Spy x Family episode 23: Campbelldon Tennis arc ends as Fiona and Yor's rivalry is cemented

Spy x Family episode 23 was released on Saturday, December 10, 2022, bringing with it the exciting conclusion to the Campelldon Tennis arc. Along with it comes yet another confrontation between Yor and Fiona, this time in the form of a tennis match. However, things don’t exactly go as Fiona planned, with Yor’s monstrous strength being on display.

However, the brunt of Spy x Family episode 23 focuses on Fiona and Loid’s closing out the championship match and their mission. While the operation hasn’t exactly gone smoothly thus far, there are still a few twists and turns waiting for them in the final stages.

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Spy x Family episode 23 sees Fiona continue to show out for Loid in an effort to steal Yor’s spot by his side

Spy x Family episode 23: The final countdown

Spy x Family episode 23 continues immediately where the previous installment left off, seeing Loid Forger, aka Twilight, running around the tennis court. In the process, he dodges the various shifting platforms on the ground of the court and is able to return a ball perfectly. However, Carrol Campbell hits it back over, where the ball skims a corner on a depressed tile and flies up in the air.

However, Fiona Frost, aka Nightfall, is able to jump up high enough to launch the ball back down, securing a point for her and Loid. Realizing that their current tricks aren’t enough to win, Carrol signifies to some of the tournament’s staff that he wants the net raised. This causes Fiona to hit her next serve on the net.

Fiona goes on to warn Loid, but he already knows, saying that since the net is only moving by a ball’s height, they’ll adjust their trajectory and go from there. The two teams begin rallying, prompting Kim Campbell to comment on how their current tricks aren’t working. Carrol then has wind activated on the court, but Fiona and Loid end up using this to their advantage.

The Campbell siblings then try putting a nasty spray on the ball, but this also proves useless, with Fiona and Loid continuing to dominate. The latter compliments the former’s observation skills and control here, flustering her and causing her to comment on how she doesn’t want the tournament to end. She speculates forcing an endless tiebreaker but decides against it since Loid may hate her.

Loid, meanwhile, comments on how Fiona must be deep in thought, thinking up a careful strategy, and is happy that she has seemingly regained her cool. Meanwhile, Spy x Family episode 23 sees Cavi Campbell berating his kids from afar looking at the current state of the match. The two siblings decide to use their “trump card,” which they say as the camera ominously zooms in on an air vent.

Spy x Family episode 23 then sees that the Campbell siblings have stopped all their other tricks, making Loid somewhat uneasy. Fiona goes to hit a ball, but Carrol sends a signal, which is revealed to prompt a sniper in the air duct to try and shoot at Fiona. Loid jumps in front of the bullet for her, causing them to lose the point.

The sniper and the Campbell siblings look pleased, but Carrol questions if Loid was able to tell that the shot was coming. Loid tells Fiona that the shot isn’t bad, recognizing that he was hit with a rubber bullet painted the same color as the court. Loid then reveals that he thought that this might happen, and is wearing a bulletproof vest.

Spy x Family episode 23 sees Fiona fawning over how impressive Loid is for having worn a bulletproof vest, while Carrol is in shock that Loid is okay. Fiona suggests going to the referee, but Loid points out that most of the staff and management are being paid off. Additionally, if something happens to the tournament, they can’t achieve their objective.

Loid instead decides that they need to focus on watching for the signals and making the bullets miss since they’re low-velocity. After coming up with an excuse to tell the referee, the two return to the game, ready to implement their new strategy. However, Carrol tries to signal the shot while Loid is serving, prompting the latter to make some crazy moves to miss the bullet.

Thankfully, he does and is still able to get a good serve off. The sniper curses his missing, before contacting the “court engineering squad” and telling them that they need to work together. However, Loid and Fiona continue to evade bullets, with the sniper reaching out to “Team BB” saying they need help.

Two ball boys on the court are then seen launching rubber balls at the pair, but Loid is thankfully able to parry the shot. Loid and Fiona then comment on how the ball boys are easier to deal with than the sniper, saying they should go ahead and finish this. Spy x Family episode 23 then shows a beautifully animated sequence, where Loid and Fiona are making incredible moves to avoid their attackers while continuing to win.

As Cavi Campbell continues to berate his children, Loid is able to launch both the ball and a bullet at Carrol Campbell, hitting him squarely in the stomach with the latter. Carrol says that he doesn’t want to lose, but admits that Loid and Fiona are too good. As he says this, Spy x Family episode 23 sees Loid perfectly bounce a ball between Carrol’s legs, taking home the win.

