Toy Story 2

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The second movie of the Toy Story franchise.

A plot summary, courtesy of Wikipedia:

Woody prepares to go to cowboy camp with Andy, but Andy nearly rips Woody's right arm off. Andy decides to leave Woody behind, and Andy's mother puts Woody on a shelf. The next day, Woody discovers Wheezy, a penguin squeaky toy, has been shelved for months due to a broken squeaker. When Andy's mother puts Wheezy in a yard sale, Woody rescues him, only to be stolen by a greedy toy collector, who takes him to his apartment. Buzz Lightyear and all of Andy's other toys identify the thief from a commercial as Al McWhiggin, the owner of a toy store called Al's Toy Barn. Buzz, Hamm, Mr. Potato Head, Slinky Dog, and Rex all set out to rescue Woody.

At Al's apartment, Woody learns that he is a valuable collectable based on a 1950s TV show called Woody's Roundup and is set to be sold to a toy museum in Tokyo, Japan. While the other toys from the show — Jessie, Woody's horse Bullseye, and Stinky Pete — are excited about going, Woody wants to return home because he is still one of Andy's toys. Jessie is upset because the museum is only interested in the collection if Woody is in it since they will return to storage if he is absent from the collection. When his arm is torn off accidentally, Woody attempts to retrieve it and escape but is foiled by someone mysteriously turning on Al's television set. The next morning, a cleaner repairs his arm and Woody learns that Jessie was once the beloved toy of a child named Emily, who eventually outgrew her and gave her away. Stinky Pete warns him that the same fate awaits him when Andy grows up, whereas he will last forever in the museum. This convinces Woody to stay, now believing that all toys eventually get discarded by their owners.

Meanwhile, Buzz and the other toys eventually reach Al's Toy Barn. While searching for Woody, Buzz is imprisoned into a cardboard box by another Buzz Lightyear action figure with a utility belt, who thinks he is a real space ranger, like the original Buzz from the first film. The new Buzz joins the other toys, who mistake him as their Buzz. After discovering Al's plan, they arrive at his apartment while Buzz escapes and pursues them, accidentally freeing an Emperor Zurg toy, who immediately goes after him, intent on destroying him. After the toys find Woody, Buzz rejoins them and proves that he is Andy's Buzz, but Woody refuses to go home. Buzz reminds Woody of a toy's "true purpose" and warns him that in the museum, he will only be able to watch children from behind glass and never be played with again. After seeing a boy play with him on the TV, Woody changes his mind and asks the Roundup toys to come with him, but Stinky Pete prevents their escape...

Tropes common to the franchise are listed on the Toy Story franchise page. Tropes specific to this movie include:

