Top 5 Toy Story Characters

Though he probably receives as much screen-time as Buzz Lightyear, Woody is generally considered the central protagonist within the Toy Story trilogy and justifiably so. With his likeable, easy-going attitude, Woody is effectively the glue that holds the rest of Andy’s toys together and he’s always the first one to propose a solution to any given problem. Tom Hanks’ energetic and downright hilarious performance undoubtedly plays a key role in confirming Woody’s place atop this list, as Hanks’ consistently surprising voice work is as associated with the character as any within animated history.

Memorable Line: “You! Are! A! Toy!”

A close second to Woody as the series’ most important character, Buzz Lightyear certainly undergoes the most dramatic transformation over the three movies. When he first arrives in Andy’s room in Toy Story, Buzz is convinced that he’s the real Buzz Lightyear and he conducts himself accordingly. The brief depression that sets in when he discovers that he’s actually a toy – “I am Mrs. Nesbitt!” – quickly subsides and Buzz becomes a bona fide hero who helps save the day. By the time the second and third films have rolled around, Buzz has integrated himself so seamlessly into the fabric of Andy’s toys that he’s even able to work up a tentative romance with Jessie.

Memorable Line: “To infinity and beyond!”

He may not have as much to do as the toys around him, but Andy is as important a character as Woody and Buzz and the rest of the gang – if not more so, since there would be no Toy Story trilogy without him. Andy is an imaginative little boy who seems to spend hours concocting elaborate scenarios with his various toys, and it’s not surprising the kid is genuinely upset when it seems as though he’s lost both Woody and Buzz in the first film. And even though he’s clearly outgrown his playthings in the third movie, Andy’s love for his toys is reflected in that film’s heartbreaking yet appropriate circle-of-life conclusion.

Memorable Line: “You must choose, Sheriff Woody: How shall she die? Shark, or death by monkeys?”

Perhaps the most poignant of all the Toy Story characters, Jessie is an outgoing, extremely excitable cowgirl who always says and does exactly what’s on her mind. She’s most closely associated with Woody because of their shared history on Woody’s Roundup, though it’s impossible to downplay Jessie’s unexpected (and thoroughly adorable) relationship with Buzz Lightyear. There’s little doubt, however, that Jessie is best known for the big reveal that comes midway through Toy Story 2, in which her tragic past with former owner Emily is detailed in a heartbreaking montage that’s sure to leave viewers as choked up on their umpteenth viewing as on their first.

Memorable Line: “You never forget kids like Emily or Andy, but they forget you.”

With all due respect to Toy Story 2’s Stinky Pete and Toy Story 3’s Lots-o’-Huggin’ Bear, Toy Story’s Sid remains the most fearsome and downright vicious of the Toy Story villains – as, like Rex says, the character "tortures toys just for fun." Sid’s penchant for experimenting on his toys has resulted in a roomful of mutated characters, including a fishing rod with Barbie legs and a doll head with a spider body. Sid receives his comeuppance, however, after Woody and the mutant toys essentially come to life right before the young boy’s eyes, which seems to have transformed him into a productive member of society judging from his cameo as a garbage man in Toy Story 3.

Memorable Line: "Extremely dangerous. Keep out of reach of children. Cool!"