LIGHTYEAR Reveals An Unexpected Zurg Twist That's Among Pixar's Craziest Creative Decisions - SPOILERS

LIGHTYEAR Reveals An Unexpected Zurg Twist That's Among Pixar's Craziest Creative Decisions - SPOILERS

Pixar is an undeniably inventive studio, but Lightyear delivers a twist with Emperor Zurg that better explains a big Toy Story 2 moment and ranks among their most impressive, crazy creative decisions.

By JoshWilding - Jun 20, 2022 08:06 PM EST
Filed Under: Animated Features
Source: Toonado.com

Lightyear is the movie a young Andy watched that led to his love of all things Buzz in 1995's Toy Story, and as that franchise continued, we'd learn more about the Space Ranger's fictional adventures. Toy Story 2 would deliver the biggest reveals, including the introduction of Buzz's greatest enemy, Zurg, a villain who claimed to be the hero's father.

That was obviously inspired by The Empire Strikes Back, but with Lightyear revealing Buzz's full origin story, how does the non-toy version of Zurg end up factoring into that? 

As you'll know from the trailers, he is this movie's big bad. However, as Toonado.com explains, he's not simply a villainous robot, and the truth is that Zurg (never referred to as an "Emperor" here) is Buzz.

Lightyear establishes that travelling through hyperspeed moves Buzz forward in time, and while he only ages however long those experimental flights take, those minutes are years for everyone else. As a result, Buzz watches those around him grow old and die, all in a quest to get his team off the planet they're stranded on.

After one final attempt to make things right, he returns to find that the plant has come under siege from Zurg and his robotic army. When he finally meets the villain, Zurg removes his suit and Buzz initially mistakes the elderly man inside (voiced by James Brolin) for his father (explaining that Toy Story 2 scene). 

The truth, though, is that when this Buzz returned to that planet he was met with scorn from his commanders and faced arrest. With that, he took off, later coming across the technology (exactly how is never revealed) that would allow him to travel back in time to stop his past self from ever crashing on that planet and stranding his Star Command team there. However, he could only go back so far, hence why the other Buzz's story plays out differently when he returns to find that army instead of a court-martial.

It's a clever use of time travel, and the Zurg version of Buzz has clearly lost his mind. A post-credits scene (read more about that here) teases what could be next for the villain following his defeat, and it's clear Pixar may have more ideas when it comes to fleshing out this iconic Toy Story baddie.

"Throw any preconceived notions you may have out the window because Lightyear is the best animated movie of the year and a dazzling sci-fi escapade with a performance from Chris Evans that will leave you buzzing," we said in our recent review of Lightyear

Lightyear is now playing in theaters.

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SpaceParanoids
SpaceParanoids - 6/20/2022, 8:06 PM
This movie is bombing all over the world.
Watchingme
Watchingme - 6/20/2022, 8:10 PM
Josh quoting his own review

DarthOmega
DarthOmega - 6/20/2022, 8:10 PM
The premise sounds like a joke. I heard it's supposed to be the film Andy saw, but I thought they were kidding.
MCUKnight11
MCUKnight11 - 6/20/2022, 8:21 PM
Between this and Kindred from JJ Abrams Spider-man, it seems Savitar might be the most influential arrowverse villain.
generictheeric
generictheeric - 6/20/2022, 9:42 PM
@MCUKnight11 - I was literally going to post this. The CW beat Lightyear by like 6 years.



... in a flash!
MCUKnight11
MCUKnight11 - 6/20/2022, 9:43 PM
@generictheeric - Seriously, how many more times are we going to get the "villain is the hero in the future gone down a dark path" trope?
Henchman4Hire
Henchman4Hire - 6/20/2022, 8:22 PM
I'm half convinced that this is one of those cases where the original script was a more generic space adventure and some studio head decided they could slap an existing IP over the top of it to make more money.

But even then, that original script was nothing special and pretty basic. It's like somebody just filled in a template from a Screenwriting 101 class.
CyberBishop
CyberBishop - 6/20/2022, 9:12 PM
craziest, bonkers
Starlight
Starlight - 6/20/2022, 9:15 PM
I liked it, watched it with my 7y old son, he enjoyed it very much. The "future" Buzz clearly "borrowed" the technology from someone else, so the REAL Zurg will make its way eventually...
generictheeric
generictheeric - 6/20/2022, 9:49 PM
The legendary Toonado.com? CBM seems to pick up a bunch of scoops from them these days. s/

THEDARKKNIGHT1939
THEDARKKNIGHT1939 - 6/20/2022, 9:57 PM
I don't know what does more of a disservice to Buzz Lightyear, this movie, or the dumbass "inner voice" Buzz from Toy Story 4.
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