| SPOILER WARNING! This article may contain major plot details for the SPY x FAMILY manga. This article may contain unmarked spoilers. Read at your own risk. |
| “ | That's a bomb. Next time you try something funny, I blow your head off. Anyone else try something funny, I blow her head off. Anyone try to escape, I blow her head off. And of course, if anyone tries to take it off, it'll explode. You got that, brats? Your dear classmate's life is in your hands... Any of you screws up, and she's a goner. | ” |
- This article is about the arc titled Red Circus. For information on the organization itself, see Red Circus.
Note that the arc title and following sub-headings are fan-made and used to better organize the story.
The Red Circus Arc is the thirteenth story arc in SPY x FAMILY. In the anime adaptation, the arc is referred as the Busjacking Arc (バスジャック編, Basujakku-hen?).
Eden's first graders go to the museum for a cultural experience, but on the way, two of the buses are hijacked by an extremist group of terrorists called the Red Circus, including the one Anya is on. Now, Anya along with her fellow classmates must figure out how to survive and get out of this life-or-death situation.
Summary[]
The Bus Hijacking[]
At the SSS headquarters, the Boss receives a report regarding the leader of the Red Circus extremist group, Billy Squire, who is rumored to be commanding a faction in Berlint.
Billy gets on an Eden bus
Anya and the rest of Eden Academy's first-years are heading to the Berlint Museum for a field trip. As the bus approaches the museum, two of the four buses, one of which Anya is on, are hijacked by Billy Squire and his crew. Billy immobilizes the dorm tutor unconscious with a taser, and the bus continues moving. Upon noticing that two of their buses have gone off course, Mr. Green gives chase, but Billy shoots at him and crashes his car. Billy then tells the terrified students that their bus has been taken hostage by the Red Circus, telling them to do what they say if they want to live.[2]
The report of the hijacking quickly reaches the police and Eden Academy, and Henry Henderson makes an order to ensure that neither the students nor media catch a word of this. As Anya becomes dizzy from her classmates' overwhelming thoughts of fear, Bill Watkins tells everyone to calm down and that help will come, but quickly quiets down when threatened by Billy. At the same time, WISE hears about the hijacking, and Sylvia decides to get involved and gathers available agents after hearing that Anya and Damian are among the kidnapped as Loid is out on a different mission.
Billy puts a collar bomb on Anya
The students try to figure out where they are going, so Anya, pretending that she desperately needs to use the bathroom, makes the driver think about where the bus is headed: Papier Palace Park. Anya passes this information to Becky, and they devise a rescue plan. Anya and Becky write an SOS and place it in Becky's tin container. Damian notices this and decides to help create a distraction. Meanwhile, Anya and Becky throw the SOS message out the window, which is discovered by passing pedestrians. Billy realizes this and puts a collar on Anya, telling the children that it is a bomb and threatening to detonate it if anyone else tries anything.[1]
At SSS headquarters, the Lieutenant informs his superior of the situation and is later approached by Yuri, who asks about Anya. The Lieutenant orders Yuri to stay behind so as not to risk complicating the situation and is forced to restrain him when he demands to be brought along. At the same time, Becky's father gets word of the SOS message and is stopped by Martha from making any rash actions.
Back on the bus, all the children are terrified of the bomb, including Anya. However, Billy's thoughts reveal that it is a fake, which relaxes Anya once she hears it, baffling her classmates. Damian believes Anys is acting cool to calm everyone and confronts Billy to demand that the bomb be placed on him instead. Much to his dismay, however, Billy also puts another collar on him. Damian fears for his life but is soothed by Anya, who takes his hand and reveals the bomb's secret to him, though he does not believe her. Suddenly, the bus comes to a stop and is surrounded by the police, who have used spike strips to stop it.[3]
Billy uses Damian to threaten the police
The students' joy at their arrival is cut short when Billy threatens to shoot them and orders them to cover up the bus windows with black sheets. Exiting the bus with Damian in tow, Billy makes his demands to the police: release his 17 imprisoned comrades and secure the Red Circus safe passage to Nortica, promising to release five students for every freed comrade. A squad of SSS officers arrives at the scene, and its captain orders to storm the bus. The Police Chief resists, believing that the hostages' safety is the main priority and they should negotiate with the hijackers. The captain decides to comply but notes that most of the imprisoned comrades are already dead anyway. Returning inside the bus, Billy explains to his comrade, Vadim, that they will stall for time until the kids' parents pressure the government to accept their terms.
