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Buzz Lightyear

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Buzz Lightyear
Toy Story character
File:Buzzlightyear1.jpg
First appearanceToy Story (1995)
Last appearanceToy Story 3 (2010)
Created byJohn Lasseter
Portrayed byTim Allen (English, films and most video games)
Patrick Warburton (English, TV series)
Pat Fraley (English, few video games and the Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters Attraction)
Haluk Bilginer (Turkish, films)
Richard Darbois (French, films and TV series)
Mario Desmarais (Quebec, films and TV series)
Walter von Hauff (German, films and TV series)
José Luis Gil (Spanish, films and TV series)
José Luis Orozco (Mexican, films and TV series)
Massimo Dapporto (Italian, films)
Stefano Mondini (Italian, TV series)
George Tokoro (Japanese, films)
Minoru Inaba (Japanese, TV series)
Bak Il (Korean, films and TV series)
Guilherme Briggs (Portuguese, films and TV series)
In-universe information
NicknameBuzzy Boy, Big Buzzy (By Hamm in some TS Treats)
SpeciesHumanoid action figure
GenderMale
Occupation"Space Ranger"
FamilyAndy's Toys, Andy, Molly, Ms.Davis

Buzz Lightyear is a fictional character and is one of two protagonists in the full-length CGI animated Disney·Pixar film Toy Story. He has also appeared in the movie Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins and the television series Buzz Lightyear of Star Command, as well as the two film sequels. His often repeated catchphrase is "To infinity ... and beyond!" While Tim Allen voiced the character in the Toy Story films and the TV movie, Patrick Warburton provided his voice for the TV series, and Pat Fraley voiced Buzz Lightyear for the video games and the Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasers attraction in Disneyland.

In the theatrical films, the featured Buzz is a toy — a spaceman action figure — whereas the television properties follow the adventures of the fictional space ranger on whom the toy is modelled.

Conception and creation

The character of Buzz originated from an agreement signed by Disney and Pixar to work on a film based on characters from Pixar's Oscar-winning short film Tin Toy, which would be called Toy Story.[1] John Lasseter, the director of Tin Toy, decided that the main character Tinny was "too antiquated", and the character was changed to a military action figure, and then given a space theme. Tinny's name changed to Lunar Larry, then Tempus from Morph, and eventually Buzz Lightyear (after astronaut Buzz Aldrin).[2] Lightyear's design was modeled on the suits worn by Apollo astronauts as well as G.I. Joe action figures.[3][4] Billy Crystal was approached to play Buzz, but turned down the role (which he later regretted).[5][6] Bill Murray also originally was going to play Buzz, but he too turned down the role. Katzenberg then took the role to Tim Allen, who was appearing in Disney's Home Improvement, and he accepted.[2] Toy Story was Allen's first animated film role.[7]

History

Buzz Lightyear was first seen on Toy Story as a birthday gift for Andy. At this time, Buzz does not realize that he is a toy, believing himself to be the real Buzz Lightyear. (The reason for this is implied in the first film, and clarified in the second: He was placed in hypersleep before going on his mission -- ie, being inserted in the display carton. All Buzz Lightyear toys are similarly unaware.) He also thinks that all of his equipment is fully functional, not realizing that his communicator is a sticker, his laser is an LED, etc. This belief causes friction between Buzz and Woody, whom he refers to as a 'sad, strange, little man', Andy's previous favorite toy. The other toys in Andy's room are attracted by Buzz's doo-dads and gung-ho attitude, but Woody becomes increasingly jealous and contrives to cause Buzz to fall behind Andy's desk. Instead, Buzz falls out of the window and is thought to be lost. During this period, Buzz manages to survive and save Woody numerous times due to the fact that he still believes that he is a space ranger. Using both stealth and agility, he manages to get through all challenges with Woody until he learns the truth. Eventually Buzz and Woody meet up and through a series of incidents, Buzz comes first to realize that he is, in fact, a toy. He learns this when he sees a Buzz Lightyear Action Figure TV commercial then attempts to fly out the window of toy-destroying child Sid's house, only to fall and break his left arm in the process. At first, he falls into depression after learning the truth, but with encouragement from Woody, he gradually comes to accept the situation (being loved by Andy). He teams up with Woody to escape Sid, and together, they are able to reunite with Andy and the other toys.

