Buzz Lightyear

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

He makes his last appearance in Toy Story 3 given to Bonnie by Andy second to last.

Toy Story
In the first movie, Andy received a Buzz Lightyear action figure 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 (his arm was eventually reattached by the mutant toys). He was initially depressed and didn't want to help Woody, but with Woody talking some sense into Buzz about how Andy loved having him as his toy, he gradually came to accept 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
For character details, see Deluded Buzz.

Buzz Lightyear of Star Command
In the Disney series Buzz Lightyear of Star Command, Buzz is an actual Space Ranger working for Star Command and protecting the universe from the Evil Emperor Zurg, alongside Mira Nova, a Tangean princess with phasing powers, Booster, a janitor from the planet Jo-Ad, and XR, a robot created by the Little Green Men. Like his Toy Story incarnation, this Buzz is known for his heroism and bravery and is a stickler for procedure, but will tell a cover story if he needs to. However he has little people skills, and at times displays a lack of common sense. In this series, he is voiced by Patrick Warburton.

Toy Story 3
Buzz is still Woody's best friend and accidentally gets donated to Sunnyside Daycare with the rest of Andy's toys. He meets Lotso and the other Sunnyside toys when Lotso gives him a big hug. Buzz wants to start a new life at Sunnyside with the rest of the toys, much to Woody's chagrin. However, Buzz regrets it and wants him and the other toys to be moved with Lotso, but finds out what the Sunnyside toys are going to do with Buzz and his friends. He is kidnapped by Lotso's henchmen and has him being reset to his demo mode, which makes him think he is a real space ranger again. Lotso manipulates Buzz to be his henchmen by making him think Andy's toys are minions of Emperor Zurg and kidnaps and imprisons them. When Woody returns to Sunnyside, he makes a plan to help the toys escape. Part of Woody's plan was to restore Buzz back to normal and with the help of Barbie, she was able to get the Buzz Lightyear action figure manual from Bookworm by disguising herself as her former boyfriend Ken. However, the plan backfires, Buzz still thinks he is a real space ranger, but is reset to Spanish mode, thinking Andy's toys are his "amigos", and falls in love with Jessie like in Toy Story 2. Buzz returns to normal when he saves Jessie from a falling TV and later becomes one of Bonnie's new toys after Andy begins to leave for college.

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 quotes Admiral James T. Kirk from Star Trek (1966) when he remarks: "There seems to be no sign of intelligent life anywhere..."
 * 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 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.
 * In only the North American release of Toy Story 2, Buzz gives out his speech with the US flag in the backdrop and the US national anthem, the "Star-Spangled Banner," playing in the background, similar to the way General Patton did in Patton (1970).
 * The colors on Buzz are the favorites of John Lasseter (lime green) and his wife, Nancy (purple)


 * It seems that all Buzz Lightyear toys seem to think they are real space rangers. Examples are Andy's Buzz and Deluded Buzz.
 * Buzz was based on the G.I. Joe toys from the 1960s
 * Buzz is 11.43 inches tall, and his helmet adds 0.37 inches.