The Toy Story franchise will be continuing this summer with the release of Toy Story 4. Some fans are wary of the new sequel, since Toy Story 3 wrapped up the trilogy and concluded the story in the greatest possible way. However, Toy Story 4 is reportedly not trying to undo that conclusion or progress the story.
Instead, it will stand on its own as a side story about the characters. It’s been described as a romantic comedy focusing on Woody and Bo Peep’s relationship. The fourth movie will likely bring us a bunch of new iconic quotes in a franchise already chock full of them. So, here are the 10 Most Memorable Quotes From The Toy Story Movies.
Updated on March 11th, 2020: Since this article was first published, the initial Toy Story trilogy has been joined by another sequel, Toy Story 4. Against all odds, after Toy Story 3 provided fans with the perfect ending to the series, the team at Pixar managed to find some extra storytelling potential in these characters. Although Toy Story 4 wasn’t quite as perfect a conclusion as its predecessor, which wrapped things up in a neat bow. And more importantly, it brought some more memorable quotes to the franchise.
Updated on November 12th, 2021 by George Chrysostomou The announcement of Lightyear has encouraged plenty of Toy Story fans to revisit the famous franchise. Upon rewatching, so many more iconic quotes surface from the films, each of which says something very specific about the characters themselves or the story being told. Plenty of these lines are sure to be repeated upon re-reading them!
20 “You’re My Favourite Deputy.”
Pull on Woody’s string, and a variety of phrases will be shouted out by the toy. One Toy Story quote that has been repeated across the franchise is “You’re my favorite deputy.” It’s a simple phrase that would have been chosen by the toy cowboy manufacturer.
Within the context of the story, it has a much larger meaning, though. It’s a saying that includes the child in Woody’s world and allows them to feel loved. It initially created the bond between Woody and Andy, before Bonnie learned that she was the new deputy in town.
19 “I Can’t Stop Andy From Growing Up, But I Wouldn’t Miss It For The World.”
Plenty of scenes in Toy Story live rent-free in fans’ heads, but perhaps none more so than those concerning Andy growing up. Nothing resonated more than the protagonist going off to college and saying goodbye to his friends; the toys that spent so much time with him.
Woody is very concerned with the changes happening in Toy Story 3 but he makes a point of saying that “I can’t stop Andy from growing up, but I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” It’s a poignant moment that paints this team much like a family.
18 “I Don’t Believe That Man’s Ever Been To Medical School.”
Sid was the main antagonist of the original Toy Story. He was a terrifying creation of Pixar, who tortured and destroyed toys as a hobby. Woody and Buzz were trapped in his house, awaiting their dark fate. A moment of levity was needed from the script to add some humor to the situation.
After watching Sid’s disturbing experiments Buzz remarks that “I don’t believe that man’s ever been to medical school.” It’s a hilarious moment that cuts through some of the tension, although the reality of the situation effectively sets in after this Toy Story quote.
17 “I Was Cold And Dark. Nothing But Sand And A Couple Of Lincoln Logs.”
Toy Story 3 saw the gang venture to Sunnyside Daycare center where they quickly learned that playtime wasn’t always fun. Some of the younger kids simply didn’t know how to look after the toys properly and Mr. Potato realized the horror of the situation in a funny moment.
After disappearing for some time Mr. Potato Head reveals that he got left behind in the sandpit. He mentions that “I was cold and dark. Nothing but sand and a couple of lincoln logs.” Of course, those paying attention will know that those probably weren’t lincoln logs…
16 “You Have Saved Our Lives. We Are Eternally Grateful.”
Buzz is a hero all across the galaxy, at least in his own mind. Buzz is an intelligent enough toy to navigate a difficult situation though and in the original Toy Story, he helps save the day, with a little assistance from the aliens. Although they might scream for the claw they are happy with their savior.
Indeed, “You have saved our lives. We are eternally grateful,” is a Toy Story quote that has become a bit of a catchphrase for the franchise. Every time the aliens are involved in an adventure they get rescued from a dangerous situation and pledge their loyalty to their shining knight.
15 “She’ll Be Okay.”
