Even at its fifteenth volume, SPY × FAMILY still finds ways to surprise me. Never would I have expected to be swooned by the back story of Henry Henderson and Martha Marriott, two characters that could have easily stayed in the realm of secondary players. Yet here in Volume Fifteen, SPY × FAMILY finds a way to show why their story matters so much to both the overall plot and the moral this manga is trying to convey.

As the flashback continues from the last volume, Martha is sent to war to fight against the Westalis army. There, she watches her comrades perish in battle, and finds herself lost in a sea of chaos and turmoil. But after she blacks out, she awakens in the home of a Westalis woman, whose daughter was killed in the war a year before. At that moment, Martha realizes that the real price of war is the common folks that are pushed to fight by the higher-ups.

The narrative goes to great lengths to show why there are no true villains on the battlefield; only people following orders. When the fight is on, those on the other side are seen as the enemy. However, when the battle is over, they’re seen for what they truly are: human beings. It’s an eye-opening moment for Martha when she finds herself looking into the barrel of a Westalis soldier, only to hear that the war is over and that they’ll take her home to Ostania.

However, the real heartache occurs when Martha reunites with Henry. He’s now married, but Martha can’t be angry at the kindhearted lady he’s linked to. Still, even with all of the kindness that’s being showered upon her, there’s still a bit of sadness resting within Martha over the aftermath. (In one of the rare instances, I’m siding with Becky Blackbell over how Martha should’ve truly felt after all of that!)

It’s not just Martha who has a stellar story in this volume of SPY × FAMILY. Our favorite Afro-headed Franky gets a moment to show what happens in his daily life. Training, taking on missions, and even dealing with matters of the heart is what Twilight’s go-to helper seems to experience almost every day. (The guy could be given a break in the romance department, especially when you see just how good he is at rescue missions.)

The Desmonds get a couple of chapters of their own, too. Damian and the quest to find a new discovery is a tad unfunny, and it shows why he and his two friends’ stories are often skippable affairs. However, when the entire Desmond family has dinner for the first time in a while, you bear witness to one of the most awkwardly silent meals you could ever imagine. It’s a situation where the dinner is so uncomfortable, it’s comedic.

Of course, SPY × FAMILY isn’t about the Desmonds nor the Blackbells. This is about the Forgers, who do have some good moments to shine in this volume. For starters, Anya’s quest to find a wild seal allows the family to have a relaxing day. It’s a fun chapter that allows Anya to be cute, while also demonstrating why Twilight is a legit good dad.

But it’s a trip to the town’s Winter Sheep Festival when we see how much progress Anya has made in her mission. All of her friends are the children of big and powerful families. In fact, Twilight is so overwhelmed with the amount of connections he could make for his mission, it actually tires him out! But it’s thanks to Yor that he’s about to get closer to completing his mission, as Melinda Desmond appears in the least-likely of places.

Perhaps it’s best that I don’t spoil what comes from that reveal, as it has some of the best laughs and the coolest of twists. For now, consider Volume Fifteen of SPY × FAMILY one filled with some surprisingly good storytelling and a handful of big laughs. With that being said, poor Damian and his two butt-kissing friends need to get themselves a legit good story. If he can’t get a solid narrative without the help of Anya, then his credentials as a Desmond child will certainly be ruined!

Promotional consideration provided by Chantelle Sturt of VIZ Media. Click here to read past “SPY × FAMILY” reviews!