Woody

**Sheriff Woody Pride** is the protagonist of the Toy Story franchise.

## Background

Within the universe of the Toy Story films, Woody is a toy based on a character of the same name from a 1950s children's TV series called Woody's Roundup, as revealed in Toy Story 2.

### Development

In the original story pitch of Toy Story, Woody had a markedly more distasteful personality; having the character of one who had let his role as "leader" go to his head and had little compassion towards his peers. One notable example of this from the original script is that Woody actually throws Buzz out the window on purpose, and doesn't care one bit about what had happened or what the other toys thought of the incident, even saying in a casual tone that it was a "toy-eat-toy world" when accused of doing so. He also proceeded to heavily insult the toys, especially Slinky, during this time, which resulted in all of them turning on him and attempting to throw him out. This choice in characterization for Woody had been forced upon Pixar by then-Disney Chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg due to the latter wanting more of an adult, cynical, edginess to the story, resulting in Woody becoming jealous, sarcastic, narcissistic, belligerent, cynical, and mean toward Buzz and the other toys. This nearly led to Toy Story being cancelled after a Black Friday viewing. However, Pixar was given another chance, and over the next two weeks, they reworked the movie plot, giving Woody a more likable and sympathetic character. According to John Lasseter, they wanted the audience to be like, "No, Woody, don't make those choices," instead of just, "Wow, what a jerk." In addition, the change was also brought about because Apple and Pixar co-founder Steve Jobs and the rest of the production team did not like how Woody ended up and decided to change his personality by making him the wise and loyal leader of the toys, and his jealousy over Buzz was more sympathetic.

### Personality

Woody is a loyal toy who has been Andy's favourite toy since kindergarten. Woody is a smart, determined, and passionate man, and would do anything for his nearest and dearest friends. He considers his friends as family and he tries his best to keep them together at all times. Yet, he is a flawed character. He has a lot of doubt, anger, frustration, uncertainty, and sadness, almost like a human. But despite his jumbled emotions, he tries his very best not to show them to his friends, so he can seem brave and courageous, but he's not afraid to confront or comfort his friends with utmost care.

Interestingly, Woody is arguably the most tactical and developed character in the series, since the plots and ploys that the main characters pull to achieve their own endeavours are more or less formulated by him. This indicates that he is smarter than he, himself acknowledges.

His character has developed very much since the first movie. In Toy Story, when he first meets Buzz, he's very intimidated by the space ranger's more modern appearance compared to his rag-doll appearance. Soon his jealousy begins to manifest him, he plans to hide Buzz from Andy so that he can be remembered. Yet when things go awry and Buzz is thrown out the window and into a bush, Woody learns to think twice about his little schemes.

His adventurous spirit is not intact in the first film as well, as he's a more wimpy compared to future instalments. When he runs into Sid's mismatched and deformed toys, Woody is instantly frightened by them and comes to this false accusation that they want to eat him and Buzz. Throughout the film, Woody begins to develop a more courageous personality.

In Toy Story 2, his personality begins to upgrade, even more, learning to understand other people's rejections. When he meets Jessie, they instantly become close but get into a heated argument when Woody is determined to get home to Andy. Jessie accuses Woody of abandoning them and he instantly protests. Yet soon, he has a change of heart when he learns about the hardships Jessie had been through after her owner Emily grew up and realizes that Andy is growing up too and becomes afraid of what will happen.

When Buzz and the gang arrive to save Woody, Woody stubbornly refuses to leave with them, saying that Andy will be done with him when he grows up. Buzz accepts Woody's fate but confronts him saying being admired from afar by millions of kids doesn't compare to being loved by just one kid. Realizing his error, Woody comes back to his senses and makes a promise to himself that he'll be there for Andy until the very end.

