Calamity Box

Calamity Box
The Calamity Box when unveiled to the Plantars.
Object information
Type	Music Box Death Trap Dangerous Weapon
Use(s)	Transportation Device Music Box

The Calamity Box is a chest believed to be able to play music; it is actually used for interdimensional travel between Earth and Amphibia. It was held in the store Thrift Stop before being stolen by Anne Boonchuy on her 13th birthday.

Appearance

The box is quite small and can fit atop one's hand. It's ornamented with gold and three different gems (purple, blue and green) which lost their colors once Anne, Sasha Waybright, and Marcy Wu got transported to Amphibia. It depicts a frog in the tropical woods, praising the gems behind an engraved sun design. It also has a small key on its right side as a possible accessory.

History

It is a magical relic that can be used for dimensional travel between both the Human world and the tropical Amphibian world of Amphibia. It is known that for some time it remained on Earth in a thrift store, though how it arrived in such place is still a mystery.

3 months prior to "Reunion", Marcy found the box as a mocking birthday present for "the frog lover", referring to Anne, as she was having her 13th birthday. Marcy shared it via text messaging to her and Anne's friend Sasha, after she found out Anne was disgusted by frogs during a frog dissection at school. Anne was soon after forced by Sasha to go meet up with Marcy to check out the box after leaving school, despite Anne's birthday party at home starting soon after Marcy sent the text, adding to the fact that her mom and dad were waiting for her. Nevertheless, Anne stole the box from the store and the three went to an old nearby park to open the box. Promptly after it's opening, multicoloured lights began flashing onto the three girls prior to a blinding white light erupting from within the box. This event caused all three to be transported into Amphibia, but none of them landed in the same location, leading Anne to initially believe she was the only one who was transported. The box remains in possession of Anne as she carries it around in her bag, though wrapped in a blanket. It also revealed that after it's first use, it became inactive. It seems that because of its dormant status, it is the reason the three gems on top no longer have their color.

In the present at the end of "Anne Vs. Wild", Anne finally decides to reveal how she got into Amphibia in the first place, which was with what she thought to be a music box. Anne asks them if they know anything about it, but her friend Hop Pop Plantar claims to have never seen anything like it. However, later that night as Hop Pop is researching in his study, he comes across a page of the box with a picture, resembling the one Anne showed him with danger signs around the page titled Calamity Box.

During the events of "Bizarre Bazaar", Anne and Sprig decide to go to a secret market in the hopes of finding more information about Anne's music box. Eventually, they find a stand that has artifacts resembling the art on the box, but the box is soon stolen by Marnie before they can show it to Valeriana. Luckily, Hop Pop had followed them to the market and is able to win the box back for Anne, but Anne decides to offer it to Hop Pop instead, believing she can wait a little longer if it means finding the right answers. However, to no one else's knowledge, he decides to bury the box in a patch of dirt next to the Plantar Farm due to his suspicion of it being "dangerous".

In "Handy Anne" just before Anne and the Plantar's are about to hit the road for Newtopia, Anne suggests the idea of taking the "Music Box" with them, but Hop Pop lies by claiming the box will be safer with his contacts until they return to Wartwood.

Once the Plantar's have arrived in Newtopia and met up with Marcy during "The Plantars Check In," they are greeted by King Andrias, who informs them that without the music box he can't be of any assistance in helping Anne and Marcy return home. Anne then mentions that she had possession of the music box at one point, and gave it to Hop Pop who claimed his contacts were looking after it. Luckily, Anne had taken a photo of the box on her phone, as Andrias begins to analyze it. He then points out to Anne of the gems' grey state, as he recalls Marcy mentioning to him that the gems were originally colored, to which Anne admits she never actually noticed that point. Andrias then claims he'll need some time to research in the deepest archives for more information about the box, where he will then summon them again once he's found something to make a plan out of. Marcy also notes that she'll try and look for more information herself as Anne is unable to translate ancient amphibian text.

When Anne, Marcy and the Planters go see King Andrias in "A Day at the Aquarium", he reveals that his ancestors used this box to travel to other worlds and in order for Anne, Sasha, and Marcy to get back home they need to power up the gems on the box by taking them to 3 certain temples.

Trivia

• Calamity defines "an event causing great and often sudden damage or distress; a disaster," further implying the box is dangerous.
• A real-life version of the chest appears at the 2019 D23 Expo. It is presented by Matt Braly, who gives it to Kermit the Frog to look at while advising him not to open it. However, Kermit gets the urge to do so and, after giving in, ends up in Amphibia. He mistakenly calls it the "Magical Calamari Box" at one point and says the journey is "faster than taking the 5 freeway" due to way less traffic.
• During the episode where Anne shows the Plantar Family the box, the key at the side is missing, but in "Bizarre Bazaar", it reappears.
• It is unknown if the now-colorless gems on the box have something to do with Anne's eyes glowing blue and Marcy's eyes glowing green at certain times.

Gallery

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