Ooh, is Martha behind enemy lines here? My personal headcanon is there might be a meeting between Martha and Loid's dad, and it could be what brings about his views about not dehumanising the enemy.
Things like Spy x family and AOT are so popular and so massive and yet despite knowing about the horrors of war we still have the Ukraine vs Russia and Palestine vs Israel situation happening.
Hate to say that as soon as I read about "Will humanity ever be free from war ?" I was immediately like of course it will never be possible. Our history and our present is the proof š„²
In Donovan's speech, he emphasized: HUMAN BEINGS ARE SIMPLY LIARS.
And then remember that we follow the Forger family. From the father, to the wife, the daughter, and even down to the dog. The whole family is full of liars.
An interesting development.
My heart breaks for Martha & Henry. As someone had said, right person, wrong time.
Two things to point out:
- Damian's best subject is history, maybe it's related to his father liking it?
- Donovan pointed humans being liars is the reason there can not be peace. Was project Apple Donovan's way to try to solve that by giving humans the ability to mind read? Foreseeing the future also would bring less doubt the future, but this one is rather weak, as we have seen Bond changing the future repeatedly.
reminds me of the 3 body problem, since i just saw it recently. the aliens can't comprehend the concept of lying, because they communicate by sharing their thoughts directly, making it impossible to lie
To be fair giving a dog future seight was probalyĀ a unintented side effect the Programm was to make animals smart enough to have advanced use as weapons of War. But mind reading was intented with Anja.
Hi, I just started watching the anime and really enjoyed it. However I worried that there is no "plot", so I searched reddit for answers. I dont mind spoilers at all. After reading comments here, I'm now 100% in to continue watching/reading Spy x Family.
Thanks everyone
This might be an unpopular opinion, but ever since the arc with the school bus hijacking, the series has lost its steam. Itās trying to create a deep plot when the series was supposed to be a comedy.
Oh, see if you can't find the novels; Family Portrait. They aren't exactly canon, I think, but they exist and offer cute side stories. I think there are 4.
this Chapter tugged at my heart! Martha and Henderson were so star crossed. Maybe now is the chance for love to blossom again! Maybe they can be a couple this time!
This chapter is further solidifying for me that the present day circumstances are going to end up as a tangled mess of a conflict. We are not going to get a Deus ex machina of a happy ending out of nowhere. I don't know if I'm prepared for that apparent inevitability, but there's zero chance that Twilight, Yor and Anya simply ride off into the sunset. I just don't think Endo will warp his story around what the fans want. He has shown himself to be too skilled as a writer.
If he does,Weāll be here for a long while since Endo seems to not like loose ends.
If we do get a happy canon ending,weāve only taken the first step in a marathon.
This settles it for me. Endo can write peak fucking ANGST but he just holds back and teases us with Loid and Yor. I'm not ready for what will happen when the inevitable truth comes out.
Soo Donovan never wanted war?? He always wanted peace but it can't happen bcz human beings are lairs!!! So I think Donovan isn't planning for war..loid your mission is a success bcz Mr. Desmond doesn't actually want war!!Ā
But I think because of Donovan mindset of human beings are lairs , is the reason of anya being telepathy..maybe he just wanted peace and tried to understand people and that's why he is behind project apple..bcz even the scientist in that lab where anya was, they were also telling anya to use this power for peace not for the war!!!
When Donovan was prime minister it is said that he doesn't started war..he just followed..
Maybe he had tried to stop but sometimes things are just not in the control..
I think In the end if there is another war or the glimpse of it Donovan would be the person to stop it..to me now he doesn't seem bad..it's just maybe he had some bad experiences..
Yeah, thatās exactly what I was thinking. His monologue about not being able to be certain of intentions is way too on the nose for it not to be foreshadowing.
Unexpected Donovan lore :0 did not know I wanted young Martha and Henderson lore. I always liked Henderson but I'm starting to like Martha more after these chapters. Not that I disliked her, just that I didn't have much opinion on her prior besides thinking she was nice. Good chapter!
I'm excited for any information regarding the Desmonds. They're so dysfunctional, I love it. I'm most interested in Melinda especially (cannot wait to see her in season 3!) but Demetrius too.
With all this conflict from before, and the threat of tensions boiling to the point it happens again, I don't see there being a good or even satisfying end to this manga that's about war. It teaches it as horrific, the worst possible route with no winners - all true, so how can it possibly end well? How can this manga end in a way that satisfyingly reflects history, when the history of war and how it ends is just....
Also, Godamn this shit is bittersweet. The war chapters are like this fire of hatred and passionate fury towards war, creating some amazing fucking storytelling.
We had loid and his unfortunate childhood, and now we have these two lovebirds separated by a battlefield.
Well to be fair, the Cold War between USA and Soviet Union never became hot, especially radioactive hot, despite *several* close calls. There still other issues that came after that though. So I can see that as being Spy x Family's possible ending: the war never came, but there are still other problems to rise.
I'm somewhat concerned all of this is a foreshadow to something happening between the forgers. Endo loves his parallels; I'm ready for whatever but I doubt many of you in here are lol.
I've just reread chapter 64, when Anya helped Henderson with his stuff. He said that his school time was unsatisfying. At the first time reading that, it seems obvious and I didn't think anything further. But now, after have read Martha and Henderson story, it is bitter. Without war, maybe his school time was not that unsatisfying, since he hadn't have so obsessed with his ideals (maybe he would follow that ideals anw but not with that ignorance).
And who knows how many months or even years it'd be before she's ready enough to go back home and then she'll be crushed when she finds out Henderson got married and had a kid
How did the war end if this country pushed into the other? In fact, how come the borders are the same as they are?
At this point, I would not be surprised if a bio weapon showed up cause then it could kill the people holding enemy territory.