It isn't a whole long time until Andy is about to depart for college in Toy Story 3, and Woody is also uncertain about his fate when his dear owner leaves since he is so attached to Andy. After a misunderstanding that they've been thrown away and left on the curb, he and his friends end up in Sunnyside Daycare where they meet Lotso, Ken, and other bright faces. Still staying true to his promise to Andy, Woody decides to leave his friends, who have stubbornly decided to stay at the daycare, to their happy future.

When Woody is then taken home by Bonnie and told of Sunnyside's real nature by her toys, he decides to help his friends. Yet, out of rage for mentioning Daisy, Lotso leaves the toys at the dump and abandons them in the incinerator to die, even when Woody (in an act of honour and selflessness) helped him avoid being killed by blades. Choosing to perish with his friends over getting back to Andy (since there is literally no way out), he holds Buzz and Slinky's hands and closes his eyes as they all accept their fate in flames. Luckily, the Pizza Planet aliens save them from a fiery death. As Andy departs for college, Woody sees how his owner's family are able to accept his departure, despite their feelings, and realizes he must do the same. He hastily suggests that they are passed on to Bonnie for a better life. As Andy drives down the road, Woody sadly whispers, "So long, partner.", accepting it's time to move on. But he is glad he's still with his friends and is ready for a new life with Bonnie and her toys too.

In Toy Story 4, he hides his disappointment due to Bonnie not playing with him as often. He is shown to get stressed due to Forky.

### Physical Appearance

Woody is a slender man and fair-skinned in plastic. He has brown eyes, hair hand-painted in brown that is attached to his head in plastic, rosy cheeks, thin brown eyebrows, a yellow shirt with red square outlines, a couple of white buttons vertically on his chest and each matching cufflink on both his cuffs, cowboy boots made from brown plastic with both each couple outlined cacti on both sides and a black handwriting reading "ANDY" on his right boot sole, spurs made from gold plastic on both sides of his boots, a holster made from brown plastic with a gold brooch with a red centre on it, a white vest with black cow spots all over, a red bandanna, blue jeans, a belt made from brown plastic with a buckle that has a bull design on it made from gold plastic, a cowboy hat made from brown hand-stitched, polyvinyl plastic with a triangle-shaped brim, star-shaped badge made from gold plastic with small spheres on each tip and a word "SHERIFF" on the centre, and a pull string on his back with a white hoop attached to it. Woody is 15.18 inches tall without his hat, and 15.93 inches tall with his hat on.

## Film Appearances

### Toy Story

In the first Toy Story, Woody is Andy's favourite toy and leader of Andy's toys. His best pal is Slinky Dog who he often played checkers with and he had a relationship with Bo Peep. Woody has been the favourite since Andy went to kindergarten and had the place of high honour on Andy's bed as well as his owner's name on his right boot.

He holds a meeting informing them of an upcoming move to a new house that is next week and the fact that, due to the move, Andy's birthday party is being held that day. At the request of the other toys, Woody coordinates a reconnaissance mission to discover what Andy's new toys are, as everyone fears being replaced. At first, the gifts are mostly toys and games.

However, to Woody's dismay, Andy receives Buzz Lightyear, a Space Ranger action figure complete with impressive electronic gadgets including high-pressure space wings, a laser, an electronic voice box, karate chop action, wrist-communicator, open-able space helmet, and can even glow in the dark. He is instantly extremely popular with the other toys, making Woody feel jealous. To make matters worse, Buzz is under the delusion that he is a real Space Ranger and needs to travel back to his own planet.

As the days go by, Buzz seems to be getting most of the attention and Woody feels his world crumbling all around him especially when the posters on the walls, the pictures, and even the bedclothes with his theme all change to Buzz and he ends up in the toy box instead of on the bed. Buzz even gets his owner's name on the bottom of his right boot with permanent ink (just like Woody), which infuriates Woody even further.

