Spy x Family has become one of the most beloved manga and anime of the decade through its perfect blend of action, comedy, and found family warmth. At its heart lies Operation Strix: Twilight’s mission to infiltrate Eden Academy through his fake daughter to approach Donovan Desmond and prevent war between Ostania and Westalis. But as the Forger family becomes increasingly real, a question emerges: will Twilight complete his mission? And more importantly—what happens to this family when the operation ends?
⚠️ MANGA SPOILER WARNING: Spoilers for current manga chapters, including Imperial Scholars developments and Loid’s backstory.
Where We Are Now
Operation Strix has progressed slowly but meaningfully. The current status:
Anya’s academic progress:
- Has earned multiple Stella stars
- Continues struggling academically but succeeding through effort (and telepathy)
- Has become close friends with Becky Blackbell
- Made contact with Damian Desmond, the target’s son
The Desmond connection:
- Damian and Anya have a complicated relationship (he has a crush but won’t admit it)
- Loid has had minimal direct access to Donovan Desmond
- The few interactions with Donovan reveal a cold, calculating man
- Recent chapters have developed Donovan’s mysterious psychology
Family dynamics:
- The Forger family has become genuinely close despite their secrets
- Anya knows everyone’s secrets (telepathy) but keeps them
- Yor’s assassin work continues alongside her family role
- Bond the precog dog adds another layer of family chaos
Broader plot:
- WISE (Western intelligence) continues anti-war operations
- The SSS (Secret Police) remains a constant threat
- Yor’s Garden work occasionally intersects with family life
- Political tension between Ostania and Westalis simmers
The Central Tension
The Mission vs. The Family
Operation Strix was never supposed to create a real family. Twilight needed a wife and child as cover—nothing more. But:
Anya genuinely loves both parents. She chose to be part of this family, knowing the truth. Her greatest fear is the family dissolving when the mission ends.
Loid cares more than he admits. His actions consistently prioritize family safety over mission efficiency. His childhood trauma (losing family to war) makes him unconsciously recreate what he lost.
Yor has found purpose. Her assassin work felt meaningless until she had people to protect. The family gives her life stakes beyond survival.
The tragedy is that completing the mission means the cover story ends—but the feelings are real.
What Does “Completing the Mission” Mean?
Operation Strix’s goal is to approach Donovan Desmond, assess his war intentions, and (implicitly) prevent conflict. But this is vague:
- Does Loid need to befriend Donovan? Spy on him? Assassinate him?
- What if Donovan isn’t actually planning war?
- Could the mission be “completed” without the family separating?
The mission’s ambiguity is deliberate—it lets the story explore its themes without a hard deadline.
Top Theories for Spy x Family’s Direction
Theory 1: The Mission Succeeds, But The Family Chooses to Stay Together
The most hopeful theory: Twilight completes Operation Strix, preventing war—and then the Forger family decides they want to remain a real family anyway.
Evidence:
- Spy x Family’s tone is fundamentally optimistic
- The series emphasizes “found family” themes
- Multiple characters have already chosen family over duty
- The comedy structure suggests a happy resolution
How it happens: The climax involves Loid’s cover being blown—perhaps to Yor, or to authorities, or to Donovan himself. In that moment, everyone chooses to protect each other. The “mission” was always secondary to the family they built. Post-mission, they live as a real (if unconventional) family—perhaps in hiding, perhaps with pardons, but together.
Theory 2: Yor’s Identity Is Discovered First
Rather than Loid’s spy work being exposed, Yor’s assassin identity becomes the crisis point.
Evidence:
- Yor’s Garden work is increasingly dangerous
- The SSS is suspicious of the Forgers
- Yor’s combat scenes have escalated in stakes
- Her identity being exposed creates maximum dramatic irony (everyone has secrets)
How it happens: An assassination mission goes wrong, exposing Yor. Loid must choose: maintain his cover and abandon his “wife,” or blow his own cover to save her. Anya’s telepathy becomes crucial in coordinating their escape. The resolution requires both Loid and Yor to reveal themselves—to each other and possibly to authorities—cementing that their family is worth more than their individual missions.
