Emperor Zurg

### Enemies

Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Slinky Dog, Hamm, Rex, Mr. Potato Head, Mrs. Potato Head, R.C. Racer, Jessie, Bullseye

## Appearances

### Appears in

Toy Story 2
Toy Story 3 (cameo)

### Debut

Toy Story 2

**Evil Emperor Zurg**, also known as **Emperor Zurg** or simply known as **Zurg**, is a recurring antagonist in the *Toy Story* franchise, being the main antagonist within the in-universe *Buzz Lightyear* toyline. He serves as a major antagonist in *Toy Story 2* and a cameo character in *Toy Story 3*. He is Buzz Lightyear's archenemy and Ultra Buzz Lightyear's "father".

In *Toy Story 2*, he was voiced by Andrew Stanton, who also played Hopper in the *A Bug's Life* video game and the short film *It's Tough to be a Bug*. In the Disney Park attraction "Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin", he was voiced by Ken Mitchroney.

## Biography

### *Toy Story*

Zurg was originally set to appear in the first *Toy Story* film, but was cut out from the final version. However, he is mentioned three times in the film. First by Andy Davis after Buzz Lightyear arrives, then Buzz during his introduction to Woody and the rest of Andy's toys, being described as the "sworn enemy of the Galactic Alliance", and finally once more by Buzz when he and Woody are lost at the gas station during their argument.

### *Toy Story Treats*

Zurg does not physically appear in some *Toy Story Treats*, but he was mentioned by name.

### *Toy Story 2*

Zurg made his first appearance in the *Toy Story* franchise in *Toy Story 2*.

He is first seen in the videogame that Rex is playing. He fights Buzz, but since Rex's arms are small, he cannot execute the combos needed to defeat Zurg, and so Zurg defeats Buzz in the game, much to Rex's distraught.

Later on, when the Buzz, Slinky Dog, Hamm, Mr. Potato Head, and Rex head over to Al's Toy Barn, Buzz gets accidentally swapped with another Buzz Lightyear action figure with a utility belt. When Andy's Buzz spots Al McWhiggin leaving with Andy's toys and the other Buzz Lightyear in his bag, he follows them and knocks over a few boxes in the process, but as he leaves, a box is being wedged between the doors, and a Zurg action figure is inside. Zurg breaks out from his box, spots Buzz, and, being unaware that he is just a toy (similar to Buzz from the first *Toy Story* movie and Ultra Buzz Lightyear), follows Buzz to Al's apartment.

Eventually, Zurg reaches Al's apartment through the top of the elevator shaft, where he confronts both Buzzes. A fight takes place on top of the elevator between Ultra Buzz Lightyear and Zurg while the original Buzz and the other toys open the emergency hatch to save Woody. At first, Utility Belt Buzz had the upper hand, but Zurg grabs him and defeats him, demanding he surrenders. Ultra Buzz says that he will never give up because Zurg killed his father, but Zurg tells him that he *is* his father, much to Ultra Buzz's distraught. Zurg then prepares to finish off Ultra Buzz, but Rex turns away in fear, which causes his large tail to accidentally hit Zurg, sending him screaming in defeat as he falls down the elevator shaft, much to Rex's great delight.

However, Zurg somehow survived his fall but has forgotten that Ultra Buzz Lightyear is his enemy due to the impact. As such, Ultra Buzz decides to have spend some fun with Zurg with a game of catch (while also declining Buzz's invitation to save Woody from Al and Stinky Pete), and Zurg seems to enjoy it, telling Ultra Buzz to go long as he fires a ball for Ultra Buzz to catch. Buzz then bids farewell to Ultra Buzz using the same Vulcan salute that he used at Woody while they were still stranded at the gas station from the first film and proceeds to follow Al to the airport with the other toys by driving the Pizza Planet truck (similar to Woody and Buzz chasing the moving truck from the first film).

### *Toy Story 3*

Zurg was mentioned in *Toy Story 3* a few times by Buzz after Lots-O' Huggin' Bear switches him to "Demo Mode". He is later mentioned again by Andy when he gives Buzz to his new owner Bonnie Anderson. Zurg eventually appears during the credits of the film, arriving at Sunnyside Daycare Center with a giraffe and a small dinosaur, where he is greeted by Stretch. It was revealed by Lee Unkrich, the director of *Toy Story 3* that this was a different Zurg than the one in Toy Story 2.

