Handler (Sylvia) of “SPY×FAMILY”: Did Her Daughter Die? Is She Anya’s Mother?
- Category : Anime
- Tags: anime, ANYA, SPY×FAMILY
A topic of discussion among fans of “SPY×FAMILY” is whether the Handler (Sylvia Sherwood) has a deceased daughter. There are also theories floating around that she might be Anya’s mother. Handler, a character with a spotlight on her past, is thought to be mourning a daughter who might have died. This article will explore these topics, including the possibility of her daughter’s death and the theory that she is Anya’s mother.
Who is the Handler in SPY×FAMILY?
In the popular TV anime “SPY×FAMILY,” the Handler is a crucial character operating as a spy for the Westalis nation. Her past, including the potential death of her daughter, has been a subject of fan speculation. Before delving into the Handler’s past, let’s briefly introduce the background and synopsis of “SPY×FAMILY.”
Overview of SPY×FAMILY
Title: SPY×FAMILY
Author: Tatsuya Endo
Publisher: Shueisha
Publication Site: Shonen Jump+
Label: Jump Comics+
Publication Period: From March 25, 2019, to present (as of November 2023)
Volumes: 12 (as of November 2023)
Anime Season 2 Air Dates: From October 7, 2023, to present
Theatrical Anime Release Date: December 22, 2023
Synopsis of SPY×FAMILY
Anya, a girl who can read minds, becomes the adopted daughter of Lloyd Forger, a spy, who arrives at an orphanage. To enroll in Eden Academy, Lloyd, looking for a fake wife, meets Yor, an assassin. Anya, finding the prospect of a spy and an assassin as parents amusing, helps bring them together. Lloyd and Yor, sharing mutual interests, decide to raise Anya as a couple.
Profile of Handler (Sylvia)
Codename: Handler
Real Name: Sylvia Sherwood
Alias: Fullmetal Lady
Gender: Female
Age: 30s to 40s
Height: 173cm
Occupation (Public): Secretary at the East-Westalis Embassy (Diplomat)
Occupation (Secret): Manager at WISE’s Eastern Division
Family: Aaron (Pet)
Handler’s real name is Sylvia Sherwood, a manager at WISE appearing in “SPY×FAMILY.” She is Lloyd Forger’s superior, and her age remains undisclosed. She is single and owns a dog, but her marital history is unknown. Known as “Fullmetal Lady,” Sylvia is a somewhat clumsy woman.
Sylvia Sherwood, working covertly as a spy and publicly as a diplomat, is a surveillance target of Ostania. To avoid drawing attention, she maintains a routine daily life. As a spy, she deceives Ostania’s intelligence agents and meets with Lloyd Forger and others. Handler is characterized by her reddish long hair.
Relationship between Handler (Sylvia) and Lloyd
Handler (Sylvia Sherwood) and Lloyd Forger’s relationship in “SPY×FAMILY” is intriguing. Initially active in the army, Lloyd was scouted as a spy and switched careers. Upon becoming a spy, Handler became his direct superior. She was emotionless and strictly issued orders to the novice Lloyd.
Handler was instrumental in shaping Lloyd into a top spy, teaching him how to behave as one. Lloyd deeply trusts her, and Handler also trusts him, not just as a subordinate but as a protégé. As a manager at WISE, Handler entrusts Lloyd with numerous critical missions.
Confident in Lloyd, whom she personally trained, Handler assigns him high-importance missions. She also tends to assign him high-risk tasks. Lloyd follows her orders, enduring harsh missions and strenuous work, out of respect and shared ideals with her.
Did Handler’s Daughter Die? What is Her Past?
Did Handler (Sylvia Sherwood) Experience War?
Handler’s past, including whether she experienced war, is a subject of interest. In one scene, Handler confronts college students planning a terror attack using bombs, asking them what war truly is. She questions if they can imagine their acquaintances, families, siblings, and lovers dying before their eyes.
Handler makes the students envision the horrific realities of war. However, her calm demeanor while discussing this suggests she might have firsthand experience with war, possibly losing loved ones during conflicts.
In the scene where Handler advises the students, she contemplates whether her actions in fighting the enemy were correct, leading to a story about someone who took their own life. It’s likely that Handler not only experienced war but also actively participated
in it as a soldier. This experience of war and the loss of important people are likely driving forces behind her current actions and motivations.