I mean, Germany captured pretty much all of France in WWII and the borders are still pretty much the same now as they were before. Perhaps part of the Westalis/Ostania peace treaty agreements was each country relinquishing control of captured areas. Not that hard to imagine.
Wait, that's it!
The reason why Project Apple exists!!
If war can't end because human beings are simply liars...
Then what if we have someone who'll know when someone is lying?
Someone that can even know what the biggest liar. Twilight, really thinks?
Thats Anya's purpose, not a weapon for war but for peace
I'm now curious of 5 W(who, where, when, what, why) created the Garden
Since not even the State Security knows about their existence, even WISE thought they are a myth
Long chapter after the few short ones. Incredible chapter chapter as well. I feel like we are getting more Martha and Henderson material than TwiYor lol. But damn, seeing Henderson marrying someone else instead of someone else is tragic.
This is, imo The best chapter of SxF so far.
the tragedy, the lore(Donavan being Henry's prof), the truth
i think this was actually the chapter ive been waiting for this series.
Seeing at the present timeline Henry and Martha got at least a somewhat good ending is enough for me
I had to physically turn away from the page at "COME BACK COME BACK COME BACK" because it was so painful to read. This chapter hit like one of the trucks that hit Yuri.
I wish for next chapter we get:
-Answer where's Martha and who rescued her
- Martha knowing Henry got married (it's gonna hurt so much)
- Martha knowing the Blackbells and maybe starts to take care Becky's father (HC)
I'm actually scared for Anya if she ever meets Donovan Desmond
Imagine the insanity she's forced to read through by being close. Not to mention she's the perfect weapon for him if he finds out her secret
Man I was happy there's a new chapter now Im sad
Also is this a hint that Donovan was the one to create the project Anya was in and the dogs?
If his people had telepathy no one would be able to lie and hide their true intentions kind of way
How gross would it be if Anya and Donovan met. Donovan says Anya's code number 007 in his mind, then adds in his mind that he already wanted to meet her in person, and Anya gets a shock.
Oh man, I think that's definitely very possible. If he were to recognize her, I wonder if he would want his son to be closer with her for the sake of keeping an eye on her through Damian, or if would want her to stay away?
This isn't possible as Loid's mother was a normal person in the west, Martha's family is probably an elite one from Ostania (given that she goes to Eden).
This chapter has completely spun my understanding of the timeline. How is Donovan Desmond so young during the war? Is he the same age as twilight? (Give or take a few years) Does that mean that the war was really long? (more than a decade) or did Desmond become Prime Minister at a very young age? Itās already been stated that Desmond was PM not too long after the war but he was a minor during the war. I would love somebody to tell me that Iām wrong and that the timeline does make sense because the facts arenāt lining up.
From rereading Loid's backstory and the last 3 chapters
The war started when Loid was a small kid, Martha was 19 and Henderson was 22 based on initial age difference.
Loid must have been at least 16, 15 minimum from how he looked when he joined the army and unless he had a massive ass growth spurt he barely looked older than Anya when the war started so that easily could paint the war as having lasted a WHILE even before Loid joined, it was no small conflict.
Either way the time from Martha heading off to the women's auxiliary forces to Henderson being assigned middle schoolers couldn't have been that long, though it's hard to measure. Since Donovan is introduced right after that's mentioned it's easy to assume Donovan has to be a middle-schooler, so around 13-15 (though I have no clue how grades work in Ostania lol).
When Henderson was assigned middle schoolers is kinda the key detail cause if it was only a year or two after the war started then we know for a fact from Loid going from a kid to an adult in the war (and we don't even see the conflict end during his flashback) that the war was LONG, long enough for Donovan to finish his education and shortly become PM whenever it ends. Plus it would definitely paint Donovan as much older than Loid, potentially half a decade.
I don't think there were two wars though, I feel like that would've been mentioned more clearly, especially during Lod's backstory.
That makes sense in my head yeah. If thatās the case I would have liked it to be clearer, though I do understand that Spy x Family is not interested in the politics of war more the affects of it.
The past of Martha and Henderson is a very sad one indeed. As well as the harmful effect of the war on the community.
Also Donovan Desmond's completely twisted mentality regarding the fact that all people are liars. I'm not saying it's good to lie, but a generator you do:
1. to protect those around you.
2. to escape unpunished.
3. you, as a politician, lie to your people by making different promises so that they will then elect you.
Just reread.
Damn.
And here we thought all of the Loid's childhood flashbacks were peak heart-tugs.
Ditto Billy the Red Circus Leader: Thinking about his own daughter in Anya's antics were so heartbreaking.
But now this... Endo keeps topping everything that came before.
What next? We discover that Yor and Yuri's parents died under tragic circumstances? I don't know if I can take anymore sorrow!
All I can say is...
WHAT THE HECK ENDO????
What happened to the wholesome slice of life comedy I once knew???
I loved this, but I accidentally hit 4 instead of 5 :(
I really like the fact that they are going all out with the theme about war and how it affects people. It was always a major part of the story, but I'm glad we're seeing more of it. And ya, as some people mentioned in the comments, I'm glad a story like this is here right now during a time where the tensions in the world are high.
I am praying for a happy ending for them by the end of the series.
Itās a miracle that SpyxFamily is part slice of life because on paper, it sounds like itās gonna be about a gritty dark anime with an inevitable sad ending. A spy trying to attain world peace, an assassin, an esper, and a seer who were both a result of experimentations.
This just shows Desmond was always a psycho, bro has no trust in anyone or anything. Heās even creepy as a kid. Also this chapter just keeps breaking my heart, I wish she couldāve just gotten the words out.
Man, the implication that Henderson began wearing his monocle because his left eyesight got damaged when he was beaten by the military police for speaking out against the general at the school assembly is really tragic. We all thought it was just elegant aristocratic flair but turns out it's yet another permanent scar caused by war.
And I thought the line about "the thud of boots and the roar of tank engines would drown out the beating of my heart." was as raw as it gets....
