REVIEW: ‘Spy x Family’ Season 3 Episode 9 – “Anya’s Era Has Come”

Spy x Family Season 3 Episode 9, “Anya’s Era Has Come,” sees everyone recovering from recent events. As life starts to settle down, Anya (Atsumi Tanezaki, Zenless Zone Zero) finds herself overwhelmed with new perspectives and a rapidly inflating ego, as her fellow students look to discover how she could be so brave. 

After all the tension and distress of the previous few episodes, this entry returns to the lighter side of things. After an opening ceremony honoring the students who acted decisively in the bus-jacking incident and them getting Stella Stars, the world slowly begins to return to normal. The last vestiges of tension play out when Spy x Family Season 3 Episode 9 jumps back in time after the ceremony concludes to see how the kids’ day wrapped up once the kidnappers were caught. 

The final moments of the traumatic event truly capture the wonderful core of the series in its entirety. As each child departs with the parents, we are eventually left with only Anya and Damian (Natsumi Fujiwara, Witch Watch) waiting for retrieval. 

Spy x Family Season 3 Episode 9 wraps up the end of an arc in fitting fashion.

As the pair await their parents, a sweet scene plays out as Damian acknowledges what Anya did and apologizes for being mean to her. Anya, lost in her own thoughts, completely spoils the moment by voicing her plans for world peace. Misunderstanding her, Damian takes back everything he said.

This moment balances its heart and humor perfectly. Its delivery of both elements lets them coexist, allowing them to build on each other rather than detract from one another. A similar moment plays out in Spy x Family Season 3 Episode 9 when Yor (Saori Hayami, Delicious in Dungeon) arrives. 

Upon learning of the attack, Yor runs to the scene, literally, panicked that harm may have befallen Anya. Arms flailing as the mom skids to a stop, she rapidly inquires after Anya’s health. It is in this moment, confronted by her mother’s concern, that Anya’s guard crumbles, and the young girl is reduced to a sobbing mess as she throws herself into Yor’s waiting arms. 

The goofy arrival of Yor works because it not only emphasizes her worry and panic but also feels like the element in the scene that breaks the spell holding Anya together. With her over-the-top arrival, everything is done, and Anya can allow herself to fall apart for a moment. 

Anya is thrust into situations where her emotions take over, making for some funny moments.

There is another interesting element in this crucial part of Spy x Family Season 3 Episode 9. As Anya and Yor have their tearful reunion, Damian’s mother arrives to pick him up. While his mother is outwardly relieved to see her son ok, Anya notices a shift in her internal attitude after Damian mentions his father.

Anya hears the woman repeatedly say things like “I hate you,” and “You are my curse,” over and over again. Since she is with Damian, Anya assumes these feelings are directed at him. However, that doesn’t seem likely. 

It’s an intriguing snare that this situation puts Anya in. While she can hear the woman’s thoughts, she has no context for them. As such, she shouldn’t jump to the conclusion that these passionate feelings aren’t aimed at someone else. Like, say, Damian’s father. 

Anya’s inability to extrapolate clues about the woman’s feelings once again highlights that, despite her sometimes skillful use of her abilities, she is still a child. Capable of being caught up in an emotional moment, it is easy for her to get swept away by the energy of a scene. 

With the most tension-filled arc wrapped, what is next for our characters?

Anya’s issues with anchoring herself amongst strong emotions resurface as Spy x Family Season 3 Episode 9‘s final scene plays out. As classes at Eden Hall resume, Damian, Anya, and Becky (Emiri Kato, Granblue Fantasy: Relink) find themselves treated as stars by their fellow students. 

At first, Anya tries to hatch a reasonable plan to use her newfound popularity to help advance her goals with Damian. However, between her rapidly expanding ego and Damian being his usual, contradicting self, Anya soon gets swallowed up in her performance, as she begins spinning lies and trying to make herself out to be bigger than she is. 

The comical crash-and-burn of Anya’s performance ends Spy x Family Season 3 Episode 9 on a truly fun note. With the kids back in class, and Damian and Anya up to their familiar antics, the bow is tied on this terrifying moment, and life goes on unabated. 

Spy x Family Season 3 Episode 9 brings its most tension-fueled arc to a close. It does a great job of transitioning the cast from the nightmare that played out back to life as usual. Each character gets their moment of worry, of healing, and a fair share of comedy as they each find their way forward, thanks to the support of those who love them. 

Spy x Family Season 3 Episode 9 is streaming now on Crunchyroll.

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