• Acting Unnatural: Woody tells Buster the dog to "Act casual" while Woody hangs on his collar to rescue Wheezy unseen by humans. Buster begins to strut leisurely, and Woody hisses, "Not that casual!"
• An Aesop: Al's half-crying on TV after his loss -- "I guess crime doesn't pay."
• Affirmative Action Girl: Jessie. But she's still awesome.
  • Arguably, Mrs. Potato Head fits this Trope since she never actually appeared in the first film, and was only mentioned briefly at the very end.
• All Animals Are Dogs: Bullseye was originally going to have a voice, but John Lasseter decided to make him like a giant puppy-dog.
  • RC may also (sort of) qualify.
• Animated Actors: The "Hilarious Outtakes" in the credits.
• Award Bait Song: "When She Loved Me", by Sarah McLachlan.
• Ax Crazy: When Stinky Pete sees that Woody and his pals are going to ruin his trip to Japan, he literally breaks out the (pick)ax......
• Big Bad Ensemble: Al, Zurg and Stinky Pete.
• Big "Never!": Woody, when ordered by Stinky Pete to get into the case bound for Japan when it's in the baggage conveyor area at the airport.
• Big No: Buzz after Zurg tells him he's Buzz's father, and Zurg as he falls down the elevator shaft.
• Blinding Camera Flash: The toys use flashes to stop Stinky Pete from hurting Woody.
• Boring Return Journey: After the climax, the next scene shows the toys back in Andy's room. Earlier, just crossing the street caused mayhem.
  • Really? What about the baggage train outside the neighbors' house? Given the episode with the pizza truck...
• Bottomless Magazines: Zurg fires a LOT of little Nerf balls at Buzz 2.0 in the elevator shaft.
• Bowel-Breaking Bricks: Mr. Potato Head
• Brick Joke: At the end when you realize that the events of the film all take place in the span of a few days while Andy was at cowboy camp.
• Call Back: Several:
  • Buzz bringing up how the other toys tossed Woody out of the moving van.
  • Impostor Buzz thinking he's suffocating when the real Buzz opens his helmet.
  • Buzz climbing up to see the new Buzz with the utility belt is the same way Woody came across Buzz in the first film.
  • The hold Jessie puts Woody in during their fight is the same one Buzz used when he and Woody fought under Andy's Mom's car.
  • The "Buzz-Buzz-Buzz Lightyear to the rescue!" phrase is uttered again at one point during the 'battle' between Utility Belt Buzz and Zurg.
• Catapult Nightmare: Woody, after he wakes up from a nightmare where Andy throws him away.
• Ceiling Cling: Buzz hangs onto the underside of an elevator to reach Al's apartment.
• Chekhov's Gun: Buzz and company thought that the green baggage they were after in the baggage conveyor area carried Woody, but all they find is a a camera set. A couple of scenes later, they catch up with Woody's near massacre at the hands of Stinky Pete with that camera set. Cue a temporarily blinded Stinky Pete.
• Closer Than They Appear: "Dinosaur overboard!"
• Clown Car Base: Mr. Potato Head's backside was turned into one in Toy Story 2's Hilarious Outtakes.
• The Collector: Al.
• Continuity Cameo: Look twice and you'll recognize the toy restorer as the old man from Geri's Game.
  • He even has chess pieces in his toolkit.
• Conveyor Belt O' Doom: The airport conveyor belts.
• Creative Closing Credits: The Hilarious Outtakes.

Buzz: You still worried? Woody: About Andy? Nah. It'll be fun while it lasts. Buzz: I'm proud of you, cowboy. Woody: Besides, when it all ends, I'll have old Buzz Lightyear to keep me company. For infinity and beyond.

• Cut Short: In-universe, with "Woody's Finest Hour"
• Dance Party Ending: With Wheezy singing "You Got A Friend In Me".
• Deadly Disc: Buzz Lightyear throws discs at Emperor Zurg during the Video Game opening sequence and the fight on top of the elevator.
• Dinky Drivers: Buzz's team of toys commandeer a Pizza Planet truck to pursue Al to the airport.
• Dirty Old Man: Stinky Pete in the credits with the Barbies.
• Disney Villain Death: Subverted with Emperor Zurg.
• Disproportionate Reward: "You have saved our lives. We are eternally grateful!"
  • They say it again in 3.
• Do I Really Sound Like That?: Buzz encounters another Buzz who believes himself to be the real Buzz.

Buzz 2: All Rangers are to be in hypersleep until awoken by authorized personel! Buzz 1: Tell me I wasn't this deluded.

• Does This Remind You of Anything?: Watching the film today, some of Stinky Pete's dialogue to Woody before his reveal as a bad guy, and Woody's dialogue back, was very reminiscent of a counselor talking to a victim of domestic abuse. Doesn't help that Pete's being voiced by Frasier.

Pete: Was it because you're damaged? Hmm? Did this Andy break you? Woody: Yeah, but -- no, no, no, no, no! It was -- it was an accident -- I mean-- Jessie: Sounds like he really loves you. Woody: It's not like that, okay?!

