Spy x Family Episode 18 reveals Anya's telepathic weakness as Eden Academy exams loom overhead

Spy x Family Episode 18 was released on Saturday, November 5, bringing with it one of the funniest episodes fans have seen in quite some time. Primarily focused on Anya, the episode is filled with her classic, ditzy-yet-enthusiastic humor which has been pivotal to the series’ popularity thus far.

Spy x Family Episode 18 also sees Loid getting in on the jokes, with one of his missions being plagued by a peculiar individual who seems way out of their comfort zone. From start to finish, this entire episode is pure comedic genius, and there’s truly never a dull moment in between.

Follow along as this article fully recaps the significant moments from Spy x Family Episode 18.

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Spy x Family Episode 18 sees Anya’s school troubles exacerbate with her powers waning at worst possible time

Spy x Family Episode 18: Test season underway

Spy x Family Episode 18 begins with Henry Henderson handing back exams that Anya’s class recently took. Becky asks Anya if tests make her nervous, but she claims to have been studying lately. However, her grade ends up being a 13, obviously a failing one, while Damian Desmond gloats about his 91.

In after-school lessons, Anya hatches a plan to read Damian’s mind during her exams, saying she’ll get good scores in the process. After being punished with an extra assignment for laughing to herself, Anya rides the bus home, realizing that tonight is a full moon. She asks her father, Loid Forger, about the moon and its prominence in the coming weeks.

He reveals that it’ll be a new moon, which will come at the same time as her upcoming midterm exams. Anya, however, stops worrying and reveals that even she has a weakness, which sees her telepathy disappear on the night of the new moon. This means that Anya won’t be able to cheat on her tests, resulting in her biggest challenge ever.

She asks Bond to look into the future so she can see the answers, but he hilariously shows her what’s for dinner tonight instead. Anya wakes up the next morning in distress due to passing out and not studying for her tests. Loid, however, is off for the day and offers to help her study.

As the two study together, Spy x Family Episode 18 sees Loid internally monologue about the possibility of her getting four Tonitrus Bolts at once. He also claims to have given up on the possibility of Stella Stars, pointing out that her finals may give her eight Tonitrus Bolts total, resulting in her expulsion. Yor then remembers that she asked Yuri to tutor Anya the other day, which he seemed optimistic about.

Yuri Briar then arrives at the Forger family’s apartment, raving about Loid’s presence and telling him to work on his day off. The former, however, seems to hold resentment against Anya for being Loid’s daughter, prompting her to act disinterested and feign heartburn.

The group then took a quick social break before resuming the study session, giving Loid an opportunity to pry for information.

Yuri, meanwhile, thinks Loid is mocking him and his coworkers for the events of the Doggy Crisis arc, prompting what Anya perceives as a bout between the two. She declares Loid the winner for maintaining his secret identity, before he departs for a mission under the pretense of shopping.

Yuri then thinks about how he only came here because Yor asked him, lamenting having to actually tutor Anya. He gives her incredibly hard questions as a result, which she gets correct with her powers.

However, she realizes this is an issue since she can’t use her powers on the day of the exams. Anya claims she simply guessed all the answers to Yor’s questions instead.

However, she seems unable to get anything right, with Yuri berating her for being so dense. Yor, however, recalling the Eden Academy interview and Loid’s story about his late wife, tells Yuri he’s counting on her to help Anya study. Infatuated with his sister and encouraged by Anya’s cuteness, he decides to commit to helping the young girl study while Yor prepares snacks.

Yuri, realizing that he’ll be thanked if Anya scores well on the exam, commits even more to help her study. Yor reminisces about their childhoods, where Yuri also helped her study. The latter asks Anya if she dislikes studying.

He says he was frustrated at himself for being powerless when he was young, wanting to help Yor out however he could. He then explains why he worked so hard on various subjects, reasons for all of which circle back to making Yor’s life easier.

He ends by telling Anya that knowledge is power and that she needs to study to become smart. Seemingly motivated by everything she might be able to do if she studies, both Anya and Yuri have a fresh fire of motivation lit under them.

Spy x Family Episode 18 then shows the two lying on the floor exhausted and out of breath, with Anya seemingly having learned nothing.

Calling it a waste of time, Yuri decides to go home, inspired to study on his own due to not being able to defeat Twilight during the Doggy Crisis arc. After leaving prematurely, Yuri hilariously bursts back in to eat Yor’s snacks, calling them delicious as he barfs outside.

Anya is also thinking about her failures during the Doggy Crisis arc, thinking she might have been able to help Loid.

She resolves to go study in her room as a result, just as Loid walks in at that moment. Picking up one of her study books, Loid realizes she was studying Foreign Languages, lamenting that it isn’t even a subject on the exam and Operation Strix may be doomed.

Two weeks later, however, Spy x Family Episode 18 shows Anya feeling confident on exam day.