In Toy Story 2, Buzz leads Slinky, Mr. Potato Head, Rex, and Hamm on the mission to find and rescue Woody after he's stolen by Al McWhiggin, the owner of Al's Toy Barn, for his collection. Assuming the leadership role, Buzz manages to track down Woody's trail and find the culprit. He appears to be a serious leader right on his task, as he demands the toys not to give up until Woody is safely back in Andy's room. Buzz and the toys eventually succeed by navigating traffic, elevators, cars, airports, and aircraft. At one point in the movie, while investigating Al's Toy Barn itself, Buzz is captured by a newer Buzz Lightyear action figure, who overpowers him and imprisons him in a display box, showing that the entire toy line apparently holds the same ignorance of their existence as toys as Buzz once had. Nevertheless, Buzz manages to break free from the box and follows the rest of the toys and Al all the way to his apartment, where he uses Woody's exact words from the first film to persuade Woody to come back home with him. After rescuing Woody and getting rid of the vile Prospector at the airport, Buzz assists Woody in rescuing Jessie. Despite being separated from Woody, Buzz commandeers Bullseye to follow Woody and is seen galloping next to the plane's wheels when he catches Woody's hat. After the toys finally return home, Buzz and Jessie enter a relationship together (the same way as Woody and Bo Peep). The last shot shows Woody, Buzz, and their respective girlfriends watching Wheezy sing "You've Got a Friend in Me". In the Super Bowl on February 3, 2008 during the 3rd quarter, Buzz and Woody are watching the Super Bowl and then watch a promo for WALL-E, who is playing with a vacuum.

In the upcoming Toy Story 3, he along with the other toys, end up in a day-care center after Andy had grown up and went to college. Though initially excited at the prospect of being played with again, the toys soon find the various toddlers are extremely harsh on them and decide to escape. On one of his escape attempts, Buzz hits his head and has to be reset. However, once he is, he not only regains his 'Space Ranger' persona from before, but his language is also set to Spanish, much to the other toys' discomfort.

In other media

In Buzz Lightyear of Star Command, Buzz is a space ranger working for Star Command, protecting the universe from Evil Emperor Zurg. He works in a team 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 (the aliens from the movies, LGMs for short).

Buzz Lightyear can be seen as meet-and-greet characters in the various Disneyland theme parks around the world.

Characteristics

Buzz is a space ranger from the Intergalactic Alliance and is stationed in the Gamma Quadrant of Sector 4. He is the captain of the Alliance's Team. Lightyear is known for his bravery and courage. Buzz believes that following rules are the way people should live their life. Though a great leader, at times he can be rather unemotional, one of his biggest character flaws. Buzz is said to be Emperor Zurg's son (à la Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back) as mentioned in Toy Story 2, but in Buzz Lightyear of Star Command, this is revealed to be a taunt intended to catch Buzz off guard.[episode needed] Either way, this shows that Buzz does not know his father (although as mentioned in Toy Story 2, he was indeed killed, possibly by Zurg, as neither of these facts have been refuted). Buzz is trained in several forms of martial arts and is a highly skilled warrior in hand to hand combat. Being in peak physical condition, Buzz makes a perfect space ranger and is an example to many.

Buzz's suit

Buzz wears a high-tech space suit, similar to those of modern-day astronauts though more streamlined and iconic. The suit chest features a control panel. On the left hand side of the suit, a large red button activates the suit's flight system. When activated, the wings on the suit's backpack will unfold, and the boosters at the bottom of the pack will ignite, allowing the wearer to fly. The sides of the wings carry lights that blink red and green, indicating port and starboard sides, in order to prevent any in-air collisions.

The buttons on the right of the suit have numerous functions. Though it is unknown which button does what, when pressed the wearer will be able to contact Star Command, the headquarters of Buzz Lightyear and his allies. In the movies however, all they do is make Buzz different catch phrases. For example, if you hit the red button three times, he technically says "Buzz, Buzz, Buzz Lightyear to the rescue!" The suit also has a liquid adamantium-nitrogen layer which allows Buzz to withstand virtually any physical attack and, in special circumstances, can be used to repel telepaths.

Buzz's suit also protects against the vacuum and cold of space. It can also translate all he says into any language even an outspace dialect. A retractable helmet, when activated, covers Buzz's head and allows him to breathe in space or on planets lacking a sufficient supply of oxygen. The helmet is activated by pressing the purple button on the side of the chest armor. When pressed once, the helmet automatically swings up and seals; when pressed again the helmet flips back down. To protect against the heat of re-entry, the suit contains a shield generator.