• • The way in which Geri (the cleaner) cleans up Woody is almost like Woody was at a high-class stylist.
• The Elevator From Ipanema: When Al is riding the elevator down to the lobby, the music playing is a "Ipanema"-style version of the main theme from A Bugs Life.
• Eureka Moment: How Buzz figures out who took Woody.

Mr. Potato Head: Let's leave Buzz to his toys. Buzz: Toy... toy... toy... Hold on! (Types 'Al's Toy Barn' into Mr. Spell)

• Everything's Better with Monkeys: Invoked on the DVD Commentary.
• Everything's Better with Penguins: Wheezy.
• Evil Laugh: Zurg, after killing Buzz in the Fake-Out Opening.
• Evil Overlord List: In the opening action sequence, Zurg obviously read the List and put in a fake "Source of Zurg's Power" battery (a hologram) in his lair to trap Buzz.
• Eye Scream: Even knowing Woody doesn't really feel anything, it's hard not to flinch when his eye is being cleaned.
• Fantastic Racism: Pete's hatred of "space toys" would count, though he does have a Freudian Excuse.
• Fake-Out Opening: The beginning with Buzz Lightyear infiltrating Zurg's planet.
• Fake Static: Al uses this while talking to Mr. Kinoshi on his cell phone.
• Frickin' Laser Beams: Zurg's Ion Blaster, particularly in the video game, shoots yellow-green "plasma". Zurg also fires green, ping-pong-like balls in his fight against Impostor Buzz at the elevator shaft in Al's apartment (probably supposed to represent plasma bullets). Buzz can usually dodge these by jumping across the air, tumbling acrobatically, etc. Averted by Buzz's laser. which instantly hits the target.
• Furry Confusion: A brief moment of this happens when Buzz uses an out-of-the-box, yet apparently non sentient or even alive Cymbal-Banging Monkey in his attempt to catch out with the other toys as they leave Al's Toy Barn.
  • Methinks that monkey held one big grudge...
• Guide Dang It: Rex believes that the Buzz Lightyear video game is using extortion to get him to read a strategy guide. Of course, he unwittingly defeats Emperor Zurg in person at the elevator shaft, and once he gets home, he declares, "I don't need to play; I lived it!"
• Hand or Object Underwear: Bullseye, after his saddle falls off.
• Hammerspace: From the Hilarious Outtakes mentioned below: "And a rubber ducky, and a PLASTIC STEAK, and a yo-yo!"
• Hello, Nurse!: Barbie, complete with the jaw drop.

Mr. Potato Head: I'm a married spud, I'm a married spud, I'm a married spud... Hamm: Then make room for the single fellas!

• He's a Friend: Woody to Andy's other toys when they arrive to rescue him.
• Hilarious Outtakes: Continuing from the popular gag from A Bugs Life, Toy Story 2 features bloopers as though these are real actors performing on set.
• Hit Scan: Buzz's laser. Unlike Zurg's Ion Blaster, it hits its target instantly.
• Homage: When the toys are at a toy store and driving around in a toy car, Rex at some point falls off and starts running after them to catch up. Mr. Potato Head spots Rex in the side mirror with the text "Warning: Objects in mirror are closer than they appear" written. This is clearly a parody of a scene in the original Jurassic Park movie where the island visitors tries to escape a T-Rex in the same manner, mirror warning and all.
• I Owe You My Life: Mr. Potato Head acquires a trio of squeaky alien hangers-on in the second movie after he rescues them from falling out of a car. "You have saved our lives! We are eternally grateful!"
• Ironic Echo

Buzz: (to Woody) You. Are. A TOY!

