Spy X Family Spoilers - Tumblr Posts
Love Anya's determined face on the last page of the recent chapter - she rarely shows such conviction and seriousness (usually she has one of her goofy faces, or her default unsure/curious face) so we know she's about to do something drastic. I'm a little afraid, but also excited. I wonder if Billy's story was one of the saddest things she's ever read from someone's mind. As much of a mischief maker she can be, she's shown that she has outpouring empathy for others when it matters. Just hope that doesn't get her in trouble this time!
I'm also surprised we got a new chapter today. I was expecting there to be a holiday break, or maybe just a Short Mission. But no, we got Endo delivering corpses and corrupt politics for Christmas 🙃 (not that I mind, if it means getting closer to concluding this suspenseful arc!)
Also I miss Twilight and Yor - this has got to be the longest stretch of chapters without either of them appearing. I can't rest until I know their reactions to all this! 😭
Nice to finally see Yor again in the new chapter even though she didn't do much. I'm really curious if she decided to continue waiting at home after talking to Sharon or if she decided to go looking for Anya? Maybe contact Loid?
Once again, Anya saves the day in her most Anya-way! Not only is she taking after papa by proclaiming his goal of making a world where children don't have to cry, but we know that despite her bravery, she won't be getting any public recognition about it...just like a spy. At least everyone on the bus knows what she did (with mixed feelings of her being super brave and super dumb at the same time). I do hope Henderson or someone else tells Loid and Yor the truth.
And even though Anya was the main MVP, Martha was definitely MVP #2!
And let's not forget Henderson attempting to shield Anya from a possible gunshot - most elegant.
Also Endo making this extra illustration of Anya for additional feels.
Even though the main conflict was resolved, the aftermath will be heavy...
-I believe the final panel is a news broadcast, so now the public knows what happened. And even if there wasn't a broadcast, the kids will definitely tell their parents what happened. What will happen to Eden's reputation, not only due to their buses being hijacked, but that they initially lied to the parents about it?
-How many of the kids will get stella stars for this? Anya, Damian, and Becky should get at least two in my opinion
-Curious if Yuri's injury will have any kind of impact. Lowkey hoping for a funny antics chapter where he has to stay with the Forgers for a while to recover
-Like last chapter, I'm still dying to see the Forger Family reunion. The broadcast specifically mentioned Red Circus, so how will Yor feel knowing her previous targets are the ones who almost killed Anya? And how will Twilight feel when he finds out that WISE didn't tell him about all this immediately? The arc is not over yet!
Chapter 75...
I was so looking forward to a tearful reunion between Yor and Anya (since they're my favorite relationship in the series besides Twiyor) and I was not disappointed! ❤ It actually played out exactly as I thought, with Anya finally realizing the weight of what just happened and breaking down into tears before running to Yor (this is also the first time she initiated a hug from Yor instead of the other way around). Guess I got another favorite manga panel now 😭
I had to do a double take when the chapter started with the kids receiving stellas...I was like "are we really gonna skip what happened right after the previous chapter?!" But thankfully we get a flashback that fills in the gaps. I know many of us, including myself, predicted that the kids would get stellas (I personally thought they'd get more, especially Anya, but oh well).
Probably something no one saw coming was the fact that Twilight ended up being at the incident site. I know some people were confused/upset about this, but my interpretation is that he only showed up later, after everything was resolved, and he was not there when the terrorists were actually threatening the kids (I could be proven wrong later of course, but that's what I think as of now). We're told that he "raced" over, so he must have gotten the news from a source besides WISE. It could have been the television broadcast, or an informant like Franky. Plus, knowing Twilight, he probably has means of getting around faster than someone would expect, but he still needed a reasonable amount of time, hence why I don't think he could have been there any sooner than when the incident was wrapping up.
I know people were also disappointed that he reacted as calmly as he did, considering how much danger Anya was in. But I think he's simply still not ready for that level of emotion yet, especially in front of a WISE colleague. Maybe if Yor wasn't already there to comfort Anya, or if he saw exactly what happened on the bus, he would have broken down more. I feel like Twilight having a real emotional outburst (for Anya and/or Yor) would be when the series is heading towards a conclusion, and we're just not there yet. So for now, he's still continuing to spy from the shadows, but I have a feeling we'll get more of his thoughts on the whole matter later.
Another thing I predicted was that this incident would bring Anya and Damian closer - he even gave her compliments and called her a "friend!" Of course he goes all tsundere right after, but it's definitely a big step in their relationship.
And probably the biggest shock was finding out how unhinged Melinda is. At first I was like, "oh, how nice, she's actually a caring mom," but then when she switched...😳
Maybe the trigger for whatever contradictory thoughts she has going on is linked to her husband, since she changed her demeanor as soon as Damian brought him up.
