And he says the word again, says it like it’s his every last wish come true. / ‘War.
-- The Mayor (Foreword)

Importance: The reader can tell right away that the Mayor is excited about the prospect of war by the way that he reacts when he realizes the humans will have to fight against the Spackle.

I only ever been down here once, when I ran thru it the other way with Viola in my arms, carrying her down the zigzag road when she was dying, carrying her into what I thought was safety, but all I found was the man riding by my side, the man who killed a thousand Spackle to start this war, the man who tortured Viola for informayshun he already knew, the man who murdered his own son
-- Narrator (It Begins: Two Battles)

Importance: Even though he tries to trust the Mayor, Todd thinks about the cruel things that the Mayor has done to him...