We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post.
Chapter 166 of the One Punch Man manga continues the story of Garou as he works to truly fulfill his vision of ‘Absolute Evil’. In this chapter, there was potentially a major character’s death, and if you haven’t guessed by the title and top image, that character is the S-class hero Genos. Many people in the One Punch Man community including myself were absolutely shocked at this, and if you’re like me you may be wondering if Genos from One Punch Man really dead? Well, I decided to write this out here on this blog for you all and share my thoughts on this possible death of a main One Punch Man character.
Is Genos Really Dead?
My initial reaction to this is no, Genos can’t be dead. We’ve seen Genos get destroyed in the past, and he’s always come back, but what if Saitama was just too late this time? Genos is a cyborg, and from what we know in the series, Genos can come back from almost anything.
It is possible that the creators want us to think Genos is dead, but from a story perspective, things do not seem to add up. For many long-term fans, we understand that much of the story is being told through the eyes of Genos. In some aspects, we actually view Saitama or his feats through Genos. I personally feel like Geno’s death cannot be permanent simply because of the Mad Cyborg storyline which is Geno’s reason for existing in the story. Unless the creators decided to fulfill this storyline somehow through either Saitama or another character, I do not feel will work.
Geno’s Potential Future
In the One Punch Man webcomic, Genos is alive and well. He is actually very close to fulfilling his arc and finding out more information about the Mad Cyborg. Genos as also received is possibly the last possible upgrade, which I won’t spoil as to the reason why that may be here.
With so much potential story left for Genos, I just don’t see how Geno’s death here can be permanent. I think this fake-out death may simply be a plot device to show growth for Saitama’s character. Saitama may not be able to grow physically, but he can still grow emotionally and mentally. Currently, the manga seems to be pushing Saitama into learning what it truly means to be the world’s number one hero as stated by Saitama when he asked if he truly has a ‘hero’s intuition’.
What does It mean If Genos Dies Here?
If Geno is truly dead I think this means a big lesson will be learned by Saitama. He’s always late to the battle and will have paid a heavy price for it. Saitama looks like he was about to literally destroy the planet with a punch at the end of this chapter, and we know he has the strength to do it.
Geno’s death will affect how the One Punch Man story is told, maybe there will be a new character to fill his shoes? I personally think this would be very interesting to see how Saitama would react after this arc. Saitama has always been so calm and focused, and I am surprised that Geno’s death would make him completely lash out and potentially cause harm to the surrounding area, especially with civilians present.
What’s always been the most important motivation for Satiama is the desire to become a hero, and Saitama is extreme when it comes to his views on how heroes are supposed to act. But this shows us how far the Caped Baldy has grown emotionally, and no matter if Geno’s fate is sealed or not, Saitama will never be the same after this moment.
Now it’s time to hear from our readers. What do you think about this chapter? Do you think Geno’s death is permanent? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment below.