The final goodbye between Woody and Buzz in Toy Story 4 is a really beautiful moment. Woody is about to leave Bo Peep behind and join the rest of Bonnie’s toys on the RV when Buzz tells him, “She’ll be okay.”
For a second, both Woody and the audience think that Buzz is talking about Bo Peep, but then Buzz adds, “Bonnie will be okay.” He can see that Woody’s place is with Bo, and Bonnie will be fine without him, so he encourages his old friend to follow his heart.
14 “I’m Trash!”
The existential crisis faced by Forky in Toy Story 4 is one of the loftiest and most philosophical storylines from the franchise. When Bonnie glues googly eyes and pipe-cleaner arms to a spork and calls him “Forky,” he gains sentience as a toy.
However, he’s not supposed to be sentient. He’s not supposed to have thoughts. And that alone is enough to terrify him, as he comes to terms with his own existence and makes sense of being more than just a piece of trash, giving deeper meaning to the Toy Story quote.
13 “So Long, Partner.”
While Toy Story 4 had a story worth telling and concluded in a really poignant way, it didn’t quite beat the bittersweet emotion of Toy Story 3’s ending.
As Andy leaves his toys with Bonnie and drives off to start his college education, Woody watches his kid’s car disappear over the horizon and says, “So long, partner.” It’s a really heartfelt moment that wrapped up the Toy Story saga (seemingly) in the perfect way.
12 “Let’s Caboom!”
Arguably the most memorable new character added to the Toy Story ensemble in last year’s fourth installment – except for maybe Forky – is Duke Caboom. He was voiced by Keanu Reeves, who actually contributed a lot of ideas to the Toy Story character’s personality.
He’s an Evel Knievel-type daredevil toy on a stunt motorcycle who’s filled with remorse as he’s unable to perform the stunts that his commercials promised he could do. By the end of the movie, he proves himself by pulling off an amazing jump to save the day.
11 “He’s Not Lost. Not Anymore.”
When Woody leaves the group to stay with Bo Peep at the fairground, Buzz breaks the news to the rest of the gang.
Rex asks if this means that Woody is a lost toy – which the sheriff thought would be the worst thing in the world back in the first movie – and Buzz says, on a more symbolic front, “He’s not lost. Not anymore.”
10 “You are a sad, strange little man, and you have my pity.”
Right after Woody has knocked Buzz out the window of Andy’s bedroom, Andy can’t find Buzz and instead takes Woody to Pizza Planet. This was Woody’s plan, but what he didn’t plan on was Buzz hopping on the back of the car – or getting knocked out the window at all, actually. So, he’s surprised – and kind of relieved – when Buzz turns out to be okay.
But of course, he’s not pleased. When Woody becomes “a lost toy” and is stranded at the gas station with Buzz, he panics. Buzz still thinks he’s a Space Ranger at this point, so he’s not too bothered, and he tells a terrified Woody, “You are a sad, strange little man, and you have my pity.”
9 “He ain’t the sharpest knife in the place where they keep the knives.”
In Toy Story 3, when Buzz goes to investigate the bad guys on the toys’ first night at Sunnyside Daycare Center, he overhears Chunk saying this about him. The rest of the toys are called “toddler fodder,” but Buzz – referred to as “that space guy” by Michael Keaton’s Ken – is deemed potentially “useful.”
And then Chunk, being a hypocrite, births the Toy Story quote, “He ain’t the sharpest knife in the place where they keep the knives.” To be fair to him, he is a toy. He doesn’t spend a lot of time in the kitchen, taking knives in and out of drawers, so how can he be expected to know where knives are kept?
8 “This isn’t flying. This is falling with style!”
Now, Woody and Buzz as the best of friends, but at the beginning of the first movie, they were adversaries. Woody was jealous of all the attention Buzz was getting. When Buzz managed to fly around Andy’s bedroom, Woody shrugged it off as “falling with style.” Later, when they’re best friends and they’re desperately pursuing the moving van, Buzz owns the “falling with style” thing.
He’s realized he’s just a toy and he can’t really fly, but the fact that he can glide through the air after being shot into the sky strapped to a rocket brings back some of his sense of wonder – and gives Woody his own sense of wonder – which helps to set the stage for the rest of the series.
