Toy Story 4: Moving Forward

Woody and Forky — Toy Story 4 (2019) — Disney/Pixar

Introduction

Toy Story 3 ended with the toys being given away; meanwhile Toy Story 4 reflects on the important life question of ‘what now?’.

After all, Andy and Bonnie are different people, so naturally things won’t be the same.

It is especially difficult on Woody. He was always the one that was there for everyone, and was Andy’s favorite, but Bonnie doesn’t think of him in that way. When he sits in the closet unchosen, it creates a silent loneliness. One where it seems like his whole world is collapsing, and in the journey, he needs to find a way to move forward.

Woody Talking To Forky — Toy Story 4 (2019) — Disney/Pixar

Clinging To Bonnie — Helping Forky

When Bonnie leaves Woody in the closet, it creates an identity crisis. He doesn’t want to admit it right away, but he feels useless, almost like a lost toy.

Andy had never done that to him, he was always a part of playtime, so it’s hard to accept this. However, he still tries his best to help Bonnie be happy, even to the point where he’s risking getting confiscated at school just so she can create.

She creates Forky and it makes her very happy, so he just wants to make sure he stays at all costs.

[embed]I Can’t Let You Throw Yourself Away — Toy Story 4 (2019) — Disney/Pixar

Woody’s desperation with this is reflected in the repetition of ‘I Can’t Let You Throw Yourself Away’. He will stop at nothing to make sure Bonnie doesn’t lose Forky because she’s just so happy with him. He will not let Forky run away from her, even if he’s burdening himself.

It’s to the point where he’s neglecting himself just for her, even if she has already moved on from him. It’s a bit unhealthy, but his inner voice keeps telling him ‘you must make Bonnie happy’ because he genuinely doesn’t know who he is without making his owner happy.

[embed]Woody Tries To Teach Forky — Toy Story 4 (2019) — Disney/Pixar

Teaching Forky is a very heavy load for him. Forky was made from trash, so he doesn’t see himself as a toy right away.

Every time he tries to explain something to him Forky genuinely doesn’t understand what he’s talking about and he only grows more frustrated, but the only thing that is coming through his head is ‘I’m doing this for Bonnie’.

It’s at the point where it’s turning into an obligation in order to maintain who he was instead of accepting the present. It’s an easy trap to fall into when you know very little outside of your own box, and Woody is very deep in it.

Woody Reunites With Bo Peep — Toy Story 4 (2019) — Disney/Pixar

Bo Peep — New Opportunities

Woody didn’t know it yet, but reuniting with Bo Peep planted a seed. Since being given away, she was a lost toy for 7 years, but was happy about it. She could go around and see the world, getting played with by multiple kids, without having to rely on just one person.

This seems almost impossible for Woody to understand, after all Bo Peep was close to him when they were with Andy, but somehow, she’s more fulfilled than he is currently even though she doesn’t have a kid.

However, Woody just wants to retrieve Forky for Bonnie, and ends up using her to attempt that. It’s a reflection of how truly lost he is. Even when given all of these options in a carnival, and another kid having fun playing with him, all he can think about is helping Bonnie.

[embed]Woody Argues With Bo — Toy Story 4 (2019) — Disney/Pixar

As he said, he is doing this because he genuinely feels that making sure Forky returns to Bonnie is all he has left to do. He views it as loyalty but at this point, this type of loyalty is something he feels obligated to do. After all, is it really loyalty if he feels obligated? Of course not, it turns it into more of a burden than a choice, and that weighs down on you.

Woody and Gabby Gabby — Toy Story 4 (2019) — Disney/Pixar

Gabby Gabby — The Evidence He Needed

Gabby Gabby is a mirror of Woody. She may not have an owner, but she clings to the hope that Harmony will take her home if she hears her voice box.

However, once she fixed it, Harmony just threw her on the ground like she was nothing. It’s like everything her existence just didn’t matter anymore. However, seeing this, Woody begins to realize there is so much more he can help with than just Bonnie, and reminds her of what Bo Peep told her because he knows what it’s like to feel useless.

[embed]Gabby Gabby Finds A New Friend — Toy Story 4 (2019) — DIsney/Pixar

From his advice, Gabby Gabby ends up finding a lost girl and it gives the girl the hope she needs to find her parents. It is the evidence Woody needed to show him that there are many kids out in the world who need help just as much as Bonnie does.

[embed]Woody Leaves The Gang — Toy Story 4 (2019) — Disney/Pixar

Woody’s Difficult Decision

Woody ends up making a difficult decision. After everything, he chooses to stay behind with Bo Peep.

He learned that he could be a lot more useful if he would stay as a lost toy instead of clinging to Bonnie. After all, she had forgotten and moved on from playing with him already, but there are many other children out there who could bring home other lost toys for them to enjoy, and Bonnie would continue to be just fine with what she has.

Woody could do this all while seeing the world, and still fulfill his purpose to make a child happy. It’s difficult, but it’s also what he had to do to move forward. He couldn’t continue to stay as the toy he once was, because it was becoming a persona, so the best thing he could do was move forward, and choose his own path.

Toy Story 4 Teaser Poster (Woody tipping his cap) — Disney/Pixar

Conclusion

Through Woody, Toy Story 4 teaches a very valuable life lesson. If loyalty turns into an obligation, then it becomes a burden, and at that point it might be time to move forward.

Bonnie didn’t see him as the favorite toy as Andy did, so he couldn’t keep being the one everyone leans onto. He needed to focus on himself, look at his own purpose, and figure out how to adapt it into the present. He found that in a carnival, where he could make other children happy.

It shows us that sometimes, in order to truly move forward, we need to let go of the old parts of ourselves that don’t fit us in the present moment.

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