War

Amin HotepArchibald IAzure OldmanBabar WaarheidBacon IVBarrow ElktonBella MallardBentley ConnellyCottontail IXDaisy MusDeirdre ElktonDiana LoudounEdward HornoverEvangelina ConnellyFarress NiliaGlaucous OldmanHam MercuryHamish McRoryHarald HornoverHoratio VJacquetta LazoyLana LoudounLionel LazoyLucia Psint-Annenburg-VoltaMacaw AriniMatthew PalmerMaximilian WaltersMickey XIMinerva TaylorNavarra CaligariOctavio VIPoultrus IIIRoxanne IIStag EllisSterling OldmanSwan XXThumper ConnellyTrent MallonValencia VixenVincent IVixen VII

***War***is the fourth season of Toontown Storytime. The season premiered with the episode "Winter of Discontent" on January 1, 2021. A Christmas special titled "Hollow Crown" preceded the season on December 25, 2020. The finale aired in three installments from May 30 through June 13 ("Bless My Homeland," "Until I Die"). A special episode titled "Epilogue" succeeded the season to wrap up unresolved storylines.

The special flashback season takes place centuries prior to the events of the past three seasons and illustrates the eponymous War and the origin story of Toontown. It is set nearly entirely in Cartonia.

## Production

### Title Sequence

A new title sequence was devised for the fourth season, and featured a new theme song: "Experience" by Ludivico Einaudi. Given the large ensemble cast, it is the longest intro to date.

The title sequence depicts each of the eighteen Kingdoms of Cartonia and their royal seats, superimposed with the corresponding members of the main cast. The intro is split into two sections: the Kingdoms of the Granite Bloc and the Kingdoms of the Summer Sun.

### Writing

Principal writing began on April 23, 2020, and concluded on October 8, 2020. Revisions and additions continued through the season premiere. The Christmas special was written last, and finished on October 18, 2020. The "Epilogue" was created after the finale had already aired.

The author drew inspiration for the War from historical conflicts, including World War I, World War II, the Anschluss, the July Crisis, the Cold War, the Wars of the Roses, the Hundred Years' War, the Russian Revolution, the American War for Independence, the English Anarchy, the Black Death, the COVID-19 Pandemic, and the Holocaust. In addition, many of the royal families and their dynasts are based on historical figures.

### Cartonia

   Depicted at the right is a map of the northern half of the Cartonian continent. This only includes the Kingdoms of Cartonia, ending at the Vixen Cliffs. The eventual founders of Toontown escaped Cartonia by breaking the Vulpus Dam and sailing out on the flood. This event was depicted in "Bless My Homeland."

### Release Notes

Similar to the preceding season, *War* was released on a consistent weekly schedule, always on Sundays (with the exception of the premiere). There are 24 episodes (not including the two specials).

On June 1, 2020, the titles of the first fourteen episodes were released to the public. The remaining ten followed on August 20.

The main cast list was released on September 29, 2020. 41 main characters comprise the list, nearly triple the size from *Contact*. All eighteen species are represented. The supporting cast list was made available on October 28, 2020.

### Promotion

On March 22, 2020, after the finale of *Contact*, producers released a teaser trailer for the upcoming fourth season, seen at the left. The teaser foreshadows the retelling of the origin story of Toontown and the events that led to its settlement. The map of Cartonia is shown, as well as a warning that those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it. This is a quote attributed to George Santayana. The music used in the trailer is "Final Days" by Murray Gold, used in *Doctor Who*.

On March 22, 2020, producers also announced that Bentley Connelly, Maximilian Walters, Lana Loudoun, Diana Loudoun, and the Vixen Queen would star in main roles. The cast would also include many of the founders of Toontown. A Christmas special was released on December 25, 2020.

   A full trailer was released on September 29, 2020. It depicts landscapes and images from Cartonia and the War, foreshadows several events of the season, reveals the main cast, and delivers the message "*When bad people combine, the good must associate, else they will fall, one by one, an unpitied sacrifice in a contemptible struggle.*" This is a quote by Edmund Burke, who is often misquoted for saying "the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." The music in the background is a dark cover of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" by J2.