Sylvia receives intel from the WISE Agent on the whereabouts of the missing second bus and leaks it to the police. When the SSS officers report this information, Yuri overhears and convinces them to release him so he can investigate it. After gathering intel from his informants, Yuri deduces the location of the missing bus. Meanwhile, the SSS captain receives a message from HQ telling his squad to go on standby until the second bus is found, much to his annoyance.
Inside the bus, Billy notices that some of the kids need to go to the bathroom and allows them one at a time to step outside and do their business in the shrubs. Becky's father, Martha, and Henry arrive at the scene, worried for the well-being of his students. At dusk, Billy asks the police for an update on the negotiations. The police commander explains that they are currently in the middle of releasing three prisoners, but in the meantime, they want to give the hostages food and water. Billy allows this, but only if someone from the school delivers it, so Henry volunteers. Upon entering the bus, he expresses his concern about the well-being of the hostages, particularly with the dorm tutor, whom he demands should be taken to a hospital, and takes his place for it to be done. As the children eat the rations, Henry asks if Billy has children, to which the man responds that he had a daughter who was murdered by the state during a Red Circus protest gone violent. Billy looks at two students sleeping, which makes him remember the day his daughter, Biddy, died. Witnessing his memories via her telepathy, Anya is surprised.
Yuri defeats the hijackers of the second bus
Yuri locates the second bus at a warehouse guarded by the hijackers.[4] Joined by a squad of other SSS officers, he raids the warehouse, killing the hijackers and securing the hostages, though Yuri comes out with a wounded shoulder. The SSS captain receives the news of the second bus and is given command of the situation, starting by announcing to the hijackers that their comrades from the other bus are dead and giving them until dawn to surrender, though he intends to storm the bus with a guard regiment at night. At the same time, a frustrated Vadim decides to use their last resort: blowing up the bus with the hostages inside as the strike force rushes in. Upon learning of both plans, Anya decides to confront Billy.[5]
At the Forger home, Yor is concerned about Anya's absence and calls Eden to ask for her. While they tell her that the school trip ran long, Yor is uneasy and calls Sharon, who informs her that her son already came home and was told that the trip got canceled, which worries Yor even more.
Billy sees his daughter in Anya
As Anya approaches Billy, she thinks about mentioning the SSS's plan, but worries it will cause immediate danger. Instead, she asks for more rations, knowing the SSS held back when students received them. Billy is shocked and threatens to detonate her collar bomb, but Anya, knowing it is fake, says she is not afraid, echoing Biddy's speech. Anya parrots her words by reading Billy's mind, causing him to remove Anya's bomb and order her to leave so she cannot affect him. Anya refuses, surprising Billy as he thinks how brave she is. He asks Anya what motivates her, and she repeats Loid's wish to create a world where kids do not need to cry. Moved by memories of Biddy, Billy leaves the bus with the group's guns and bags and surrenders. An enraged Vadim tries to drive away but is blocked by armored police vehicles. Vadim attempts to flee on foot with Anya as a hostage, but Martha quickly immobilizes him with a taser and saves her. The police then arrest the terrorists, and as the hostages are freed, Billy sees for the last time a smiling Anya with Martha waving to her friend.[6]
After the Incident[]
Anya is shocked by Melinda's thoughts
With the arrest of the Red Circus members, the information blackout of the incident is lifted, and the students' guardians are informed and instructed to pick up their children. One by one, the children get picked up by their parents until only Anya and Damian remain. Damian commends Anya for what she did and apologizes for how he treated her before, but she recalls how brave he was during the incident, having a bonding moment between the two children. Yor arrives and asks Anya if she is alright, which Anya confirms before bawling in her mother's arms. While Yor comforts Anya, the WISE Agent and Loid, secretly disguised as SSS regiment soldiers, discuss the outcome of the hijacking. Loid came racing back to Berlint once he heard about the crisis and infiltrated the strike team, so he was exhausted but relieved that everything ended safely. Melinda arrives shortly after and has an emotional reunion with Damian. However, when he mentions Donovan, Anya is shocked to read Melinda's negative thoughts on Damian conflicting with her motherly affection.
