Star and Stripe, the heroic moniker of Cathleen Bate, arrives in My Hero Academia as the No. 1 Pro Hero from the United States of America and the last top-ranked hero introduced before the series enters its final arc. Debuting before the Final War, she brings international hope against the growing villain threat.Built like a soldier and adorned with a Stars-and-Stripes aesthetic, Star and Stripe expands the global scope of Horikoshi’s universe. Fans learn that All Might’s legacy didn’t fade overseas—it reappeared in a determined ally ready to defend Japan from Tomura Shigaraki and All For One.Star and Stripe act as a major late-game force. She steps into the chaos as Japan’s heroes recover and Shigaraki nears his peak. Arriving with her fleet, her entrance symbolizes global cooperation while foreshadowing that even the world’s #1 hero may fall in My Hero Academia.Disclaimer: This article contains major spoilers from the My Hero Academia manga.Star and Stripe’s background and abilities in My Hero AcademiaCathleen Bate’s early years follow a classic hero’s path: a young American girl inspired by a chance childhood encounter with All Might. That moment sparked a lasting desire for justice, eventually leading her to join the military.Working alongside US forces, she put herself on the frontlines of global threats, believing that protecting people means being where danger is greatest. Her Quirk, New Order, had clear global consequences. Though her earlier missions are classified, it’s suggested she carried out critical operations around the globe.Her hero name, Star and Stripe, reflects her flag-themed helmet and patriotic motif. New Order quirk allows Star and Stripe to apply one rule to any target she touches, as long as she speaks the object’s correct name. She can maintain up to two rules simultaneously: one on herself and one on an external target.These rules can alter physical laws. For example, she can remove air from an area or cause enemy Quirks to malfunction. The Quirk is powerful but limited: applying a new external rule nullifies the previous one, and she requires vocal activation by name and must touch the target. This forces her to plan and act quickly in battle.Her fighting style uses high-speed flight, achieved by applying a rule to the air around her, to close the distance and land a touch that lets her rewrite conditions. Against Shigaraki, she attempts to immobilize him to prevent him from using Decay, delivers explosive blows, and deflects attacks.She combines military tactics with speed and instinct, turning battles into high-stakes, fast-moving encounters.Star and Stripe’s story, role, and legacyStar and Stripe first appear in Chapter 328, when she and her fleet approach Shigaraki above the Pacific. She quickly engages him over the Pacific Ocean. Chapters 331–334 reveal that All For One’s will within Shigaraki can steal Quirks through brief contact, making the fight a race with everything on the line.She responds with a colossal construct of herself and a final all-out strike to stop him before he can steal her power. The battle ends in tragedy. The rule she placed on him fails when Shigaraki’s fusing consciousness with All For One creates a loophole in its naming condition.In a final, desperate move, she rewrites New Order itself, causing it to revolt against other Quirks from within. This disruption gives Japan’s heroes time to regroup. Though her body is destroyed by Shigaraki’s Decay Quirk, her sacrifice becomes a turning point in the global fight.Disciplined, confident, and resolute, Star and Stripe represents a bold version of American heroism. She respects authority but follows her own sense of justice. She salutes allies regardless of nationality and is vocally inspired by All Might in battle.She believes heroism should protect all people, not just one country. Fans embraced her as a one-arc character with lasting impact. Her short time in the series inspired cosplay, fan videos, and discussions about how else she might have used New Order.Her legacy lies in her power and her choice to sacrifice everything. Even villains acknowledge the danger she posed, marking her as a key moment in My Hero Academia’s final act.ConclusionStar and Stripe’s journey from a hopeful American girl to a world-saving soldier expands My Hero Academia’s global scale. Her brief appearance delivers a mix of heroism, tragedy, and global stakes. What sets her apart isn’t just the Quirk that rewrites reality, but her decision to use it for others, even at the cost of her life.Related links:9 strongest characters in My Hero AcademiaWhat is My Hero Academia about?9 strongest villains in My Hero AcademiaIs My Hero Academia manga over?