Garou & Tareo

Garou & Tareo is the friendship between Garou and Tareo from the One Punch Man fandom.

Canon
Their first meeting was during the Hero Hunt Arc, which was intially, however, for convenience on Garou's side.

Tareo meets Garou after the latter had just beat up three Class-C heroes. Upon seeing the kid with a Hero Association Catalog, Garou asks Tareo for it, but the boy refuses. Garou's interest furthers once he learns that the register contained information about monsters as well. After Garou expresses his hope about getting listed in the book, Tareo mistakenly thinks that Garou wants to be a hero, stating that he himself also wants to be one, but admitting that he is weak. Garou doesn't give him words of comfort, but the opposite, making Tareo to think of him as a rude dude. Garou ends up reading through the catalog to find out Golden Ball and Spring Mustachio's location and later goes for his hero hunting, leaving Tareo, and before doing so he pats his head while telling Tareo not to call him old dude and furtherly telling him to get lost.

In the Monster Raid Arc, Garou would go out to Tareo to find Watchdog Man's whereabouts, and upon learning of his location and some extra data, he mentally underestimates him, confident that he could hunt him down like other heroes, announcing aloud his next target being him, Tareo once again mistakenly thinking that Garou liked heroes enough to go see them in person, even asking him if he could go too, unaware to Garou's true intentions. Suddenly the city announces a disaster level of Demon and that Metal Bat is busy fighting monsters, which stops their conversation and once hearing it, Garou tells the kid to run, Tareo inmediately agreeing to the command while fleeing from the place, as Garou evingly smiles knowing that the mentioned hero was there.

Having been defeated by Saitama (thinking King was the responsible from the attack) plus his prior injuries during his fight with Metal Bat, Garou refuges at a secret hut in a park, unbeknownst to him that it was in fact a "secret base" which Tareo and his friends were using. The kids send Tareo to find the hurt person wandering over the place, but was reluctant at first as he was scared, but then Tareo is bullied into entering the hut to tell the person to leave and as he enters the hut. Garou doesn't recognize him at first, menacingly asking the identity of the "unknown" person, but after giving him a good look, he notices he knew him, Tareo also realizing him being an acquaintance, feeling relieved calling him the "old dude" who likes monsters. Garou reminds him to stop calling him old dude once again, and asks what he wanted. He then explains to Garou that he has to leave the hut, but Garou figures out that Tareo was bullied into it. Garou tells Tareo that if he wants to stand up to his friends, he has to become strong as an advice to earn respect, which Tareo already knew, Garou left in shock and giggling to hide his surprise agreeing with his own advice being "common sense" too. His wounds hurted as he laughed, and Tareo notices in shock he was hurt, and asks about it, but Garou once again tells him to get lost. Garou then senses that he is surrounded and stops Tareo from opening the hut's gate, asking Tareo for the hero catalog. Tareo lends it later to Garou.

Coming up with a plan, Garou leaves the hut telling Tareo beforehand to stay low and once outside, he asks the heroes to not shoot it, however they mistake Garou's statement as a giving in. Meanwhile Tareo gives a peek over the scene, and notices the heroes outside, amused being tough ones. He shudders when Garou gets to the roof, unaware of the identity of the person itself, and Garou lures the heroes to him to prevent them to damage the hut. Tareo wonders in shock why the heroes were attacking [Garou], thinking of him as a normal dude, and also concluding that it must be a mistake. He spectates the scene in fear seeing Death Gatling pointing his machine gun to Garou.

After defeating most of the heroes outside, Garou plans returning to the hut, but is surprised that Death Gatling was still alive, and he takes the opportunity to shoot him, but Garou attempts to stop him saying there being a kid inside the place. Death Gatling turns deaf ear thinking it being a facade from the hero hunter's part, and knowing he gave up on being taken alive, Garou inhales and shouts to watch as "a monster is victorious". Garou couldn't manage to prevent the hut from being destroyed by Death Gatling's "Death Shower", but he did save a part of it (specifically the gate) where Tareo was in, stepping on said place to protect the kid inside the now shot-down shack. He takes the hero down afterwards knowing his most powerful attack didn't work on Garou, instead making him to realize he was also bulletproof. After Garou defeats all of the nearby heroes, Tareo approaches Garou, but is frightened by the Hero Hunter's appearance while the latter sees him alive, and runs off, leaving a badly-injured Garou behind.

Time later Garou would run across Tareo and finds the kid being bullied by other children, and he scares the bullies off. "What a crybaby. That's why they bully you. Poor kid."

