That's the Idea, Ochaco

News coverage sums up the attack on U.A.'s hero course: seventy-two arrests, a plot aimed at killing All Might, and a ringleader still at large. Toshinori Yagi writes to his old teacher about one particular student, and the retired hero sits with the letter afterward, turning the boy over in his mind.

With classes suspended, the faculty meet Investigator Naomasa Tsukauchi, who admits the arrests produced nothing usable about the League of Villains. All Might notes how childish and reckless Tomura Shigaraki's scheme felt, too sloppy for any sane criminal to follow. Naomasa suspects the others fell in behind him precisely because a world saturated with heroes leaves evildoers no room to breathe. Principal Nezu closes the meeting with an unsettling parallel: someone is steering Tomura toward villainy exactly as U.A. steers its own students toward heroism.

At home, Izuku lifts weights and turns One For All over in his head until his mother calls him for dinner. The next morning, the class is still buzzing about their sudden television exposure when a bandaged Aizawa walks in. He waves off questions about his injuries and points them at the U.A. Sports Festival instead. Some students think it is too soon after the raid, but he explains the event is far too valuable to cancel: one of the most-watched competitions anywhere, and their best shot at being scouted by professional agencies.

By lunch the mood has turned competitive, with Ochaco the loudest of the bunch. Walking out with Izuku and Tenya, she admits she is chasing the hero course for money, which catches Izuku off guard. Her family's construction company is struggling, and both boys point out that a licensed Zero Gravity would gut their equipment costs overnight, letting them sell off the heavy machinery besides. Ochaco agrees entirely, then explains that her father told her as a child to chase her own dream instead. Both classmates find the honesty inspiring, and Izuku concedes her reason is more grounded than anyone else's.

All Might appears and pulls Izuku away for lunch, leaving Tenya and Ochaco to speculate about the pair's closeness within earshot of a curious Shoto Todoroki. Over tea in the lounge, All Might admits his hero form now lasts about fifty minutes. Izuku tries to console him and gets laughed off, then reports his own progress: he pointed One For All at a living opponent for the first time and kept his arm intact. His mentor is pleased but presses the point that the clock is running on the next symbol of peace, and names the Sports Festival as his debut.

Gran Torino is introduced through All Might's letter to his former teacher.

Nezu raises the possibility that Tomura Shigaraki is being deliberately guided toward villainy by someone else.

The U.A. Sports Festival is announced despite the recent attack.

Ochaco reveals her financial motive for entering the hero course.

All Might discloses that his hero form is down to roughly fifty minutes and frames the Sports Festival as Izuku's public debut as his successor.

The second season's opening episode, adapted from the back of Chapter 21 and all of Chapter 22. Peace Sign serves as the opening theme and That's Why I'm Not Alone as the ending.

All Might's former teacher arrives considerably earlier here than in the manga. Tenya's applause for Ochaco's story is also played with more theatrics in the adaptation.