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Stop waiting for easy answers to fall into your lap, Rookie. Use that head of yours to find them for yourself.
— Sylvia Sherwood[1]

Sylvia Sherwood (シルヴィア・シャーウッド, Shiruvuia Shāuddo?), also known as Handler (管理官(ハンドラー), Handorā ?) or the "Fullmetal Lady" (鋼鉄の淑女(フルメタル・レディ), Furumetaru Redi?), is a recurring character of the SPY x FAMILY series. She is the commanding officer of WISE within Ostania and Twilight's main contact for Operation Strix.

Appearance

Sylvia is a tall woman with a slim figure and narrow blue eyes. She has wavy strawberry-blonde hair reaching the middle of her back. She is also sometimes seen having pink nail polish.

Though she disguises herself in public, she typically sports a pair of round framed glasses and a black wide-brimmed hat with a dark pink band that has a bow on the side. In her role as Handler, she most frequently wears a fitted black dress with a low-cut square neckline over a white collared shirt and a large black ribbon tied under the collar like a loose bow, as well as square-shaped drop earrings taking the shape of WISE's symbol. The back of her dress is long, reaching below her knees, while the front reaches mid-thigh. She also wears fishnets over black stockings with black high heels.

Sylvia briefly wore garish rings that were gifted to her by Loid and Fiona[3][4] as souvenir after they won the Campbelldon tennis tournament[5].

Sylvia's age is unknown, but is advanced enough to the point that it has become a concern for her in physical combat and that Anya would comment on how old she looks, calling her "Oba-san" (おばさん?) in Japanese[6].

As Secretary Sherwood, she ties her hair in a ponytail and dons rectangular-shaped glasses. She wears a dark coat over a black suit and skirt.

Personality

Little has been revealed about Sylvia's personality. She is similar to Twilight in her commitment, skill, and logical approach to her endeavors. She is extremely dedicated to her given task; preserving peace between Westalis and Ostania by inserting Twilight into Donovan Desmond's inner circle. Like Twilight, she is willing to assist Anya's acquisition of Stella Stars by any means (including deception and espionage). Despite this, her plans for ensuring Operation Strix's success - such as bribing Anya or creating scenarios where Anya can be framed positively - are dubious at best, and her suggestions for Operation Strix can unnecessarily endanger the spies she manage. Dubbed the "Fullmetal Lady" by her agents, Sylvia has a fearsome reputation, as even her best agent, Twilight, would not even address the price tag she unknowingly left on her disguise out of fear and imagined that she would hold him at gunpoint to continue working if he asked for time off.

Sylvia reassuring Anya

Sylvia calming down Anya at the end of the Doggy Crisis

She is deeply compassionate, and has a soft side for animals, she also has a gentle and motherly side, having been a mother herself, Sylvia said that she once had a daughter around Anya's age, but it is unknown how she lost her. She demonstrates these strengths in allowing the Anya to keep Bond after the terrorist bombing incident, and placating the child's concerns about the welfare of the other bomb dogs.

As shown in her speech to the student terrorists, Sylvia has a deep-seated hatred of war. Her fervent disgust for—and knowledge of—the atrocities and horrors of war seem to indicate that she suffered a great deal in the last conflict.

Despite maintaining an immaculate appearance in public, Sylvia's home is a complete mess, though her home was previously well-kept and tidy in the past. This deterioration is reflective of the trauma she endured from the loss of her partner and daughter during the war.

It is also established that her age is a sensitive topic for Sylvia since she once took minor offense to Anya, saying "even at your age" to her.

Sylvia confesses to Fiona about her desire to disguise herself as a nurse

Fiona discovers Sylvia's playful side

Sylvia has surprisingly a childish side that she rarely shows to others. When changing her disguise to avoid the two SSS agents tailing her, she actually admires the new coat she wore.[7] While at a park with her dog, she immediately engages in a bet with Loid to see who has the best dog, wanting to prove her leadership skills are superior. In another instance, after Fiona was hospitalized, she disguised herself as a nurse and paid a visit to her subordinate, mostly because she wanted to wear the nurse's uniform, with Fiona accusing her of playing around. She also teases Fiona about not pushing herself too much, even for Twilight, implying her awareness of Fiona's feelings for her co-worker.