When Woody hears Andy is going to Pizza Planet for dinner and he has to bring only one toy, he fearfully knows that Andy will choose Buzz; confirmed when he shakes a Magic 8-Ball for answers. As a result, he sees an opportunity to get Buzz out of the way and keep Andy to himself. First, he hatches a plan to knock Buzz behind Andy's desk using RC Car, but it backfires and Buzz gets knocked out of the window instead. The other toys, especially Mr. Potato Head and Hamm (excluding Rex, Slinky, and Bo Peep), rebel against Woody, believing he attempted to kill Buzz out of jealousy. They immediately strangle him to exact revenge, but the struggle is cut short when Woody is taken by Andy to Pizza Planet. While Andy's mother refuels the car at a gas station, Woody ponders how he can return to Andy's room alone, knowing that without Buzz, the toys will tear him apart as they still don't believe him. Suddenly, he is confronted by Buzz, and the two end up fighting and accidentally land outside the car, which drives off and leaves the two stranded.

A bitter argument between them ensues, ending with Woody, upset, frustrated, and furious, telling Buzz once and for all that he had turned Andy against him, and that he is a toy, not a real Space Ranger, so they go their separate ways. Suddenly, Woody spots a truck bound for Pizza Planet and plans to rendezvous with Andy there. Remembering he has to face the wrath of the other toys if he returns without Buzz, Woody convinces Buzz that the truck will take them to a spaceship. At Pizza Planet, Buzz stuffs himself into a rocket-shaped claw game machine, forcing Woody to clamber into the machine to try and rescue him. Woody and Buzz are then captured by Andy's next-door neighbour, the toy-destroying Sid Phillips. As Woody desperately attempts to escape from Sid's house before Andy's family's moving day, Buzz finally realizes (the hard way) that he is a toy and becomes a depressed burden to Woody. In the film's turning point, Woody admits that Buzz is a "cool toy" and despairs that he himself stands no chance of being Andy's favourite; so he was afraid to come back, afraid Andy and his toys wouldn't love him anymore.

When Buzz is taken away by Sid to be destroyed with a firework rocket, Woody teams up with Sid's mutant toys and stages a rescue of Buzz, terrifying Sid into running away in fear of his own toys. Woody and Buzz climb into the moving van, attracting the attention of Sid's dog Scud. When Buzz sacrifices himself to save Woody by tackling the dog, Woody attempts to rescue Buzz with Andy's RC. However, he is then chucked out of the van by the other toys, who mistakenly believed that Woody is trying to get rid of RC like he did to Buzz. Woody hitches a ride on RC with Buzz, then the other toys witness this and realize they made a mistake, then they try to help him get back on the van. When RC's batteries run out, Woody realizes that he can ignite Buzz's rocket and manages to toss RC into the moving truck just as he and Buzz go soaring into the air. They glide in the air until they land safely inside Andy's car. At the end of the film, which takes place at Christmas, Woody and Buzz stage another reconnaissance mission to prepare for the new toy arrivals. As Woody wonders what gift may be worse than Buzz, Andy receives a puppy, to which Buzz and Woody share a worried smile.

### Toy Story 2

In Toy Story 2, about a year after the first film, Woody, ready for an annual trip with Andy to a place called Cowboy Camp, struggles to find his trademark cowboy hat. He sends everyone in search of it, and while everyone is searching, Bo Peep snags him with her cane (again). She encourages him that everything will be all right, nearly kissing him before being interrupted by Rex struggling with her sheep, and moments later Slinky finds the hat. After preparing for departure, Andy accidentally tears Woody's arm while playing with him and Buzz Lightyear before leaving for camp. To Woody's dismay, Andy leaves Woody on the shelf, despite Ms. Davis offering to fix him on the way. Woody, being unable to move his arm, begins to have recurring nightmares of becoming a disused toy which Andy says that he does not want to play with anymore and drops him into the pile of cards left on the floor by Rex, Mr. Potato Head, and Rocky, which leads him into a trash can filled with severed hands, and they grab him by the neck while he's begging Andy not to do it, but he sadly says goodbye to Woody and closes the trash can lid, ignoring Woody's pleads. Woody wakes to find that Wheezy, a penguin toy whose squeaker is broken, is being taken by Andy's mother to be sold at a yard sale. Woody rescues Wheezy with the help of Andy's dog Buster, but he is accidentally left behind at the yard sale and subsequently located by Al McWhiggin, the owner of the toy store, Al's Toy Barn. He tries to offer, bribe, and bargain with Ms. Davis, but she refuses to sell the sheriff and stores him in the cash box. Irritated at her noncompliance, Al resorts to thievery, stealing Woody by causing a distraction with a skateboard, so with Ms. Davis focused on the mess, Al is able to snatch Woody from right under her nose. He quickly hurries to his car, storing the bag holding Woody in the trunk, as Buzz tries to save his friend, but fails.

