There are a lot of intriguing Spy x Family fan theories coming to light as the series grows in popularity and more fans become invested in the blank spaces the story leaves. Things such as Twilight’s real name, the nature of Yor’s assassin agency, and the identity of Anya’s biological parents are all queries that fans have become interested in theorizing about in recent months. One fascinating theory comes from a Reddit user who questions whether Yor and Loid actually know the nature of each other’s secret identities. Although the characters’ internal monologues and the general course of the narrative don’t support this theory thus far, they may know more than they let on.
Spy x Family is a fast-paced shonen series that follows faux couple Loid and Yor Forger, as well as their adopted daughter, Anya. Loid is a spy from the West named Twilight who has gained his fake family as a means of securing information on a prominent political figure from an elite school, which he enrolls his new daughter in. Yor is also secretly a contract killer for a private organization. In another hilariously absurd twist, their daughter is a telepath who knows both of their secrets. Their dog, Bond, can even see the future. While this is all mostly played for light-hearted comedic moments or sweet found-family bonding time, there are deeper implications concerning Yor and Loid’s dangerous jobs. Both of them have blood on their hands, and their family could easily be destroyed by the revelation of their alter egos. This is what makes this particular theory so interesting to dissect.
Updated by Alexandra Locke on April 30, 2024: The Forgers live in a cloud of secrets despite being a family. However, Yor may know more about Loid's identity than she's letting on. This article has been updated to include some hints to Yor's knowledge from Season 2, as well as to update the formatting to CBR's current standards.
Why Yor's Obliviousness Makes Sense
Yor is such a fun and likable character because she is simultaneously stealthy and clever while also often appearing dim-witted and ditzy. This is especially obvious in her relationship with her husband, as she seems to believe even the most outrageous lies that Twilight concocts to protect his identity as a spy. In Episode 2, Loid is caught amidst of a brutal gunfight following his first date with Yor. When she asks why these people are chasing them, he responds that it’s just his psychiatry patients, and he is authorized to use "the concussive recovery method" to simultaneously defend himself and help the patients. When Yor accepts this without question, Loid thinks to himself, "I can’t tell if she’s incredibly bright or dumb."
The breadth of Yor's knowledge is further called into question when she works as a guard on the cruise ship, Princess Lorelei. Loid and Anya also happen to go on the cruise, and while aboard, there is a bomb threat. However, it's neutralized without Yor being involved. Yor could easily put two and two together with Loid being on the ship and a dangerous attack being taken care of, but she simply disregards any thought of Loid's involvement.
This encapsulates Yor’s character quite succinctly, as she is clearly emotionally intelligent and knowledgeable in some fields, yet is also incredibly dense when it comes to other things. As for Loid’s spy work, it’s hard to believe that someone as well-versed in keeping a secret so similar to her husband wouldn’t question this situation. Just after the "concussive therapy" scene, Yor decides to marry him, thinking to herself that he’s maybe the only person who could ever understand her. She also spends a lovely day with Loid and Anya once the Princess Lorelei reaches their intended resort. This does seem to call into question her ignorance of the scenarios playing out in front of her, as she may be choosing to ignore the parts of Loid’s actions that don’t make sense for her own convenience.
Why Doesn't Twilight Question Yor's Oddities?
There’s also the problem of Yor’s secret identity, which is arguably more violent than Loid’s, as she isn’t looking to gain information on people or manipulate anyone psychologically, but only to murder her agency’s enemies. Loid does begin to suspect that Yor may be involved in something sketchy in Episode 9, just after he has discovered that her brother is a member of the SSS, a militaristic state police force. He clears her after listening to her daily activities on a secret earpiece, eventually feeling guilty for doubting her in the first place.
That being said, there are a lot of things that don’t make sense about Yor that Loid, a superspy, should see as red flags. Her overpowered, superhuman strength and Yor's apparent ability to kill Loid, even while drunk, immediately come to mind as an example of this. It could be that Loid is simply choosing to ignore the parts of Yor that raise questions in his mind, similarly to how his wife doesn’t question his overly long "bathroom breaks" that are actually missions or his so-called concussive recovery method. The thing that may be steering them away from figuring out the truth could be their blossoming feelings for one another.
How the Couple's Fondness for Each Other May Blind Them
Although Twilight constantly maintains that his family is just a part of his mission, it’s obvious that he has developed a genuine affection for Yor and Anya, even if he can’t bring himself to admit it. It’s always present in the little things, such as him buying them pastries on the way home or being willing to eat Yor’s questionable cooking just to make her happy. However, the biggest indicator of Loid's true feelings is in Episode 34 when he complains about having to "leave his family" for a mission. He catches himself as the thought comes to his mind, but it does make the otherwise impenetrable Twilight stumble for a second.
Yor similarly feels affection for Loid and Anya, merely more openly. She is willing to kill anyone who tries to harm Anya and always worried about being the best wife possible for her husband. She also attempts to make family adventures and dates with Loid special, even when she is injured after her missions.
It’s entirely possible that this theory can be disproved by the simplest conclusion here, which would be that the couple’s feelings for one another blind them to anything bad the other may be doing. It’s even quite likely, that Loid’s deductive abilities as a spy are hampered by his newfound devotion to his wife, and that Yor’s sense of danger is similarly diminished.
However, this fan theory has come up multiple times on Reddit and Ao3, and it’s certainly an interesting one to consider. Although the audience does hear both Twilight and Yor’s inner dialogues which contain no direct suspicion, they both are highly astute at sensing trouble, which is what makes it so ironic that they can’t see what’s directly under their noses. This theory probably won’t become canon, as it seems more likely that Tatsuya Endo is building toward a potential reveal closer to the end of the story. Nonetheless, it’s fun to consider the implications of this possibility, as much of Spy x Family’s plot is built on the tension of all the Forger family members keeping such massive secrets.
