A One-Punch Man Villain’s Epic Betrayal Needs To Be Seen By Fans

Warning: contains spoilers for chapter 152 of One-Punch Man 

Chapter 152 of One-Punch Man sees Hero Hunter Garou faced with a choice, and all it takes is a moment’s hesitation to set up one of the most epic moments in the series yet.

Despite being caught up in the collapse of the Monster Association headquarters, Garou emerged from the rubble stronger than ever, his body now coated in an armor-like exoskeleton that protected him from every attack. His attention quickly returned to challenging his former master, Bang, who found Garou’s state pitiful, to say the least. As they fought, Bang began talking to him like a mentor again, and the armor on Garou’s face began cracking… and yet, he still left Bang defeated and lying on the ground.

The return of the gross, half-digested Fuehrer Ugly eager for revenge on Bang forced Garou to make his decision, however: should he save his old master from an undignified death, or embrace his monster side and watch the old man die? After having walked the line between monster and human for nearly half the manga’s run at this point, it seems Garou has at last determined that he’d rather stay a human in the most decisive way possible. Garou launches an attack on Fuehrer Ugly and the other Monster Association Executives, taking out at least 3 of them in less than half a second. His onslaught cuts Fuehrer Ugly in half, beats Platinum Sperm to a pulp, and trashes Evil Natural Water, although it’s still a bit early to count that foe out entirely. Conveniently for King, this also occurred at the very second when he yelled out his bluff attack’s name, causing the heroes to believe that he’s the one who pulled it off.

This is definitely an interesting turn for Garou’s character, as he’s been consistently defining himself as a monster and battling against the heroes. Still, flashbacks to his earlier days indicate that Garou’s feelings of sympathy for the monsters in his TV shows was that he saw their defeat as a metaphor for his own bullying. Garou has also showed heroic traits at several points, saving the child Tareo from the monsters and ensuring he escaped without getting hurt. It’s clear that Garou’s problem isn’t so much a love of evil and a disdain for all that is good, but that those who call themselves good, like the heroes, may not be good people in actuality–just look at Sweet Mask’s casual cruelty or Metal Knight’s complete absence from the entire proceedings. So long as Garou can realize that Hero and Villain aren’t absolute black and white, there’s no reason he can’t have a change of heart.

On the other hand, Garou’s turn away from evil probably won’t be that simple. A fight between Saitama and Garou is almost guaranteed, but aside from that, Garou hasn’t quite worked out his feelings on the issue quite yet, and that’s something that only future chapters of One-Punch Man can clear up.

About The Author

Carlyle Edmundson
(237 Articles Published)

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Carlyle Edmundson is a news and features writer with an affinity for science fiction and fantasy. He graduated from the University of North Carolina Wilmington with a BS in Film Studies and is glad that it’s relevant to his work. A lifelong fan of anime and manga, he has attended dozens of conventions over the years and may or may not have cosplayed at them. Currently developing a retro-RPG themed visual novel, “Elven Revenue Service.”

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