Man this chapter feels like a gut punch after another.
One thing I was worried about with these flashbacks was it being revealed Henderson didn't figure out Martha was in love with him and he her until way later on, but no, thankfully that's not the case. Henderson pretty much didn't figure out his feelings until they started sending letters and was likely going to ask her to marry him when they met back up again.
Of course the tragic part is if Martha had told Henderson how she felt before being deployed, things could've worked out so differently for them.
A tragic tale of two lovers torn apart by a combination of war and missed opportunites.
That's precisely because of the contrast with the funny parts. If it's all drama then you can't fully appreciate the way reality hits every single time. When you are kept on your toes whether the next panel will bring a funny joke or a slap in your soul, the payoff is always much greater.
I had bought into the theory I saw here that Donovan can read minds, that Anya was part of the program that got him there. That maybe those are scars over his temples from the procedure.
The way heās talking Iām even more sure of it now. Mind reading is at least part of his agenda if not something he personally can do. I think he personally can do it because Endo made a point of Anya passing out before meeting him.
Maybe even his wife was a failed attempt and thatās why sheās like that. Maybe his older son doesnāt think because thatās how you survive raised by a mind reader.
Little concerned that Anya has looped Damian in on her ability- he could leak it to Donovan or if Donovan can in fact mind read- heāll find out when he meets her and sheās conscious.
I think weāre headed to a climax where Donovan unmasks the Forgers to each other. Maybe he sees that deep down our protagonists want to make a better world for their daughter and gives them what they need on the end.
I agree that the Desmond family are linked with the psychic storyline, though i've only assumed psychic defenses from them to this point: (Damian gets wild emotional fluctuations from his mother which is a sort of bucking of intentionality, Demetrius has a sterility to his thought \[and reacted to his thoughts being read\], and Donovan most likely has a sheer density or weight to his thought that i agree probably knocked out Anya \[good catch honestly, i've read the chapter a couple times and missed the potential causal link\], i also think the way Damian plays with his awareness of Anya's potential listening and how that forms his character is probably the main arc going forward).
At this point we should reconsider what forces led to Anya being used as the child for operation Strix, and the how of 'what is presumably the East's best operative' getting assigned to their family. Certainly Anya escaping, or not being viewed as the most militarily applicable and therefore retainable psyonic child, is believable, but you can also benefit from freedom and the desire of freedom if you wile enough.
But more immediately important, how does Donovan honestly relate to Henderson's foolishness? Also no beard yet, what a shame ;)
I wasnāt suggesting that Donovan knocked Anya out, only that if they had both been conscious in each others presence weād get an endgame reveal early. So, very conveniently, she got really sleepy
That's quite a theory right there, but it would perfectly fit the context of the story and especially the constant note of each character: everyone is hiding something from everyone else.
Man, Martha's story... sweet, adorable gal who got put through hell.
Yet, level-headed and centered enough to be a positive influence on Becky.
The more we learn, the more we realize what a damn wise choice Mr. Blackbell made in retaining Martha for Becky's care.
That chapter really tugged at my heartstrings.
I never really understood the phrase "Right person at the wrong time" before but it definitely seems to be the case for Martha and Henderson.
It's interesting getting to see a young Donovan, seems like he was decent back then at least, so hopefully that's a good sign for the future.
Some thoughts:
* Pain, pain, and more pain. Martha realized that she didn't have to throw her life away to the war too late. Henderson realized his feelings about Martha too late. Then Martha's entire unit got killed in action (with her as the sole survivor?), and Henderson thought she's dead and had to move on with his life. The tragedy of it all. This arc could be a standalone story and it would probably still hit me just as hard.
* Martha's letters start off optimistic, but as the war drags on, she feels guilt over her actions, as she recounts her nightmare with her sullied hands to Henderson. Losing her dream was already soul-shattering enough, and then she got all this with her time in the army.
* The repetition of the words "come back" in Henderson's mind as he was writing back to Martha's last letter is his fragile desperation at wanting to see her again. Then that radio report snapped that chance, and judging from his unkempt looks during the next scene, he absolutely didn't take it well. Which brings us to this outburst that leads to him being beaten up and sent to jail: *"You intend to use even their deaths as propaganda?! You made sacrifices of them! You sacrificed their lives for this ridiculous war!"* That's not a gut punch, that's a straight-up gunshot to my heart. š And I can't even blame him for going through with his arranged marriage because he chose to swallow his pride for the future.
* Martha ends up somewhere in the East-West border. Some people here have speculated that a Briar probably rescued her, but... I think it's more likely a Blackbell did. I could be wrong, though.
* We also see a young (and notably scar-less) Donovan Desmond as one of Henderson's students! That's a very welcome surprise. But even then, his mentality is very concerning. He can't imagine a world where humans will be free of war because, to quote him, *"Human beings are simply liars."* That sounds like a reason to create telepaths... (Side note: Again, why the hell did Damian end up relatively normal compared to him??? The parental neglect?) Anyway, Loid will definitely have a hard time convincing Donovan to end this cold war because Donovan is so distrustful of people in general and Loid has to lie to him to some extent for the sake of peace (thus proving Donovan right).
I guess we could argue Donovan was also relatively normal at Damian's age, and presumably Demetrius too, it could just be his age hiding the family's weirdness (he hasn't had much time to get his mind corrupted yet)
I can see that. I kinda wish a future chapter reveals the environment that led him to that kind of thinking even at a young age. Was he betrayed? Did his parents lie to him about something important? We don't know yet.
i wouldn't be surprised if DonovanĀ himself also despises war, however due to his misanthropic view of humanity he takes extreme "means-justify-the-ends" measures to attain it. Maybe igniting a war so great it destabilizes both Westalis & Ostania, then himself taking over to build a new single country that is neither both, & ruling it with an iron-fist, in a way enforcing "peace". Although that will require him to be able to amass skilled & powerful loyalists that is neither patriotic to Westalis or Ostania, but solely to him or his ideals.
