Episode 24

THE ROLE OF A MOTHER AND WIFE / SHOPPING WITH FRIENDS (MISSION: 24　母役と妻役 / ともだちとかいもの) is the twenty-fourth episode of the SPY x FAMILY TV anime series and the twelfth episode of the second cour.

THE ROLE OF A MOTHER AND WIFE
Yor becomes anxious about their pretend marriage after Fiona shows up. Loid notices this and thinks that Yor had started to develop romantic feelings towards him. For the sake of the mission, he flips on his Twilight mode.

SHOPPPING WITH FRIENDS
Becky takes Anya to the department store so they can buy Anya some cute clothes. She uses her rich girl powers and rents out a whole shop where they start their own little fashion show.

THE ROLE OF A MOTHER AND WIFE
Yor Forger trudges home from work with a dazed expression. The neighbors greet Yor and ask if she is alright, and she mutters that she is being kicked to the curb and is a fool to think that a game of tennis would change anything. The neighbors assume that Loid Forger is cheating on Yor and hope she reports him to the SSS. Loid overhears their gossip and wonders if Yor has become suspicious of Fiona Frost. He realizes this is bad for appearances, and if Yor ever tells Yuri Briar about the recent events concerning Fiona, Loid getting caught by the SSS seems all too possible.

At the Forger apartment, Anya and Bond Forger play with Franky Franklin, who appears to be enjoying himself. Loid sees this and decides to head out but is interrupted by a frisbee to the head. Franky expresses his irritation at having to babysit every time Loid goes out. Loid explains that he has to clear up the misunderstanding about his relationship with Fiona to Yor. Franky tells him to do it at home, but Loid says there are certain things he cannot discuss in front of Anya. Loid decides to pay Franky for his help, and Franky quickly changes his tune, taking Anya and Bond to the park. In the evening, Loid meets up with Yor, who apologizes for being kept late at work, which he brushes off. Loid explains Yor that he thought it would be nice to go out for a drink with his wife and takes her to a bar. Inside, Yor gets a red queen cocktail while Loid has his usual scotch. They then toast to her hard work with Anya and housekeeping. Yor wonders what this is all about, feeling that Loid has something he wants to say to her but quickly concludes that he will be replacing her with Fiona. Loid tries bringing up the incident with Fiona yesterday, and Yor suddenly shouts, believing her thoughts are true. Yor then wonders what she will do if she is no longer a part of the Forger family. She then remembers that she and Loid married out of self-interest, so she does not have the right to pry into his personal life. Assuming that Fiona is someone he legitimately cares for, Yor decides to withdraw from their fake marriage so he can be happy. She tries to inform Loid of her decision but cannot bring herself to say anything. Seeking strength through liquid courage, Yor downs her and Loid's drinks. However, a now-drunk Yor asks Loid if he is in love with Fiona, demanding an answer. Loid tries to explain that he and Fiona have a strictly professional relationship, but Yor does not listen to him and talks about how she is a bad wife and is not pretty like Fiona. She sulks, remembering Loid saying she was pretty and believes he must be bored with her now. Loid realizes that Yor has been jealous and holds romantic feelings for him. Although initially surprised by the revelation, Loid enters "Twilight Mode" in 0.1 seconds and immediately takes advantage of the situation, attempting a honey trap on Yor. Loid clasps her hands, telling her to trust him, and asks if she hates him. Yor is surprised by Loid's sudden advances, and her heart starts racing. Loid tries asking her to be his real wife but gets cut off by an embarrassed Yor kicking him in the chin, and he goes up in the air. Loid gracefully lands on his feet, seemingly unaffected, and the onlookers applaud. However, he starts to wobble and interprets Yor's powerful kick as a rejection, concluding that she did not have romantic feelings for him after all. While Yor frantically apologizes to Loid, he tries to make sense of the situation. Believing he botched the emotional analysis that badly, Loid wonders if being with Yor has thrown him off balance as he loses consciousness.

