9 Horrifying Questions About Toy Story That Should Really Bother You

9. What Counts As A Toy?

The basic premise of Toy Story is pretty simple: the toys are secretly alive. But wait, what is a toy? Nobody disputes that action figures and dolls are definitely toys and should therefore become alive, but there are some grayer areas at play.

Can homemade toys be considered toys? How about cell phones?

Maybe toys are defined as whatever children play with, and if that’s the case, then computers, televisions, and video game consoles should certainly be considered toys and should come alive. However, at the beginning of Toy Story 2, we see Rex and Hamm playing video games, using both a controller and a monitor that do not appear to be sentient.

Well, then maybe the definition should be modified to items that have faces and bodies and look like living creatures, such as humans and animals. This makes sense, because the child perceives the toys to be alive, and it would explain why the video game consoles are not sentient, but a piggy bank is. However, we see items such as an etch-a-sketch and a Speak & Spell as sentient toys, so that possibility is shot down, too.

The fact of the matter is that it’s very unclear where the line is drawn between being a toy and not being a toy.