- Garou to Tareo after scaring the bullies.

Tareo hasn't learnt from Garou's demand not to call him old dude, and when he is surprised to see him again, Garou corrects him by yelling him being only 18. Annoyed, Garou leaves telling Tareo to go home, as more monsters might be coming out. Tareo apologizes to him for running away earlier, ultimately stating he had understood that the Garou was only protecting him from the other heroes. Garou would shut Tareo off before he could say anything else positive to him, but their conversation is cut short by Saitama, who was chasing after Garou for dining and dashing. Tareo watches as Garou confronts the hero and the Hero Hunter gets knocked out by Saitama. After Garou wakes up, Tareo explains that the "bald hero" ran off. Garou shockedly wonders that he lost, and asks Tareo the kind of hero he was, but Tareo only replies in confusion "Don't you remember? He musta hit you bad!". Suddenly, Bug God and Royal Ripper make an appearance, Garou repeating Tareo to go home, but a scared Tareo recognizes Royal Ripper from the hero catalog as a monster who has killed countless children. The Royal Ripper notices Garou having a small friend, and is willing to kill the kid first along with Bug God, but a threatening Garou steps in telling them to stay back.

Preparing to attack, Garou confronts the two monsters, assuming a stance in front of Tareo, and Garou then proceeds to provoke Royal Ripper to little use, as the latter then demands the former to kill Tareo. Garou then proceeds to tell Tareo umpteenth to go home, but he was unable to do so because of fear. Due to this, Tareo is berated by Garou, who then forces the hero catalog out of his hand, saying that the boy needs to get stronger during times like these, and ultimately demanding him to stand up, calling him by his name for the first time, which command is inmediately fulfilled by the boy and, with Garou's encouragement, runs away after being protected by the guy from Ripper's attack. Unfortunately, Tareo is later captured by Sludge Jellyfish. His back is momentarily neglected upon this occurrence, this opportunity taken up by Ripper to brutally finish him with a slash. After Garou's defeat, Tareo gets taken away by Royal Ripper and the two other monsters.

Having heard about Garou's possible death, Tareo cries while thinking of so. He is later imprisoned with Waganma, whom is currently the rescue target of the heroes. The scene later switches to Garou, standing up alive but mortally wounded, wondering about the kid's whereabouts, and eventually not "minding" about it. However, he begins to move off.

Garou breaks into the facility just in time to save Tareo from Royal Ripper, who was in that time torturing him with his sword. Garou kicks the door off while warning Tareo that next time he's caught again, he's toast. Tareo asks Garou how he was able to find him, and Garou replies that he is a monster. Tareo follows Garou out as he kills monsters they come across. Tareo is horrified and worried for Garou while he eats one of the monsters' arm, saying he'll get a tummy ache, but Garou only says he needed flesh. Garou allows the kid to follow him in exchange for not speaking. However during the run, Tareo expresses his worries over Garou while trying to advice him to rest from his wounds, but Garou reasons him that there was a monster that could locate them, so they couldn't hang out around. Tareo tells Garou that there was another hostage (Waganma) and he needed to save him, but Garou replies back that he's got a wrong idea, and while turning to Tareo to say he didn't come to help him, they run into Overgrown Rover. Both are shocked, and Garou asks Tareo not to look behind and instead slowly walk toward him. Garou steps in front of Tareo as he buys time for Tareo to go first so they don't provoke it. Although they escape, they run into a trio of monsters. Tareo is saved after he's grabbed by Garou from a monster whom suddenly attacks them before turning a corner, and throws him away from Showerhead to attack him."Wow...old dude! You're getting even stronger!"

- Tareo amused by Garou's strength while fighting against the trio of monsters. Garou then engages them in battle and accidentally angers Overgrown Rover during the fight. All three monsters are killed by Rover when fires an energy core from its mouth. Garou grabs Tareo and narrowly outruns it while the remaining two Demon-level monsters are eviscerated in the blast. Once Garou makes it to the surface, he tells Tareo to run while he handles Rover. Rover momentarily turns to the boy who was running away from the scene, but Garou hits it so its attention is focused on its current target: himself. However, the monster is about to release another energy core and Garou feels doomed, while monologuing it being [Tareo]'s fault and expressing his regrets. Afterward, Rover stops pursuing Garou and allows Gyoro-Gyoro to deal with him.

After being released by Puri-Puri Prisoner and about to kill him, Garou fights Superalloy Darkshine when he makes his appearance but is overpowered and knocked back. He regains consciousness from his battle with Monster King Orochi after being punched and challenges Darkshine's, as well as the entire Hero society's, way of thinking. In his moment of confusion, he once again wonders if Tareo has managed to escape or not.

