Every ‘Toy Story’ Villain, Ranked From Petty To Terrifying
The Toy Story franchise began in 1995 and is set in a world where toys come to life when humans are not around. The story chronicles the adventures of a cowboy doll named Woody (Tom Hanks) and his friends (various other toys) that originally belonged to six-year-old Andy Davis (John Morris). When Andy grows up and heads off to college, he gives his toys to Bonnie (Emily Ricks Hahn).
While the back and forth between different owners is a little unsettling for the toys, they know their true purpose in life is to make their tiny owner (whoever that might be) happy. But things get a little complicated since the toys function in a world of their own with real hopes, fears, and even threats. That's where the Toy Story villains come in.
Across the franchise, we get to meet a colorful array of bad guys, who range from careless humans to vengeful toys. This list ranks them from petty to terrifying based not just on what they do, but on intent, awareness, and the impact they have on Woody and his friends. The first four Toy Story films can be found on platforms like Netflix, HBO Max, and Disney+. Toy Story 5 is playing in cinemas.
Sid Phillips - Toy Story (1995)
Sid Phillips (Erik von Detten) appears in the first Toy Story movie as Andy's next-door neighbor who takes toys apart for fun. But the real kicker is that once the toys are in pieces, he merges the different parts to create some pretty creepy-looking playthings. When a series of events causes Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) to end up in Sid's possession, the boy tapes him to a firework rocket to blow him up.
Fortunately, Woody, with the help of Sid's mutant toys, comes up with a plan to save him. Sid isn't cruel in a calculated sense—he just sort of does whatever he wants with a complete lack of understanding about limits or consequences. That's why Sid takes up the last spot on the list. Because nothing he does is really grounded in vicious intent. The movie is ideal for viewers who like early Pixar energy.
4. Al McWhiggin - Toy Story 2 (1999)
Al McWhiggin (Wayne Knight) causes all sorts of trouble in Toy Story 2 after he steals Woody and takes him back to his apartment. That's where Woody learns that he was designed as the protagonist of a popular ‘50s kids' cartoon called ‘Woody's Roundup’ alongside Jessie the Cowgirl (Joan Cusack), Bullseye the Horse, and Stinky Pete the Prospector (Kelsey Grammer).
As the owner of Al's Toy Barn, Al plans to sell the Woody's Roundup collection to a toy museum for a very large sum of money. Al ranks above Sid as he intentionally stole Woody for his own benefit because he only thinks about himself. Toy Story 2 is perfect for viewers who enjoy adventure-driven sequels with emotional stakes similar to Cars (2006).
3. Gabby Gabby - Toy Story 4 (2019)
Gabby Gabby (Christina Hendricks) appears in Toy Story 4 as a doll who has spent years without an owner inside an antique shop. When Woody ends up in the same store on a mission of his own, Gabby and her ventriloquist dummy friends try to steal his voice box since Gabby's is broken. This doll lands in the middle of the list because her actions don't come from a place of pure cruelty.
Gabby just really wants to be played with, and since that need has gone unmet for so long, she has resorted to desperate measures. That doesn't excuse her behavior, which includes kidnapping Forky (Tony Hale), but it does soften her a little. Toy Story 4 is ideal for viewers who like emotionally complex stories similar to Inside Out (2015).
2. Lily - Toy Story 5
Lily the Lilypad tablet (Greta Lee) in Toy Story 5 is a slightly different bad guy. Unlike the other toy villains, she is a device with no clear personal motivation driving her actions. Instead, she represents how technology has slowly changed how we function. Lily is given to Bonnie (Scarlett Spears) by her parents, who hope that it will help her socialize with other kids.
When Jessie confronts Lily, the frog-themed tablet eventually retaliates by tricking Bonnie's father into putting all his daughter's toys in storage. Fortunately, Woody and Buzz manage to escape. Lily lands in second place because she changes the entire structure in which the toys exist. Toy Story 5 is a must for anyone who enjoys sci-fi adjacent storytelling similar to WALL-E (2008).
1. Lots-O'-Huggin' Bear - Toy Story 3
Lots-O'-Huggin' Bear (Ned Beatty) leads a slew of new characters in Toy Story 3 after Andy's toys accidentally end up at Sunnyside Daycare. Lots-O' is very welcoming at first and presents the daycare center as a place where toys are cared for and loved. But it is later revealed that he runs Sunnyside like a prison and sends Andy's toys to the toddler section, where they endure a rough playtime.
When Buzz tries to reason with him, Lots-O' changes his settings and turns him into one of his henchmen. And how can anyone forget that Lots-O' was responsible for Woody, Buzz, Jessie, and the rest of the gang ending up in the incinerator at the end of the film? And he showed zero remorse for his actions, which is why he is the most terrifying Toy Story villain. Luckily, the movie does have a happy ending.