Woody is brought to Al's apartment, where he discovers that he is a toy based on Woody's Roundup, a TV show from the 1950s. By acquiring him, Al now has a complete collection of the show's merchandise, which he plans to sell to a toy museum in Tokyo, Japan. Woody meets the toy versions of the show's co-stars: his sidekick Jessie, his horse Bullseye, and an old prospector named Stinky Pete also known as 'The Prospector' (who is still apparently in mint condition in his original box). The three are excited to be going to Japan, but knowing that he is still Andy's toy, Woody has doubts and intends to return home. When Al rips off his torn arm by accident, Woody tries to recover his arm and then escape the apartment, but without success as the TV turned on and woke up Al in the process. Seeing the remote next to her, Woody confronts Jessie. She is furious when Woody answers to her question that he's labelling her with "if the boot fits!" and confirms it, leading to a scuffle that is broken by intervention from the Prospector.

The next day, Woody's arm is repaired and he is given a fresh paint job by Geri, which he appreciates. He slowly warms up to the idea of going to Japan, particularly after learning that Jessie was once the favourite toy of a little girl named Emily, who gave her away after growing up and he is convinced by Stinky Pete that, if he returns to Andy, he will eventually be thrown away or left in storage when he grows up like with what happened to Jessie, whereas if he goes to Japan, he will be remembered and treasured forever. He is later confronted by Buzz and the other toys, who try to take him home, but Woody initially turns his back on them, both literally and figuratively. However, before Buzz leaves, he asks Woody if he really wants to "watch kids from behind glass and never be loved again". From this, and watching an episode of Woody's Roundup where his character sang You've Got a Friend in Me, he realizes he would be happier to see Andy growing up and comes to his senses. He then invites the other toys from Woody's Roundup to come along, but is denied freedom by the disgruntled Prospector, who is determined to go to Japan (in the process, it's revealed he turned on the TV and framed Jessie). Woody and the rest of the collection are packed up for shipping overseas and taken to the Tri-County Airport.

Woody gets into a spat with the Prospector in the baggage handling area, during which the old rip in his arm is reopened on purpose by Stinky Pete to force Woody into getting back in the suitcase (but this time, his arm still can move, because it's just a little rip). Woody is eventually able to defeat the Prospector with help from the other toys by tossing him into a girl's backpack (sentencing him to an unfortunate fate of being doodled on by its owner, much to his grief). While Bullseye is rescued, Jessie is loaded into the plane's cargo hold, forcing Woody to slip on board and extract her from the cargo hold just before the plane takes off. Woody and the others happily return home, using one of the airport baggage trucks to do so, where his arm is once again repaired (Andy's fix is somewhat lopsided, but Woody takes this as a badge of pride), and Jessie and Bullseye are made members of Andy's toys. Woody and Buzz now accept the fact that Andy will eventually grow up, but even after he does, they will still be there for each other.

