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Andy's Dad And Woody's Origins In 'Toy Story' Have Been Revealed

Andy's Dad And Woody's Origins In 'Toy Story' Have Been Revealed

This makes so much sense.

Mark McGowan

Mark McGowan

There are certain films from our childhood that harness many happy memories. However, as we grow up they don't really have the same effect on us.

You won't have watched them for years, but when they're on TV we'll sit and watch them hoping for a blast of nostalgia, but it becomes obvious that those happy days watching them as a kid are well behind us, as it just doesn't quite feel the same.

The same can't be said, however, for Toy Story, as no matter what age you are, it still makes you feel eight-years-old.

The original did nothing but improve our imaginations as well as wish our toys would come to life, and even now it's great to rewatch Woody and Buzz's adventures.

via GIPHY

Sadly though, being older, our minds sometimes focus on things that they wouldn't have necessarily caught onto when we were younger. As a result the Internet is filled with fan theories of every show and film there is.

Toy Story is no different, with a lot of people questioning things about Andy's dad, as well as the rareness of Woody.

From Andy's birthday party in the first film, to him coming of age in the third, his mother is prominent, whereas his dad doesn't appear or come up in conversation. This got people wondering what happened to him, whether he died or divorced.

According to Mike Mozart, a toy designer as well as a consultant for the films, Andy's dad (Andy Senior), had polio, which led to his untimely death prior to the film film.

Mozart told YouTuber Jonathan Carlin that this explains the origins of Woody, as well as shedding at bit of light on the family.

In the second film the rootinest tootinest cowboy ends up in the hands of Al, of Al's Toy Barn, along with Jessie, Stinky Pete and Bullseye. Al is overjoyed at finding the toy, as he's extremely rare and valuable, and becomes quite obsessed with him.

Woody, meanwhile, has no clue as to why he's a sought after product, which gets him thinking about not knowing anything about himself. Jessie and Stinky Pete explain that he was the star of Woody's Round Up, an old television series in the 50s.

The show, much like Toy Story, captured the imagination of kids, one of which was Andy Snr. He claimed to be Woody's favourite deputy, and when a cereal company started a promotion to win a Woody doll, he was all over it.

Kids had to collect ten tops of cereal boxes to get their hands on the toy, but as Andy's dad's family were poor, he never got to ten. He collected seven, but still sent them off with a letter explaining why he should get the doll.

Andy's dad when he was young. Credit: Pixar

He gets it, and shortly after Woody's Round Up is cancelled because of Sputnik, which prompted kids to prefer space based toys. The cereal promotion simultaneously stopped, meaning that only a hand full of the special toys had made their way to kids. Thus, Woody's rarity.

Andy's dad kept the doll, and when they moved back to his childhood home where he could live the last of his days before polio took him, he left Woody, his prized possession, along with Mr Potatohead and Slinky to his son.

Because of his son's striking resemblance to him, the toys recognise him as the boy they were originally owned by, and, because they have the same name, they believe it's him, living their plastic lives as normal.

Even Andy didn't know how rare Woody was when he came to own him, but simply saw him as the toy his dad left to him, which made them form a close bond. Al, however, knows about Woody and that's why he ends up becoming obsessed.

Luckily, Woody finds his way back to Andy, so we could all sleep soundly.

Featured Image Credit: Pixar

Topics: Toy Story