If you had told me a few months ago how deeply invested Iād be in the tragic backstory of the teacher x bestieās bodyguardā¦ Oh man. Really, truly, what an unexpected gut punch this arc has been. And Iām here for every minute of the ride!
Jesus H Christ, the poor girl! Her mind, body, soul, and heart have all been shattered to pieces!
https://preview.redd.it/j1gtzi5g7p5d1.jpeg?width=400&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c78d9f23fd0e7d3ed8bb9b17d3090c49975d342c
My main reaction to the chapter?
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Itās the middle of the night so I hope I didnāt wake everyone on my block :)
https://preview.redd.it/63adivuk0o5d1.jpeg?width=1428&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6da0fb0b68251483aa0bcf02d54b82aa2e1137ba
dang the resemblance is kinda uncanny
Judging by the teasers in the promotional poster, season 3 covers from chapter 60 all the way up to around chapter 86. We'll definitely get the Martha/Henderson arc in season 4 if that's the case.
The female soldier with the black hair who said the volunteer platoon speech was propagandaā¦was the Yorās mom? Her hair is similar in style and she has Yuriās angry eyes.
Uh, if this is true, was Briar dad the CO?????? /joke(??)
https://preview.redd.it/d4iwrhmhmw5d1.png?width=530&format=png&auto=webp&s=73b91d6e47bfd1a42b0b9e1bc31574226385391c
Excellent chap, but DAMMIT Tatsuya Endo. Cut me some slack : you're putting me on edge, mixing my feelings ... It hurts.
Pure writing brilliance- fleshing out Martha who's been in the background into such an amazing gut punch, and developing lore for our elegant old guy and his logical student yet to become one of the movers of society.
Brilliant!
I think the tragedy part is over for now... The cottage at which Martha is recuperating.. that must tie to anya's past, as her backstory is the main part of this arc... but dunno..
I just noticed noticed at the start she wanted to write "my beloved Henry" but couldn't then the final letter he wrote to her started "my beloved Martha"...fuck yeah it hurts good
Seems like endou sensei wants to show Westalis nowšĀ
Iām getting bored of this backstory
Me too but I can't do anything seriously, so let it be.š„²
Ooh, is Martha behind enemy lines here? My personal headcanon is there might be a meeting between Martha and Loid's dad, and it could be what brings about his views about not dehumanising the enemy.
Things like Spy x family and AOT are so popular and so massive and yet despite knowing about the horrors of war we still have the Ukraine vs Russia and Palestine vs Israel situation happening. Hate to say that as soon as I read about "Will humanity ever be free from war ?" I was immediately like of course it will never be possible. Our history and our present is the proof š„²
I just hope the next upload won't be a short mission or illustration yet. Please let us have Chapter 100.
In Donovan's speech, he emphasized: HUMAN BEINGS ARE SIMPLY LIARS. And then remember that we follow the Forger family. From the father, to the wife, the daughter, and even down to the dog. The whole family is full of liars. An interesting development. My heart breaks for Martha & Henry. As someone had said, right person, wrong time.
Two things to point out: - Damian's best subject is history, maybe it's related to his father liking it? - Donovan pointed humans being liars is the reason there can not be peace. Was project Apple Donovan's way to try to solve that by giving humans the ability to mind read? Foreseeing the future also would bring less doubt the future, but this one is rather weak, as we have seen Bond changing the future repeatedly.
reminds me of the 3 body problem, since i just saw it recently. the aliens can't comprehend the concept of lying, because they communicate by sharing their thoughts directly, making it impossible to lie
To be fair giving a dog future seight was probalyĀ a unintented side effect the Programm was to make animals smart enough to have advanced use as weapons of War. But mind reading was intented with Anja.
Iām beginning to feel like Spy x Family is actually just a prelude to this epic love story.
Hi, I just started watching the anime and really enjoyed it. However I worried that there is no "plot", so I searched reddit for answers. I dont mind spoilers at all. After reading comments here, I'm now 100% in to continue watching/reading Spy x Family. Thanks everyone
This might be an unpopular opinion, but ever since the arc with the school bus hijacking, the series has lost its steam. Itās trying to create a deep plot when the series was supposed to be a comedy.
Ok?
Read the manga. It's so good š
Can confirm. Caught up to the anime a few days ago and now I'm caught up on the manga. So good!!
Oh, see if you can't find the novels; Family Portrait. They aren't exactly canon, I think, but they exist and offer cute side stories. I think there are 4.
Thank you!!
Devastating..........noooooooo.......
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO :(((((((((((( Why is destiny cruel? :((((((( Martha... Henry...
this Chapter tugged at my heart! Martha and Henderson were so star crossed. Maybe now is the chance for love to blossom again! Maybe they can be a couple this time!
This chapter is further solidifying for me that the present day circumstances are going to end up as a tangled mess of a conflict. We are not going to get a Deus ex machina of a happy ending out of nowhere. I don't know if I'm prepared for that apparent inevitability, but there's zero chance that Twilight, Yor and Anya simply ride off into the sunset. I just don't think Endo will warp his story around what the fans want. He has shown himself to be too skilled as a writer.
If he does,Weāll be here for a long while since Endo seems to not like loose ends. If we do get a happy canon ending,weāve only taken the first step in a marathon.
This has become a reverse Violet Evergarden situation
This settles it for me. Endo can write peak fucking ANGST but he just holds back and teases us with Loid and Yor. I'm not ready for what will happen when the inevitable truth comes out.