While asleep, Loid hears a lullaby his mother sang to him when he was young. He wakes up and finds himself resting his head on Yor's lap, who is singing the lullaby. A flustered Loid gets up and asks what happened, and Yor explains they got kicked out of the bar for causing a commotion, so she brought him to a nearby park while Loid was asleep for about five minutes. Loid realizes that he has not been knocked unconscious since his training days and has gotten sloppy. Yor apologizes to Loid, saying all she has is brute strength, and assumes that is why he is ready to move on. Loid confides to Yor about his mother, who always kept him feeling safe around her, even during the war, because she was strong. Loid relates this to how Anya would not be her smiling, energetic self if Yor did not give her that sense of security. Loid then thinks about how the agents of the state have been working hard to rebuild the world with their blood, sweat, and tears, yet Yor managed to accomplish all that on her own, and he tells Yor that she is strong.

Loid assures Yor she is an incredible mother and has no intention to replace her as Anya’s guardian. Yor says she is not an expert, as all she knows is what she learned from looking after Yuri. Loid says she is right: because Yor has been parenting since she was a child, she is second to none. He tells her to have more faith in herself, which is why he hopes she will continue being Anya’s mother and his wife. Yor tears up, and she accepts Loid’s proposal. They decide to head home, and Yor says she will make them some hot tea when they return.

Back home, Anya waits for Loid and Yor to return and notes how late they are, suggesting they are “shacking up together.” Franky asks where she learned that phrase, and she says most of it was from Becky Blackbell. Franky then asks if Anya likes her parents, to which she replies that she loves them. Loid and Yor return shortly after, and Anya and Bond rush to greet them. Anya asks if they were flirting but stops when she sees Loid with a swelled-up chin and an embarrassed Yor behind him. Franky bursts into laughter, and Anya calls Loid a chin monster. Yor laughs to herself as Franky picks up Anya, who tries touching Loid’s chin. While serving everyone tea, Yor thinks about how she was just as surprised as everyone else when she married. As Yuri was the only attachment she ever had, she never imagined finding a place with the Forgers that she was so unwilling to leave behind.

The next day, Yor wakes up and is surprised by Loid’s swelled chin. Loid is shocked that she forgot everything that happened yesterday, and they end up having the same conversation all over again.

SHOPPPING WITH FRIENDS
Damian Desmond, Emile Elman, and Ewen Egeburg look at the school bulletin and see that the Imperial Scholar get-together will start next week. Although the event has nothing to do with the boys, they eagerly discuss how they will eventually become Imperial Scholars. Peering from the corner, Anya watches the group and recaps her goal to become an Imperial Scholar and help Loid with Operation Strix. However, Anya has given up on earning eight Stella Stars, discouraged by her lack of progress in academics and sports. Anya resolves to Plan B: befriending Damian, which is not going any better. While Anya thinks, the boys see Anya staring at them; Damian tells her to stop staring, while Emile tells her to go away.

Anya expresses her frustration, and Becky appears and says the same, albeit for a different reason. Becky says she knows how Anya feels as love is hard to communicate. Anya then thinks about the things she loves: Loid, Yor, peanuts, and cartoons. When Anya connects it to Damian, she bluntly denies it, and Becky assumes she is being bashful. Becky decides to help make Damian fall for Anya. She says boys are easily fooled by outward appearances, so if Anya dresses up all cute, Damian is sure to fall for her. Thus, Becky and Anya go on a shopping trip on the weekend.

Martha Marriott, Becky’s butler, drives the girls to the shopping center, where Anya is excited to be riding around in their fancy car. Becky complains about not seeing Loid when she picked up Anya and how tough of a rival Yor will be after seeing how pretty she is. Hearing this, Martha quietly discourages Becky from homewrecking. Becky compliments Anya’s bag (by working-class standards) and asks what is inside. Anya produces a large wad of cash, shocking Martha. Before leaving, Loid had gifted the spending money to Anya, believing that forging a positive relationship with the Blackbells could have serious benefits. Anya wonders how many peanuts she can buy with the money, but Becky reminds her that they are shopping for clothes.

