Buzz Lightyear

Buzz Lightyear is one of the main characters in Toy Story and Toy Story 2. He will appear again in Toy Story 3.

Toy Story
In the first movie, Andy recieved him for his birthday and quickly became his favorite toy, though Buzz believed himself to be the real Buzz Lightyear. This caused tension with Woody, who had been Andy's favorite toy before his arrival.

Out of jealousy, Woody pushed him out of Andy's window by accident, and they both ended up in Sid's house, where Buzz discovered, for the first time, that he was a toy, much to his dismay. He desperately tried his last attempt at proving he was a Space Ranger by jumping from the top of the stairs, aiming toward the window, only to fall to the bottom of the stairs and lose his arm in the process. He was initially depressed and didn't want to help Woody, but with Woody's encouraging input about how Andy loves having him as his toy, he gradually warms up to the situation. Putting all differences aside, Buzz and Woody worked together and they escaped from Sid's house, reunited with Andy and his toys, and became the best of friends.

Toy Story 2
In the sequel, Buzz is the leader of the rescue party that goes to save Woody from Al. After a few twists and turns, he finally finds Woody and tries to make Woody remember what being a toy means by (ironically) using Woody's words from the first film. Eventually, Woody comes to his senses and calls Buzz back, but the Prospector separates the two, determined to get Woody to Japan along with the rest of the Roundup gang. Buzz and the toys hijack a Pizza Planet delivery truck to chase after Al to the airport, where he finally extricates Woody and gets rid of the vile Prospector. After Bullseye emerges from the case, Buzz assists Woody in rescuing Jessie. Back at Andy's house, Buzz develops a crush on Jessie and the two (after a cute scene), seem to enter a relationship together.

Buzz also has two alternate incarnations in Toy Story 2.

"Video Game" Buzz
"Video Game" Buzz is a character that appeared only in a Nintendo-like video game played by Rex at the beginning of Toy Story 2. He infiltrates Zurg's fortress "through the main gate" and battles against Zurg, but loses.

"Bonus Belt" Buzz
"Bonus Belt" Buzz is essentially another Buzz Lightyear action figure with a bonus belt that grants him extra features. While searching through Al's Toy Barn, Andy's Buzz Lightyear discovers an aisle full of new Buzz Lightyear action figures. He sees "NEW UTILITY BELT!" on the display stand and climbs up to encounter this Buzz Lightyear action figure (in a shot identical to Woody climbing up on Andy's bed to encounter Buzz in the first film). When he tries to take this Buzz's belt, the "Bonus Belt" Buzz comes to life and overpowers him, stuffing Andy's Buzz into an empty cardboard box and taking his place with the other toys. He, like the original Buzz in the previous film, believes that he is a real space ranger. When Tour Guide Barbie drives the toys into the Buzz Lightyear aisle, Hamm is the first to spot "Bonus Belt" Buzz and calls to him, and "Bonus Belt" Buzz turns on his laser as Tour Guide Barbie stops the car. He is at first suspicious of Andy's toys, but when Rex excitedly claims that he knows how to defeat the Evil Emperor Zurg, "Bonus Belt" Buzz, thinking Rex as his ally, joins the toys on their quest, thinking that they are on a mission to infiltrate Zurg's fortress and defeat the evil Emperor himself. He nicknames Hamm, Mr. Potato Head, and Rex as "slotted pig," "vegetable man," and "lizard man," respectively, and imagines the owner of Al's Toy Barn (Al McWhiggin, the same man who has kidnapped Woody) as a possible agent of Zurg. He also plays rough when he tells Rex to "use your head," then the toys use him as a battering ram to break into Al's room. In the ensuing melee that follows, "Bonus Belt" Buzz and the toys grab Woody and head back for the vent, but Andy's Buzz stops them. In a brief argument between the two Buzz Lightyear toys, Andy's Buzz opens "Bonus Belt" Buzz's helmet (the other Buzz suffocates, mirroring the part when Woody opens the original Buzz's helmet in Toy Story) and proves that he is the Buzz the other toys recognize by flashing Andy's name written on the bottom of his foot; though before this, the toys were willing to accept him when they didn't buy the "Bonus Belt" Buzz's behavior. "Bonus Belt" Buzz is confused at what he is witnessing after regaining his composure, but is surprised to learn from Andy's Buzz about "code 546," then walks over to Woody and kneels in front of him, thinking Woody as a "king." When the toys head back to the elevator after Al packs Woody and the Roundup gang into his case and leaves the room, they encounter a Zurg action figure (let loose by Andy's Buzz when leaving Al's Toy Barn), whom "Bonus Belt" Buzz battles. During this fight, Zurg reveals that he is Buzz's father. When Rex accidentally knocks Zurg down the elevator shaft with his tail, "Bonus Belt" Buzz forlornly thinks he has lost his father. After the toys leave the apartment, Andy's Buzz runs into "Bonus Belt" Buzz one last time when the other Buzz is last seen playing ball with Zurg to form a real father-son bond. He describes Zurg as a "great dad," considering himself lucky, as Andy's Buzz bid him farewell.

Trivia

 * The role of Buzz Lightyear was originally offered to Billy Crystal who turned it down, a move he later admitted regretting. Billy Crystal eventually voiced Mike Wazowski, a character in Monsters, Inc.
 * Buzz does a Vulcan salute from the Star Trek series when saying "Farewell" to Woody at the gas station, when leaving Andy's house for his mission to rescue Woody, and when saying "Farewell" to the other Buzz who is playing catch with Emperor Zurg.
 * Buzz makes a cameo in Finding Nemo, as a toy that was in the dentist's waiting room.
 * The Lightyear Blimp in the movie Cars is a reference to Buzz Lightyear, and is also a parody of the Goodyear Blimp.
 * Buzz briefly appears at the end of Cars as a car, arguing with Woody. He is a Space Rover, and Woody is a minivan.
 * All tires in Cars are branded as "Lightyear", both a reference to Buzz Lightyear and a play on the name Goodyear (an actual tire manufacturer).
 * The original script for the upcoming Toy Story 3 had Buzz and his entire toy line recalled back to Taiwan (where the Buzz Lightyear toys are made) due to a defect. Apparently, that defect could have explained why Buzz and his toy line believed themselves to be real space rangers.
 * When Buzz starts flying out from the staircase to the window at Sid's house, a Disney logo is seen on the back of him.
 * The colors on Buzz are the favorites of John Lasseter (lime green) and his wife, Nancy (purple) DisneyLiving, Volume 6 (Buzz).