### Harmony Crown

   As the institution of the Harmony Crown is an integral part of the Cartonia storyline, producers created an explanatory video of the Crown's origins and process to better aid the audience in understanding the Crown. The video was published along with the release of "Hollow Crown" on December 25, 2020. The music used in the background is "Greensleeves."

### Previously On...

   A previously on segment was prepared for the season's premiere, just as done with *Contact.*The video is to the left, and recounts the events of "Silent Night." The background music is "So It Begins" from *The Tudors*. The last image is of the Diary of War's first entry at the outbreak of war.

### Changes from Previous Season

Unlike the first three seasons, none of the characters in *War* are from Toontown. Several eventually become the town's founders, but the entirety of *War* takes place centuries prior to the settlement. This is the first season to be set in Cartonia, and the first not to feature modern Toontown. Characters from all eighteen species comprise the main cast.

In an announcement on April 23, 2020, producers stated that characters will not appear as often, and each episode would focus on one or more Kingdoms or events. This is a departure from past seasons, which saw the same set of main characters consistently appearing in every episode. To denote this divergence from traditional "recurring" characters, non-main cast members are either "supporting" or "guest."

## Synopsis

After seven centuries of peace, the Kingdoms of Cartonia are at war. Two rival alliances fight viciously for dominance and victory. As the brutal war of attrition ravages the nation, royalty and common alike fight to stay alive.

## Cast

### Main Characters

* Amin Hotep
* Archibald I
* Azure Oldman
* Babar Waarheid
* Bacon IV
* Barrow Elkton
* Bella Mallard
* Bentley Connelly
* Cottontail IX
* Daisy Mus
* Deirdre Elkton
* Diana Loudoun
* Edward XIV
* Evangelina Connelly
* Farress Nilia
* Glaucous Oldman
* Ham Mercury
* Hamish McRory
* Harald Hornover
* Horatio V
* Jacquetta Lazoy
* Lana Loudoun
* Lionel Lazoy
* Lucia Psint-Annenburg-Volta
* Macaw Arini
* Matthew Palmer
* Maximilian Walters
* Mickey XI
* Minerva Taylor
* Navarra Caligari
* Octavio VI
* Poultrus III
* Roxanne II
* Stag Ellis
* Sterling Oldman
* Swan XX
* Thumper Connelly
* Trent Mallon
* Valencia Vixen
* Vincent I
* Vixen VII

### Supporting Characters

* Albion Mallard
* Alexander Petukinau
* Ana III
* Anya Mus
* Babarina Malkia
* Bake Hamleigh
* Binti Tatum
* Bosworth Mallard
* Calinia Caligari
* Callum Clackmannan
* Captain Rivers
* Card Tatum
* Carolina Oldman
* Celeste Oldman
* Clarence Truett
* Croix Psint-Annenburg-Volta
* Dane Mastiff
* Emmeline of Capet
* Eva Hornover
* Ewan I
* Giulio Lazoy
* Grayson Oldman
* Isadora Mallard
* Jasiri Tatum
* Jeanette Kinnar
* Libby Connelly
* Lord of Grasse
* Master of the Commons
* Mitch Mus
* Mizzie Mercury
* Monica Oll
* Nicholas Porker
* Nguvu Tatum
* Phillip Semper
* Redgar Klaus
* Reynard Vixen
* Richard Mallard
* Roseanna Hamleigh
* Scott Wells
* Sophie Riffick
* Sunny Palmer
* Tatyana Mus
* Theodora Rose
* Thomas Mallard
* Tom Palmer
* Tomasz Czerny
* Unella Holstein
* Vanna Vixen
* Vicar of Heaven
* Violetta Vixen
* Zamora Lazoy

