Spy x Family chapter 85 highlights: Yuri recovers, Nightfall's rage awakened

Spy x Family chapter 85 was released on July 24 in Japan, delivering the promise of Nightfall unleashing her inner rage on Ostanian Secret Security Service agent Winston Wheeler. The chapter might be mostly a fight scene, but it's drawn beautifully and is a well-written example of why Fiona Frost, aka Nightfall, is not to be messed with.

The visuals in the manga are already astounding, and the action speaks more to attest the fact. Moreover, the situation makes it clear that Westalis' spy presence in Ostania is attracting more attention. If they cannot exfiltrate quickly and the chaos of the last couple of chapters is any indication, then they risk capture and fates worse than death. All that remains now is to deal with Winston Wheeler, which Fiona appears to be doing handily.

Disclaimer: The following article contains spoilers from the Spy x Family manga.

Spy x Family chapter 85 sees Fiona violently beat down Winston Wheeler

Chapter 85 summary

Brief summary of the events (Image via Sportskeeda)

At the conclusion of Spy x Family chapter 84, everyone was in dire straits. Yuri Briar was incapacitated after a brutal fight with a disguised Loid Forger/Twilight. Loid himself was beaten down by Winston Wheeler after sustaining injuries, while Nightfall was in hot pursuit and going unhinged at seeing Twilight badly beaten.

Chapter 85 gives Spy x Family fans something they've wanted to see for a long time: Fiona Frost/Nightfall losing her cold facade and unleashing her rage. Although Wheeler thinks he could take her, he stood no chance as her first punch broke his arm and hers. This style of savage fighting continues even until the end of the chapter, where she savagely hits him even with her arms broken.

Elsewhere, Yuri Briar was rescued by his team and had to be forcibly dragged away from the operation to get medical attention. Though he swears to avenge himself, he's denied any opportunity to do so. As such, Yuri is wounded and humiliated but lives to see another day.

Nightfall vs. Winston Wheeler

The savage fight (Image via Sportskeeda)

The main event that everyone was waiting for began with Wheeler threatening to snap Twilight's neck and Nightfall having to throw down her weapon. Wheeler monologs about how weak Westalis spies must be and how strong he is for never trusting anyone. However, Nightfall advances too quickly for him to react with anything other than a block.

Not that it helps him at all since Nightfall put all of her weight and strength into that punch. It resulted in her breaking an arm, but his blocking arm broke, rebounded into his face, and caused him to bleed. Nightfall then throws his words back in his face that Wheeler is the weak one for never trusting anything.

Wheeler ducked under Nightfall's second punch but was unable to avoid her back kick. He barely had time to think about getting any distance between the two before Nightfall hit him hard with her dislocated arms. The chapter ended with him being sent flying as a result of the punch.

A clash of ideals and mental inhibitors broken

There are two important factors swirling around the main event: the clash of ideals and the loosening of mental inhibitions. The latter is easier to summarize. What the manga says is that human beings are prevented from unleashing 100% strength by their subconscious. If they did, they'd tear muscle and bone.

Perfect examples are seen in this fight. Nightfall is doubtlessly going to be in massive pain when the rage wears off, considering she broke two arms and a leg in this fight. As far as the clash of ideals goes, it's a classic hero vs. villain trope: the antagonist trusts no one, while the hero trusts and believes in themselves and others.

It goes double for the spy story that Spy x Family is. Spies are usually told to trust nobody on missions, but Wheeler trusts no one as a fact of life. That makes him hollow, bereft of reinforcements and support, and an easy target for Nightfall's laser-focused rage springing from her love for Twilight.

As a final thought on Spy x Family chapter 85, Nightfall has had barely simmering rage underneath the surface at being denied Twilight's partnership, love, and attention for a long time. She has always been jealous of Yor, as she tries to get Twilight to notice her.

So, for one of Spy x Family's protagonists to be bloody, beaten, and nearly dead like that, it's not surprising that Nightfall's rage consumed her like it nearly did beforehand during the tennis tournament.

If any Spy x Family fans have anything to add as a highlight, please make sure to add it to the comments.