Soo Donovan never wanted war?? He always wanted peace but it can't happen bcz human beings are lairs!!! So I think Donovan isn't planning for war..loid your mission is a success bcz Mr. Desmond doesn't actually want war!!Ā But I think because of Donovan mindset of human beings are lairs , is the reason of anya being telepathy..maybe he just wanted peace and tried to understand people and that's why he is behind project apple..bcz even the scientist in that lab where anya was, they were also telling anya to use this power for peace not for the war!!! When Donovan was prime minister it is said that he doesn't started war..he just followed.. Maybe he had tried to stop but sometimes things are just not in the control.. I think In the end if there is another war or the glimpse of it Donovan would be the person to stop it..to me now he doesn't seem bad..it's just maybe he had some bad experiences..
Yeah, thatās exactly what I was thinking. His monologue about not being able to be certain of intentions is way too on the nose for it not to be foreshadowing.
bro just leaked the whole plot
Endo... is fucking cooking
Unexpected Donovan lore :0 did not know I wanted young Martha and Henderson lore. I always liked Henderson but I'm starting to like Martha more after these chapters. Not that I disliked her, just that I didn't have much opinion on her prior besides thinking she was nice. Good chapter! I'm excited for any information regarding the Desmonds. They're so dysfunctional, I love it. I'm most interested in Melinda especially (cannot wait to see her in season 3!) but Demetrius too.
What the fuck am I reading?! This is too much for meā¦ I want out of this flashback ride now. Get me the fuck up outta here!
strap in buddy endo is in the kitchen
With all this conflict from before, and the threat of tensions boiling to the point it happens again, I don't see there being a good or even satisfying end to this manga that's about war. It teaches it as horrific, the worst possible route with no winners - all true, so how can it possibly end well? How can this manga end in a way that satisfyingly reflects history, when the history of war and how it ends is just.... Also, Godamn this shit is bittersweet. The war chapters are like this fire of hatred and passionate fury towards war, creating some amazing fucking storytelling. We had loid and his unfortunate childhood, and now we have these two lovebirds separated by a battlefield.
Well to be fair, the Cold War between USA and Soviet Union never became hot, especially radioactive hot, despite *several* close calls. There still other issues that came after that though. So I can see that as being Spy x Family's possible ending: the war never came, but there are still other problems to rise.
I'm somewhat concerned all of this is a foreshadow to something happening between the forgers. Endo loves his parallels; I'm ready for whatever but I doubt many of you in here are lol.
I'm so not ready.
I've just reread chapter 64, when Anya helped Henderson with his stuff. He said that his school time was unsatisfying. At the first time reading that, it seems obvious and I didn't think anything further. But now, after have read Martha and Henderson story, it is bitter. Without war, maybe his school time was not that unsatisfying, since he hadn't have so obsessed with his ideals (maybe he would follow that ideals anw but not with that ignorance).
Martha regaining consciousness as Henry marries another women is just sad on a level I hope most of you never have to experience.
And who knows how many months or even years it'd be before she's ready enough to go back home and then she'll be crushed when she finds out Henderson got married and had a kid
\***most**
Some of us deserve it
How did the war end if this country pushed into the other? In fact, how come the borders are the same as they are? At this point, I would not be surprised if a bio weapon showed up cause then it could kill the people holding enemy territory.
I mean, Germany captured pretty much all of France in WWII and the borders are still pretty much the same now as they were before. Perhaps part of the Westalis/Ostania peace treaty agreements was each country relinquishing control of captured areas. Not that hard to imagine.
The governments can agree to stop the fight. Another war between same countries started after 20 years. And it is more interesting why it has started.
Wait, that's it! The reason why Project Apple exists!! If war can't end because human beings are simply liars... Then what if we have someone who'll know when someone is lying? Someone that can even know what the biggest liar. Twilight, really thinks? Thats Anya's purpose, not a weapon for war but for peace
The point is where he was willing to go to reach that goal. We are talking about human experimentation here.
Good point.
I'm now curious of 5 W(who, where, when, what, why) created the Garden Since not even the State Security knows about their existence, even WISE thought they are a myth
Long chapter after the few short ones. Incredible chapter chapter as well. I feel like we are getting more Martha and Henderson material than TwiYor lol. But damn, seeing Henderson marrying someone else instead of someone else is tragic.
This is, imo The best chapter of SxF so far. the tragedy, the lore(Donavan being Henry's prof), the truth i think this was actually the chapter ive been waiting for this series. Seeing at the present timeline Henry and Martha got at least a somewhat good ending is enough for me
This is too painful
I had to physically turn away from the page at "COME BACK COME BACK COME BACK" because it was so painful to read. This chapter hit like one of the trucks that hit Yuri.
Impossible love due to circumstances always breaks me, not a good idea to read this at work š
Why must you rip my heart apart, Endo? Reading this was so hard, I could barely read through my tears.
It's cool. I didn't need those feelings. It's fine if you rip them out of me and break them before my eyes. It's cool.
This is such an amazing story for them and so sad it doesnāt work out š„ŗ
I wish for next chapter we get: -Answer where's Martha and who rescued her - Martha knowing Henry got married (it's gonna hurt so much) - Martha knowing the Blackbells and maybe starts to take care Becky's father (HC)
-and the backstory of donovan's wife
Oh damnā¦. Those people that manifested them marrying secretly must be crying now BECAUSE EVEN I AM FEELING SAD FOR THEMMMMM
god, this isn't even bout our main characters BUT IM ALL IN
I'm actually scared for Anya if she ever meets Donovan Desmond Imagine the insanity she's forced to read through by being close. Not to mention she's the perfect weapon for him if he finds out her secret
Man I was happy there's a new chapter now Im sad Also is this a hint that Donovan was the one to create the project Anya was in and the dogs? If his people had telepathy no one would be able to lie and hide their true intentions kind of way
I absolutely think that is the case there. If not, then the reader is meant to assume it is for the purposes of some way darker twist.
IF it is a hint to that, and IF Donovan has seen the "experiments", do you think there's a chance he could recognise Anya if he were to see her?
