Spy x Family Finally Confirms Anya’s Connection to Project Apple

While anime fans have been patiently waiting for Season 3, Spy x Family‘s manga has slowly begun unravelling one of its biggest mysteries, Project Apple. The source of Anya’s psychic powers is something fans have been curious about since the very beginning of the story, though it wasn’t until Bond’s introduction that fans finally had something to latch on to in terms of clues. Since then, Project Apple has been at the center of countless theories connecting not only Anya and Bond but also Operation Strix’s main target, Donovan Desmond. While the case for Donovan being a telepath continues to grow stronger through recent revelations by Melinda, Spy x Family also finally just confirmed Donovan and Anya’s connection to Project Apple, and through the most unexpected of leads.

Following the revelation that Professor Authen and Donovan Desmond were acquainted once upon a time, Chapter 122 of Spy x Family sees Loid and Anya visit the Authens under the pretext of finding out more about the nature of his relationship with Desmond. At the end of their visit, while Loid somewhat dismisses Professor Authen as a threat, the chapter goes on to completely shock fans as Professor Authen recognizes Anya as Test Subject #7. Owing to his dementia, Professor Authen goes on to write out a note to himself, notably mentioning Anya, Project Apple, and Donovan Desmond in the same breadth, which might just be the confirmation fans have been waiting for all these years.

Spy x Family Finally Confirms Anya and Donovan’s Connection to Project Apple

Throughout their conversation in Chapter 122, Professor Authen hardly reveals anything incriminating, openly admitting that he knew Donovan Desmond while he was the Prime Minister. That said, Authen only mentions meeting Donovan a few times and even struggles to remember his name. Beyond this, he mentions he was enlisted to pursue “related research” rather than being sent to the front lines during the war. He also states he only met Donovan a few times during his time as a scholar, during which time they only spoke about “ways to treat the neuroses of soldiers” and the “development of new medicines.”

Given their seemingly innocent topics of conversation and the fact that Authen allegedly did not meet Donovan again after he resigned as the Prime Minister, both Anya and Loid conclude that Authen must just be an innocent old man. However, later that evening, once Loid and Anya have long left, Professor Authen appears to have a brief moment of clarity during which his memories return and he questions whether Anya could truly be Test Subject #7. Making a note to himself, Authen also questions whether Donovan Desmond is aware of Anya’s existence, and whether “the plan” could still be underway.

It’s unclear what this plan could be, although judging by the clues the series has laid out so far, it isn’t too hard to guess, especially since in one of the panels in the latest chapter, Authen writes down the word “Project” followed by what clearly appears to be an “A” and a “P” which can only be “Apple.” Given the “C” in the brackets, it’s also possible that Project Apple was only one of many such alphabetically coded projects, with Anya and her mother as well as Donovan Desmond being a part of this “C” project that was specific to humans rather than animals like Project Apple.

Professor Authen Might Just Be the Biggest Lead to Project Apple

Based on what we know so far, Project Apple was a government project led by the National Unity Party that Donovn Desmond belongs to, with the express purpose of creating intelligent animals like Bond for military use. This sounds suspiciously similar to Authen’s claims that he was enlisted by the government to carry out “related research” during the war, and recontexualizes his statement about developing methods to treat neurosis among soldiers. Of course, it is possible that Authen’s research started out well-meaning and innocent enough, though judging by his nervous disposition at the end of Chapter 122, it’s hheavvily implied that some ethical boundaries were indeed crossed and these memories haunt Professor Authen to this day.

All that said, it’s unclear how Authen only now recognized Anya, though his dementia would be a safe bet. It’s also unclear whether he will do anything to confirm his suspicioins now that he has uncovered Anya’s big secret, though that would likely give Loid a new lead as well. So far, Anya’s history as a test subject and her connection to Project Apple has been a closely guarded secret that not even WISE could dig up but with Authen now on the trail, Anya may not be able to keep her powers a secret for much longer, though this means neither will Donovan. Nonetheless, things are finally getting interesting in Spy x Family and there’s no better time than right now to catch up on the manga before Season 3 premieres this fall.

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Spy x Family is available to read on Manga Plus and Viz Media.

Do you think Professor Authen will end up being an antagonist, or will he continue to be Anya’s wholesome tutor? Tell us in the comments below!

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