Garou wonders why the more he is beaten, the more he feels like he gets stronger and realises that he is one step closer to become a monster that he himself so wishes while envisioning himself as Despair Incarnate, desiring to make the world become the way he wants it to be, this happens subsequently his fight with Superallow Darkshine. He catches a glimpse over a flashback of Tareo asking him how did he know about the facility, and remembers his reply about the reason of it being because he was a monster. He then seems to begin transforming into a more monstrous state, like a monster, after his own response to Tareo's question.

After being rescued by King and taken to the surface safely with other heroes, Tareo asks King to save "the uncle" but King questions who is "the uncle" that Tareo is talking about wonders if he is a hero. Tareo, however, replies that he doesn't know who "the uncle" really is and just tells King not to bully him if the hero finds him. He wishes Metal Bat and King good luck as they are then flung into the air before crashing outside a batting cage.

Garou, in his monster form, manages to reach the surface and after defeating Platinum Sperm, the emergence of Sage Centipede and Evil Ocean Water terrifies other heroes, all of whom who want to stay away from those two devastating threats as soon as possible. Garou confronts the Centipede and in the meantime, his combo attacks have proven quite effective against Sage Centipede, who has taken damage and is stunned by the Hero Hunter's assault. Garou notices from afar that there is a helicopter and sees that Tareo is inside it spectating the scene while Garou is seemingly smiling a little knowing he managed to escape. He is surprised that the boy managed to escape the Monster Association Headquarters and then taunts Sage Centipede, trying to attract its attention. However; Sage Centipede realizes that the helicopter behind it concerns Garou, and it tells him to not move, otherwise, Evil Ocean Water will shoot down the helicopter with its Great Oceanic Cannon. Garou would later cooperate with Metal Bat to take the monsters down in order to prevent them from attacking the rescue helicopter which Tareo was in.

Sage Centipede continues to pursue the helicopter despite being attacked by the now teamed-up Metal Bat and Garou, which Tareo and the wounded heroes are inside, in an attempt to take the plane hostage. The monster eventually catches the helicopter with its antennas, shattering the rotor and taking the people inside hostages. In the meanwhile, Tareo notices Garou on the surface to his surprise, but the two heroes are attacked by the Centipede's Grand March, and Tareo shouts our for Garou, who was also hit by the assault. Taking the opportunity after One Shotter manages to damage the Centipede along with Gearsper, Garou is allowed to pry open the hold and escape to then pummel Sage Centipede, with Tareo and the other heroes mistaking him for a hero and cheering him on. Metal Bat informs Garou, who is currently holding the helicopter, of a huge net 500 meters away, which the Hero Hunter proceeds to throw it to said safety position, much to Sage Centipede's displease. In the end, Metal Bat entrusts the monster to Garou as he falls unconscious due to his strong injuries.

There's a comparison between Tareo and Garou's pasts when they were bullied on their childhood, this happening while Garou is wondering about Saitama's identity, and responds him his name and his goals of becoming "absolute evil" as well as spreading fear across the world. Saitama is still confused about whether Garou is actually evil, citing that the latter has recued an helicopter (the one in which Tareo was in) from Sage Centipede and has also defeated said monster. Attempting to clear up Saitama's doubts, Garou states that he just wanted the others to spread his influence and to know that he is stronger than any hero and monster, reasoning that "absolutely evil" also means absolute strength, while remembering back then while defending Tareo from Death Gatling, specifically when he told him to watch as a monster is victorious. As he is seemingly losing his consciousness, Garou laments about how he has forgotten the target that should take priority over everything else.

