Spy x Family is easily one of the most popular anime that have been released recently. The main characters stood out, and became fan favorites in no time. This included the fake mother and wife of the Forger family: Yor.
Yor is a secret assassin who has the codename “Thorn Princess”, so she is exceptionally skilled in fighting. She is a badass and intimidating assassin when need be. Her unmistakeable fierce eyes, and dangerously calm voice can bring shivers down the spine.
At the same time, she is also very humorous as she can be an airhead. She is quite gullible, and fails spectacularly in cooking despite her efforts. Her duality is what makes her appealing. Undoubtedly, she had secured a spot of being one of the favorite female characters in anime.
Considering Yor’s violent position, a question had arisen: Is Yor really evil?
Rest assured, this article will not be including any manga spoilers!
She is Capable of Killing
Since Yor is an assassin, she is capable of murdering any person if it is instructed to her. However, the people she kills are not specified – but we can deduce that it probably involves people related to the government. It could be officials or even spies that threatens the nation – and since Yor is from Ostania, we can assume her job is for Ostania. Or it could even be corrupt or criminal authorities. Yor’s assassin background was not explored yet in the anime.
In a way, we can say that Yor believes that killing off threats will protect the nation she hailed from. These can be considered good intentions. However, Yor thought killing more often than not – even with those people who are not dangerous to Ostania.
She entertained the idea of killing everyone in the party of her co-worker, Camilla. This is when she believed she got stood up by Loid, hence she cannot seem to fit in with the others. This is her response to getting humiliated and shunned out. She also seemed to acknowledge that she is different from everyone and that she is “not” normal.
She also imagined killing a parent of an Eden Academy applicant so that Anya will be able to secure a spot for enrollment.
Despite Yor entertaining those ideas, she did not act on them. And the fact she seemed to think that murder will be the solution for everything is an indication of a questionable moral compass.
Her imagination of killing innocent people such as the partygoers and the parent of an Eden Academy applicant would be a takeaway that she can be evil. She did not take action on it though, which meant that she still had restraint and hesitation to do it. Or rather, she is not the type to kill just for the sake of it. She kills only when she is on a mission as an assassin because there is enough reason to do so. And it could also be that she gets paid with her assassin job, so she would not turn down an opportunity to get money.
Read More: 5 Interesting Facts About Yuri Briar in Spy x Family
Yet, She Has Genuine Kindness
While Yor can be considered quite evil in her thoughts and what she does, she actually has a wholesome side to herself. It is clear she cares so much about her fake family, especially when she actively tries to become a better wife and mother. She is also very protective of Anya, and would not hesitate to fight off dangerous people for the latter.
Interestingly, she does not outright kill the people posing a danger to Anya. She just fights them off by giving them a good kick or punch, sometimes accompanied by threats. She seemed to be aware that murder should not be something a kid should witness. It can also be that Yor does not try to kill people outside her job… yet.
She also seemed to harbor affections for Loid and their fake family in the long run. This was evident when the “Secret Police” members started questioning Yor, and she became protective of her family. She claimed that she will be merciless if she will have to deal with them regardless of their status.
She is also quite nurturing, as she gave an advice to Loid and Yuri to be more gentle towards Anya when it comes to studying. She also raised Yuri all by herself, playing the role of mother and older sister combined.
Notably, she had nothing to gain from Anya just like Loid, yet she decided to treat Anya like her actual daughter. The way she cares for Anya is similar to how much she looked after Yuri when they were younger, indication of her maternal nature. This is why she gets genuinely hurt whenever Anya insults her cooking. She also thought that Fiona Frost would be a better mother and wife to the Forger family, which meant that she is also quite insecure. She also set aside her differences with her co-worker Camilla so that she will learn how to cook better to please Loid and Anya.
Yor is Morally Gray
Although Yor’s morbid thoughts can be considered evil, it does not mean that is all there is to her. She has shown kindness to Anya and Loid, and wanted to make them happy. She wanted to protect them, even though she had agreed to be part of the family to fulfill her own goals.
She is also an assassin with a lot of blood in her hands. She does not hesitate to kill someone that is instructed of her. She probably even viewed the murders as “necessary”. This is was supported by her strong interest and attraction to sharp, deadly objects.
In the anime, we are shown bits and pieces of Yor’s past. She became an assassin back when she was still young. It is possible she became an assassin because it is a high-paying job that could sustain her and Yuri. They lost their parents early on in life, so they have to make ends meet. Yor did not mind having a very shady job so that she and Yuri can have food on the table.
Since she became an assassin in her formative years, she probably had long been desensitized in the act of killing. She has no qualms killing people that are deemed enemies by the organization she was working for. This is because she does not know them, nor she has any connections with them. However, if she is instructed to kill the Forger family, she will most probably become deeply troubled by this.
Yor can kill people she has no attachment to, but when it comes to people she cares about, she shows her kindness. Overall, Yor is a morally gray character who cannot be labeled as strictly ‘good’ or ‘bad’. Being an assassin lets her become financially stable as well as protecting her nation. Yet she shows loyalty to the people she values – so she is not completely heartless and cold.
Read More: Anya and Bond Forger: A Connection That Transcends Family