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Spy x Family episode 23: Unforeseen interference

A crying Carrol then approaches Loid, congratulating him for seeing through their tricks and winning while saying this is the first time he’s ever been genuinely upset. Loid compliments his skill, saying that if he hones his talent properly, he will eventually become an amazing player. A still-crying Carrol thanks Loid for the kind words, as Fiona marvels at Loid for completing their mission and reforming their opponent.

Kim Campbell comments on how stupid it is, while Cavi Campbell shares a similar reaction to his son. One of Cavi’s friends asks him if he realizes how much money he has lost, while one of Cavi’s aides tells him that he has a phone call. Loid can see Cavi’s aide saying something to him as their victory is announced, before Spy x Family episode 23 sees Fiona and Loid request the Lady in the Sun painting.

Cavi Campbell, however, tells them that it’s the one piece he can’t give them right now, saying that “something came up” and he will make up the difference in value for whatever they pick. Loid confirms his suspicions that the State Security Service called Campbell after catching wind of the code in the painting.

Cavi tells him that they don’t have to decide at this moment, prompting Fiona to ask if they can decide after seeing the actual pieces. Fiona compliments the room full of artwork while Cavi discusses how lucky she is, before asking where Loid went. Fiona responds that he went to lie down owing to his hangover, before noticing that the Lady in the Sun is still in the room.

She tells Cavi that she wants something besides a painting if she can’t have the Lady in the Sun, prompting Cavi to guide her to the appropriate area. Fiona first asks if she can put her bags down, which Cavi allows as an aide asks Cavi about the Lady in the Sun. He shares that the State Security Service will be here in 10 minutes to collect the painting, telling the aide to take it to them right away.

Fiona overhears this, walking away as the aide begins removing the Lady in the Sun from its frame. Another aide questions him, prompting the first to say he’s checking on the quality of the piece. The second aide responds that the State Security Service doesn’t seem to be interested in the painting as artwork, telling the first to leave it alone.

Spy x Family episode 23 then cuts to the lobby, where the State Security Service is given the Lady in the Sun. Fiona sits across the room while the exchange takes place before the first aide says he will see her out. Cavi tells his aide to see if they will come play for them, before walking off while laughing.

As the two approach Fiona’s car, she asks him if they should take them up on their offer while also continuing to work for WISE. Spy x Family episode 23 then reveals that the aide was Loid all along, who says he’s had his fill of tennis for a while. He asks her what she picked from the collection, which she shares is a pot and rings she has no interest in, prompting them to say they will give it to their handler.

Spy x Family episode 23 then sees the pair back in Berlint with Fiona driving, as Loid says his exhaustion is hitting him all at once. He says he did panic a bit when Cavi first said they couldn’t have it, but is thankful that everything worked out. He then reveals that he replaced the real painting with a fake that Fiona had brought in, with the two complimenting each other on their work in that regard.

They then decide to get it back to headquarters immediately, while Fiona comments on how the State Security Service will continue searching for a code that doesn’t exist. The two then high-five as they celebrate their mission being complete before Spy x Family episode 23 sees the pair approaching Loid’s house.

He tells Fiona to drop him off here, but she says she will drop him off at his house instead, internally thinking that it will let her be with him for a second longer. He, however, counters that he’s Loid Forger, a husband, and father, and neighbors can’t get suspicious about his relationship with Fiona since plenty of people are reported for seditious acts over adultery.

Fiona then grips the wheel, while thinking that she did her best and was useful on the mission, claiming that she should be his rightful partner. However, she acquiesces, dropping him off at a nearby park, with Loid saying he will see her at the hospital as he exits the car. However, Spy x Family episode 23 reveals this to be the park where Anya, Yor, and Bond were playing, with them being right near where Loid was dropped off.

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Spy x Family episode 23: One war begins as another ends

Spy x Family episode 23 then sees Fiona get out of the car and approach Yor, with Loid following behind her and explaining that she gave him a ride. She says she figured she should say hello, before asking Yor if she also plays tennis. Yor essentially says that she’s only playing since Anya is interested before Loid compliments Yor and Anya for helping him win.