There could still be another chapter or two related to this arc since there are still things yet to be resolved. For example, did Yor realize that she was lied to by Eden about what happened, and also, how does she feel about the perpetrators being Red Circus? And there's still a chance we'll get further reactions from Twilight (again, he's slow with his emotional constipation). We could get a scene of him musing about what happened, and then the impact of how serious it was finally hits him. And then there's Yuri...will he simply recover from his wound off-panel or will he have to spend time recuperating (with the Forgers)? And now we have this whole new development with Melinda. Still so much to look forward to!
The family's finally back together in the new chapter~
We also finally get insight into Twilight's real thoughts about what happened this arc. As usual, even though he refuses to show it outwardly, he's wholly empathetic to what Anya went through.
And the Forgers have a car now? I always wondered if they did since they've been shown with a car in a few extra illustrations. But it seems like Twilight got this car specifically to drive Anya to school after the hijacking incident (also Anya totally roasting him about it, haha).
Anya acting more like her dad everyday!
On that note, I'm curious if the friendship scheme rivalry between Anya and Yor will lead to anything. Like, maybe it will lead to Anya inadvertently saying or doing something that hurts Yor's feelings and it will ultimately bring them closer together. At this point, it's anyone's guess which friendship will win in the end! (or both, or neither!)
Nice to see that Becky's still a Yor fan! I hope the two of them get to interact again soon.
And Henderson is a Loid fan now, haha.
Anya being cocky always cracks me up, lol. Love her extended horns in that bottom panel!
The majority of this chapter, and the whole arc overall, was focused on strengthening Damianya, and there was definitely progress! Even though she's still not sure what a "normal" family should be like, Anya shows empathy to Damian's situation with his mom (she seems more bothered by that than anything else she went through during the hijacking).
And even though Damian keeps jumping back and forth between being nice and hurling insults (can't really blame him considering what his parents are like), I'd say he's changed for the better.
It seems like the arc that started with chapter 69 has finally come to an end. This chapter did tie up some lose ends, like the fact that Eden and the SSS had a briefing with the parents to (try to) smooth everything over. But I have a feeling the events that happened in this arc will still affect things later on. For example, is Yuri's injury and concern for Anya going to be brought up again? A side-story in the next chapter maybe? Another thing I wonder about is whether we'll see Red Circus again, particularly if they become Yor's targets again (will she feel guilty that she wasn't able to wipe them out the first time, and thus prevent the bus hijacking?)
And of course, we will definitely see Melinda again and I can't wait! She's probably the most intriguing thing to come out of this arc. There's lots of speculation that her friendship with Yor will eventually lead to her overcoming the inner demons she has. Whatever happens with her, I'm looking forward to seeing it unfold!
Not a whole lot to say about today's new chapter, but I did like this line from Loid.
Seems like he's gotten so comfortable with his "fake" marriage that he views it more favorably than an authentic marriage, lol.
Actually, he did talk quite a lot about his relationship with Yor (even if he's trying to be phony...and even though he misreads Yor all the time!)
I also couldn't help but think, when Austin mentions how he feels worthless, that Loid recalls all the times Yor has told him that she has similar insecurities about herself.
I'm not sure if all this will lead to anything in future chapters, but there's always a chance. Regardless, it was interesting to see Loid performing in his fake profession. Not a bad job for him to have later in life when he retires from spy duty~
A chronological analysis on Twilight and Yor - Part 12
*This is part of an ongoing post series. If you missed the Introduction/Part 1, click here*
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The result of Anya's comment about Yor being bad at cooking, and Twilight's fib about being stuck on the toilet, culminates in the episode where Yor takes cooking lessons from Camilla. We've seen that Yor does occasionally cook, even though it results in mutual awkwardness for the three of them – Twilight and Anya have since stopped bringing it up so as not to hurt her feelings, but Yor is aware of their distaste nonetheless.
This episode also reveals how the Forgers have started living like an actual family. We've seen previous examples where Yor does the grocery shopping for all of them, and in this case, they always eat dinner together even if their schedules don't align. Even though they need to act like a happy family out in public, what they do inside the house shouldn't matter, like eat their meals when it's most convenient for each of them. But likely their eating arrangement grew out of overall convenience, since Anya can't cook and Yor's food is barely edible. But it's interesting to see how Twilight is so insistent that they wait for Yor before they have dinner even though he could just make the dinner anyway and put Yor's portion in the fridge until she gets home.
His expression in the manga during this scene is particularly intense.
But although he shows concern about Yor coming home late, the cuts on her hands, and her disinterest in eating dinner despite all their waiting, he chooses not to pry. It's almost as if Twilight is conflicted about how much to embrace being an actual family – on the one hand, he wants to do a normal family thing like eat dinner together, but at the same time, his spy persona is pulling him away from a normal family thing like asking Yor if anything's wrong…because the latter is something that could possibly bring out unwanted emotions in him.
