Toy Story - Opposing characters

Toy Story – opposing characters

Toy Story, Pixar’s first animated feature film and the first film to be full computer animated, directed by John Lasseter and released in 1995. Toy Story tells the story of Woody and Buzz a pair of toys, in a world were toys come alive when humans are not looking, compete for owner Andy’s affection. This essay will look at the character arcs and traits of the opposing characters of Buzz and Woody.

Sheriff Woody’s personal history is being the favourite toy of his owner, Andy and as such is seen as a sort of leader and respected authority to the rest of the toys, whilst Buzz is a new toy to the room and his history is pretty much inexistent, as he’s been in the confines of his box, or ‘spaceship’ as he’d call it, Buzz has his own pre-programmed deluded personal history as he has no idea he’s actually a toy and not the Buzz Lightyear. Buzz believes he is space ranger, part of the universe protection unit, protecting the galaxy from the Evil Emperor Zurg. 

Woody’s personal world view is limited to the realm of Andy’s room and house. He sees Andy’s needs above his own and believes that he and the other toys need to be there for Andy when he needs them. He takes pride in being Andy’s favourite toy and his world is upside down when Buzz arrives and becomes Andy’s new favourite toy. Buzz has a deluded view of the world, believing he has crash landed in the room thinking it’s some sort of strange planet.

Woody inherits a different world when Buzz Lightyear lands in the room, a world were Buzz is Andy’s new favourite and a world where he has lost the power he held in the room and the respect from the rest of the toys and his friends. Buzz inherits the world Woody once had, gaining the respect of the rest of the toys and becoming Andy’s new favourite toy. 

The pairs wants are completely different Woody wants the love and affection he once had from Andy and to reclaim his place as Andy’s favourite toy by getting rid of Buzz. While Buzz, believing he is still a toy, wants to fix his ‘ship’ and report back to star command. After the pair are lost and end up in Sid’s house the toys needs are to escape and get back to the room. While Buzz still wants to return to space, his want becomes wanting to prove he is really a space ranger when he realises he is toy, but after a prep talk from Woody he wants to return to his home Andy.

Both characters display different traits, both internal and external, these traits are reflective of the kind of toy they are. Woody is a tall old-fashioned looking cowboy doll while Buzz is a more modern high-tech space ranger action figure. Woody’s internal traits may come off as self-centred, jealous and even selfish at first but as the story goes on we learn that he really is caring, loyal, compassionate, quick thinking, a good leader and friend. Buzz at first is displayed as being brave, heroic yet delusional, those traits still remain when he comes to the realization of his true purpose and stops being deluded.

Woody’s main flaw, other than his jealously of Buzz, might also be one of his biggest strengths being his loyalty to Andy, he will do whatever it takes to be there for him. Buzz’s main flaw, other than being deluded in the factious world of star command, is his lack of belief in himself after he comes to the sad realisation of being a toy, believing he can’t help anyone. 

Woody’s main character arc is realising that he can’t do it alone and befriending Buzz, learning to share the spotlight in Andy’s room and coming to terms with his jealousy and selfishness, realising that despite who’s Andy’s favourite toy is he still needs to be there for him. Buzz’s arc is a lot more drastic. He begins genuinely believing he Is a galaxy protecting space ranger, not understanding he is a toy. After Woody tells him he soon realises that being there for Andy when he needs him and being his toy is the most important thing of all, coming to terms with his true purpose and completely changing his point of view.

The main conflicts the two characters have is their clash of beliefs and Woody’s towards Buzz on his arrival. Woody has conflict with Buzz in the way he views the world. Buzz as mentioned previously, doesn’t realize he is a toy, Woody cannot take this seriously and knows full well he is a toy, this is also heightened by Woody’s jealousy for Buzz for being the new favourite toy on the block.

The value change for both characters pretty much happens in the same scene, despite Buzz’s realization happening prior it’s not the scene in which his character develops. The scene in question is when both toys are in Sid’s room, Buzz Is tied to the rocket and Woody is stuck under the box. It is the point when Woody has become to respect Buzz and own up to his jealousy, giving Buzz a prep talk about the importance and good parts about being a toy, Buzz changes his ways and realizes he has a duty to be there for Andy and get themselves back to him, starting the pairs iconic friendship.