.

Key Hero-Villain Clashes

Class 1-A vs. Minor LOV/Factory Villains: Midoriya and Bakugo confront Sludge Villain and Bye-Bites during a civilian rescue in Naruhata. Todoroki’s ice counters Mario Kugutsu’s Trigger-enhanced attacks, while Uraraka floats Chuma Yakumaru to disrupt their operations.

Pro Heroes vs. MLA/Wolfram/Nine Minors: Mirko decimates Cider House in Deika, but Amplivolt’s drones slow her. Edgeshot neutralizes Hacker’s tech, crippling the Technus Network temporarily.

All Might vs. Dark Might’s Minors: All Might crushes Simon and Ugo’s golem squads, but Ginji’s insider knowledge delays him, allowing Dark Might to escape initially.

Hawks vs. HSH-CRC Minors: Hawks outmaneuvers the Octopus Clan, but Eddie Soul’s bombs force him to prioritize civilian safety, exposing HPSC’s reliance on mercenaries.

Endeavor vs. Hero Killers: Endeavor faces Starservant and Abegawa Tenchu Kai, whose guerrilla tactics test his patience. Iida’s intervention saves him from a paralyzing strike by Stain.

Outcomes and Implications

Minor Villains’ Impact: Their roles as pawns, saboteurs, and propagandists amplify the war’s chaos, forcing heroes to spread thin. Sam’s betrayals and Starservant’s zeal fuel faction rifts, indirectly aiding heroes by preventing villain unity. However, their civilian-targeted attacks (e.g., Octopus Clan) increase public distrust, echoing my concern about hero society’s flaws.

Hero Struggles: Class 1-A’s growth is accelerated, with Midoriya’s leadership and Todoroki’s strategy shining against minor threats. All Might’s strain and the HPSC’s corruption weaken hero morale, but Hawks’ leaks and Nagant’s potential redemption offer hope.

Long-Term Effects: The war’s stalemate (from Part Two) leaves minor villains like the Volcano Thieves or Abegawa Tenchu Kai as lingering threats, requiring heroes to adapt to guerrilla warfare. The exposure of HPSC’s corruption (via Stain, Hawks) forces reforms, setting up Class 1-A’s rise as true heroes, as discussed in my Wolfram/Nexus Legion concerns.

Thematic Resonance: The minor villains embody the war’s collateral damage—pawns manipulated by AFO, Overhaul, or the HPSC, reflecting hero society’s failure to address systemic issues like discrimination or corruption. Heroes’ efforts to save civilians and redeem defectors (e.g., Nagant) highlight hope amidst chaos.

Conclusion