‘Toy Story’ Theory Suggests Woody Was Destined To Be Evil

Fan theories are a fun way to look at our favorite films or television shows from a completely different perspective. Naturally, some of them are absolutely bonkers and make no sense whatsoever, while others actually have a great deal of merit to them.

One of the latest Toy Story theories is definitely of the latter sort, although it might make you look at one of its lead characters quite differently.

The Reddit theory in question relates specifically to Toy Story 3 (2010), but it also asks that we cast our minds back to the original 1995 film. The third film in the series sees Woody (Tom Hanks) and the gang mistakenly delivered to Sunnyside Daycare, where they meet several new toys, all of whom are led by Lots-o’-Huggin’ Bear (Ned Beatty).

Lotso is warm and welcoming at first (he even smells of strawberries), but before long, Woody and the others learn that he’s actually pretty evil; embittered after being abandoned and replaced by his human owner, Daisy, many years ago.

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“Evil” is a strong word to throw around in a Toy Story film, but during the third act, Lotso does try to murder Woody, Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), Rex (Wallace Shawn), Mr. Potato Head (Don Rickles), Jessie (Joan Cusack), and many of the other toys in cold blood.

Themes of abandonment are always present in the Toy Story films. And Toy Story 4 (2019) is no exception. But if we cast our mind back to Toy Story 2 (1999), we see that Jessie also went through the same thing as Lotso.

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In Toy Story, however, the first film in the series, we can draw comparisons between Lotso and Woody. While Woody isn’t abandoned by Andy (John Morris) in favor of flashy new space ranger toy Buzz Lightyear per se, the pull-string sheriff is briefly cast aside, and the behavior that follows is where those comparisons between villain and hero can be made.

Woody, who, like Lotso, is a leader of other toys, becomes deeply embittered, vindictive, and just plain cruel towards Buzz in the first film. From the moment he knocks the space ranger out the window, we quickly learn that Woody would do just about anything to remain Andy’s favorite toy forever.

While he does eventually address the better part of his morality, the theory suggests that, if Woody hadn’t been discovered at Pizza Planet during the film’s second act, and therefore most likely replaced by Andy’s mother at some point, he’d have become just as evil as Lotso.

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In fact, the theory suggests that the writers of Toy Story 3 are deliberately leaning into this idea through the character of Lotso.

“I believe Woody is completely capable of everything Lots-o’ did, but Woody always had a kid,” one Reddit user said.

“If Andy had bought a new Woody toy in the first movie, I believe Woody would have turned out just like Lots-o’–they are both leaders, and they both go through massive trials to get back their respective kids. Plus, we see Woody’s “dark side” in the first movie when he begins to be replaced by Buzz. Lots-o’ is basically a version of Woody with no kid.”