His reaction to Yor here is the opposite of how he reacted when she came home with her "bullet in the butt" injury. In that case, he panicked that she was upset about something he did, but here, he's much calmer about it and doesn't dwell on it further. Perhaps by now, he's simply more trusting of their relationship. He realizes that she has her own life outside of the Forger family, and anytime she's down about something doesn't necessarily mean he's the cause of it. Plus, considering how he failed to cheer her up with all the things he had planned from their previous date, he may be doubting his ability to properly analyze her moods (something that will be showcased in full on their next date!)
At this point in the series, Yor is still convincing herself that she needs to get better at cooking only because the alternative would be losing her cover up due to a possible divorce. It's unlikely Twilight ever openly complained about her cooking, much less do anything to indicate he'd want a divorce, but the overly self-conscious Yor can't help but see that scenario. As I mentioned before, she still hasn't overcome her need to always feel like she's useful to others, and since her main profession can't help Loid and Anya, she's desperate to be useful in ways that a "normal" wife/mother would be.
During the cooking lesson, Camilla notes something that's been obvious for a while – that Yor looks less blank and robotic than she used to. Interestingly, Yor is quick to associate it with her marriage, as if she knows deep down that the marriage fulfilled more for her than just a cover up, but she's afraid to see that as a fact.
While Twilight won't admit that the marriage fulfilled anything for him besides what's needed for the mission, due to his need to be an "emotionless" spy, Yor is hesitant to admit the same for another reason…her low sense of self-worth. Throughout her life, she was never able to foster desires for herself, only what she needed to do to ensure Yuri's success. So the idea that something has since come along and given her fulfillment indicates that, for possibly the first time, she's desiring something for no other reason other than the fact that she herself wants it. And the fact that she wants something purely for herself and not because it will benefit someone else, is still a foreign idea to her, hence her hesitance to admit it.
When the time finally comes for Anya and Loid to taste Yor's stew, we're treated to several very "softly emphasized" scenes – while Anya happily eats, Loid looks at her with one of his most fatherly expressions yet, Yor is brought to tears upon seeing how much they're finally enjoying her cooking, and the three of them exchange blissful smiles across the table (while Bond watches).
It's at this moment that Yor is finally starting to comprehend how she feels being in the Forger family – while she may have thought it was only to conceal her assassin job, she admits that Anya and Loid make her happy…and, probably for the first time in her life, this is a happiness that benefits no one but herself. While she's still a long way from getting over her imposter syndrome and understanding normal social interactions, from this point on in the series, her cover up is no longer the primary reason she thinks of when it comes to being part of the Forgers.
But as is typical of Endo's sometimes devilish sense of humor, rather than ending on a high note, Yor insists that Loid and Anya try the other meal she made…which was anything but a success! Poor thing should have quit while she was ahead.
Continue to Part 13 ->
<- Return to Part 11
that new episode of Spy x Family eh
*MANGA SPOILERS AHEAD*
Twilight thinking ‘geez, authentic marriages sure seem difficult’ like he’s not worked his behind off to stay being married to Yor is kind of rich.
He eats his wife's food, no matter how inedible.
He has learnt to trust his wife, no matter how against his spy nature it may be.
He tries his hardest to make sure his wife never has to shed a tear.
He feels like he needs to clear the air with his 'fake' wife that he's not real-cheating on her because... ? I don't know, but we must give him points for trying to keep his 'pretend' marriage alive.
Aaaand of course, he puts up with Yuri, the weird little dude. Twilight really doesn't have to, but he does. For the mission. Or something.
The thing is, Twilight's 'fake' marriage is in fact no more or less difficult than an 'authentic' marriage, because - it may come as a shock to him - he and Yor are partners and they have to navigate and be sensitive to each others' feelings as any other married couples have to in their relationships.
It just doesn't feel difficult to Twilight. Not because he's Westalis' Best Spy and nothing is too hard for him. No. It's because he's Ostania's Best Husband and it doesn't feel like work if you're in love.
Hopefully her mood will be better in the morning.
The next morning...
Spy x Family's Secret Story
A few days ago, I learned something interesting at school: some stories have secret stories.
Hopefully, I can explain it: a secret story is what is not told explicitly in the narrative, but that the reader can understand by the character's behavior, thoughts or actions.
The most interesting part is that this secret story is, in many cases, what pushes the main story forward.
So, of course, I had to apply this to my sxf brainrot 😏 It took me a while to figure it out, but I think I got it...
Remember this panel?
It's one of the most celebrated panels in the manga. We finally got to see Twilight shirtless 😎 and we've enjoyed countless fanarts of it (thanks to all the wonderful artists 👏) Well, it was precisely this panel and the timing of it what made me realize about Spy x family's secret story.
This is the first time we see Twilight naked, right? This was also the first time he realized he was vulnerable.
