9 Horrifying Questions About Toy Story That Should Really Bother You

As we know, Buzz came out of his packaging thinking he was the real Buzz Lightyear from the TV show. And this isn’t just unique to the Buzz from Toy Story 1; we see in Toy Story 2 that other Buzzes act exactly the same way when they are liberated from their plastic prisons. Is this a weird phenomenon that only happens to Buzzes, or does every toy have a period when they thought they were real?

Maybe it’s just a stage in every toys’ lives. Woody thinks he’s a real cowboy, Rex thinks he’s a real dinosaur, and Hamm thinks he’s a real pig, until eventually they have the soul crushing realization that their memories are implanted and their life is a lie. But wait, what does the etch-a-sketch think he is? Or Mr. Potato Head? Does he think he’s a real potato?

So maybe it’s unique to certain toys. We also see in the movies that Buzz Lightyear’s nemesis, Emperor Zurg comes out of his packaging thinking he’s the real deal. So is it only toys whose form is living creatures, such as humans and animals that go through a phase where they think they’re real? Is it only toys that are based off of characters from established franchises that think they’re real? 

And if either of those are true, why? Was it pre-programmed in these toys that they would have these memories and think they’re real, but it wasn’t pre-programmed in other toys?