### Toy Story 3

In Toy Story 3, Andy is now 17 years old and preparing to leave home for college. By this time, Woody is one of the very few toys remaining in Andy's possession, as a majority have either been sold or lost over the years. Fearing abandonment is on the horizon, Woody holds a meeting with the other remaining toys to discuss their future. According to Woody, they will more than likely be stored in the attic, where, despite no longer being used, will still be in Andy's possession, which is most important. As expected, Andy places his toys in a garbage bag to be stored in the attic, but Mrs. Davis mistakes it for trash and leaves them on the street just as a garbage truck arrives. Woody saves the toys, but Mr. Potato Head and Jessie are furious at the event, believing Andy no longer wants them.

Against Woody's wishes, the toys donate themselves to Sunnyside Daycare, where the leader of the facility, Lotso, promises that they'll be loved and played with for the rest of eternity. Woody refuses to abandon Andy and tries to return home, only to be taken by a little girl named Bonnie. At Bonnie's house, Woody gets acquainted with her toys - Mr. Pricklepants, Dolly, Buttercup, Trixie, Peas-in-a-Pod, and Chuckles the Clown, and learns that Lotso is actually a tyrant that abuses the toys of Sunnyside after being abandoned by his owner, Daisy. Woody returns to Sunnyside to save his friends, but Lotso and his cronies corner them. Woody calls Lotso out on his tyranny and manages to turn his henchmen against him, who dispose of Lotso in a garbage bin.

While trying to escape, Lotso drags Woody into the trash with him, prompting the other toys to run to his rescue. They are all taken to the city dump, where Lotso nearly meets his demise. Woody and Buzz save the plush bear but are soon faced with a fiery incinerator. Lotso notices an off switch that can save them but refuses to do so, leaving Woody and the others to die. Woody and the toys connect hands and accept their fates, only to be saved by the Little Green Men. Woody and the others return to Andy's house just before he can leave for college. As Andy plans to take Woody to college with him, the cowboy bids farewell to the others, who ready themselves to be stored in the attic.

Not wanting his friends to waste away, however, Woody sneakily gets Andy to donate the toys to Bonnie, where they'll be loved and played with again. Andy comes to accept that he has outgrown his toys, and happily gives them away. When it comes time for Woody, however, he shows especial reluctance. Despite this, he eventually finds peace in the separation, and parts ways with his favourite toy. Andy thanks his toys for all they've done for him, and drives off into the distance as Woody and the others watch on.

### Toy Story 4

In Toy Story 4, Woody struggles to adapt to his new life with Bonnie, as she has not played with him in a while and leaves him in her bedroom closet. However, when Bonnie cries over having to go to her kindergarten orientation, Woody worries over her and hides in her backpack to help her. When Bonnie creates a new toy named Forky, Woody makes it his goal to make sure Forky makes Bonnie happy. When Woody and Forky get lost on the Anderson family's road trip, he bonds with the spork after lamenting how he much he misses Andy, and is thus able to convince him of his purpose as Bonnie's toy. They run into an antique store, where they reunite with Woody's old flame, Bo Peep, who has embraced the life of a lost toy. When Forky is kidnapped by a doll named Gabby Gabby, Woody and Bo team up with Buzz Lightyear, Ducky, Bunny, Giggle McDimples and Duke Caboom to rescue Forky.

At the antique store, they run into Gabby Gabby and the Bensons and they accidentally let Forky left behind again. Woody begs everyone to get back into the store, but they give up and leave back to the carnival. Having a loss of hope, Woody gives his voice box to Gabby Gabby and Bonnie arrives at the store and she finds Forky. Bo, Duke, Ducky and Bunny return and help Woody and Gabby Gabby get to Bonnie. However, Gabby Gabby winds up with a kid of her own. Being chased by the police, Bonnie and her family arrive back at the carnival and the police tell them to get out. Ducky, Bunny, and Duke Caboom say goodbye to Woody as Buzz and the entire gang arrive and meet Bo Peep for the last time.