The left arm of the suit has a panel that flips open to reveal a display that contains a mission log in the wrist area to record history and provide records. It is also where a "Made In Taiwan" wording is embossed, one of the critical evidence that made him realize he was really a toy. Also located in this area are oxygen gauges, a fuel gauge for the jet pack, and a speaker. The right arm contains the weapon system which projects a powerful laser out of the small cannon on the back of the wrist. It is unknown how long the laser's battery life lasts, but it is known that it requires a recharge after some time.

The suit's backpack, containing folded wings and boosters, allows Buzz to fly through space. It runs on rechargeable fuel cells. Depending on the situation, a different backpack can be attached to the suit. The wings, when enabled, are lined with strobe lights.

Utility belt

As seen in Toy Story 2, Buzz has a utility belt as an upgrade to his already powerful suit. The buckle of the belt activates the anti-gravity servos stored around the belt. When pressed, a blue beam shoots out before completely covering the wearer in a bubble which allows them to, as the name suggests, defy gravity and fly without the aid of the jetpack. On the sides of the belt, two magnets are stored for climbing reasons. The magnets are shown to be able to support up to three pounds (1.3 kg) before slipping, making them rather strong for toy magnets. At the back of the belt a compartment contains a grappling hook which can easily fold up. The string of the grappling hook is estimated to be about 12 inches (30 cm) long and strong, being able to hold four toys without fraying.

Variant space suits

Though how many different space suits Buzz has is unknown, it is known that there are two different series of suits. The first series consists of modified version of his original suit, but with different weapons. The other series are for different rescue missions. There are three different types of rescue suits that have been shown so far: Delta, Alpha and Gamma. Delta consists of the basic suit, and a bigger jet pack and a grappling hook. The others have been shown to have a similar look but with different weapons.

Action figure

Toy figure, Buzz Lightyear, with packaging, licensed from the film Toy Story, plastic / cardboard, made for Thinkway Toys in China, 1995-1999. The Buzz Lightyear is made of plastic and is dressed in grey, green and blue with touches of red and black. The figure is sealed in a cardboard and plastic blister pack with color illustration of the characters Woody and Buzz from the film 'Toy Story'. The text 'Disney's Toy Story' Collectible Figure' is printed on the front of the packaging. Additional color illustrations and character histories are printed on the reverse side of the pack. The toy sells for $19.95 at Disney's stores currently.

The Buzz Lightyear figure was manufactured by Thinkway Toys, New York between 1995-1999. An enhanced, newer model was released in 2009 to coincide with the Toy Story 3D Double Feature. Originally, [[Tim Allen]'s voice was on the action figure. The newer models feature a voice actor who sounds similar to Allen.

The Toy Story Action Figure, Buzz Lightyear was subject to mass sales in the Christmas after the film's release, mainly in the United States and United Kingdom. Additional parts could be purchased, e.g. wings etc... It was the number 1 toy sold in the UK and has remained a sought-after collectible since. [citation needed] In 1995, Thinkway didn't think that Toy Story would be that popular hence didn't make enough dolls to meet demand, as referenced in Toy Story 2.

In May 2008, NASA and Disney announced that an original Thinkway Toys' Buzz Lightyear action figure would fly aboard the space shuttle Discovery on mission STS-124. The 12-inch toy was to remain on the International Space Station for six months, where it would take part in an experiment and appear in a video downlink from space. The flight was arranged as part of the Toys In Space program that began in 1985.[8]

The mission launched with Buzz aboard the NASA space shuttle Discovery (STS-124) on May 31, 2008, to celebrate the opening of Toy Story Midway Mania at Disney's Hollywood Studios and Disney's California Adventure theme parks, with the ultimate destination of the International Space Station (ISS). The action figure "ate" dinner with the 10 astronauts and cosmonauts and was seen peering out a window aboard the ISS. The action figure stayed aboard the space station for a period of six months as part of a NASA toys-in-space educational program.[9]

The Buzz action figure returned from the space station on Sept. 11, 2009 aboard mission STS-128.[10]

In October 2009, Thinkway Toys released a replica Buzz Lightyear figure based on the figure in the Toy Story movies as part of their Toy Story Collection series of toys. This Buzz Lightyear was much more accurately detailed than the other Buzz Lightyear figures and it has features similar to the figure seen in the movie with similar pop out wings complete with blinking lights, laser, wrist communicator and the figure has over 65 phrases. The figure also comes with a Certificate of Authenticity and comes packaged in the spaceship packaging as seen in the movies.