The hero rescue team discusses recent events with Sekingar. Lightning Max questions the defeats of Sage Centipede and Evil Ocean Water, to which Tareo responds that it was "uncle" (what he calls Garou) who has defeated them. The said man appears right where the hero rescue team is after being sent flying by Saitama, Tareo inmediately chasing after Garou while calling him out, the other heroes realizing the man whom Tareo was referring as "uncle" was none other than the Hero Hunter, Garou. However, before Tareo reaches him, Garou begins to transform to an even monstruous form, scaring Tareo and the other heroes who were after the kid and dragging him away from Garou. Despite of the rescue team risking themselves to take Tareo away from the scene, he manages to flee from the rescue boat to swim over the sea to where Garou was. He reaches Garou, and this latter notices him, and once more sees the Hero Hunter appearance in his monstruous form and remembers back then when he ran away after seeing him like that. But knowing it was uncle, he wouldn't repeat the same action, and claims to Garou that he was a hero all along after all, tearing up in joy. Annoyed by Tareo, Garou again tries to explain to him he is not a hero but is denied by the boy, who reminds him being saved four times by Garou himself. Tareo goes on by stating that Garou is the greatest hero in his eyes and tells him to stop pretending to be a monster. Saitama shows up and just like Tareo, he also states that Garou is pretending to be a monster and then talks about his "cosplay", Tareo clinging on the Hero Hunter's leg while the hero slowly walks to them. Garou tells Tareo to watch closely as he will show him how powerless the heroes are. Tareo attempts to stop him from fighting Saitama, stating that he will be acknowledged as a real monster should he hurt more heroes. When he is right in front of Garou, Saitama taunts him to attack him, causing Garou to punch him hard in the head, to Tareo's shock. Unfazed by the punch, Saitama reassures Tareo that he will not get hurt. Garou immediately attempts another attack on Saitama but is thrown away by the hero with a slap. Tareo calls out Garou and is asked by the "Caped Baldy" if he wants him to stop Garou. Tareo responds with a nod to which Saitama then heads towards the Hero Hunter, accessing to his "command".

Saitama faces Garou mistaking the latter's "Absolute Evil" as world peace, which upsets him. Garou asks where'd he get that from, and Saitama replies that he seemed the type of guy who'd encourage a crying kid (clearly referring to Tareo) to get back on his feet and start over again. Saitama even claims that [Tareo] got some guts too, not even trying to run away, and that Garou and the kid should team up. Soon, Garou starts attacking Saitama again annoyed by his past words, with his blows landing and him effectively avoiding the hero's attempts to retaliate. During the fight, Garou's attacks towards Saitama turn out to be counterproducent, as these in fact help dangered civilians, Saitama even pointing this out saying that he has hero instincts.

True to his word towards Tareo, Saitama is seen holding back so he doesn't kill Garou, even if after Garou is seemingly defeated and asking to be killed, the hero wants instead to have a chat between the two only.

Saitama becomes dismayed for having told Tareo that he wouldn't get scratched while Garou finds it funny that Saitama is still thinking about the boy during their battle. Remembering he wanted to show Tareo how powerless heroes truly are, Garou unleashes his Gamma Ray Burst against Saitama. Garou would later awaken a new form after accidentally being influenced by God, with him, now appearing as a void of stars and galaxies, prepares for another round against Saitama while dubbing his new transformation as Awakened Garou: Cosmic Fear Mode. Despite his mutation, he claims to have retained his own self. Apologizing to Tareo, Garou declares it is the time for him to conduct evil.

Later, Blast emerges at the heroes' standoff with Garou, who has been influenced and mutated by "God", reaffirming Bang's suspicions that Garou was unconsciously being controlled by "God". Bang attempts to stop Garou, but Blast warns him to stay back. Upon hearing Bang's words about to kill him first if he was going, Garou monologues about how Absolute Evil didn't need anyone to understand it, because others (Tareo included) would be miserable just being around it. He wouldn't see Tareo anymore either, and that's how it needed to be, for his sake as well.

Realizing all his efforts have been futile in the end, Garou asks why Saitama doesn't kill him on the spot after this latter landed both back to Earth. Saitama relays his belief that he can never be cut out as a hero but nevertheless, he maintains that he is a hero, adding that it was his promise to "that kid" that he would not kill him. Wondering whose final request he meant, Garou turns to see Tareo on the ground, having died from his exposure to his cosmic radiation. With his guilt building up, Garou runs away, Saitama pointing him going to the opposite side from where the kid's corpse was, while Garou grieves that Tareo's death was due to him getting too close to him, and then after tripping and falling on the ground, he sees that it is the price of being that Ominous Future which killed him. He laments that being "Absolute Evil" is laughable when Saitama can beat him. In the end, the one he wanted to save first after changing the world is now dead (Tareo). Saitama realizes that Garou had always wanted to save Tareo, asking him if he was clinging to him as support. Angered by his question, Garou is about to ask back what he knows about clinging, only to see that he is still holding Genos' depleted core, to which he finally understands that Saitama was doing the same as what he did with Tareo. Saitama questions him what was he gonna do now, and Garou has a favor to ask, which is that Saitama has to copy his moves, since he could surpass the techniques even further. Garou sacrifices himself to teach Saitama how to utilize God's power and go back in time to stop him. This also the first time we actually see Garou showing other emotion to Tareo than anger or irration, his grieving shows that deep down he cares for his young friend.