Woody is hesitant to return to Bonnie, but after Buzz ensures that Bonnie will be okay without him, he decides to spend a new life with Bo Peep and the rest of her gang. He gives his sheriff badge to Jessie, naming her his successor and new guardian of the other toys. Everyone gives Woody a goodbye hug, including Forky. At the RV, Rex asks if Woody will be a lost toy, and Buzz replies that he's not, as he's found a new path to follow in his life. Bonnie's toys all wave goodbye to him at the same time that the RV starts moving, and Woody and Bo Peep look at the carnival view together.

In a mid-credits scene, Woody can be seen spending his days at the carnival with Bo Peep, the sheep, Giggle McDimples and Duke Caboom who help Ducky and Bunny find their kid.

### Short Films

#### Toy Story of Terror!

In Toy Story of Terror!, Bonnie and her mother spend the night at the Sleep Well motel, where Mr. Potato head goes missing. As the toys investigate, Trixie, Rex, and Mr. Pricklepants are taken by a mysterious creature, which is revealed to be an iguana named Mr. Jones. Woody, Buzz, and Jessie run for their lives and find one of Potato Head's arms. The arm leads them to a bathroom where Woody and Buzz get taken by Mr. Jones. After Jessie is taken by Jones, Woody, Buzz, and the others are seen in a cabinet and reunite with Jessie. They are all being held by the motel manager Ron Tompkins who is using Mr. Jones to steal the toys of his guests so he can sell them online in bidding wars. After Woody is purchased, Ron puts him in a box and gets ready to stand him off. Luckily Jessie escapes and frees Woody. They manage to rescue their friends by exposing Ron's scheme to Bonnie and her mom.

#### Toy Story That Time Forgot

In Toy Story That Time Forgot, Woody, Buzz, Rex, Trixie, and Angel Kitty are taken to Mason's house with Bonnie. There, they meet Reptillus Maximus, The Cleric, and the Battlesaurus, who kidnap Woody and Buzz to be killed off in the Arena of Woe. They survive thanks to Trixie and discover that The Cleric is a power-hungry dictator. The Cleric demands that Woody, Buzz, and Angel Kitty be tossed down a shredder. However, right when they're about to be shredded, Trixie and Reptillus arrive with Bonnie and Mason, whose desire for playtime saves Woody and Buzz.

## Television Appearances

### Toy Story Toons

Woody has appeared in all of the Toy Story Toons shorts, playing a supporting role to the other toy characters. In "Hawaiian Vacation", Woody, Jessie, and Buzz get the idea to turn Bonnie's room into a Hawaiian paradise after Ken and Barbie fail to sneak into Bonnie's luggage.

In "Small Fry", Buzz gets left behind at the Poultry Palace, with his place being taken by a smaller, Happy Meal version of Buzz Lightyear. Woody and the toys try to form a plan as to how to rescue Buzz, but the latter soon returns on his own accord.

In "Partysaurus Rex", Rex is chastised by Mr. Potato Head and the other toys for his clumsiness. Towards the end, Woody drags Potato to give an apology, though this is interrupted by a house flood caused by Rex and the bath toys.

## Other Appearances

In A Bug's Life, Woody makes a cameo appearance during the blooper reel. It also marks the first time where Woody makes an appearance outside of the Toy Story franchise.

Woody, along with Buzz Lightyear and Hamm, appears in Cars as car versions during the end credits. Woody is a woody wagon.

Woody, along with Jessie and Bullseye, briefly appear in a poster in Meet the Robinsons, during Goob's baseball game.

Woody, along with Buzz Lightyear, appears as a piñata in Coco.

In the 101 Dalmatians: The Series episode "Mall Pups", Woody can be seen the toy store at the Stiffle Mall.

In an episode of House of Mouse, Donald Duck dresses up as Woody.

An off brand version of Woody makes a cameo under a car's wheel in the Amphibia episode "Escape to Amphibia", as the Plantars and the Boonchuys try to escape from the FBI.