REVIEW: ‘Spy x Family’ Season 3 Episode 2 — “Avoid Getting Tonitrus Bolts/****’s Memories”

Spy x Family Season 3 Episode 2, “Avoid Getting Tonitrus Bolts/****’s Memories,“ sees a new peril delivering tonitrus bolts to all who cross her path. We also get a glimpse into the early days of one of the show’s key characters, which reveals a painful moment that shapes their life. 

In the first of two stories, a quiet day at Eden Hall is disturbed by the return of one of its disciplinary council members. Mistress Schlag’s arrival on campus hits like a thunderclap. She delivers tonitrus bolts to all who fall short of her expectations with harsh indifference and ninja-like dexterity. But there is instantly a sharp contrast between her and the show’s primary representation of Edan Hall’s goals, Henry Henderson.

Spy x Family Season 3 Episode 2 demonstrates Schlag’s cruel motivations.

Henderson is strict, but it is with purpose. He wants to fulfill his role as a teacher and mentor, seeking to craft the children into the best possible versions of themselves. Spy x Family Season 3 Episode 2 makes it perfectly clear that Schlag’s motivations are far crueler. She takes an obvious joy in shattering spirits and inflicting pain. She does not seek to build students up, but to tear them down. And Anya’s (Atsumi Tanezaki, My Dress-Up Darling) class will be no exception.

Anya and friends’ initial run-in with this heartless abuser of rules and regulations delivers some strong moments of comedic panic. As one would expect of young children, most fall short in one way or another. But when Daimion (Natsumi Fujiwara, Visions of Mana) realizes he’s forgotten his handkerchief, Anya must spring into action to further her self-created “Plan B.”

Spy x Family Season 3 Episode 2 delivers a fantastically comical visual presentation.

Anya’s actions are interesting thanks to the dual view the show provides of them. While Damion believes she is helping him out of the goodness of her heart, Anya acts for the sake of world peace. The clashing viewpoints aren’t new for the series, but it’s a fun trick that doesn’t get old. 

The entire front half of Spy x Family Season 3 Episode 2 delivers a fantastically comical visual presentation. From Schlag’s overly performative methods for dispensing bolts to Anya’s iconic smirks, the fun of the opening shines visually.

In contrast to the front half of the episode, the second part of this entry is far more somber. Peering into Loid’s past, we see a critical moment that put him on the path to becoming the super spy known as Twilight. 

Spy x Family Season 3 Episode 2 touches on a lot of powerful themes in a short episode.

A lot is touched on in this story. Powerful themes like prejudice, war, and hope are all explored briefly, but to great effect. The narrative dances from one note to the next, making its point simply and effectively. It is a familiar tune, but one that can always use another superb cover. 

The closing moments deliver a gut-wrenching finale that hits hard. The shock and struggle to process a sudden change in Loid’s world hit powerfully. The mix of impactful visuals and precise audio allows the shock to set in, sucking the audience into the cruel event skilfully. 

Spy x Family Season 3 Episode 2 delivers the comedy it is most known for, as well as a powerful moment that shocks. While some of its opening elements are predictable, the episode showcases that it still has plenty of surprises to pull out, as it explores its world and characters, as well as the events that made them. 

Spy x Family Season 3 Episode 2 is streaming now on Crunchyroll.

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