Bakugo's Quirk From My Hero Academia Explained
The competition to become the world's greatest hero is steep, and "My Hero Academia's" Katsuki Batsugo is bringing his A-game. Even in a world where most people have a quirk that gives them superpowers, Bakugo is unusually gifted. His quirk, Explosion, pretty much does what it sounds like. Still, in simplicity comes versatility and effectiveness, and Bakugo's ability to fire explosions from his palms was immediately recognized for its strength and flair-factor.
Both adults and children praised Bakugo for his quirk, and over time, the spiky-haired child became somewhat of a narcissist. Despite this, it's difficult to say the praise isn't well-deserved. In almost all endeavors, especially anything physical, Bakugo excels. This is especially true in a brawl, where his natural sharpness, creativity, and athleticism converge for the sake of a single effort. As cocky and aggressive as Bakugo can be, however, he does acknowledge that being a hero is a big responsibility. He works hard at what he does, and he's better because of it.
Even so, it's fairly hard to fail with a quirk like Bakugo's. It's just too good in too many situations, so much so that even experienced fighters have trouble keeping up with this young firecracker. But how exactly does Bakugo's quirk work?
The science of Bakugo's Explosion quirk
As always, it's important to remember that the quirks in "My Hero Academia" aren't like typical superpowers. In your standard superhero setting, the ability to throw explosions from your hand would often be taken at face value. Many comic writers would not bother explaining exactly how the hero's power works (though, of course, there are always exceptions). The world of "My Hero," however, takes an active approach to understanding how the powers of its characters operate.
In Bakugo's case, his Explosion quirk hinges almost entirely on his sweat, which is actually a nitroglycerine-like substance. When on his palms, and only his palms, Bakugo can ignite this substance to create his explosions. The more he sweats, the more intense the explosion and the more effective his attacks. This is a large reason why Bakugo is effective in fights, even if they take a long time. The longer he stays active, the bigger of a beast he becomes.
How Bakugo uses his explosions
It seems pretty obvious how Bakugo's quirk works in an offensive scenario. He can blow up whatever he needs to just by hucking a quick explosion at it. However, Bakugo is smarter than many give him credit for, and he can come up with some extremely creative uses for his power. For instance, he can use his explosions to propel himself forward and even fly. This makes him especially mobile and works well in tandem with his aggressive, fast-paced fighting style.
Additionally, if he wants to fight from long range, Bakugo can focus his blast through a small opening to make what he calls an "AP Shot" (armor piercing). He can even perform this rapid-fire, allowing him to penetrate barriers and hit targets with much more precision and force than if he just threw an explosion their way.
Bakugo also has some equipment to help make his quirk more versatile. Most famously, the grenade-shaped gauntlets on his hero costume actually store the excess sweat from his body for later use. If Bakugo pulls the pin on it, it will unleash an explosion many times the normal size and strength of Bakugo. He also carries smaller handheld grenades that can be used in a pinch by himself or others.
The drawbacks to Bakugo's quirk
So far, it seems as if there is nothing but perks when it comes to Bakugo's quirk, but there are some downsides to it. In the right situation, Explosion can be a double edged sword, which is why he takes certain careful precautions. For instance, the force of Bakugo's explosions have a kickback. If an explosion is too intense, it can cause his arms to ache and, in extreme scenarios, even injure them. This is part of the reason he uses his special gauntlets, which allow him to create big blasts without severely damaging himself.
Another weakness of Bakugo's quirk is temperature. The lower the temperature, the longer it takes for Bakugo's sweat to fully ignite. This makes him less than an ideal pick for encounters in cold environments. Finally, Bakugo's most pressing weakness is that his quirk only works from his hands. Take them out of the equation, and he's incapable of igniting his sweat.
As far as weaknesses go, however, all of these are relatively minor in the sense that he can work around all them in some way. His weaknesses are a far cry from Deku's quirk, which routinely destroyed his body before he received proper training. Considering this, it's no wonder why Bakugo excels at being a hero. His quirk is unbelievably versatile, with very few drawbacks, and a high damage potential. Truly, it's a quirk worthy of his aspirations to become the #1 hero.