Abilities and Skills

Disguise: Sylvia competently alters her appearance, as she often assumes various façades to shake off SSS pursuers in order to contact agents like Twilight outside the embassy, though she does make occasional mistakes.

Loid imagines Sylvia threatening him

Loid's expectations that his handler will crack down on him for daring to mention about his vacation

Spy Handler: As a handler, Sylvia is the Westalian Intelligence agency's primary liaison with agents in Ostania and is responsible for managing them and their missions. Her primary duties include watching for signs of restlessness in Ostania and deploying her agents to prevent any potential incidents. Despite the strict surveillance from the nation's secret police, Sylvia manages to evade notice while competently handling her agents, earning her the nickname "Fullmetal Lady."

Expert Hand-to-Hand Combatant: Sylvia is skilled in unarmed combat and readily makes use of makeshift weapons as shown with her quick immobilization of Pance Karmer with a belt as he tried to kill Jonas Wellman.

Weaknesses

Age: Although her precise age is unknown, she is visibly disadvantaged by it with bouts of weakness and back and shoulder pain after combat, which secretly concerns her.

Chapter Appearances

[v · e]
Eden Beginnings Arc
Mission 7 Debut
Mission 8 Flashback
Mission 9 Absent
Mission 10 Absent
[v · e]
Secret Police Arc
Mission 11 Appears
Mission 12 Absent
Mission 13 Absent
Mission 14 Absent
[v · e]
Stella Star Arc
Mission 15 Absent
Mission 16 Flashback
Mission 17 Appears
[v · e]
Doggy Crisis Arc
Mission 18 Appears
Mission 19 Appears
Mission 20 Appears
Mission 21 Appears
Mission 22 Appears
Mission 23 Absent
[v · e]
Campbelldon Tennis Arc
Mission 29 Appears
Mission 30 Appears
Mission 31 Absent
Mission 32 Absent
Mission 33 Mentioned
Mission 34 Appears
Mission 35 Absent
[v · e]
Imperial Scholars Mixer Arc
Mission 36 Absent
Mission 37 Absent
Mission 38 Appears
Mission 39 Absent
Mission 40 Flashback
Mission 41 Absent
Mission 42 Absent
[v · e]
Cruise Adventure Arc
Mission 43 Absent
Mission 44 Appears
Mission 45 Flashback
Mission 46 Absent
Mission 47 Absent
Mission 48 Flashback
Mission 49 Absent
Mission 50 Absent
Mission 51 Absent
Mission 52 Absent
Mission 53 Absent
Mission 54 Absent
Mission 55 Absent
Mission 56 Appears
Mission 57 Absent
[v · e]
WISE Arc
Mission 58 Absent
Mission 59 Absent
Mission 60 Appears
Mission 61 Absent
Mission 62 Flashback
Mission 63 Appears
[v · e]
Friendship Schemes Arc
Mission 64 Flashback
Mission 65 Absent
Mission 66 Absent
Mission 67 Absent
Mission 68 Absent
[v · e]
Red Circus Arc
Mission 69 Absent
Mission 70 Appears
Mission 71 Absent
Mission 72 Appears
Mission 73 Absent
Mission 74 Absent
Mission 75 Absent
Mission 76 Absent
Mission 77 Absent
Mission 78 Appears
[v · e]
Mole Hunt Arc
Mission 79 Absent
Mission 80 Absent
Mission 81 Mentioned
Mission 82 Absent
Mission 83 Absent
Mission 84 Mentioned
Mission 85 Absent
Mission 86 Absent
Mission 87 Appears
Mission 88 Absent
Mission 89 Absent
[v · e]
Extra Missions
Extra Mission 1 Absent
Extra Mission 2 Absent
[v · e]
Short Missions
Short Mission 1 Absent
Short Mission 2 Absent
Short Mission 3 Absent
Short Mission 4 Absent
Short Mission 5 Appears
Short Mission 6 Absent
Short Mission 7 Absent
Short Mission 8 Absent
Short Mission 9 Absent
Short Mission 10 Absent
Short Mission 11 Absent