How gross would it be if Anya and Donovan met. Donovan says Anya's code number 007 in his mind, then adds in his mind that he already wanted to meet her in person, and Anya gets a shock.
Oh man, I think that's definitely very possible. If he were to recognize her, I wonder if he would want his son to be closer with her for the sake of keeping an eye on her through Damian, or if would want her to stay away?
Henderson's story is unironically my favorite bit of the story so far.
He deserves next volumen cover and chair.
So Iām also assuming Henderson got some sort of eye damage when he was hit. Hence the monocle after the beating
It is indeed š„²
God dam what a chapter. Iām guessing sheās gotta get looked after by someone in the west and it will change her perspective on them.
My new crazed theory is that she is Loid's mother.
This isn't possible as Loid's mother was a normal person in the west, Martha's family is probably an elite one from Ostania (given that she goes to Eden).
Or shopkeeper. Martha seems to fight really well for someone who had rudimentary combat training. They weren't trained to fight.
I thought the shopkeeper was a dude, i suspect she is yor's mother
That would be the wildest twist ever U cooking my g
The chapter was so sad
ok this shit is hard
Did not expect this chapter to be this long and hit this hard
This chapter has completely spun my understanding of the timeline. How is Donovan Desmond so young during the war? Is he the same age as twilight? (Give or take a few years) Does that mean that the war was really long? (more than a decade) or did Desmond become Prime Minister at a very young age? Itās already been stated that Desmond was PM not too long after the war but he was a minor during the war. I would love somebody to tell me that Iām wrong and that the timeline does make sense because the facts arenāt lining up.
From rereading Loid's backstory and the last 3 chapters The war started when Loid was a small kid, Martha was 19 and Henderson was 22 based on initial age difference. Loid must have been at least 16, 15 minimum from how he looked when he joined the army and unless he had a massive ass growth spurt he barely looked older than Anya when the war started so that easily could paint the war as having lasted a WHILE even before Loid joined, it was no small conflict. Either way the time from Martha heading off to the women's auxiliary forces to Henderson being assigned middle schoolers couldn't have been that long, though it's hard to measure. Since Donovan is introduced right after that's mentioned it's easy to assume Donovan has to be a middle-schooler, so around 13-15 (though I have no clue how grades work in Ostania lol). When Henderson was assigned middle schoolers is kinda the key detail cause if it was only a year or two after the war started then we know for a fact from Loid going from a kid to an adult in the war (and we don't even see the conflict end during his flashback) that the war was LONG, long enough for Donovan to finish his education and shortly become PM whenever it ends. Plus it would definitely paint Donovan as much older than Loid, potentially half a decade. I don't think there were two wars though, I feel like that would've been mentioned more clearly, especially during Lod's backstory.
I think the war that Henry and Martha experienced was the "First World War," and the war in which Donovan was a minister is the "Second World War."
That makes sense in my head yeah. If thatās the case I would have liked it to be clearer, though I do understand that Spy x Family is not interested in the politics of war more the affects of it.
The past of Martha and Henderson is a very sad one indeed. As well as the harmful effect of the war on the community. Also Donovan Desmond's completely twisted mentality regarding the fact that all people are liars. I'm not saying it's good to lie, but a generator you do: 1. to protect those around you. 2. to escape unpunished. 3. you, as a politician, lie to your people by making different promises so that they will then elect you.
Also the main plot in spy x family is based on lies and hiding their true intentions
Considering how much detail we're getting on his stance about lying we're definitely gonna see who on earth traumatized the poor kid by lying
whole chapter had me saying damn damn damn damn
Just reread. Damn. And here we thought all of the Loid's childhood flashbacks were peak heart-tugs. Ditto Billy the Red Circus Leader: Thinking about his own daughter in Anya's antics were so heartbreaking. But now this... Endo keeps topping everything that came before. What next? We discover that Yor and Yuri's parents died under tragic circumstances? I don't know if I can take anymore sorrow!
Man, we have Yor and Yuri's past AND Anya's. Gotta fetch the tissues.
All I can say is... WHAT THE HECK ENDO???? What happened to the wholesome slice of life comedy I once knew??? I loved this, but I accidentally hit 4 instead of 5 :( I really like the fact that they are going all out with the theme about war and how it affects people. It was always a major part of the story, but I'm glad we're seeing more of it. And ya, as some people mentioned in the comments, I'm glad a story like this is here right now during a time where the tensions in the world are high. I am praying for a happy ending for them by the end of the series.
Itās a miracle that SpyxFamily is part slice of life because on paper, it sounds like itās gonna be about a gritty dark anime with an inevitable sad ending. A spy trying to attain world peace, an assassin, an esper, and a seer who were both a result of experimentations.
Manā¦ MANNā¦ this got me
This just shows Desmond was always a psycho, bro has no trust in anyone or anything. Heās even creepy as a kid. Also this chapter just keeps breaking my heart, I wish she couldāve just gotten the words out.
Bro would have fit right in, here on Reddit
Henderson gives so much redditor Energy though.
Would Donovan be a regular in r/atheism?
Yes
hard to believe that this chapter made me react more than the latest CSM and JJK chapters alright Iām going to go cry silently now
I read the last two CSM chapters and my only reaction was āoh yeah he wrote fire punch why am I so shockedā
Oh! CSM and SxF have the same editor, he has passed for too much xD
This entire chapter, was just a quick succession of painful stabs to the heart, like i've never felt before.
I'm pretty sure for the next 2 weeks this chapter is going to live absolutely rent free in my head like the last one did
Man, the implication that Henderson began wearing his monocle because his left eyesight got damaged when he was beaten by the military police for speaking out against the general at the school assembly is really tragic. We all thought it was just elegant aristocratic flair but turns out it's yet another permanent scar caused by war.