At the shopping center, the staff from the clothing department line up to welcome Becky. A lady informs Becky that they have prepared a variety of brand-new haute couture fashions for her. Anya is surprised by all this and asks Becky if her father is the “Prince of Darkness.” She then asks how much money Becky brought, who replies that she has never brought money anywhere in her life. Becky tells Anya that the store usually brings stuff to her house, but she was so excited to go shopping with Anya that she reserved the whole store. With that, Becky helps Anya find a look that even Damian cannot resist. Anya tries on various stylish outfits while Becky shares her thoughts. Afterwards, Anya gets exhausted and remarks that fashion is hard. Becky agrees, saying they cannot narrow down their options when they do not even know what Damian likes. Anya points out that she wears her uniform at school every day, so Damian will not be able to see her new clothes. Becky says all the halls throw parties at the end of the term, and students will be allowed to wear street clothes with the teacher’s permission. Becky realizes that if the parties are open to parents, Loid will most likely be there. She shouts that she needs something too and asks a shocked Anya what look Loid prefers. Becky also tries on different outfits, wondering what Loid would like. After finishing, Becky concludes that she does not even know anymore and decides to buy them all, much to Martha’s concern and Anya’s shock.

Becky asks what Anya has decided on, but Anya tells her that she cannot look at clothes anymore, so Becky says they can check out the shoes. The girls check out all the accessories at the store while the boxes Martha carries continue to stack up. They stop at a café to rest and have sweets. Martha, covered by boxes, sternly tells Becky that she has bought too much. Becky remarks that Anya did not get anything; Anya says she does not even know what she wants, reiterating that fashion is hard. Becky looks quietly, then shyly asks if Anya had fun shopping. Anya smiles brightly and tells Becky that she had so much fun, as this is the first time she has gone shopping with a friend, and Becky is touched to be called her friend. Becky decides to find something Anya wants while Martha watches from the side with a smile.

The girls head to a stuffed animal shop, but a sheep keychain catches Anya’s attention. Anya asks what the sheep is, and Becky explains it is a department store’s mascot. Seeing how cute it is, Anya decides to buy one, while Becky remarks on how childish Anya is. Anya says it will be a memento of their shopping trip and proof that they survived. Becky is hesitant to get one, remembering her father saying he does not want her wearing anything less than the finest. Before Becky can think any further, Anya buys one for her. Martha urges her to accept the gesture of friendship, saying her father would say the same. An embarrassed Becky then takes the keychain. She asks Anya why they went shopping, and Anya says she forgot. They brush it off and decide to head home.

Becky and Anya fall asleep on the drive back, and Martha flashes back to Becky’s days before Eden. When Becky was in preschool, she would make fun of the other kids and pick on them, calling them brats. After learning that she would be attending Eden Academy, Becky expressed her distaste, saying the school has ill-bred kids, to her father’s shock. While Martha prepared Becky’s uniform, she told her madam that understanding that you do not have it all figured out is the first step to growing up. Later, after returning from Eden, Becky tells Martha about Anya and how the school might not be so bad after all. Back in the present, Martha looks at the sleeping faces of Becky and Anya and expresses her happiness for Becky. Returning home, Loid is stunned to see the keychain, which cost 300 dalc apiece. Sitting at the side, Bond glares at the keychain.

At the start of school, Becky and Anya greet each other and cheerily talk about their matching keychains. Passing by, Damian and his friends see the girls chatting. The sight of the bright smiles on their faces catches Damian's eye. Ewen asks Damian what is up with him, and he dismisses him in embarrassment.

Anime Notes

 * For the anime, changes were made to the adaptation of Short Mission 2 so that the bar that Franky and Loid visited in that episode is the same one Loid and Yor visit in this episode. In fact, Loid and Yor sit in the two seats that Franky and Loid occupied in Episode 16.
 * The music that plays during Loid's recollection of his mother is a remix of the track As a mother. As a wife. The lullaby Loid's mother sings to him also follows the melody of As a mother. As a wife.
 * When Anya thinks about the things she loves, Bond is not mentioned.