SxF 24: Family is a safe space
SpyxFamily is a manga/anime that can be read on different levels. Under the funny, mundane situations shown, we can learn about the war's horror and consequences, the dark side of politics; the gray areas of human nature, and how clumsy we can be when our feelings are involved. Episode 24 excels in building these layers and shows the real meaning behind all these missions and adventures. SpyxFamily is not about romance; action; nor friendship but about the idea that family is, above anything else, a safe space.
Twilight, Yor, and even Anya trying to befriend Desmond share a common goal: to make a the world better place not only for children to grow up in peace; but also for broken adults who need a place to call home; a place where they can be themselves, with their weakness and their imperfections, and their bad habits and good deeds.
Romance is not the main theme of the cute and funny disastrous date, but the fact that Yor finds unbearable just the idea of losing Loid (*coughcough*), but Anya and their home. The fact that she is willing to sacrifice her safety for the sake of Twilight’s happiness, and that what Twlight values of her is not something as the house chores but the safe space that she provides and that validates her as family is WAY more important that the cute and funny romance scene.
This is what family is all about: people who protects, and cares each other. And it is about bonds, not about blood.
This is also family (and love and unsolved sexual tension. It was a nice touch that they brought this scene back)
But what amazed me about this episode was, well linked the safe space idea was linked to Anya’s and Becky’s shopping spree. Once I read it in the manga, I found this mission a little bit boring but here in the anime just fitted perfectly and I was absolutely charmed by it.
Yes, we got a super cute Anya wearing different outfits, but we have the limits of a literal safe space (Becky rents the whole gallery!) blurred by the safe space that Anya builds. There, Becky can be her better self (bossy yet caring; selfish yet open).
And that’s what Desmond sees when the two friends walk to school that day. He has a crush on Anya because well, she is damn cute, but also because she can be herself, with her flaws and weirdness, because she is loved and has a safe space (a family) where she can thrive. And that's something he, a 6-year-old, very sadly lacks.
So yes, surprise, surprise: SpyXFamily is about … family. A safe space for us.
