Swan XX

**King Swan XX,** born **Beck Mallard**, is a main character in *War.*He was first introduced as a featured character in the 2018 Christmas special, "Silent Night."

In terms of the series narrative, King Swan XX is the King of Mallardia at the outbreak of War. His nation was blamed for the assassination of Victoria Vixen by a duck in Vulpus. He was one of the first monarchs to enter the War.

## Appearances

### "Silent Night"

King Swan XX made his first appearance in "Silent Night." Swan, born as **Beck Mallard**, was once a close friend of Bentley Connelly, as the two were heir apparents together. Swan ascended to the throne earlier than expected in 701. On Christmas Eve 707, Victoria Vixen was assassinated in Vulpus by a Mallardian assassin. Mallardia was blamed for the attack and Vixen VII of Vulpus issued an ultimatum to the ducks, specifically to Swan XX, to rectify the attack. Swan struggled with the ultimatum, since he was guitless and unwilling to let a war break out over a misunderstanding. However, he was convinced by the leaders of Canis and Willie to let the ultimatum expire so that the foxes would be viewed as belligerent aggressors, allowing all of Cartonia to retaliate against Vulpus. Certain that any war would be a quick battle in favor of the allies, Beck allowed the ultimatum to expire on New Year's Eve. Sure enough, Vulpus invaded Mallardia on New Year's Day 708 and the nations of Canis, Willie, Mallardia, and Eusuchia declared war on Vulpus.

### *War*

Swan XX returned in "The Lamps Are Going Out." By October 708, there had been little change in the war. Trenches were dug in Mallardia, where all the fighting had so far occurred. The conflict was fast-labeled as a war of attrition. The ducks were unsuccessful in recruiting more allies, as most of Cartonia chose to remain neutral. To exacerbate matters, Swan faced an attempted coup within his court from his own Uncle Richard Mallard. Richard, hungry for the throne, attempted to level accusations of illegitimacy against Swan. However, Swan's grandmother and Richard's mother Emmeline of Capet came to his defense. The court was successfully convinced that Richard's claim was bogus and the coup was avoided. Swan appointed Richard to the southern front, ensuring his absence from court and further machinations from arising. Swan would finally gain more allies when the Harmony Crown was dissolved by the Vixen Queen in February 709. The allied nations reorganized into the Granite Bloc.

During the War Plague in "Remnants of the People," Swan and his family gathered at Emmeline of Capet's deathbed. She died of the Plague in 713.

By 716, the tide of the war had turned definitively against Mallardia. Anatoidea was surrounded, and invaded in "Lest We Forget." Swan and his family hastily attempted to flee, but Swan was killed personally by Vixen VII. The rest of his family managed to escape Beakfield Manor and reach exile in Simeone, where Swan's only daughter Bella Mallard was coronated as Queen Swan XXI.

## Character

### Namesake

Swan is named after the swan species, which is not exactly a duck, but close. His birth name, Beck, is a play on "beak."

## Trivia

* Swan XX is more or less a counterpart for Peter I of Serbia, who found himself accused of the assassination of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1914.