Theory 3: Anya’s Powers Are Discovered
Anya’s telepathy is a state secret; she escaped from a research facility. Her discovery could end the series dramatically.
Evidence:
- Anya’s telepathy has gotten her into multiple close calls
- The experiments that created her powers are unresolved plot threads
- Her abilities are known to be government-related
- Protecting Anya could unite Loid and Yor
How it happens: The organization that created Anya tracks her down. Loid and Yor, each believing they must protect Anya alone, end up revealing themselves while fighting the same enemy. The family unites fully, no more secrets, to protect their daughter—the one who always knew the truth anyway.
Theory 4: Operation Strix Is Impossible (By Design)
A darker theory: Donovan Desmond cannot be stopped, or the mission was never meant to succeed.
Evidence:
- Donovan is portrayed as unnervingly emotionless and calculating
- Intelligence agencies in fiction often have hidden agendas
- The mission’s vagueness could hide ulterior motives
- War might be inevitable regardless of individual actions
How it happens: Loid realizes Operation Strix was a delaying tactic, or that WISE has ulterior motives. The “real” mission might require Loid to sacrifice himself or his family. He refuses, choosing his family over his country—completing his character arc from emotionless tool to human being. War might still come, but the Forgers face it together.
Theory 5: Time Skip to Adult Anya
A structural theory: the series ends with a time skip showing the adult Forger family.
Evidence:
- Anya’s growth is central to the series
- Time skips are common in family-focused manga
- An adult Anya who knows everything could narrate the “truth”
- This allows resolution without showing every plot detail
How it happens: The climax is followed by a significant time skip. Adult Anya (possibly a spy herself, using her telepathy for peace) narrates what happened: the mission succeeded (or became irrelevant), her parents revealed their secrets, and the Forger family remained together. We see grandchildren, aging parents, and the long-term impact of their choices.
What’s Most Likely
Based on Spy x Family’s tone, themes, and structure:
The mission will “succeed” in preventing immediate war, but this success will be messy. Loid won’t cleanly accomplish his objective; instead, circumstances will change to make the mission either unnecessary or impossible to complete “correctly.”
The secrets will come out—to each other. The series can’t end with Loid and Yor still lying to each other. The revelation will be dramatic but ultimately affirming; they’ve both done terrible things for what they believed were good reasons.
Anya will be the key. Her telepathy (and perhaps her unspoken knowledge of everyone’s secrets) will be crucial to the resolution. She might be the one who brings the truth to light, or her love for both parents will be what keeps them together.
The ending will be optimistic. Spy x Family is fundamentally a comedy about found family. Whatever complications arise, the Forgers will end up together—perhaps not in the same circumstances, perhaps with new challenges, but together. Tatsuya Endo is unlikely to destroy the heart of his series.
Political resolution will be secondary. The war plot is important but not the emotional core. Whether peace is achieved between nations matters less than whether peace is achieved within the Forger household.
When to Expect Resolution
Manga pacing: Spy x Family publishes bi-weekly in Jump+, with arcs that balance comedy chapters with plot progression. The series is not rushing toward conclusion.
Estimated ending: Given the deliberate pacing and remaining plot threads (Donovan’s psychology, Anya’s origins, the political situation), the manga likely has 3-5 more years of content minimum.
Expected conclusion: 2027-2029 for the manga.
Anime status: The anime adaptation is current through Season 2, with more seasons expected. The anime will likely continue yearly releases, potentially concluding in the early 2030s if it adapts the full story.
Movie/Special content: Spy x Family’s popularity makes theatrical films likely. These might be original stories or adapt major arcs.
Spy x Family asks whether a fake family can become real. The answer, episode by episode and chapter by chapter, has always been yes. The lies that brought the Forgers together matter less than the love they’ve developed. When Operation Strix finally ends—successfully or not—the Forger family will remain. Because they were never fake at all.