Handler’s Daughter: Alive or Deceased?
Handler’s daughter being deceased is a subject of speculation. In a scene where Bond, a dog, is introduced, Handler reveals she had a daughter Anya’s age, suggesting a past where she was a mother.
However, Handler’s use of past tense when mentioning her daughter implies the possibility of her death. There are no details about Handler’s husband, and it’s unclear whether she separated from her family due to her spy work. Her kindness towards children hints at her maternal past.
Some theories suggest Handler’s daughter might still be alive, based on the mythological reference in Handler’s real name, Sylvia Sherwood. In the myth, the character’s child, separated from her, lives with another man, suggesting Handler’s daughter might be alive but unknown to her.
Is the Handler Anya’s Mother?
Speculation 1: Hair Color of Handler and Anya
In “SPY×FAMILY,” Handler (Sylvia Sherwood) is speculated to be Anya’s mother based on their hair color. The story of “SPY×FAMILY” is famously modeled after historical Germany, divided into East and West by the Berlin Wall, with no interaction allowed between them. Also, during this period, the persecution of Jewish people under the Nazi regime was prevalent.
One characteristic of persecuted Jewish people was red hair. Among the many characters in “SPY×FAMILY,” only Handler and Anya have reddish hair. As Anya was raised in a facility, her mother’s identity has not been depicted in the story. If Anya was Jewish, she could have been placed in a facility right after birth.
Handler’s story does not detail how she lost her daughter or if she died. If Handler’s daughter is Anya, they might have been separated at birth. It’s also speculated that instead of being taken, Anya might have been safely placed somewhere by her mother, Handler, for protection.
Speculation 2: Origin of Sylvia’s Name
The speculation around Handler’s real name, Sylvia Sherwood, suggests it might be inspired by a woman from ancient Roman mythology. In the myth, a Vestal Virgin named Rhea Silvia was destined to remain chaste but bore children with the god Mars.
Rhea Silvia was under royal surveillance and gave birth to two children, who were later cast into a river. One of them, surviving the ordeal, was raised by a man who found him and eventually became a king of Rome. If Sylvia Sherwood’s character is modeled after Rhea Silvia, she might think she lost her child, but her daughter might still be alive.
Speculation 3: Is Anya a Twin?
The speculation that Sylvia Sherwood’s model is Rhea Silvia leads to the possibility that her daughter might be a twin. If Anya’s mother is Sylvia Sherwood, she might have a twin sibling. If Anya is a twin, it’s possible that both her mother and sibling are alive.
If Sylvia Sherwood is the mother and Anya is her daughter, similar to the ancient Roman myth, Anya was raised by a man who found her, in this case, Lloyd Forger. While it’s unclear if the ancient Roman myth is the actual model for the story, the possibility that Sylvia Sherwood is Anya’s mother cannot be dismissed. Anya’s mysterious past also leads to speculation that she might have a twin.
Is Handler Yor and Yuri’s Mother?
Speculation about Handler (Sylvia Sherwood) being the mother of Yor and Yuri has been a topic of discussion among fans. Handler, a senior to Lloyd Forger, has been undertaking secret missions from the past. This could mean Handler might have distanced herself from her family while working as an assassin.
There’s no specific information about Handler’s age, so she could plausibly be Yor’s mother. However, Yor and Yuri lost their mother due to war, and in flashback scenes, their mother’s hair color is depicted as black, unlike Handler’s. Considering this and the fact that Yor was older than Anya during the war, it’s unlikely that Handler is their mother.
Handler’s Strength and Personality in SPY×FAMILY
Handler’s Strength
In “SPY×FAMILY,” Sylvia Sherwood, the Handler, is known for her strength. As a manager, she typically delegates basic combat operations to Lloyd Forger and others. The extent of her combat abilities hasn’t been explicitly revealed in the story. However, given that she trained Lloyd Forger in the past, it is likely that she possesses significant strength.
Currently in a managerial position, it is believed that Handler has also fought as a combatant in the past. There are scenes where she is responsible for interrogating enemies, indicating that she is not weak just because she is in a managerial role.
Handler’s Unique Greeting
Handler’s unique greeting in “SPY×FAMILY” is distinctive compared to other characters. Her greeting is “Hello, or good evening, Agent ○○.” The reason behind this unusual greeting has not been disclosed in the story.