Here, Twilight, master of disguise, best spy of Westalis, rips his disguise, admits that he has weaknesses and shows us that he's injured because of this vulnerability.
Think about the symbolism of it; a person is at their most vulnerable when naked and we didn't see him in this state until he had that conversation with Yor. Even though the arc was about catching Wheeler, the secret story of that arc was about weakness. Wheeler himself mentioned it several times and it's not a coincidence that in this arc Twilight shows weakness not once, but three times:
1. By not killing Yuri (and getting shot)
2.By getting hurt during the confrontation with Wheeler and lastly...
3.When he sees Yor again!
It's also not a coincidence that he got physically hurt because he showed weakness. I suspect it won't be the last time this happens. Keep that in mind for the future...
All this is related to that secret story l mentioned at the beginning. I think SxF secret story is precisely that, not weakness, but vulnerability.
That conversation he had with Yor was about that; she was trying to convince him to be vulnerable with her (more on that here). And his thoughts were about that too; he's telling Yor in his mind he lives in a world where he cannot be vulnerable.
And that last line!!
It's exactly what secret stories are about: unsaid things.
The fact that an arc about weakness and vulnerability started and ended with Yor and where Twilight acknowledged his weakness is very significant. Do you see it too? All this happened because of her and I think he knows it too.
Twilight's struggle with vulnerability is what pushes the story forward and ultimately what makes so many of us connect with the characters. Clearly, he's losing the battle with himself and he's trusting and relying on his wife more every day; we see it in his behavior. We all want that to happen too!
Because, what is more human than to become vulnerable because of love?
Twilight really needed to have grown out of his 'I suspect my wife is a spy out to get me' phase yesterday. I mean, he's lived with Yor for months now. He should know better she is not a woman capable of playing 4D chess with him.
*MANGA SPOILERS AHEAD*
I've noted before how Twilight tends to start imagining Yor to be some spy whenever he starts to maybe feel something for her - it is his way of Dealing With It. He knows how to handle enemies. He does not know how to handle a (real) lover. It's just easier.
But it's more than that, isn't it? In the Disastrously Bad Date chapter, and the Melinda chapter, we see Twilight suspecting Yor of what he himself is doing. He thinks briefly she's trying to trick him into a honey trap... after he himself tried the honey trap play on her. He thinks she's scheming to get close to the Desmonds... after he himself tried to scheme his way to get close to Donovan.
In other words, he is projecting. But probably worse... when he thinks Yor untrustworthy because she might be a spy, he is actually thinking himself untrustworthy because he is a spy. When he thinks he might have to cut off Yor to protect his family because she might be a spy, he is actually thinking he must be cut off from the Forgers at some point because he is a spy.
As I've written about elsewhere, Twilight does not know that Anya knows he is lying. He does not know Yor is lying. He only knows he is lying and, from his point of view, using two civilians for his mission.
Yes, Twilight's revulsion at Yor potentially being a spy is self-protection. But it is also, even if a tiny bit, self-disgust.
I completely agree with you and it matches with how I characterize Yor (as well as how I hope Endo had meant to characterize her as well).
That was why even thought I loved her character I found her to be the weakest developed out of the 3 main characters. [I’m not trying to spoil] Initially reading the manga lead me to have higher hopes/expectations for Yor that just barely were revealed/developed since she a had few moments of focus and the rest of was more subtle/in the background. I was really happy when I got to the huge Yor focused arc and it developed her and a lot of other characters wonderfully as well as wonderfully answered a huge question I had about something that I had trouble coming with a satisfying answer for.
I loved that arc so much.
tbh I think Yor is really smart, she just never received a formal education so she *seems* ditzy and probably feels like she’s way out of her depth and that’s just — :(
*MANGA SPOILERS AHEAD*
We all know about 'Twilight Eyes' in the manga - it's when his Spy Mode (TM) kicks in and you can see the wheels in his head turning, trying to calculate the next best move.
Well, there are instances when 'Twilight Eyes' is not 'Twilight Eyes' - they are rare, but they occur every now and then. Like when Twilight saw the Briar siblings supporting each other, and he felt a pang of jealousy. Or when he realized he just thought of Anya as 'family'.
The Twilight Eyes are not Twilight Eyes because that's not Twilight. It is not the spy being envious of familial bonds, it is not the spy who recognizes (deep deeeeep down) that he loves his daughter. It is [redacted], the man who wants to be loved.
How to forget the time in which Anya awakened the Dark Determination:
How to forget the time in which Anya awakened the Dark Determination:
Most satisfying punches I've ever seen:
Most satisfying punches I've ever seen:
oh my god she ate and left no crumbs
The way Loid and Yor are looking at their little precious daughter and their cute new dog is the epitome of adorable Imma tear up 😭😔💔
Doting parents:
'Pretend' family my ass.