## In Video Games

### *Toy Story 2: Buzz Lightyear to the Rescue*

Zurg is also a boss in the *Toy Story 2* video game *Toy Story 2: Buzz Lightyear to the Rescue*. He is the titular boss of the game's twelfth level, *The Evil Emperor Zurg*, and the fourth main boss encountered by Buzz Lightyear. Several of his toy minions also appear frequently as enemies throughout the game and the game's eight level, *Al's Space Land*, features several hallways lined with Buzz Lightyear and Emperor Zurg toys shooting lasers at each other from their packages.

#### Gameplay

Zurg is fought on top of an elevator within the Elevator Hop, and Buzz must be careful not to fall off the edge during the battle. Zurg will constantly hover above Buzz firing spheres at him that will damage him on contact, although Buzz can deflect these by spinning. The yellow spheres travel towards him and then disappear, whereas the green ones will come back at Buzz and home in on him. Buzz must shoot Zurg with his spin attack while he's in range to damage him, and once his health has been fully diminished, the boss will topple over the side of the elevator and disappear into the darkness below. Buzz will then be allowed to proceed to the following level.

#### Zurg Kite

The Zurg Kite is the boss of the game's second level *Andy’s Neighborhood*. As the name suggests, this boss is a kite inspired by the Evil Emperor Zurg. It is fought on a wooden platform at the very top of the tall garden tree, and its only attack is spinning into Buzz. He can hurt the Zurg Kite with his laser while it floats in the air, but it's invulnerable while it's spinning. Upon its defeat, Buzz will obtain a Pizza Planet Token, but he must be careful not to fall out of the tree during the battle.

### *Toy Story 3* The Video Game

Zurg is also in every version of the *Toy Story 3* video game, except the Nintendo DS version. He is a boss in the Xbox 360, Wii, PlayStation 3, and PC versions. A PlayStation 3 exclusive allows the player to play as Zurg.

### *Disney INFINITY*

Zurg is also the main antagonist of the *Toy Story* playset in *Disney INFINITY*.

## Personality

As shown in the film, Zurg was known to be the evilest and most destructive villain in his galaxy, dedicated to ruling it with an iron fist by all means necessary. He is shown to be manipulative, intelligent and ruthless, as he was willing to take down anyone that serves as an obstacle to himself or his plans.

## Trivia

* Emperor Zurg is a parody of Darth Vader of the *Star Wars* franchise. In fact, in *Toy Story 2*, during his battle with Bonus Belt Buzz Lightyear, Zurg tells Bonus Belt Buzz that he's his father, and parodies the scene in *Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back* where Darth Vader tells Luke Skywalker that he is his father. Coincidentally, both *Toy Story 2* and *Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace* came out in 1999; the difference is that while *Star Wars: The Phantom Menace* was released on May 19, *Toy Story 2* was released on November 24.
* Zurg's species is an issue of much debate. The four predominant theories are that he is either a *human*, a *robot*, or a *cyborg*. To this day, there is no concrete answer, but there is theoretically enough evidence to rule out Zurg being a *robot* due to his eating and sleeping habits.
* Zurg also made a cameo appearance in the 2015 Disney live action film *Tomorrowland*.
* Zurg does not appear or is even mentioned once in *Toy Story 4,* making it the only *Toy Story* film not to feature or mention him.
* Zurg and Sid Phillips from the first film are the only two *Toy Story* villains who are related to the heroes.
* Zurg turns out to be the *Toy Story* franchise's most popular villain.
* In the early concept art, Zurg was originally going to be a small toy alien with a robot body.
* A small version of Zurg was in the 2011 *Toy Story Toons* short film *Small Fry*.
* In the scene with Rex in the car in Al's Toy Barn holding the *How to Defeat Zurg* book, there is one frame where a clear glimpse of the bottom corner of the book is seen. As a lighthearted jab at Canadians, the cover price is shown as $4.95 and $50 in Canada. It should be about $6.95. In the waiting area for the Disney's Hollywood Studios attraction Toy Story Midway Mania! in Orlando, Florida, there is a large replica of the book's cover that also reflects this joke.
* Utility Belt Buzz claims Al to be an agent of Zurg's, while in actuality, Al is the owner of Stinky Pete, so if one is to be picky, this also makes the Prospector an agent, only third-in-place.
* Despite being a villain, Zurg is a playable hero in Disney Heroes Battle Mode, and Buzz also ironically has a friendship with Zurg that can be unlocked as well, and he was also redeemed in *Toy Story 2*. However, he still remains a villain in the rest of his appearances, due to his popularity. He was also a neutral character in *Toy Story 3*.
* Zurg does not appear in the *Toy Story 2* outtakes.