### Guest Characters

*Ordered by episode of appearance*

* Leland Dodd ("Winter of Discontent")
* Henna Petukinau ("Suddenly the Skies Darkened")
* Henrietta Petukinau ("Suddenly the Skies Darkened")
* William X ("Suddenly the Skies Darkened")
* Grace Rose ("The White Ship")
* Jane III ("The White Ship")
* Marigold Hyde ("Unknown by Name or Rank")
* Amelia Prance ("In the Trenches of Despair")
* Caribou Atlas ("In the Trenches of Despair")
* Askari Juu ("In the Trenches of Despair")
* Ralph Hornover ("In the Trenches of Despair")
* Tanza Cameron ("In the Trenches of Despair")
* Philippa Hornover ("Fall As Lucifer Fell")
* Eddie Hornover ("Remnants of the People")
* Gitchell Padden ("Remnants of the People")
* Dr. Loring Clement ("Remnants of the People")
* Shiree Hornover ("Remnants of the People")
* Commander Rico ("Buried in Satin")
* Jakob Jäger ("Lest We Forget")
* Marley Mus ("Lest We Forget")
* Minnie Mus ("Lest We Forget")
* Mus Royal Family ("Lest We Forget")
* Ruba Curacaire ("Too Close to the Sun")
* Special Doctor ("Requiem Aeternum")
* Caris Elief ("Never Trust a Fox")
* Chip Elief ("Never Trust a Fox")
* Exchequer of the Bank ("Never Trust a Fox," "Pro Patria Mori")
* Pecunia Lajan ("Never Trust a Fox")
* Vangar Vixen ("Never Trust a Fox")
* Willow Hornover ("Pro Patria Mori")
* Alix Vremyado ("In the Meadows of Sorrow")
* Baldur Vorwärts ("In the Meadows of Sorrow")
* Gufran Bloem ("In the Meadows of Sorrow")
* Lennon Vremyado ("In the Meadows of Sorrow")
* Lyev Vremyado ("In the Meadows of Sorrow")
* Olga Vremyado ("In the Meadows of Sorrow")
* Stratacella Truett ("In the Meadows of Sorrow")
* Poppy Hamleigh ("The Good Must Associate")
* Andrea Lockington ("Bless My Homeland")
* Dr. Khnum ("Bless My Homeland")
* Gloria Berryessa ("Bless My Homeland")
* Helen Hoover ("Bless My Homeland")
* Oster ("Until I Die")

### Special Guest Characters

* Victoria Vixen ("Winter of Discontent", "Fall As Lucifer Fell", "Remnants of the People", "Something Wicked", "No Matter What", "The Good Must Associate", "Bless My Homeland")

## Trivia

* The season's name, *War*, refers to the historical War that led to the settlement of Toontown.
* This is the first season set in Cartonia.
* This is the first season not to feature modern Toontown.
* This is the first season to have a fox, chicken, goat, deer, crocodile, elephant, parrot, and chipmunk on the main cast.
* With 41 main characters, this season boasts the largest main cast.
* With 24 episodes, this is the longest season of Storytime.
* Several episodes lost their original names during the writing process:
	+ Episodes 23 and 24 were originally titled "Coachmen Hold the Carriage" and "Stay, I Pray You," lyrics taken from the *Anastasia*musical song "Stay, I Pray You." Other lyrics from the same song were chosen instead, resulting in "Bless My Homeland" and "Until I Die."
	+ Episode 18 was originally named "Uneasy Lies the Head That Wears a Crown" but became "No Matter What" when the theme of the episode changed.
	+ Episode 19 was originally "Never Surrender," after Winston Churchill's famous WWII speech, but became "Never Trust a Fox" instead.
* This is the first season to have a projected premiere date announced more than a month out. The January 1 premiere date was announced on April 23, 2020, more than seven months before the premiere date.
* This was the first season to premiere in January, and the first to have an episode publish in April.
	+ Until *War*, April was the only month to never have an episode published within it.
* This is the first season since *Rewritten*to be entirely broadcast from the East Coast.
* This is the first and so far only season to be published after every single episode was written.
* This is the first season to have two specials, and the only to have a special succeed all episodes of a season.