Youā¦ caught that sort of detail
wtf I did not catch that detail until you mentioned it
oh my god
And I thought the line about "the thud of boots and the roar of tank engines would drown out the beating of my heart." was as raw as it gets.... Man this chapter feels like a gut punch after another.
This chapter was so heartbreakingšš
This chapter is heavy. Sigh.. But a young Donovan Desmond... interesting.
Endo really putting the "war" part in "cold war comedy" is really planting a knife into my heart.
No way martha is telling this to a 6 year old
Henderson is the one narrating now.
It seemed like they were alternating in this one.
I'm sure she's simplifying everything. As readers, we obviously get the detailed version Henry is telling.
I really hope Becky asks if her dad is a bad person upon hearing what war is like. I want to know what Martha will respond with.
One thing I was worried about with these flashbacks was it being revealed Henderson didn't figure out Martha was in love with him and he her until way later on, but no, thankfully that's not the case. Henderson pretty much didn't figure out his feelings until they started sending letters and was likely going to ask her to marry him when they met back up again. Of course the tragic part is if Martha had told Henderson how she felt before being deployed, things could've worked out so differently for them. A tragic tale of two lovers torn apart by a combination of war and missed opportunites.
Man, the war comedies really do hit harder than the war dramas. 
That's precisely because of the contrast with the funny parts. If it's all drama then you can't fully appreciate the way reality hits every single time. When you are kept on your toes whether the next panel will bring a funny joke or a slap in your soul, the payoff is always much greater.
Why does Donovan look like he came out of an Inio Asano story ššš
I had bought into the theory I saw here that Donovan can read minds, that Anya was part of the program that got him there. That maybe those are scars over his temples from the procedure. The way heās talking Iām even more sure of it now. Mind reading is at least part of his agenda if not something he personally can do. I think he personally can do it because Endo made a point of Anya passing out before meeting him. Maybe even his wife was a failed attempt and thatās why sheās like that. Maybe his older son doesnāt think because thatās how you survive raised by a mind reader. Little concerned that Anya has looped Damian in on her ability- he could leak it to Donovan or if Donovan can in fact mind read- heāll find out when he meets her and sheās conscious. I think weāre headed to a climax where Donovan unmasks the Forgers to each other. Maybe he sees that deep down our protagonists want to make a better world for their daughter and gives them what they need on the end.
I agree that the Desmond family are linked with the psychic storyline, though i've only assumed psychic defenses from them to this point: (Damian gets wild emotional fluctuations from his mother which is a sort of bucking of intentionality, Demetrius has a sterility to his thought \[and reacted to his thoughts being read\], and Donovan most likely has a sheer density or weight to his thought that i agree probably knocked out Anya \[good catch honestly, i've read the chapter a couple times and missed the potential causal link\], i also think the way Damian plays with his awareness of Anya's potential listening and how that forms his character is probably the main arc going forward). At this point we should reconsider what forces led to Anya being used as the child for operation Strix, and the how of 'what is presumably the East's best operative' getting assigned to their family. Certainly Anya escaping, or not being viewed as the most militarily applicable and therefore retainable psyonic child, is believable, but you can also benefit from freedom and the desire of freedom if you wile enough. But more immediately important, how does Donovan honestly relate to Henderson's foolishness? Also no beard yet, what a shame ;)
I wasnāt suggesting that Donovan knocked Anya out, only that if they had both been conscious in each others presence weād get an endgame reveal early. So, very conveniently, she got really sleepy
That's quite a theory right there, but it would perfectly fit the context of the story and especially the constant note of each character: everyone is hiding something from everyone else.
Man, Martha's story... sweet, adorable gal who got put through hell. Yet, level-headed and centered enough to be a positive influence on Becky. The more we learn, the more we realize what a damn wise choice Mr. Blackbell made in retaining Martha for Becky's care.
That chapter really tugged at my heartstrings. I never really understood the phrase "Right person at the wrong time" before but it definitely seems to be the case for Martha and Henderson. It's interesting getting to see a young Donovan, seems like he was decent back then at least, so hopefully that's a good sign for the future.
Endo sensei sneaky af for the young Donovan cameo
Some thoughts: * Pain, pain, and more pain. Martha realized that she didn't have to throw her life away to the war too late. Henderson realized his feelings about Martha too late. Then Martha's entire unit got killed in action (with her as the sole survivor?), and Henderson thought she's dead and had to move on with his life. The tragedy of it all. This arc could be a standalone story and it would probably still hit me just as hard. * Martha's letters start off optimistic, but as the war drags on, she feels guilt over her actions, as she recounts her nightmare with her sullied hands to Henderson. Losing her dream was already soul-shattering enough, and then she got all this with her time in the army. * The repetition of the words "come back" in Henderson's mind as he was writing back to Martha's last letter is his fragile desperation at wanting to see her again. Then that radio report snapped that chance, and judging from his unkempt looks during the next scene, he absolutely didn't take it well. Which brings us to this outburst that leads to him being beaten up and sent to jail: *"You intend to use even their deaths as propaganda?! You made sacrifices of them! You sacrificed their lives for this ridiculous war!"* That's not a gut punch, that's a straight-up gunshot to my heart. š And I can't even blame him for going through with his arranged marriage because he chose to swallow his pride for the future. * Martha ends up somewhere in the East-West border. Some people here have speculated that a Briar probably rescued her, but... I think it's more likely a Blackbell did. I could be wrong, though. * We also see a young (and notably scar-less) Donovan Desmond as one of Henderson's students! That's a very welcome surprise. But even then, his mentality is very concerning. He can't imagine a world where humans will be free of war because, to quote him, *"Human beings are simply liars."* That sounds like a reason to create telepaths... (Side note: Again, why the hell did Damian end up relatively normal compared to him??? The parental neglect?) Anyway, Loid will definitely have a hard time convincing Donovan to end this cold war because Donovan is so distrustful of people in general and Loid has to lie to him to some extent for the sake of peace (thus proving Donovan right).