Saitama successfully replicates the technique and proceeds to time travel to the moment Garou appeared in front of many heroes on the surface, and then defeats Garou with a Zero Punch, for then afterwards the "future" Saitama being pulled towards his "past" self and after they make contact, they become one. Suddenly, he is rammed by Genos; the disciple apologizes for getting carried away but Saitama is instead surprised to see him still alive.

The current timeline shows an unconscious Tareo on the ground, to then being waken up by a mysterious voice, and watches a vision of Garou's figure turning into salt as he is smiling at the kid. The shocked kid calls him out in confusion, but before reaching him, he's completely faded away, Tareo thinking of it being a dream.

Before an injured Garou is "executed" by Sweet Mask, Tareo clings to the said hero's leg to stop him from killing Garou. The boy claims everyone being mean towards the real hero who saved him a bunch of times. Tareo asks Garou to run, and because of this, remembers Tareo's words over not "bullying" [Garou], and comes to a realization that Garou was the "uncle" Tareo was referring to all this time along. All of the heroes are against Garou, but King intervenes with his menacingly form and everyone distances from him in fear, while Tareo is seen clinging on Garou. The boy is moved by King's action while protecting Garou, and Saitama ironically expresses that saving people is what "Absolute Evil" is good at. The Caped Baldy further states that everyone has shown him his true self. Garou tells Saitama he will regret letting him go but Saitama replies that he won't. Before vanishing from sight, Garou tells the Caped Baldy that he disgusts him, much to Tareo and everyone's shock.

After Garou's interrogation and leaving the police station, Bang tells Garou he must apologize to the victims of his hero hunt, much to Garou's annoyance, who responds saying the reason he is with Bang is that he may recall his fighting style with the old man's help. During their conversation, Garou asks Bang about "he", and when he remembers who he was talking about, he says he heard Tareo was doing well. Next scene shows Tareo at the playground with some friends, and he's put to assume the monster's role after some rock-paper-scissors. Tareo, smiling, accepts without hesitation, and despite being beaten up, Tareo stands up again claiming himself being "Garou-Man the Hero".

"You thought that I was some kind of monster!? I'm Garou-Man the Hero! No matter how much I get beat, I'll always get back up again!! Come at me all at once, you fake heroes!"

- Tareo mimicking Garou, Chapter 170 (Online).

Switching back to Garou and Bang, the former wishes Tareo to do his best, because he was gonna do the same too.

Webcomic
When Garou openly accepted death, and many of the remaining heroes were urging Saitama to kill Garou, Tareo was the only one who stepped up and defended him. He yelled at Garou to run away and save himself, and the young boy's words of support were enough to bring life back into Garou's eyes and give him a reason to remain alive, causing the teenager to retreat.

Moments

 * Garou getting a kitty for Tareo.
 * Tareo trying to wake Garou up.

Fanon
Garou reflecting himself as a kid in Tareo and also the fact he canonically has a soft spot for children is one of the reasons the friendship is popular inside the fandom. Like Garou, Tareo is a kid who's often bullied by others, yet still worships heroes despite the misery he goes through. Garou had no one stick up for him, which led to him becoming a delinquent raging against heroes and society for his misery, but his intervention meant that Tareo never goes down the same path. Season 2 and the further chapters in the manga (starting from 86) fuels more their relationship now that Garou, even if self-proclaimed as a monster, has done his best to protect the kid from any kind of threats, although "unwillingly" according to him. Garou's redemption arc also helped, since he was able to become back a human, and also knowing he still looks out for Tareo, it's something that is found as sweet.

A popular and accepted headcanon is the one in which, following his steps, Tareo eventually becomes Garou's student, keeping a master-disciple relationship kind just like Garou and Bang's. There's a fan art on Reddit showing a time-skip of the two practicing martial arts, and a grown-up Garou is seen training Tareo with the basic posing. It's one of the most popular media in regards to their friendship in fanon, the artwork inspiring lots of artists to draw the headcanon similarily. Another popular moment drawn in fan arts it's specifically their first meeting, but a bit friendlier in which they share their interest in heroes. Other moment, quite angsty, is Tareo's vision of Garou's salt figure vanishing in the sky, which is a touching scene because of the past Garou's sacrifice in order to revive Tareo, and glad to see him safe in another timeline, his remnants disappearing in the air before Tareo could reach him. Sometimes Garou is drawn as a kid with Tareo, mostly because of the resemblance Garou saw on the kid's life with his childhood.

On AO3, the friendship has 11 works created, despite their interactions being major throughout a whole arc.

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