In Toy Story 1, Woody is young Andy’s favorite toy. However, he feels replaced when Andy brings in a new action figure, Buzz Lightyear.
While both toys are heroic figures, Buzz has more flashiness to his appearance than Woody. The Space Ranger has wings with blinking lights that pop out of his back at the simple push of a button, a glowing “laser beam” that comes out of his wrist, and multiple catch phrases accessible by pressing the different, multi-colored badges on his chest. Woody on the other hand, has a cowboy badge, a hat, and a pull string attached to his back that causes him to utter his catch phrases, including the famous, “There’s a snake in my boot!”
Buzz is made completely out of plastic with an over-confident smile plastered on his face. He is shown as sturdy and strong, and is usually placed with his hands on his hips. Woody, however, is made mostly of cloth and plush, with his head, hands, and boots made of plastic. His head is larger than it should be, but his face is painted with an honest smile, giving him a more friendly appeal. He is often thrown around and positioned as one might imagine a rag doll would be.
Buzz stands tall and proud with his shoulders back and chest out. His chin is often up, and his hands are firmly planted on his hips. He walks with confidence and swagger. His gestures are strong and central to his torso. He rarely raises his arms above his shoulder. This gives off an aura of self-control. Woody, though, uses lighter gestures that tend to be higher up, often above his head. He sometimes pushes his shoulders forward in a stoop when he is filled with anxiety.
Buzz’s personality reflects his appearance. He is sure of himself to the point of arrogance at times, enjoys showing off, and believes in his own infallibility. Woody sees things more realistically and is a natural leader. He is not as confident as Buzz is, and feels shoved aside when the new, “cooler” toy arrives. He devises plans to be rid of Buzz for his own benefit, although he cannot truly go through with them because he is too kind of heart.
Buzz is so overly confident that he does not believe he is a toy at first. He thinks that he is a real space ranger, on a mission to an unidentified planet, Andy’s room. Woody is annoyed with this, because the other toys seem to be so interested in everything the action figure has to say, and apparently believe him. Woody is used to being the center of attention, and is jealous of and angry at Buzz for stealing his limelight.
When faced with dilemmas, both toys react in different ways. Buzz, who is confident most of the time, crawls into a shell. He has a breakdown and gives up. Woody is a problem solver, though. When something does not go his way, he figures out a way to fix it. He realizes that you only fail if you never try, and that trying is the only possible route to success.
No matter how different they are, Buzz and Woody are able to come together when it truly counts. After being trapped in the evil Syd (Andy’s neighbor)’s house, Buzz and Woody immediately think of exit strategies. Buzz decides to try to fly out, against Woody’s multiple warnings. He crashes and breaks his arm, realizing that he really is just a toy. At this point, Buzz gives up and has a breakdown. He plays tea party with Syd’s sister and refuses to help Woody prove to their friends across the street in Andy’s room that they are truly alive together, and that Woody did not harm or get rid of him, as was his original plan. The space ranger believed that there was no point and no hope, and that they would never make it out of their prison. Without Buzz’s help, though, the toys do not believe Woody and refuse to be of any assistance whatsoever.
Later, Buzz snaps out of his absurd state of being, and helps Woody and the rest of Syd’s tortured toys in their efforts to creep out the boy. They move and talk to him, and through this, are able to escape.
It is too late, though. Andy and his family are moving, and are driving to another house. Buzz attempts to fly once more, without Woody questioning him. The wind carries the cowboy and space ranger safely through the sunroof of the car and into one of the moving boxes right next to where Andy is seated.
The toys overcame their differences in times of trouble, and realized that they were more alike in many ways than either of them would have thought, and that what they did differ on helped them as well. They both had strong personalities, but were able to compromise when it was necessary. Woody was calm in a trying situation, while Buzz was more emotional. This enabled Woody to devise a plan, and Buzz to have time to cool down. While Woody took time to think things out, Buzz was more sporadic in his actions, with a “do now, think later” approach. This was especially helpful in catching up to the car. Woody’s planned and calculated scheme was more helpful though in escaping the house in which they were trapped.
The contrast in personalities, appearance, demeanor, and behavior also help the audience see the characters better individually. Each difference is highlighted because the two characters are constantly together. By getting to know Buzz, it is inevitable that viewers see who Woody is through the similarities and differences between them. Without Buzz, Woody’s personality would not be as emphasized, and the story would have less meaning and would garner less attention and focus on the plot. Because the toys provide a contrast for one another, the movie is more enjoyable, and the characters are more relatable and understandable.
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