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Spy X Family chapter 73 continues the Red Circus arc where Anya’s school bus has been hijacked by a group of terrorists while both her parents are out of the country. This chapter focuses on Yuri Briar’s attempt to secure the second school bus and how the situation escalates with Anya’s bus.
Chapter 73 of Spy X Family contains more commentary on the current global political climate than previous chapters. Billy’s daughter Biddy is first introduced in this chapter, but the circumstances surrounding her death are both tragic and traumatic. Readers’ discretion is advised.
Spy X Family chapter 73 sees Anya taking a risk to save her classmates as the hostage situation goes from bad to worse
Spy X Family chapter 73 begins with the introduction of Billy’s young daughter, Biddy. She used to be a part of the Red Circus movement, and despite her father’s worries about the Government’s retaliation, Biddy boldly stood up for freedom of speech and what she believed to be right. However, she lost her life during the government’s violent response, a tragedy that fueled Billy’s own journey with the Red Circus. As he recollects his past, Anya is surprised to read his thoughts.
In Papier Park, a rescue team led by Yuri Briar manages to subdue the terrorists and rescue the hostages from the second bus. However, since the people from the first bus have not contacted their teammates for fear of wire-tapping, neither party is aware of the predicament of the other. Yuri gets shot in the process, and all members of the Red Circus who were present there lose their lives. Spy X Family chapter 73 returns to the first bus, where command of the situation has been handed over to the SSS officer.
Using a loudspeaker, the SSS officer informs the terrorists that their comrades in Papier Park have been eliminated and the hostages have been freed. If they wish to avoid the same fate, they should surrender. The officer gives them till dawn to consider their options but immediately orders his soldiers to move in, ordering them to keep the hostage casualties to a minimum. Meanwhile, the terrorists inside the bus begin to panic, with Billy having completely given up.
The one who was driving the bus realizes the dire situation they are in and resolves to take a desperate measure, which is to blow up the bus and the hostages in it. Anya, who is reading his mind, is shocked to learn that there is a real bomb on the bus. At that moment, the soldiers start to surround the bus, and their thoughts alert Anya of the impending danger. Thinking that the terrorists will detonate the bomb if the SSS attacks the bus, Anya stands up from her seat with a determined expression.
Observations
Spy X Family chapter 73 continues this arc’s journey into heavy-handed political motifs. Biddy’s stance on freedom of speech is a reflection of the current world, while Billy’s worry for his daughter is understandable and valid. The heart-wrenching implication that the bodies of some activists weren’t even returned to their families only solidifies the brutality of Ostania’s fascist government.
The clinical attitude of the SSS officer and his henchmen toward the loss of civilian lives, that too of children, reaffirms the SSS’s order of priorities. To an intelligence agency, the safety of its nation comes above any notion of morality, ethics, or basic humanity. Yuri is not entirely altruistic either, as he seems to be involved solely because of Yor’s daughter. Spy X Family chapter 73 doesn’t specify, however, whether or not he knows that Anya is on the other bus.
The rescue of the second bus makes it clear that the current situation with Anya’s bus is mostly the Police’s fault since they were not covert enough. On the other hand, the SSS’s modus operandi seems to be indiscriminately killing off all the terrorists without giving them a proper trial, which is again a human rights violation. There seems to be no safe way to navigate the situation, which is a realistic reflection of such heinous situations.
Final thoughts
Anya, in her haste, might be making the situation worse. By alerting the terrorists, she is going to make the SSS soldier’s jobs difficult. However, given that the SSS isn’t keen on saving the hostages, this seems to be the right course of action, although the girl is unaware of the political intricacies behind the situation. With the knowledge she now possesses about Billy’s past, Anya might be able to make a difference, although the arc is most likely to end on a bittersweet note.