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Spy x Family Episode 18: Loid’s mission begins

Spy x Family Episode 18 then cuts to after the exams, where students are lamenting their poor performance on the steps around campus. Meanwhile, a group of teachers is walking the exams to a vault, discussing how the current regime won’t allow parents to buy a single point for their children on this year's exams.

Loid, meanwhile, is on the roof of one of the Academy’s buildings, explaining Operation Strix and how it’s in dire straits with the potential midterm grades Anya may get. Calling her undoubtedly doomed, he dons a disguise, seemingly set to infiltrate the aforementioned vault and alter her test answers as needed.

He discusses the different challenges and obstacles here as opposed to the management of the entrance exam, saying he has to be careful and take his time to not leave any traces. Loid suddenly spots a suspicious-looking man in a hat, who is walking in a weird way.

Spy x Family Episode 18 then sees the man identify himself as “an elite spy” named Daybreak. He vows to directly oppose Westalis’ Twilight. Declaring himself capable despite taking on his first mission, he resolves to become as renowned as Twilight.

Deducing that he’s also a spy, Spy x Family Episode 18 sees Twilight bemoan this amateur’s presence and how it may affect his own personal mission. Daybreak is almost caught by security guards making their rounds, who somehow pass by him hanging horizontally from a lamp post.

Wondering exactly how Daybreak was able to do that, Twilight watches in awe as the new spy tries to enter a locked building. While questioning what to do about him, the latter watches him bust a window open without a second thought, calling him less prepared than a burglar. Thankfully, Twilight is smart enough to leave a soccer ball nearby, framing the soccer club as having broken the window.

Walking down a hallway, Daybreak sees a security guard standing watch at a door leading to the tests. He, unfortunately, knocks over a bust in the process of hiding and grabs the security guard’s attention who then asks for ID. As the security guard threatens to call the police, Twilight intervenes, offering Daybreak the ID he brought.

Eventually, Daybreak picks up on what’s happening, reaching out for the ID. Twilight notices writing on his hand during this exchange, realizing his targets are the Desmond brothers’ exams. After approaching the safe, Daybreak tries to put the code in for the door but it was incorrect.

After saying he’ll depart for the bathroom, Twilight opens the safe instead. However, Spy x Family Episode 18 then sees Daybreak rush back, seemingly knocking out Twilight in the process. However, the latter is faking it, simply waiting for his counterpart to finish his job.

After some boasting about having surpassed Twilight, Daybreak begins altering the Desmonds’ exam grades, saying he’ll leave an autograph as well. This prompts Twilight to jump up and start berating Daybreak, saying he’s a spy and shouldn’t be leaving any traces.

Daybreak moves to do something about the now-conscious Twilight, who is considering taking care of matters here. However, the “elite spy” says he better tell people about meeting him and his actions, even saying to embellish a little bit before departing. The annoyed Twilight instead takes to the exams, questioning his goals.

However, Spy x Family Episode 18 then reveals that Daybreak was altering the Desmond brothers’ exams to turn them into failing grades rather than passing. After fixing their tests, he goes to Anya’s, seemingly being disappointed at what he sees. However, Spy x Family Episode 18 then cuts to five days later, where scores have been posted in the Eden Academy courtyard.

Damian has scored 11th place overall, placing second with a 94 and getting a Stella Star as a result. Becky is in 46th place, with Anya hilariously scoring 213th despite being so confident. Getting some interesting congratulations from those around her, a proud Anya wonders what her father’s response will be.

After being praised for her positivity, Spy x Family Episode 18 sees Anya return home, saying she worked hard on her test. Loid, however, points out that she just barely avoided failing all of them, asking how she can be so proud.

Yor hilariously points out that combining her four scores puts her at well over 100. Notably, Loid expresses surprise at her not failing the tests.

He then tells Anya that they’ll go over her mistakes after dinner, as Daybreak is seen being told his mission was a failure. He’s fired shortly after, raving about how his legend has just begun and this isn’t fair. Spy x Family Episode 18 then ends here, with the next episode being entitled “A Revenge Plot Against Desmond / Mama Becomes the Wind.”

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Spy x Family Episode 18: Final thoughts

Overall, Spy x Family Episode 18 is a fantastic episode. It brings back a touch of humor that has been missing over recent installments. While always a funny show, recent episodes had seemingly taken a somewhat serious tone, especially with the Doggy Crisis arc kicking off the series’ currently-airing second cour.

Spy x Family Episode 18 also involves what may seem like an insignificant detail, but will likely become incredibly relevant in the form of Anya’s telepathic weakness. With her powers becoming useless once a month, series author and illustrator Tatsuya Endo has a means of temporarily eliminating her deus ex machina-like abilities.

Spy x Family Episode 18 also sees the world expanded somewhat with the introduction of Daybreak. While fans are unlikely to see him again, his introduction established how well-known Twilight is in the spy world. Furthermore, it reinforced the idea of spies having a community in the world.

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Follow along for more Spy x Family anime and manga news, as well as general anime, manga, film, and live-action news as 2022 progresses.