Why Are There 2 Buzz Lightyears? An In-Depth Look at Lightyear‘s Time Travel Twist
Pixar‘s latest animated blockbuster Lightyear put a creative sci-fi spin on the iconic Space Ranger, revealing 2 different Buzz Lightyear variants existing simultaneously – but how and why? As a passionate Pixar fan, I‘ll be breaking down this complex time travel plot point that ultimately leads to 2 Buzzes facing off on screen.
The Experiment That Changed Everything
It all started with an experimental hyperspace jump gone wrong. While testing new fuel sources, Buzz Lightyear and his Star Command team accidentally end up stranded on the planet Tikana Prime post-jump. Due to the anomalies of hyperspace travel, time has passed much faster back on Earth due to relativistic effects.
Buzz dedicates himself for years trying to find a way back home, but each failed attempt causes him to lose precious time with his loved ones back on Earth. As crewmate Alisha Hawthorne describes:
"Every time you try to come back, years go by at home. Your friends and family don‘t see you for another four years, Buzz. You‘re not coming home…you‘re just…leaving."
This revelation sets the stage for why an older alternate Buzz comes to exist.
The Zurg Emergence
After losing Commander Burnside‘s support, a desperate Buzz attempts an unauthorized hyperspace jump to acquire more hyperspace fuel and finally return home. However, things go awry and Buzz finds himself transported roughly 50 years into the future of this timeline.
He discovers a shocking truth – his 50-years-older self is locked in battle against Star Command as the infamous Zurg. As Zurg raises his mask, he reveals:
"The future doesn‘t belong to you. It belongs to me…Buzz Lightyear!"
Two Variants of the Same Hero
Zurg represents what Buzz could have become under hopeless circumstances – a reflection of personal failings and regret. This older Buzz became lost even further in the future trying the same experiments, growing cynical and angry at his perceived betrayals by Star Command colleagues.
Conversely, the past Buzz we follow retains his optimism and resilience as he eventually realizes the error of trying to control the future. Their existence shows how easy it is to lose one‘s way after years alone with no hope of returning home. Just one small mistake in the past can branch entirely new timelines.
| Main Buzz | Zurg |
|---|---|
| Younger, from original timeline | Older alternate timeline variant |
| Stranded 50+ years in the past | Lost even further into the future |
| Hopeful and determined | Cynical, vengeful and unforgiving |
| Realizes that the future cannot be controlled | Obsessed with undoing the past to reclaim the future |
Full Sequence of Events
Here is the complete sequence of events leading to the two Lightyears:
While the younger Buzz does eventually make it back to the past, it comes at the cost of fracturing the timeline so the older Zurg variant can now also travel back and endanger the future. Their existential showdown was inevitable.
Different Than Toy Story‘s Buzz
Long-time Pixar fans know Buzz Lightyear from the beloved Toy Story franchise, but this film examines the "real-life" hero that the toy line is based on. Beyond the different animation style and tone, this Buzz shows character growth absent from his toy counterpart as he sheds his cocky ego and realizes he must work together with others to build the future.
Meanwhile in the Toy Story films, Buzz changes very little and mostly retains his bold, gung-ho attitude as a toy hero inspiring Andy and Bonnie. So this new spin on Buzz in Lightyear delivers a more emotionally complex character for adult audiences.
Critical & Box Office Response
Lightyear received strong critical praise especially for its gorgeous visuals and emotional weight, but fell short of expectations at the box office. Could general audiences simply have not been prepared for such a dramatically different take on Buzz Lightyear versus the Toy Story movies?
Perhaps the film‘s complex time travel plot was too inaccessible for families and kids expecting a more familiar Buzz story. There is certainly room to further explore these two variants of Buzz in sequels with some reworked marketing and expectations.
In conclusion, Lightyear took bold risks that paid off creatively by introducing iconic hero Buzz Lightyear to moral complexity and personal failure across branching timelines. The existence of two Buzz Lightyears highlights how our choices define our future, with striking visuals bringing this thought-provoking sci-fi concept to life.