Anya gets power over the crowd
Afterward, Anya, Becky, Damian, and Bill are awarded a Stella Star for their courageous efforts during the crisis in a ceremony at Eden.[7] Anya celebrates her new Stella at home, and although Loid and Yor are proud of her, they scold her for her recklessness during the bus hijacking. Loid drives Anya to school and apologizes for not being there to pick her up, although Anya is fine since she knows he was there. Due to their actions, Damian and Becky have become more popular among their classmates, but Anya stands out the most with her two Stellas. No longer looked down on, she is now seen as a hero and starts planning to make many friends to conquer the world. While trying to improve her image further, Anya gets into another argument with Damian that results in her crying, but he apologizes and promises to make it up to her. Emile and Ewen are shocked by Damian's apology, but he claims that properly apologizing makes him stronger. Anya rebukes this, and they resume bickering. Their classmates leave them behind, and they end up arriving late to class.[8]
Cecile Hall's dorm tutor, Thomas Austin, is suffering from nightmares after the hijacking. Following Henry's recommendation, he seeks Loid's psychological help. Thomas believes that his nightmares are being caused by his experience in the hijacking, but Loid, after looking into Thomas's background, reveals to him that the source of his fears and nightmares is actually his wife, with whom Thomas is having severe marital problems. Deciding to help ease his trauma and wanting to gain more connections through him, Loid holds a talk therapy session with Thomas, which proves to be tiresome, making him conclude that authentic marriages are difficult.[9]
Sylvia's Time Off[]
Sylvia reminisces her past
Sylvia is the secretary of the Westalis Embassy in Ostania but also the handler for a corps of WISE agents in Ostania. Despite this reputation, her slovenliness leaks into the office, getting scolded by the WISE Agent for it. Sylvia returns home to walk her dog to the dog park and for her meeting with Agent Twilight. At home, Sylvia reflects on her old life with her daughter and partner in a home that contrasts with the state of her current one, where she has become a slovenly individual.
Sylvia is surprised to see Anya and Bond at the park, where Loid explains they came at Anya's request. After Sylvia gives Loid an extra mission, Anya approaches her, recognizing Aaron as the dog used in Minister Brantz's assassination attempt. Anya proposes a dog competition between Aaron and Bond, and Sylvia agrees, convincing Loid to join by offering to cancel his extra mission. The dogs face off in three challenges: an obstacle course, scent tracking, and frisbee catching. Aaron wins the first round, Bond the second, but both fail the last, ending in a tie. While Anya plays with the dogs, Sylvia quietly informs Loid of rumors that Project Apple may still be active. Though its ties to Donovan are unclear, WISE plans to investigate. As they part ways, Sylvia admits she had fun and promises to play with Anya again. On the way home, she tells Aaron she will clean up their home.[10]
Story Impact[]
- It is revealed that the Red Circus terrorist group that Yor assassinated in Extra Mission 2 had not vanished and there were still active members.
- This marks the first arc in which Anya must resolve the main conflict on her own.
- Anya and Damian earn their second Stella Star, while Becky and Bill earn their first Stella.
- Anya starts to become popular with her classmates.
Characters Introduced[]
Trivia[]
- This marks the first arc where Loid Forger does not get directly involved in the main conflict.
- Damian's attendant, Jeeves, makes his first physical appearance. Becky Blackbell's father also makes his first physical appearance, although he has already been presented in Becky's imagination since the Stella Star Arc.
- Martha's surname and her long-standing acquaintance with Henry Henderson are revealed for the first time.
- The Cecile Hall Dorm Tutor's name and personal history are revealed for the first time.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 SPY x FAMILY Manga: Chapter 70.
- ↑ SPY x FAMILY Manga: Chapter 69.
- ↑ SPY x FAMILY Manga: Chapter 71.
- ↑ SPY x FAMILY Manga: Chapter 72.
- ↑ SPY x FAMILY Manga: Chapter 73.
- ↑ SPY x FAMILY Manga: Chapter 74.
- ↑ SPY x FAMILY Manga: Chapter 75.
- ↑ SPY x FAMILY Manga: Chapter 76.
- ↑ SPY x FAMILY Manga: Chapter 77.
- ↑ SPY x FAMILY Manga: Chapter 78.