On the surface, Spy x Family is a heartwarming story about a “pretend” family as we follow the lives of the Forger family, whose members hide their secrets. Loid Forger adopted a little girl named Anya and even faked a marriage with Yor for the sake of his mission. The show has several heartwarming moments focusing on the family. However, beneath the surface, the story is filled with themes such as war and politics, often delving into the tragedies of people’s lives. The war may have been over, but it has formed permanent scars on the survivors. They do everything they can to bury those horrific memories and live each day in peace.
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Many others like Loid and Slyiva work hard to ensure the world won’t get to relive those days. Martha and Henry are two such characters who experienced the war and had their lives changed because of it. Martha, in particular, still carries the burden of her broken heart. While the anime has yet to cover it, the manga has a small arc dedicated to these two, which follows a heartbreaking tale. The Spy x Family manga recently released Volume 15, and the cover is somehow connected to Volume 14.
Warning: This article contains spoilers from the Spy x Family manga!
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Volumes 14 and 15 of Spy x Family Have Martha and Henry Sitting Together
Spy x Family creator Tatsuya Endo follows a specific pattern when it comes to volume covers. Each cover has the same colored background with one character sitting somewhere. In the 15 volumes of the manga, this rule has never once changed. However, Endo decided to do something interesting for fans. When you place the volumes together, you can see the two of them sitting side by side as if they are drinking tea together. They are using a tea set of a similar pattern with Henry having the teapot while Martha’s table has milk and sugar. Both their tables have letters, maybe meant for each other. These details aren’t a coincidence since the author also confirmed this.
A few days before the official release of Volume 15, Endo posted, “It seems the cover of Volume 15 has been released. Martha is on the cover. The design was decided together with the previous volume, so there is a sense of unity in the composition and the chairs. (I thought about a swan chair because of the ballet image, but I chose this one because of the material.) Please compare it with volume 14. Personally, I envision volume 15 being placed on the left. It will be released on March 4th.”
Later, in another post, he places the two volume covers together with illustrations of Anya and Betty on each side. Endo also shares, “There is also a two-page bonus comic featuring Henry and Martha. Thank you very much.”
Martha and Henry’s Story Lingers in Endo’s Mind as It Does With Spy x Family Fans
The manga reveals their backstory in the Love and War Arc covered in Chapters 97 to 102. Volume 14 includes Chapters 92-99, while Volume 15 includes Chapters 100-108. As each volume consists of half of the backstory, the covers make more sense now. After Eden Academy’s first end-of-term gala of the year, Martha and Henry reflect on their past, starting with their first meeting at school and continuing with their life experiences during and after the war.
Henry first met her fifty years ago when he was a 17-year-old Imperial Scholar, while Martha was a new transfer student. The two continued to meet for years and gradually became close. Unfortunately, the war completely changed their lives as there were air raid drills, and even Henry was drafted, even though he planned to become an educator. Meanwhile, Martha’s dream of becoming a ballet dancer was shattered since the ballet troupe she was hoping to join was going to disband after multiple members were killed during an air raid.
Henry’s parents also pressured him to get married before getting married. At the graduation party, Martha, who wanted to confess her feelings, was interrupted by the air raid siren. The two gradually communicated less due to several issues during the war. Years later, the two missed the chance to meet one another.
Heartbroken, Henry was married to a woman upon his father’s arrangement when Martha just survived a brutal attack. She never married, and Henry’s wife passed away at some point in the story. While the two eventually reunited, they missed the chance to be together and still have lingering regrets over how things turned out.
H/T: Tatsuya Endo on X
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