Fiona, meanwhile, internally mocks Yor for thinking that she helped Loid, saying that she would’ve helped Loid far more efficiently. She then says that Yor must be quite the tennis player, asking her to play a match right now at the park. Loid asks Fiona what she’s doing, prompting her to move her lips differently from what she’s auditorily saying.

Her true words here essentially say that she wants to test Yor’s athleticism and see if it’s worthy of Operation Strix, with Anya reading her mind as she approaches Yor. Anya hears Fiona say that she plans to make Yor lose her place in the Forger household, with Anya imagining that Yor relinquishes the title of wife to Fiona and Loid agrees to this without an issue.

Yor sheepishly agrees despite Loid giving her an out, internally thinking that she has a feeling she can’t run from or lose this fight. Anya then once again imagines Loid telling Fiona that he’s always wanted to marry someone who’s good at tennis, with Fiona responding that she’s great at tennis.

Spy x Family episode 23 then sees Anya hilariously remember Becky Blackbell discussing an episode of a soap opera where a similar situation unfurled. While Anya was uninterested in the moment, she says she now understands how Becky felt, before saying out loud that she now also loves shows about fighting.

A disgruntled Loid and a captivated Anya watch as Fiona and Yor take their spots on the court, with Yor serving first as Fiona says to come at her with everything she’s got. Loid tries to say something but is shut down by Fiona, as Yor obliges to her request and serves with all her might. However, she seemingly misses as the ball anticlimactically falls to the ground in front of her.

Spy x Family episode 23 sees Fiona say that she’s disappointed before the ball suddenly breaks apart into dozens of pieces matching the wireframe on Yor’s racket. Yor says that she did it again, explaining that this happens when she puts too much strength into her swing. She apologizes to the ball before asking Anya to give her another one, prompting Anya to have Bond do the deed.

Yor returns to the court and apologizes, while a confused Fiona tries to process what she just saw. However, before she can do so, Yor sends a serve her way, which is faster than the speed of sound. Despite recognizing that it will go out of bounds, Fiona decides to hit the ball but is clearly struggling to return Yor’s intense serve.

However, Spy x Family episode 23 sees her press forward, pulling from her love for Loid which built up over the years to push her through. She begins ranting about what their life together would be like, eventually declaring that when it comes to being Mrs. Forger, Yor needs to switch with Fiona.

However, the serve breaks her racket, breaking her spirit in the process as everyone else looks on with shocked expressions. Fiona falls to the ground, saying she stood no chance, while Yor approaches Fiona and asks if she’s hurt. However, Fiona requests a revenge rematch in the future, before getting in the car and speeding away while sobbing over her love for Loid.

Yor asks if she made Fiona mad, while Anya comments on how energetic Fiona is. Loid, meanwhile, hopes that Yor doesn’t get suspicious over this, before concluding that his marriage is fake. Yor then approaches Loid and tells him she won, saying it once more with emotion before walking away.

Loid then looks up to the sky and comments on how tired he is, while Anya and Bond complain about being hungry. Spy x Family episode 23 then cuts to the WISE headquarters a week later, where Loid is being congratulated for his work by handler Sylvia Sherwood. She tells him that she has the results of the code they analyzed, sharing that Fiona is in the mountains “working on her swing speed.”

She explains that they identified the depository and retrieved the Zacharis Dossier, which is revealed to be a journal. Spy x Family episode 23 then reveals that the Zacharis Dossier is a bunch of pictures of young actresses. Zacharis shares his love for theater, before mentioning his wife’s hatred for his obsession and states how he kept his hobby a secret from her.

This is revealed to be the Zacharis Dossier, with the “flames of war” he referenced being one between himself and his wife. Another agent shares a story and states that Zacharis invited some colleagues out to the theater after the war, but asked them not to tell his wife. Spy x Family episode 23 sees everyone present conclude that there is no code, and be thankful that there was no real danger, with the episode ending shortly thereafter.

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Spy x Family episode 23: In summation

Spy x Family episode 23 is, overall, an incredibly exciting and engaging episode that brings the series’ latest multi-episode arc to an end. With only two episodes left in the smash-hit anime series’ first season, fans are incredibly curious as to what these final installments will cover following the current arc’s conclusion.

In any case, Spy x Family episode 23 leaves viewers in a fantastic spot as it is likely to be the last multi-episode arc of the first season. It reaffirms the core themes and messages of the first season overall while also beautifully setting up the Forger family’s adventures in the all-but-confirmed upcoming second season.

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