The Symbol of Peace vs. The Symbol of Evil
By the time All Might reached Kamino, he was a ghost of his former self. Having already passed the torch to Izuku Midoriya, he was running on nothing but "embers"—the residual heat of a power that was no longer his. On the other side stood All For One, the puppet master of Japan’s underworld, a man who didn't just want to kill All Might, but to break his spirit.
The psychological warfare was brutal. All For One’s revelation about Tomura Shigaraki’s lineage—that he is the grandson of All Might's mentor, Nana Shimura—was a tactical strike designed to shatter Toshinori Yagi's heart. For a moment, we saw the Symbol of Peace tremble. We saw the "invincible" hero reduced to a gaunt, bleeding man exposed to the world’s cameras.
The Cinematography of a Legend
The visual storytelling in this fight is legendary. The contrast between All Might’s skeletal "True Form" and the towering, grotesque arm of All For One (a mountain of combined quirks) emphasized the David vs. Goliath nature of the encounter.
When All Might transferred the last of his strength from his right arm to his left, it wasn't just a tactical feint; it was a metaphorical representation of his entire life. He gave everything—every muscle fiber, every memory of Nana, and every hope for Deku—into a single point of impact.
The United States of Smash: A Final Goodbye
The United States of Smash isn't just the strongest punch in the series; it is a goodbye. As All Might slams his fist into the ground, creating a literal tornado that clears the city blocks, the animation shifts into a high-contrast, visceral style. You can feel the impact of every "State" he’s named before—Texas, Detroit, New York—culminating in the absolute strength of a unified hero.
This wasn't a victory of power scaling; it was a victory of Will. All For One had more quirks, more stamina, and a better body, but he lacked the one thing that defines a hero: the ability to sacrifice everything for a stranger's smile.
"You Are Next": The Passing of the Torch
The battle ended with a gesture that launched a thousand theories and tears. All Might, standing victorious but powerless, pointed a finger at the news camera and uttered three words: "You are next."
To the world, it was a warning to the remaining villains. But to the fans, and to a sobbing Midoriya watching through a screen, it was the official retirement of the Symbol of Peace. The era of the "Lone Pillar" was over. All Might had held the world on his shoulders for decades, and with that final punch, he finally set it down, trusting the next generation to pick it up.