• Jerkass: Al and Stinky Pete.
• Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Mr. Potato Head risking himself to save three of the Little Green Men (who he had just met!).
• Kitschy Local Commercial: The commercial for Al's Toy Barn.
• Licensed Game: A particularly notable aversion of The Problem with Licensed Games, as it blends the "sandbox-platformer" gameplays of Super Mario 64 and Spyro the Dragon, and then works surprisingly well.
  • The Gameboy Color version, on the other hand, suffers from horrible music, poorly-drawn graphics, and broken controls (although Your Mileage May Vary).
• Lord Error-Prone: The second Buzz Lightyear doll. Heck, Buzz himself probably counts in the first movie as well.
• Luke, I Am Your Father: Parodied with Zurg and Buzz (the one they meet in the Toy Store) in the second one. They later play catch with Zurg's ball-shooter.
• Makeover Montage: Woody getting fixed up.
• Malevolent Architecture: Zurg's underground fortress is designed this way, of course. Firstly, there's a spiked wall closing in on Buzz, really fast, to the point where he needs to sprint and jump out the closing door at the other end of the corridor. And, of course, there's a really scary Bottomless Pit to deal with (but of course, there are temporarily floating platforms to jump on). However, the platforms suddenly fall off (with Buzz). Fortunately, he is reminded of his utility belt and suddenly presses a life-saving button to suddenly fly back to the platform containing Zurg's "source of energy".
• Motive Rant:

Stinky Pete: Fair?! I'll tell you what's not fair! Spending a lifetime on a dime store shelf watching every other toy be sold! Well, finally my waiting has paid off, and no hand-me-down cowboy doll is going to mess it up for me now!"

• Neck Lift: Emperor Zurg to the 2nd Buzz while they're on top of the elevator.
• Noodle Order: How Buzz gets Utility Belt!Buzz to do a Heel Face Turn:

Buzz 2: Could somebody please explain what's going on!? Buzz 1: (referring to Woody) Its alright, Space Ranger. It's a Code 546. Buzz 2: *gasp* You mean it's a--? Buzz 1: Yes. Buzz 2: *gasp* And he's a--?! Buzz 1: Ohhh yeah. Buzz 2: (runs and kneels at Woody's feet) Your majesty!

• Not the Fall That Kills You: Happens at two situations:
  • Impostor Buzz and company fall down from a fairly far height to the elevator. The fall was about 3 seconds, and in real life, the toys, light as they are, would probably have broken to pieces.
  • Zurg falls down the bottomless elevator shaft after being hit by Rex's tail. However, he is seen with Impostor Buzz long afterward.
• Pac-Man Fever: Totally averted -- the game is quite on-par with the movie's graphics (despite running in an SNES!) and Rex doesn't even mash buttons!
  • Then again, since the movie came out in 1999, the choice of an SNES is still somewhat anachronistic. By then the Nintendo 64 was already in full swing. Though it could be argued that it seems to take place a short time after the original, which came out in 1995, back when the SNES was still the most popular system. So it's really Fridge Brilliance.
    • Also, an N64 wouldn't have been a smart choice for various reasons.
• Pair the Spares: Buzz and Jessie at the end of the film.
• Plank Gag: Rex accidentally knocks Emperor Zurg off an elevator with his tail while shuddering in fear as Zurg is about to destroy the two Buzz Lightyears (one of them has a plastic belt around him).
• Prepare to Die: Zurg says this to Impostor Buzz.
• Record Scratch: Used when Pete tells Woody about the museum. Granted, he was running on a record player at the time, his shock causing him to stop suddenly.
• Red Alert: Called by the Sergeant during the yard sale.
• Red Eyes, Take Warning: Emperor Zurg.
• Redemption Quest: The presence of the non-Buzz toys on the mission to rescue Woody can be read as one of these, in light of the events of the first movie.

Buzz: Come on, fellas! Did Woody give up when Sid had me strapped to the back of a rocket? The Other Toys: [Glumly] No. Buzz: And did Woody give up when you threw him out of the back of that moving van? Mr. Potato Head: [Guilty] Oh, you had to bring that up. Buzz: No, he didn't! We've got a friend in need! We will not rest until we're safe in Andy's room ! NOW LET'S MOVE OUT!

