My Hero Academia Chapter 429 finally reveals mysterious man’s identity

My Hero Academia Chapter 429 finally reveals the identity of the mysterious man and it’s more shocking than anyone could’ve predicted.

My Hero Academia surprised fans when it introduced a new mysterious character so close to its ending. In Chapter 425, we see a haggard-looking man stumbling through the ruins as he breaks down in tears.

Since then, there has been much speculation about the man’s identity. Many believed him to be Shigaraki, somehow surviving his demise in Chapter 423. Others thought it was just a prison escapee. Some even said it could be Deku’s father, whom we haven’t seen so far.

However, none of those theories came true. My Hero Academia Chapter 429 starts with this man’s POV. Turns out he really is an unknown character with a past so bleak and gut-wrenching that it leaves readers shellshocked.

The man’s flashback reveals he awakened his mutated Quirk (something unnatural which he hasn’t inherited from his family; similar to Eri’s Rewind) at a young age. After that, his family acted overly happy until one day they tied his mouth and locked him in their underground basement.

Their cruelty didn’t stop there. They kept him imprisoned like that for years until the country was in shambles because of the war against All For One and Shigaraki. Faced with doom, they threw one loaf of bread at him before escaping, leaving him locked up.

When the house finally collapsed, he was able to escape. That’s where we find him in Chapter 425. After years of living underground, the sunlight hurts his skin and he’s overwhelmed by so many people around him, all seemingly happy.

This heartbreaking tale thankfully finds a happy ending when he stumbles upon the old lady from Tenko’s childhood. Unlike Tenko’s case, she helped this guy this time, showing him real kindness for the first time in his miserable life.

The dark backstory of this new character is really surprising as the manga has only one chapter left after My Hero Academia Chapter 429. But he does help the old lady find her redemption. And the happy ending he gets hits home the manga’s optimistic message.

My Hero Academia Chapter 429 will be released on July 28, 2024. Until then, check out all the major character deaths and if Deku will get One For All back. You can also find out the questions My Hero Academia needs to answer before it ends.