Anime Appearances

[v · e]
Season 1
1. OPERATION STRIX Absent
2. SECURE A WIFE Absent
3. PREPARE FOR THE INTERVIEW Absent
4. THE PRESTIGIOUS SCHOOL'S INTERVIEW Absent
5. WILL THEY PASS OR FAIL? Absent
6. THE FRIENDSHIP SCHEME Debut
7. THE TARGET'S SECOND SON Absent
8. THE COUNTER-SECRET POLICE COVER OPERATION Appears
9. SHOW OFF HOW IN LOVE YOU ARE Absent
10. THE GREAT DODGEBALL PLAN Absent
11. STELLA Appears
12. PENGUIN PARK Absent
13. PROJECT APPLE Appears
14. DISARM THE TIME BOMB Appears
15. A NEW FAMILY MEMBER Appears
16. YOR'S KITCHEN / THE INFORMANT'S GREAT ROMANCE PLAN Absent
17. CARRY OUT THE GRIFFIN PLAN / FULLMETAL LADY / OMELET RICE ♡ Appears
18. UNCLE THE PRIVATE TUTOR / DAYBREAK Absent
19. A REVENGE PLOT AGAINST DESMOND / MAMA BECOMES THE WIND Absent
20. INVESTIGATE THE GENERAL HOSPITAL / DECIPHER THE PERPLEXING CODE Appears
21. NIGHTFALL / FIRST FIT OF JEALOUSY Appears
22. THE UNDERGROUND TENNIS TOURNAMENT: THE CAMPBELLDON Absent
23. THE UNWAVERING PATH Appears
24. THE ROLE OF A MOTHER AND WIFE / SHOPPING WITH FRIENDS Absent
25. FIRST CONTACT Appears
[v · e]
Season 2
26. FOLLOW PAPA AND MAMA Absent
27. BOND'S STRATEGY TO STAY ALIVE / DAMIAN'S FIELD RESEARCH TRIP Flashback
28. MISSION AND FAMILY / THE ELEGANT BONDMAN / THE HEART OF A CHILD / WAKING UP Absent
29. THE PASTRY OF KNOWLEDGE / THE INFORMANT'S GREAT ROMANCE PLAN Ⅱ Absent
30. PLAN TO CROSS THE BORDER Appears
31. THE FEARSOME LUXURY CRUISE SHIP Flashback
32. WHO IS THIS MISSION FOR? Absent
33. THE SYMPHONY UPON THE SHIP / SIS'S HERB TEA Absent
34. THE HAND THAT CONNECTS TO THE FUTURE Absent
35. ENJOY THE RESORT TO THE FULLEST / BRAGGING ABOUT VACATION Appears
36. BERLINT IN LOVE / NIGHTFALL'S DAILY LIFE Appears
37. PART OF THE FAMILY Absent

Etymology

  • The name Sylvia means "wood/woods, forest/from the forest/of the forest" in Latin.
  • Sylvia's surname Sherwood is a habitational name from any of several places called with Old English scīr + wudu 'bright or clear (perhaps sparsely-grown) wood.'