• Remember the New Guy?: When Woody meets Wheezy the Penguin from Toy Story 2, his reaction is why he's up on the shelf with him instead of being away to get his squeaker fixed. Justified Trope in that either Andy or Molly may have gotten Wheezy either for Christmas or their birthdays between the first two movies, maybe even for the Christmas they were celebrating at the end of the first one. After all, Buster and Mrs. Potato Head were also Christmas gifts at the end of the first one...
• Road Trip Across the Street
• Rousing Speech: Buzz to the other toys while going after Woody in 2. It's so rousing that the Stars and Stripes unfurls behind him out of nowhere. (In the non-US version, the Stars and Stripes is replaced by a spinning globe and fireworks).
• Rummage Fail: While Potato Head reaches in to get his "angry eyes", he puts on the extra shoes.
• Rump Roast: In a "Woody's Roundup" episode, Prospector tries to put out a dynamite fuse by sitting on it, resulting in a Shout-Out to Who Framed Roger Rabbit?: "My biscuits are burning!"
• Running Gag: "You have saved our lives. We are eternally grateful."
  • Potato Head constantly losing his parts.
• Second Coming: Woody's welcome by Jessie, Bullseye, and Stinky Pete is almost treated as this with all the attendant Hero Worship elements attached to Woody, until he realizes that he's going to be joining them in a museum.
• Ship Tease: Arguably Woody and Jessie in the second movie.
  • Yet she gets paired with Buzz at the end of the movie. Since, you know, Woody already has a girlfriend (Bo Peep).
• Something Else Also Rises: Buzz's wings after he sees Jessie opening the door with a full acrobatic routine.
  • Parodied in the outtakes: Woody scribbled "This Space for Rent" on Buzz's wings at some point before the scene
• Show Within a Show (Type 3): Woody's Roundup
• Spin-Off: Buzz Lightyear of Star Command.
• Spot the Imposter: When the toys realize they have two Buzz Lightyears.
• Stepford Smiler: The Barbies in Toy Story 2.
• Take a Third Option: In Andy's play scenario, he has Hamm hold Bo Peep hostage and tells Woody he has a choice of either feeding to to a shark or death by monkeys. Woody then chooses Buzz Lightyear, who crashes into Hamm, giving Woody enough time to rescue Bo Peep.
• That Reminds Me of a Song: Wheezy, when he sings at the end.
• They Call Me Mister Tibbs: Mr. Potato Head saying, "Prepare to meet Mr. Angry Eyes!" Too bad he got his spare feet instead...
• Timmy in a Well: In a Woody's Roundup" episode, Jessie sends some animals to get Sheriff Woody. Woody easily interprets their chatter into a complex message.
• Twin Threesome Fantasy: Parental Bonus in the credits sequence.
• Two Words: Obvious Trope: "Two words. Sput-nik."
• Unusually Uninteresting Sight: Did none of the drivers think that moving traffic cones were a little odd?
  • Meh.
• Up to Eleven: Zurg's Ion-Blaster.
• Use Your Head: Rex, to enter Al's apartment.

Rex: But I don't wanna use my head!

• Utility Belt: I bet you could sure use one of those.
• Vanity License Plate: Al's license plate gives Buzz a clue to Woody's location.
• A Villain Named Zrg: The Troperiffic evil emperor Zurg.
• We Will Meet Again: Emperor Zurg says this to Buzz Lightyear.
• Who Wants to Live Forever?: The Prospector certainly does.
• Woobie, Destroyer of Worlds: After hearing the Prospector's backstory - which finds him sitting on a store shelf for years, watching every other toy get sold but him - you can't help but feel for him. And while he attempts some rather bad things near the end, his desire to find some form of love as a museum piece is understandable.
  • Stinky Pete had good reasons to do what he did. Sure, he almost ripped Woody into ribbons, but even then he wouldn't have killed him, since his goals depend on Woody's survival.
• You Answered Your Own Question: Rex: "How do you spell FBI?"