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Spy X Family episode 25 was the final episode of season 1 and started the Imperial Scholar Mixer arc. The episode was focused on Damian and Twilight as they met with Donovan Desmond. Viewers became privy to the unsure, insecure, and hesitant side of Damian and met his father for the first time.
Considering that Donovan Desmond is the primary objective of Operation Strix and the main obstacle in the way of peace between the East and the West, it was a wise decision to end Spy X Family season 1 with his introduction. A few minutes prior to the premiere of the episode, distributor TOHO Animation released a PV for the second season.
Spy X Family season 1 comes to an end with episode 25 introducing Donovan Desmond and his relationship with Damian
Spy X Family episode 25 adapted the first two chapters of the Imperial Scholar Mixer arc. Every half-term, Eden Academy hosts a social gathering for imperial scholars and their parents. The event is exclusively held in the Tower of Wisdom, which has only a few windows and one entrance. To prevent spies from peeping in and reading the residents' lips, the building is higher than the surrounding buildings. Security checks are over the top, with heavily armed guards roaming the venue.
Spy X Family episode 25 begins with Loid scouting out the venue for the famed Eden Academy social gathering. As the parent of Imperial Scholar Demetrius Desmond, Donovan Desmond is supposed to attend the party. Loid contemplates that even if he manages to get through security, a feat no Westalis agent has managed to accomplish to date, it’s nearly impossible to make contact. If Donovan suspects anything, he will go into seclusion, and Operation Strix will fail.
Meanwhile, Damian hesitantly calls his brother and arranges a meeting with his father after the gathering. While he is bugged by other students who want to meet his father, he loses his nerve and refuses to go to the meeting place. However, Anya encourages him in her way, revealing that she trusts in her love for her father even when she performs poorly. Taking encouragement from her, Damian goes to meet his father.
Twilight, however, has duplicated Anya’s keychain and uses it as an excuse to appear where Damian is waiting. He pretends to be searching for his daughter’s lost keychain, and upon meeting Damian, dramatically kneels down to apologize to him. It is at this moment that Donovan appears, and Twilight takes full advantage of the situation to introduce himself as Loid Forger. He apologizes for Anya punching Damian, something that Donovan waves off. This causes Damian to feel as if his father does not care about him.
Twilight attempts to invite himself to Desmond's house to apologize, but is shot down. Deciding not to push the issue, he states his views on children and how parents should never try to control them. His views and his claim of joining Donovan’s party make an impression on the latter. After Twilight leaves, Damian tells his father about his accomplishments as well as his failures during the first half of this term. He receives cryptic encouragement from his father, but that seems to be enough to cheer him up.
Watching this scene from afar, Twilight muses that the closer the father and son are to each other, the better for his mission. Despite having made contact, he still has no information about Donovan as a person. After Loid returns home, he is met with a warm welcome from Yor and a sleeping Anya. Spy X Family episode 25 ends the first season with the Forgers going about their night as the first major progress is made towards the success of Operation Strix.
Observations
Spy X Family episode 25 gives viewers a good idea about the Desmond family dynamic. While Donovan may be proud of Damian, he does not show him any affection. This makes the boy crave any scraps of attention thrown his way by his father, leading him to also develop an inferiority complex about his achievement, which he masks by being rude and boastful to his peers. This is not helped by his incredibly talented and equally detached older brother.
The episode also reveals Twilight’s utilitarian nature, which is essential as a spy but doesn't make him much better than the SSS. He not only infiltrates and uses Damian’s long-awaited meeting with his father, but he also actively uses the boy’s timid confidence to ingrain himself in both Desmond’s minds.
He admits that he plans to use Damian and his relationship with his father in any way possible. Spy X Family repeatedly emphasizes that while Twilight draws a strict line at endangering or weaponizing children, he isn’t overly concerned about manipulating their emotions as long as it benefits the greater good.
One thing that stands out in Spy X Family episode 25 is Emile and Ewan’s staunch devotion to Damian. As much as they call him “Damian-Sama”, they are truly concerned about him and like him as a person. Similarly, Damian also relies on their support, which is a considerable step for a boy as independent as him. The episode also brought out the equally strong friendship between Anya and Becky, although they were not the focus of the episode.
Final thoughts
Spy X Family season 1 comes to an end with episode 25. Over the two cours, the anime has covered nine arcs consisting of 38 chapters, five in the first cour and four in the second cour. TOHO has already announced that Spy X Family season 2 is in production and will be released in 2023. The second season is set to adapt the Great Cruise Adventure arc. An anime original movie has also been announced for 2023.
