In the world of My Hero Academia, few individuals possessed the power to truly threaten Tomura Shigaraki, the vessel of the sinister All For One. However, one hero stood out – Star and Stripe, America’s former number one, whose quirk “New Order” even gave the villainous mastermind pause. With the ability to impose rules on her surroundings, Star and Stripe was arguably the strongest women in the world.
The Workings of New Order
Star and Stripe’s quirk, New Order, allowed her to set a new property or rule on anything she touched after stating its name. This incredibly versatile power enabled her to manipulate objects in unimaginable ways. For instance, she could make lasers physical and holdable, or impose a rule that Shigaraki’s heart would stop if he moved. However, New Order had several key limitations – Star could only apply two rules simultaneously, and she couldn’t affect anything she hadn’t directly touched. Moreover, when using the New Order on living beings, they had to recognize the name she called them, limiting its effectiveness against shapeshifters or those with dissociative identities.
Despite these restrictions, New Order’s potential was staggering. In her battle against the nearly complete fusion of Tomura and All For One, Star unleashed incredible techniques like the “Fist Bump to the Earth” and “Keraunos” which should have vaporized her foe. Even when Shigaraki managed to steal her quirk, Star’s final failsafe – making New Order “revolt against other quirks” – weakened the villain from within.
A Beloved American Icon
Star and Stripe’s origins are traced back to a pivotal encounter in her youth when she was saved by none other than a young All Might during his student exchange days in America. Inspired by his heroic acts and signature hairstyle, Cathleen Bate (her real name) dyed her hair with eight tufts and pursued a path of heroism. Though she felt inadequate compared to her idol, Star’s indomitable spirit and powerful quirk quickly elevated her to America’s number one hero.
The US government closely guarded the secrets of the New Order, recognizing its incredible threat. Star spent years bonding with her unit, who consoled her self-doubts and reassured her of her great strength. This camaraderie fueled her relentless pursuit of peace and justice as a beloved icon.
The Turning Point
When All For One initiated his final gambit, Star and Stripe posed the greatest obstacle. Though the heroes stalled his scheme, the villain decided to take a massive risk – sending the incomplete Tomura to battle the American heroine ahead of schedule. Their fierce engagement weakened both combatants and bought the heroes a week’s reprieve as Tomura recovered. More crucially, Star’s final act destabilized the villains’ power from within.
After her demise, the world’s governments rescinded their support for Japan, shaken by the notion that even the planet’s strongest hero fell to Shigaraki’s might. However, her valiant sacrifice imparted hope – All Might revealed to Class 1-A that thanks to Star’s parting gift, they had gained a week to prepare for the coming pandemonium.
An Extraordinary Quirk
New Order elevated Star and Stripe to incredible heights within the My Hero Academia world. By granting mastery over the rules of reality itself, the quirk enabled endless possibilities – reshaping environments, empowering the user, and as a final gambit, revolting against evil quirks. Though its potential was left largely untapped, New Order’s impact reverberated throughout the story’s final act.
Star’s battle highlighted how unbelievably powerful New Order could be when freely utilized. Had she not faced the incomplete fusion alone, or had she shared the secrets of her quirk with other heroes, extraordinary synergistic combinations may have arisen. New Order’s conceptual abilities seemingly knew no limits, opening the door for creative quirk interactions and defensive/offensive options.
Ultimately, Star and Stripe’s legacy exemplified the unyielding heroic spirit that anime, My Hero Academia, celebrated. Through her beloved character and the implications of New Order’s phenomenal power, she represented what quirks could achieve in the right, noble hands. Her final attempt to save the world from Shigaraki’s darkness became a beacon of hope for the surviving heroes. Though she fell, New Order’s impact on the story’s climax highlighted the incredible potential quirks could wield when unified against evil.