7 “Excuse me, I think the word you’re searching for is ‘Space Ranger.’”
In the first Toy Story movie, when all the other toys are gushing over Buzz, and Woody is starting to feel the jealousy that will drive him to almost kill him, the sheriff says, “All right, that’s enough! Look, we’re all very impressed with Andy’s new toy.” Confused, Buzz says, “Toy?” Woody explains, “T-O-Y. Toy!”
Offended, Buzz says, “Excuse me, I think the word you’re searching for is ‘Space Ranger.’” And then Woody, with Tom Hanks’ perfect comic timing, says, “The word I’m searching for, I can’t say, because there’s pre-school toys present.” The tensions are already starting to show.
6 “The thing that makes Woody special is that he’ll never give up on you.”
At the end of Toy Story 3, Andy gives all his toys to Bonnie, passing the colorful cast of characters on from one generation to the next. First, he shows her Woody and, in a few short words, sums up everything’s that’s great about the character.
“Now, Woody…he’s been my pal as long as I can remember. He’s brave, like a cowboy should be, and kind and smart. But the thing that makes Woody special is that he’ll never give up on you – ever. He’ll be there for you, no matter what. You think you can take care of him for me?” It’s a Toy Story quote that perhaps resonates the most with audiences.
5 “There’s a snake in my boot!”
Of all the lines that Woody utters when his pull-string is given a tug, this one is the most memorable. Lines like “Reach for the sky!” are just as memorable, but that’s something you’d expect a cowboy to say. “There’s a snake in my boot!” is something new and definitely iconic.
It’s unique to Woody. In Toy Story 2, he would discover that this line was followed up with the kind of tacky merchandise that gets produced from successful franchises like Woody’s Roundup – a cowboy boot where the stirrup acts as a trigger that, if pulled, launches a snake out of the boot.
4 “You are a child’s plaything!”
Ostensibly, Toy Story is a movie about one toy who is deluded into thinking he is actually the Space Ranger that he has been designed to look like having his eyes opened by another, more cynical toy who is aware that he’s made of plastic and was put together in a factory to be enjoyed by a human kid.
However, it’s also a movie about the optimistic toy opening the eyes of the pessimistic toy and giving him a sense of adventure. Over the course of the plot, Woody doesn’t just change Buzz; Buzz changes Woody, too. And in the process, they become best friends.
3 “Woody once risked his life to save me. I couldn’t call myself his friend if I weren’t willing to do the same. So, who’s with me?”
This is what Buzz says in Toy Story 2 when he’s rallying the troops to go and save Woody from the clutches of “the Chicken Man.” Toy Story 2 is the perfect sequel, because it continues the journey of its characters in the most natural and organic way. It also avoids being a rehash of the first Toy Story by flipping the stakes.
It went from being a story about Woody saving Buzz to being a story about Buzz saving Woody to further solidify their bond. But it didn’t just swap the characters – it was an entirely different plot, which helped it to stand on its own.
2 “You never forget kids like Emily, or Andy, but they forget you.”
It’s hard to join the cast of a TV show or film franchise in a later episode or movie and be accepted as much as the original characters. However, Joan Cusack’s cowgirl doll Jessie was welcomed into the fold almost immediately. She’s funny, energetic, lovable – and she told us her tragic backstory. This line sums up the tragedy of that backstory in one sentence.
Kids mean far more to their toys than their toys mean to them, because kids grow out of their toys and the toys never grow out of their kids. Trust Pixar to find the emotional core of inanimate (we think) objects.
1 “To infinity and beyond!”
This is just Buzz Lightyear’s catchphrase, but it was taken from the toy company that made him and turned into the motto of Andy’s group of toys. Buzz says it at the end of the first movie when he and Woody are soaring through the sky towards the moving van.
“To infinity and beyond!” is the Toy Story franchise’s version of Finding Nemo’s “Just keep swimming,” the quote that keeps its fans going through tough times. It doesn’t really mean anything, since by definition, there is nothing beyond infinity – it simply doesn’t exist – but Woody and Buzz have given it meaning.