There are a lot of directions that the series can go from that point, especially when the League of Villains have quite the ax to grind against U.A. High. However, rather than send Izuku, Bakugo, and the rest of the heroes-in-training out into the fray, a sports festival becomes the next major topic of focus.

If this sports festival was just the driving engine for a few episodes at the start of this season it would be one thing, but this event takes up twelve episodes of the 25-episode season. That being said, the sports festival gets a lot more hate than it deserves and it actually finds a unique, creative way to test everyone’s strength and not diminish the stakes of the series.

The sports festival might seem a little lame in theory, but it’s really just an excuse to get all of these students in competition with each other again. Sure, it may look like everyone is caught up in races, obstacle courses, and other physical challenges, but these are absolutely quirk-filled battles that are no less dramatic than the actual fights that went on in the first season.

This construct still allows all of these characters to learn, grow stronger, and challenge each other, which is really what My Hero Academia is all about. It doesn’t matter whether the heroes demonstrate that in qualifying exams or a sports match.

This sports festival also allows the series to reignite rivalries that have long been gestating since the show’s first season. It would come as a supreme surprise if Izuku and Bakugo don’t face off against each other at some point during this festival. Furthermore, My Hero Academia can’t always trade in life and death situations; otherwise they stop having any meaning.