Episode 44

is the forty-fourth episode of the My Hero Academia anime and the sixth episode of the third season.
==Summary==
As Izuku and Mezo face off with berserk Dark Shadow, Izuku questions how it got out of control, to which Mezo replies that the villain Moonfish had ambushed them and cut off one of his dupli-arms, arms that he can simply regenerate; despite the fact that Mezo's injury can be easily healed, Fumikage was filled with anger and grief. These strong emotions caused Dark Shadow to rage and take over. It attacks indiscriminately at any noise and blocks the path to Katsuki.
Mezo plans to lead Dark Shadow back to base camp so someone can create light and dispel it. He asks Izuku to choose between saving Katsuki from the villains or saving Fumikage from his own Quirk. Izuku refuses to make a choice, wanting to save both his friends, and comes up with a plan instead. Mezo uses his Dupli-Arms to create mouths that bait Dark Shadow as they run through the forest towards Katsuki, not stopping until they find him and Shoto, who are attempting to hold off Moonfish with damaging their surroundings. 
Mezo yells at Katsuki and Shoto to use their quirks against Dark Shadow. Moonfish tries to attack Dark Shadow, but it easily traps him beneath one of its arms. Shoto sets down Kosei and prepares to use his fire, but Katsuki tells him to wait until Dark Shadow completely defeats Moonfish. Dark Shadow breaks Moonfish's teeth and launches him through the forest. Katsuki and Shoto instantly react to the villains' defeat by using their Quirks to create light and weaken Dark Shadow back to its normal form. 
Fumikage thanks his peers for saving him and apologizes for allowing Dark Shadow to take over. Izuku tells the group that they need to protect Katsuki and get him back to camp. Katsuki gets angry and tells them he doesn't need protection, but he is blatantly ignored as they proceed to walk back towards camp as a group, Katsuki reluctantly following. 
Meanwhile, Ochaco has been cut by Himiko Toga. Because the blood she collected was not enough for the villain's objective, she continues to attack the two girls. Tsuyu tries to fling Ochaco away using her tongue and tells her to run back to camp. Himiko uses her knife, slashing Tsuyu's tongue, before pinning her to a tree by her hair. Himiko tells Tsuyu that they're friends now and she can call her "Tsu". Ochaco rushes back in to help Tsuyu. Himiko stabs at her, but Ochaco uses martial arts learned from Gunhead and restrains Himiko on the ground. 
Himiko recognizes Ochaco's scent and asks if Ochaco has a crush on someone. She goes on to say that Ochaco is probably trying to be just like the person she has feelings for. It distracts Ochaco long enough for Himiko to stab her with a needle and start to drain her blood. Ochaco is saved when Shoto and company stumble upon the scene, which forces Himiko to retreat due to her being outnumbered. 
Izuku asks the girls to join their group and help protect Katsuki. However, Katsuki and Fumikage have both mysteriously disappeared. Mr. Compress reveals himself and says he had taken them because they should be cast as villains rather than heroes. Shoto attacks him with his ice but the villain is too fast and jumps through the trees to escape. Mr. Compress contacts his allies and tells them he has Katsuki in custody and that they need to regroup at the escape point. 
Dabi and Twice head for the appointment point while discussing Mr. Compress' success. Yuga hides behind some bushes while looking after Toru and Kyoka's unconscious bodies. He ponders fighting back, but is stricken with fear when he makes eye contact with Dabi. Dabi begins to walk over, but, fortunately for Yuga, Twice reminds him to call back the Chainsaw Nomu they had let loose earlier. That Nomu chases Yosetsu Awase, who is carrying a heavily injured Momo, through the forest. The Nomu catches up to the duo but are saved when Dabi calls it back. Momo recognizes that the villains have likely captured Katsuki and creates a tracking device for Yosetsu to weld to the Nomu's back using his Quirk. 
Tiger and Mandalay manage to restrain Magne and Spinner. Spinner yells about Stain's will and Magne blames him for getting them captured when suddenly Kurogiri appears and suggests that it is time they leave. Shoto and the others continue to chase Mr. Compress. They realize that he is too fast for them to chase on foot, so Izuku devises a plan to launch them through the air combining Ochaco and Tsuyu's Quirks. Mezo guides them through the air using his arms as they quickly approach Mr. Compress, much to the villain's surprise.
Himiko regroups with Dabi and Twice. She reveals she only got one person's blood, though she was meant to get three. Himiko and Twice begin to talk, but Dabi tells them to shut up, cutting their conversation short. He looks up and, without warning, Izuku, Shoto, and Mezo land on the ground, Mr. Compress having been trapped underneath the three. Twice declares his recognition of the kids, but his split personality immediately asks who they are. 
==Characters in Order of Appearance==
==Quirks==
==Locations==
*The Beast's Forest
==Battles & Events==
*Vanguard Action Squad Invasion
**U.A. Students vs. Moonfish
**Ochaco Uraraka & Tsuyu Asui vs. Himiko Toga
**Tiger & Mandalay vs. Magne & Spinner
**Momo Yaoyorozu & Yosetsu Awase vs. Chainsaw Nomu
==Anime & Manga Differences==
*The encounter between Moonfish and Mezo is extended in the anime.
*In the anime, Ochaco is shown splinting Izuku's arms before they are launched by Tsuyu.
==Site Navigation==
pl:Odcinek 44
es:Episodio 44