Spy×Family Season 2

Episode 29

Add “understands cats” to the list of SPY x FAMILY's accomplishments. The back half of this episode, which recounts yet another failed attempt by Franky to catch a lady's interest, features his most down-to-earth scheme yet: he's going to find the missing cat the woman at his favorite café has been upset about. Kopi, who is not a Russian Blue, escaped out the door and kept right on going. Franky's pretty sure he's got it in the bag this time, because how hard could it be to catch a kitty?

Speaking as someone who spent two weeks a few summers ago wooing a lost cat out of the woods, very hard. Of course, I didn't have Franky's gear – not the exoskeleton or the catnip mister or even the surveillance apparatuses, so maybe that's why it took so long. Still, Franky's tech is nothing in the face of sheer feline obstinance and a cat who knows perfectly well what's going on and has zero intentions of cooperating. It's peak cat behavior, especially when said cat doesn't know you. This episode does it well, right down to the shit-eating expression on his little feline face when he's slowly walking away from Franky while keeping just out of reach.

Sadly for Kopi, he figured without Yor. You may have already noticed that in these four episodes alone we've seen more of Yor than in the entire previous season, and next week that's going to become even more true as we delve into her first mostly-solo story arc. Her adventure helping Franky this week is a good lead-up to it because it showcases the two sides of Yor beautifully. Her sweet side is on full display when she offers to help out, and her hapless spinning around covered in cats is a solid demonstration of the Yor Loid and Yuri know: nice, well-meaning, and a little clumsy. But when Yor realizes that Kopi is running towards the busy street and Franky isn't likely to be able to catch him before he reaches it, her assassin side comes out. No, she doesn't kill the kitty, but she's able to showcase her strength, agility, and ability to solve problems in the most violent way possible. Her gentleness when handling Kopi (and the other cats) juxtaposes with her ruthless side, and that's something you're going to want to remember.

If this week's episode has a theme, it's that expectations rarely pan out. Before Franky's ill-fated attempt to win the heart of the maiden fair, Anya and Becky go up against Damian and his cronies to secure pastry that's rumored to make you smarter. Damian takes on a sort of reverse Yor role in this section: he wants to think that he's a badass who will do anything to get the goods, but when he comes up against Anya's sobbing face, he just melts. Anya seems to represent the first time Damian has wanted to impress someone besides his father, and even he doesn't entirely understand it. Even as Anya is afraid that he's figured out her psychic secret Damian is just really invested in Anya rather than the macaron that's on the line. When he refuses her offer of half of it, it's not because he doesn't think he needs it to become an imperial scholar, it's because he can't understand his motivations where she's concerned. With each passing interaction, it becomes more and more obvious that he's inspired by Boys Over Flowers' Domyoji, and that just adds to the fun.

This should mark the last of this style of episode for a while. That assumes that the upcoming arc gets a faithful adaptation because it is a long one in the manga, and that shouldn't preclude more silly moments, like Becky and Anya playing two different games with their sheep mascots. This season is Yor's turn to shine, and this episode did a nice job of laying the groundwork for that.

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Spy×Family is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.