Sylvia Sherwood operates as a high-ranking agent and handler in the Westalis Intelligence Service's Eastern-Focused Division, codenamed "Handler." Her public cover is Secretary Sherwood at the Westalis Embassy in Ostania, where she endures constant surveillance by the Ostanian Secret Police. This operational excellence under pressure earned her the moniker "Fullmetal Lady" among subordinates, signifying her formidable reputation and unwavering dedication to preserving peace between Westalis and Ostania. Profound personal loss during the second war between Ostania and Westalis marks her past; she previously had a husband and a daughter roughly Anya Forger's age, both implied killed in the conflict. This tragedy drove her into espionage and forged a deep-seated aversion to war, later fueling her vehement condemnation of student terrorists seeking renewed hostilities. She recounted visceral wartime experiences—finding family in rubble and enduring starvation—to underscore war's futility. Before the series' events, she trained Twilight under the codename "Nighthawk," employing exceptionally harsh methods that instilled lasting respect and fear. Overseeing Operation Strix, Sylvia coordinates missions for agents like Twilight, prioritizing the objective of infiltrating Donovan Desmond's circle via his sons at Eden Academy. She devised Strix's multi-phase plan, including the requirement for Anya to earn eight Stella Stars. Her management blends strategic oversight with occasional questionable tactics, such as proposing bribery or staged scenarios to advance Anya's standing. She demonstrates operational flexibility, permitting the Forgers to adopt the precognitive dog Bond after thwarting terrorists, partly swayed by Anya's emotional appeal reminding her of her lost daughter. Her compassion extends to animals; she adopted a former test dog, Aaron, from Project Apple. Sylvia exhibits a complex personality defined by professional sternness and concealed vulnerability. She demands logical reasoning and initiative, instructing rookies to find answers independently rather than seek easy solutions. While feared for her intensity—Twilight avoids mentioning forgotten price tags out of apprehension—she displays maternal concern for subordinates, advising against overwork and granting Twilight leave after observing his exhaustion. Privately, she inhabits a disorganized apartment, a trait rooted in wartime trauma that left her indifferent to domestic order until adopting Aaron necessitated tidiness. She occasionally reveals playful tendencies: admiring new disguises, engaging in competitive dog-related bets, or teasing agents about unspoken affections. Her age is undisclosed but sensitive; she reacted with visible offense when Anya referenced it. Her espionage expertise includes mastery of disguise, though rare oversights occur, like neglecting to remove clothing tags. She possesses keen observational skills, detecting crowd anomalies and identifying surveillance patterns. As a handler, she efficiently coordinates field agents and evades persistent tails through meticulous routines, like using weekly swims to create disguise-changing opportunities. In combat, she immobilized a terrorist using a belt as an improvised weapon and carries firearms, though her proficiency remains unverified. Physical limitations stem from age-related issues like back pain and reduced stamina after exertion. Sylvia's narrative function bridges WISE's strategic objectives with Twilight's field operations while embodying the war's lingering trauma. Her unresolved backstory—the full extent of her family's fate and wartime experiences—remains pivotal to understanding her commitment to preventing further conflict.