Cultural impact

Reception

On October 2007, readers of Empire voted him #1 of the Top 20 Greatest Pixar Characters.[11]

"To infinity and beyond!"

Buzz Lightyear's classic line "To infinity and beyond!" has seen usage not only on T-shirts, but among philosophers and mathematical theorists as well.[12] Mathematicians have pointed out that it is not possible to go beyond infinity in mathematics (or even to reach it, as an infinite quantity increases without limit), but instead stating that the phrase is only relevant to "showbiz".[13][14] Lucia Hall of The Humanist linked the film's plot to an interpretation of humanism. She compared the phrase to "All this and heaven, too!", indicating one who is happy with a life on Earth as well as having an afterlife.[15] In 2008, astronauts took an action figure of Buzz Lightyear into space on the Discovery Space Shuttle as part of an educational experience for students while stressing the catchphrase. The action figure was used for experiments in zero-g.[16] Also in 2008, the phrase made international news when it was reported that a father and son had continually repeated the phrase to help them keep track of each other while treading water for 15 hours in the Atlantic Ocean.[17][18] Buzz's tag line may also be a homage to Stanley Kubrick's 2001 A Space Odyssey which has a third act titled "Jupiter And Beyond The Infinite"

See also

References

  1. ^ Schlender, Brent (May 17, 2006). "Pixar's magic man". CNNMoney.com. Retrieved March 11, 2009.
  2. ^ a b Price, David A. (2008). "Making It Fly - 1". The Pixar Touch: The Making of a Company. United States of America: Alfred A. Knopf. pp. 124–132. ISBN 978-0-307-26575-3.
  3. ^ "Disney's Buzz Lightyear and Wall-E explore space for NASA". Space.com. June 24, 2008. Retrieved March 13, 2009.
  4. ^ Paik, Karen (2007). To Infinity and Beyond!: The Story of Pixar Animation Studios. San Francisco: Chronicle Books. p. 103. ISBN 0811850129. Retrieved March 13, 2009.
  5. ^ Fischer, Paul. "Billy Crystal - Cranky Critic StarTalk". Retrieved March 11, 2009.
  6. ^ Pearlman, Cindy (October 28, 2001). "Crystal clear on 'Monsters'" (Fee required). Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved March 16, 2009. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  7. ^ Michael, Dennis (November 25, 1995). "'Toy Story' stars say being animated is hard work". CNN. Retrieved March 12, 2009.
  8. ^ "Buzz Lightyear becomes real space ranger". collectSPACE. 2008-05-29. Retrieved 2008-05-29.
  9. ^ Dunn, Marcia (2008-06-06). "Japan's space lab just got bigger". Associated Press via MSNBC.com. Retrieved 2008-06-07.
  10. ^ "The Return of Buzz Lightyear". NASA. Retrieved Oct. 2, 2009. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  11. ^ http://www.empireonline.com/features/pixar/default.asp?NID=21258
  12. ^ Dusek, Val (2006). Philosophy of Technology: An Introduction. Blackwell Publishing. p. 59. ISBN 1405111631.
  13. ^ "Introducing student-friendly technology". The Jakarta Post. April 10, 2004. Retrieved March 13, 2009. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  14. ^ Matson, John (July 19, 2007). "Strange but True: Infinity Comes in Different Sizes". Scientific American. Retrieved March 13, 2009. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  15. ^ Hall, Lucia K.B. (March 1, 2000). "Toy Stories for Humanists?". The Humanist. Retrieved March 13, 2009. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  16. ^ Pearlman, Robert Z. (May 29, 2008). "Buzz Lightyear Becomes Real Space Ranger". Space.com. Retrieved March 12, 2009.
  17. ^ Associated Press (September 10, 2008). "'Buzz Lightyear got us through'". Star Tribune. Retrieved March 13, 2009. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  18. ^ Associated Press (September 10, 2008). "'Toy Story' Line Helped Father, Son Survive in Water for 15 Hours". Fox News. Retrieved March 13, 2009.
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