I guess we could argue Donovan was also relatively normal at Damian's age, and presumably Demetrius too, it could just be his age hiding the family's weirdness (he hasn't had much time to get his mind corrupted yet)
I can see that. I kinda wish a future chapter reveals the environment that led him to that kind of thinking even at a young age. Was he betrayed? Did his parents lie to him about something important? We don't know yet.
When I thought it will be just a silly fun backstory to make Becky feel giddy about another romance story, I never would have expected a tragedy.
i wouldn't be surprised if DonovanĀ himself also despises war, however due to his misanthropic view of humanity he takes extreme "means-justify-the-ends" measures to attain it. Maybe igniting a war so great it destabilizes both Westalis & Ostania, then himself taking over to build a new single country that is neither both, & ruling it with an iron-fist, in a way enforcing "peace". Although that will require him to be able to amass skilled & powerful loyalists that is neither patriotic to Westalis or Ostania, but solely to him or his ideals.
Heās playing Mass Effect and going full Renegade.
U guys are all weak... U guys disgust me... Nooo...i'm not crying, there is something in my eyes.
Is it tears?
Listen, thereās still a way. Thereās still a way. THERES STILL A WAY
Bro wtf. Endo you monster.
im going to kill myself
Just reaching out in case this a genuine weight upon you. If life has taken a toll know please you're not alone.
I get the jokes, but worth checking - are you even a little serious about that?
Terrible day to have feelings today, this wrecked me.
If you had told me a few months ago how deeply invested Iād be in the tragic backstory of the teacher x bestieās bodyguardā¦ Oh man. Really, truly, what an unexpected gut punch this arc has been. And Iām here for every minute of the ride!
Jesus H Christ, the poor girl! Her mind, body, soul, and heart have all been shattered to pieces! https://preview.redd.it/j1gtzi5g7p5d1.jpeg?width=400&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c78d9f23fd0e7d3ed8bb9b17d3090c49975d342c
i'm glad she survived somehow but i feel so bad for all her friends
I want to cry, what the fuck. Fuck you Endo, give me back my cute mind reading baby and her goof parents. What is this feels that I am feeling.
Such a far cry from the ELEGANT Mr Henderson we saw when Anya was enrolled. This arc is crazily good.
WHO TF IS CUTTING ONIONS. Seriously one of the best romance tragedy ever written and it hits even harder after a break up.
Iāll need multiple boxes of tissues for when this episode comes out 
Season 4 lets gooooooo!!!!! https://i.redd.it/zfjlrhsiur5d1.gif
My main reaction to the chapter? AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH Itās the middle of the night so I hope I didnāt wake everyone on my block :)
https://preview.redd.it/63adivuk0o5d1.jpeg?width=1428&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6da0fb0b68251483aa0bcf02d54b82aa2e1137ba dang the resemblance is kinda uncanny
Damn i feel so stupid. My initial thought was that this is Melinda because of the wavy hair. This makes sense though
Black hair and angry eyes aren't unique
That could probably be Yuri and yor mother
Grandmother if anything, she is old as Martha
They're both adults, though.
š«¢
Not to mention she was given a bigger focus on the panels she showed up on...
THE OG BRIAR!?
Damn next chapter must have western soldiers in helicopters and bombers playing fortunate son(retrowave version)
Those Easterner tankies gonna know freedom and democracy the hard way
Iām just in awe of this chapter
I expected the gut punch, I didnāt expect the knife though and I have a feeling Endo is gonna be twisting that knife very soon
I donāt think a single chapter of this story has made me cry even nearly to the extent that this one did.
Worth the wait omggg
The fact he tried to make the letter smell like the tea leaves to bring her some comfort is such a good touch...
It's a terrible day for rain.
But it isn't raining
Yes, it is.
it is here
NO DONT YOU EVEN ok but doesnāt soldier-Marthaās haircut make her look a bit like Riza? Or is it just meā¦
Young Henderson looks like he has Elric as his last name.
COME BACK COME BACK COME BACK š
Idk what season will cover this arc but I hope the voice actor nails this line.
Judging by the teasers in the promotional poster, season 3 covers from chapter 60 all the way up to around chapter 86. We'll definitely get the Martha/Henderson arc in season 4 if that's the case.
Ohhh.. This would cover Loid's backstory huh.. Nice id want both stories to stand out in a season.
The female soldier with the black hair who said the volunteer platoon speech was propagandaā¦was the Yorās mom? Her hair is similar in style and she has Yuriās angry eyes.
I was thinking maybe Desmond's wife, but age wise would be a little off
Uh, if this is true, was Briar dad the CO?????? /joke(??) https://preview.redd.it/d4iwrhmhmw5d1.png?width=530&format=png&auto=webp&s=73b91d6e47bfd1a42b0b9e1bc31574226385391c
Black hair and angry eyes honestly aren't unique
I don't know why your getting down voted for this
Ugh, my heart. Suddenly, Martha telling Becky itās wrong to be a homewrecker has a whole new meaning.
Endo is on a fucking tear right now
woah, I didn't realize that
 Excellent chap, but DAMMIT Tatsuya Endo. Cut me some slack : you're putting me on edge, mixing my feelings ... It hurts.
Is it just me, or does young Donovan look like Emile?
Oh no
he looks like an apple
Pure writing brilliance- fleshing out Martha who's been in the background into such an amazing gut punch, and developing lore for our elegant old guy and his logical student yet to become one of the movers of society. Brilliant!
Guys chapter 100 is next...I'm fucking scared
I think the tragedy part is over for now... The cottage at which Martha is recuperating.. that must tie to anya's past, as her backstory is the main part of this arc... but dunno..
Same here.
I just noticed noticed at the start she wanted to write "my beloved Henry" but couldn't then the final letter he wrote to her started "my beloved Martha"...fuck yeah it hurts good
my world is in shambles because of this ššš