Trivia

  • The German Shepherd that attacked Loid was taken in by WISE[8] and is currently under Sylvia's care.[9]
  • Sylvia has a messy room at home. After work, her appearance becomes slovenly.[2]
  • After Loid and Fiona's joint tennis mission, Sylvia liked the rings they gave her and wore them for several days after.[2]
  • Sylvia is aware of her nickname "Fullmetal Lady," which she appreciates as long as it makes her sound dignified and in charge.[2]
  • Sylvia's has poor eyesight, hence why she wears glasses.[2]
  • Tatsuya Endo describes Sylvia as "the cool big sister type."[10]
  • Endo based Sylvia's design on fashion shows that he watched, like Paris Fashion Week, but mentions that drawing her glasses, hat, and curly hair are a pain.[10]
  • During the original sketches, Sylvia's design had dark and unkempt hair, and appeared to be a smoker. She was originally intended to be Loid's teacher (which is shown later on in chapters 62 and 63), and her code name was "Nighthawk" (夜鷹, Yotaka?).[11]
    • Another design appears to be a bit closer to Sylvia's current one, and she is described as "a motherly manager who can see right through anyone," composed, can be kind and strict, uses pointed language and retorts with wit and biting humor, and the one person the protagonist [Loid] could never defy."[11]
  • Sylvia's chair, featured on the twelfth volume cover, is a Diamond Chair designed by Harry Bertoia.
    • Before this, Sylvia was shown to be sitting on the same chair in Episode 17 of the anime, though it appeared with a cushion.
  • In the anime, Sylvia's name is introduced much sooner than the manga, which revealed it much later after her debut.

Quotes

  • (To Student Terrorists): "Have any of you ever killed anyone before? Have you ever been killed before? Have you ever had a limb torn off by an artillery shell? Have you ever heard the sound of bones shattering? Have you ever smelled the reek of rotting flesh? Have you ever found the crushed bodies of your parents and siblings in a pile of rubble that used to be your home? Have you ever discovered a blown-off piece of your lover stuck to a wall? Have you ever been so hungry you tried to eat tree bark? Have you ever stewed human flesh in a pot? Have you ever convinced yourself your enemy was subhuman so you could slaughter them like animals? Have you ever been so haunted by shame and regret afterward that you cried until you puked? Have you ever had friends who did the same, and took their own lives? Did you learn nothing about war at your university?"[12]
  • (To Loid Forger): "Peace won the day. That's all that really matters."[13]
  • (To Loid, before his cruise trip): "We'll consider it a part of Anya's care and education for Operation Strix. Agent Twilight, I expect you to execute your mission of rest and recreation as thoroughly as you would any other."[14]
  • (About Loid): "Heh. Sometimes I can't tell if that man is highly capable or highly incompetent."[15]
  • (To Loid, while training him): "Don't view everything in terms of black or white. Don't try to make everything fit into your preconceived notions. And don't rationalize! Are those brains of yours purely for show? Well?"[16]
  • (To Aaron, about herself): "I used to keep a much neater house, but... when you've been alone for long enough... stuff like that just doesn't seem to matter anymore."[17]

References

  1. SPY x FAMILY Manga: Chapter 63.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 SPY x FAMILY Official Fanbook: EYES ONLY (p. 70).
  3. SPY x FAMILY Manga and Anime: Chapter 34 (p. 21), and Episode 23.
  4. SPY x FAMILY Anime: Episode 25.
  5. SPY x FAMILY Manga and Anime: Chapter 33 (p. 27), and Episode 23.
  6. SPY x FAMILY Manga: Chapter 78 (p. 22).
  7. SPY x FAMILY Manga and Anime: Short Mission 5 (p. 3), and Episode 17.
  8. SPY x FAMILY Manga and Anime: Chapter 22, and Episode 15.
  9. SPY x FAMILY Official Fanbook: EYES ONLY (p. 48).
  10. 10.0 10.1 SPY x FAMILY Official Fanbook: EYES ONLY (p. 201).
  11. 11.0 11.1 SPY x FAMILY Official Fanbook: EYES ONLY (p. 207).
  12. SPY x FAMILY Manga and Anime: Chapter 20 (pp. 16-17), and Episode 14.
  13. SPY x FAMILY Manga and Anime: Chapter 22 (p. 20), and Episode 15.
  14. SPY x FAMILY Manga and Anime: Chapter 44 (p. 21), and Episode 30.
  15. SPY x FAMILY Manga and Anime: Chapter 56 (p. 20), and Episode 35.
  16. SPY x FAMILY Manga: Chapter 63 (p. 10).
  17. SPY x FAMILY Manga: Chapter 78 (pp. 7-8).


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