It is speculated that Handler’s ambiguous greeting might be influenced by radio communication. Her greeting incorporates all forms of greetings, making it applicable in any situation. Fans also speculate that this greeting might serve as a countermeasure in case of eavesdropping.
Handler’s Personality
Handler in “SPY×FAMILY” shows little emotion as a spy, behaving almost mechanically. She is always calm and makes decisions objectively. Despite her cool demeanor, it has been revealed that she is actually very kind-hearted.
Paying respect to those who died in wars and earnestly desiring peace, Handler’s past as a mother is reflected in her gentle words towards Anya. It has been revealed that Handler struggles with tasks unrelated to her job. In her private life, Handler is somewhat sloppy and not good at household chores like cleaning and laundry.
Working as a diplomat Sylvia Sherwood, while deceiving the intelligence officers of Ostania and managing her position at WISE, Handler lacks the energy for daily life activities. This is exemplified when she meets Lloyd Forger in disguise, still wearing a coat with the price tag attached.
Handler’s First Appearance Scene
In “SPY×FAMILY,” Handler (Sylvia Sherwood) first appears in both the manga and the TV anime in Episode 6. Handler calls her subordinate, Lloyd Forger, to review the progress of their mission and discuss future developments.
Responding to Handler’s summons, Lloyd travels from a photo booth to WISE’s headquarters. WISE’s branches are hidden in various locations within Ostania, with multiple entrances appearing in the scenes where Handler calls for meetings.
Handler’s Famous Quotes
Quote 1: “The Easy Answer…”
Handler’s famous quote, “The Easy Answer…,” is addressed to a WISE newcomer. The quote relates to a situation involving Wellman, a figure in the opera world, who was suspected of having an affair, becoming a subject of gossip. A new agent initially criticizes Wellman as despicable for his supposed affair.
However, a subsequent article reveals Wellman’s innocence. The new agent feels guilty for having been misled by the gossip and criticizes an innocent Wellman. Yet, other WISE members inform the new agent that Wellman was indeed having an affair. Confused, the new agent struggles to discern whether Wellman was guilty or not.
In this confusion, Handler advises the new agent not to be swayed by gossip or others’ opinions, but to think independently and discern the truth, saying this notable quote.
Quote 2: “Today is Peaceful…”
Handler’s second famous quote, “Today is Peaceful…,” appears in the last scene of a dog-related terrorist incident. Franz, the Foreign Minister from Westalis, is invited to Ostania, and during his entry, college students plan to assassinate him using bomb dogs. Anya, upon learning about this plan, along with a dog later named Bond, tries to thwart the plot.
With the help of Anya, Lloyd, and other WISE members, the students are arrested, and the terrorist plot is prevented. The dogs used by the students are taken in by WISE. Anya, wanting Bond, throws a tantrum to keep the dog. Handler, moved by Anya’s wish, decides to give Bond to her. Seeing Anya happy with Bond, Handler becomes joyful too.
Remembering her deceased daughter, Handler says this quote with a smile, rather than her usual stern expression.
Handler’s Profile and Voice Actor
Yuko Kaida’s Profile
- Name: Yuko Kaida
- Date of Birth: January 14, 1980
- Place of Birth: Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture
- Blood Type: O
- Height: 167cm
- Occupation: Stage Actress, Voice Actor
- Agency: Ken Production
- Active Since: 2000
- Role in “SPY×FAMILY”: Handler (Sylvia Sherwood)
Yuko Kaida, the voice actor for Handler in “SPY×FAMILY,” has gained popularity among fans. She began her career as a stage actress and voice actor in 2000 and has been featured in numerous works. Represented by Ken Production, Kaida often portrays strong female characters.
Handler’s Reception and Impact
Handler’s quotes and character have received attention from fans. As a manager at WISE and having experienced loss due to war, her quotes about war’s futility and peace are widely admired. Fans find her advice to the naive college students particularly impactful.
Handler’s motherhood and the fate of her daughter have also been a topic of discussion. While her daughter’s death is not confirmed, Handler’s past tense reference has raised speculation. Her scenes expressing maternal feelings have resonated with viewers.
Speculation about Handler being Anya’s mother, based on their physical resemblance, has also gained traction among fans.
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