Aleck Harding

**Aleck Harding**is a main character in *Contact*, a recurring character in *Justice* and *Revolution*, and was a guest character in *Rewritten*. Aleck is the only character to progress from Guest to Recurring to Main status.

In terms of the series narrative, Aleck served as the Deputy of the Toon Patrol under Chief Constance Miller until his own election to the position of Chief of the Toon Patrol in the second season.

## Appearances

### *Rewritten*

Aleck Harding was first mentioned in "Snatched" when he called Constance Miller to inform her that Toons attempted to storm Sellbot Headquarters. He did not make a physical appearance.

Aleck's first full appearance was in "Heaven Found" when he accompanied Chief Constance Miller and Eileen Irenic to the theatre owned by Alice Carver in disguise. She, along with Bradley Wolfe revealed themselves after more than a decade of disappearance.

### *Justice*

Aleck returned in "Aftershock" as he sat in on the Toon Council meeting and helped formulate a plan for the coordinated strike on Cog headquarters. He also volunteered to head the charge to restore the laff of the 27 converted Togs. Aleck sets up Alice and Bradley at their new estate in "Out in the Darkness." He also chaperones them on a visit to Toon HQ, where they meet Slate Oldman and see the 27 Togs.

On Election Night in "Voice to the Chorus," Aleck was elected to succeed Constance Miller as Chief of the Toon Patrol. He chose Susan Fletcher as his Deputy.
In "Trouble," Aleck officially appointed Alice Carver and Bradley Wolfe to the committee to oversee the cure of the Togs. Aleck later attempted to assist Constnace Miller during the scandal leveled against her. He was sworn in at his Inauguration by Constance Miller, who was outgoing Chief of the Toon Patrol.

Aleck's first four weeks were a whirlwind of activity as he raced to secure the safety of Toontown for the inevitable return of the Cogs, which occurred in "Edicts of War," only intensifying his workload. He arrested Ahab Ishmael for treason after he withheld vital information that delayed the discovery of Bossbot Headquarters. Another arrest was ordered in "A Tale of Two Mice" when Clarabelle Cow fled when confronted about the infiltration of Sellbot Headquarters. The chase continued in "The Last Cow" when the building in which Clarabelle had fled was stormed. Aleck stayed behind and later filed a suit with Toontown's legal expert. However, the Cogs ordered that Clarabelle's case be taken to the top of the Lawbot court. The jury was chosen in "Castle on the Cliff," with Aleck bearing witness. He would help coordinate a surprise attack for after the verdict's reveal in "Brawl of the Bossbots" when the prosecution began to fear an inevitable tie in the jury. The attack never actually transpired the way it was intended when Clarabelle was declared guilty in "By a Preponderance." Aleck took Clarabelle into custody and dropped out of the mission to BBHQ in order to prepare her cell.

In "Banners High," Aleck went to the top of the lighthouse in the Docks at the invitation of Bodie Currituck in order to watch the Bossbot HQ crag collapse into the Bay. He hurried down to the Docks to welcome back the fighting Toons. Their celebration at the harbor was shortlived, however, as a derelict ship emerged through the fog, bearing the sigil of the chipmunk Kingdom of Scuridiae. Contact was reestablished.

### *Contact*

Aleck returned in "They Came From the North." He was on the Docks when the Cartonians arrived by ship. He ordered the sounding of the panic alarm and coordinated the lockdown of Toontown. Along with the Toon Council, his Deputies, and Eileen Irenic, he helped interrogate the six Cartonians. He was initially skeptical of each of them. The skepticism persisted in "Equinox," when the Deputies agreed to keep the Cartonians locked up until their innocence could be definitively determined. A petition came before the Toon Council in "Outlanders" to release the five non-fox Cartonians to a house arrest program with the aim of eventual citizenship. The motion was voted down 5-1, and Aleck was told to inform his Deputies that incarceration was to remain. A second motion was put to a vote in "Countdown," but failing to garner a unanimous vote. Aleck later helped fight the Cashbots in a staged battle on Pajama Place.

In "Welcome to Toontown," the Toon Council was finally pressured enough to vote in favor of releasing the non-fox Cartonians to a house arrest program. Aleck oversaw all five releases and the transition from jail handler to Toon handler. Aleck later moved Clarabelle Cow out of the temporary bank vault prison and into the Toon HQ in Toontown Central along with Blair Fawkes. In "Truth Will Out," Aleck assumed sponsorship over crocodile Rook James after Eileen reported having difficulty with Rook at home. Constance and Aleck, while reminiscing on old times, received a call from Evelyn Quin that Paul Pickaxe's apartment had turned grey.

Aleck came to the Brrrgh's rescue in "Revenge of the Lawbots" but found himself unable to stop the spreading tide of Cog greyness. He began to set up refuge camps for residents of the Brrrgh, but was soon distracted when Clarabelle Cow and Blair Fawkes were sprung from prison. Aleck was put in charge of locating Clarabelle and Blair, and he got into an argument with Tick Hunter over the latter's alleged innocence.

During the Deluge in "Split the Heavens," Aleck activated the emergency siren to lure the Cogs into Toontown Central and succumb to the maelstrom of the Deluge. The event successfully eliminated the Cogs from Toontown.

Following the Deluge in "Song of the Siren," Aleck and the Toon Council began to plan a celebration for the Toons as a victory lap in their defeat of the Cogs. A series of dinner cruises were agreed upon, to be concluded with a large party throughout the town.

Aleck's Deputy, Susan Fletcher, died in the explosion of the *Chipper* in "Wistful Oceans." Aleck was integral to the rescue effort in "Out of the Frying Pan." He oversaw the security of Cale Metfin, one of the two to survive the explosion. He was atop the lighthouse with Bodie Currituck when the Vulpus Armada sailed into the Bay of Toontown.

### *Revolution*

Aleck returned in "Billow and Breeze" when he warned Constance of the slaughter of the Caligari family in Toontown. In "Common Sense," Aleck watched as the foxes erected a massive communications tower in the Brrrgh to facilitate communication between Toontown and the metropole. Aleck was a first responder during the "Night of Shattered Stone," which nearly broke Toontown.

Aleck attended Constance's meeting of the minds in "Hang Together," where he suggested a violent uprising to fox rule.

In "For Tomorrow We Die," on the eve of the Toons' uprising, Aleck and Constance shared a drink. They both confessed secrets to each other, with Aleck admitting that he and Bradley Wolfe grew up together and he could have easily have been Dr. Molecule's victim.

During Toontown's rebellion in "Vulpus Aflame," Aleck fought the foxes on the docks. Exploding shrapnel propelled him into the blood-stained water. After the foxes retreated in "Toontown Asunder," Aleck helped the Toons take shelter from the incoming Horizon Bomb. The town was spared, and Aleck survived.

## Character

### Namesake

Aleck Harding is named after DI Alec Hardy from the TV show *Broadchurch*. His namesake is also a policeman, though not a deputy. He is a Detective Inspector.

## Trivia

* Aleck is so far the only character to have been guest, recurring, and main status.
* Aleck wears a white police outfit, modeled after British police uniforms.
	+ This uniform was inspired by the second season's poster.
* Aleck is wearing a Toon Patrol hat in the *Contact*title sequence, but not in its trailer.