WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Toy Story 4, in theaters now.
It's no understatement to say that Woody (Tom Hanks) and Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) have become one of cinema's most unlikely iconic dynamic duos. They share an unparalleled history together, going from being bitter rivals in 1995's Toy Story to brothers-in-arms taking care of their family of toys 24 years later.
Toy Story 4, however, takes their relationship to a whole new level with director Josh Cooley focusing on Woody teaching Buzz about inner conscience, the kind of gut feelings or voices within that make him (relatively) human. As Buzz rollicks through the film pressing buttons and thinking that Woody's talking about his voice box, he slowly realizes that it's not just about catchphrases they're programmed with leading the way.
In the movie's final scene, their friendship ends in the most perfect way as both characters embrace their humanity and realize they taught each other life's most important lessons to pave the way for their separate futures.
After the heroes get the film's sympathetic villain, Gabby Gabby (Christina Hendricks), to an owner at a Carnival, they head back to Bonnie's R.V. to go home. However, that means Woody must say goodbye to his longtime love interest, Bo Peep (Annie Potts), and her lost toys. But just as he's about to rejoin Buzz and company, the spaceman fully grasps the emotional whirlwind that Woody's been trying to elaborate about all this time. In this case, Buzz recognizes it through the torture Woody's endured all his life by being afraid to love outside his owner's room. Buzz, finally understanding the sacrifice his comrade has made for so many years, stops his friend in his tracks and tells him, "It's okay. She'll be okay."
An unsuspecting and heartbroken Woody thinks he's talking about Bonnie as he replies, "I know. She will be," only for Buzz to retort, "Yeah, Bonnie... will be okay." This brings about a moment of self-realization and the epiphany we've been waiting on for a large part of the franchise: Woody doesn't have to play caretaker anymore, he can actually follow his heart.
RELATED: Toy Story 4 Never Solves Its Biggest Mystery
In other words, Buzz tells him to embrace his fear of being a lost toy to go with the woman he loves. Just as Woody's gift was helping Buzz become a better leader and friend, Buzz returns the favor by reminding him that he had fulfilled his selfless duty to look after generations of kids like Andy and Bonnie. At long last, Woody accepts he needs to be a little bit selfish and embrace his human instinct of love, and he opts to stay with the toy of his dreams and eke out a life of adventure and happiness.
As Buzz and the other familiar toys depart in the emotional scene, Buzz is asked if Woody is now a lost toy, to which he Buzz replies, "Not anymore." In this moment, Woody didn't lose a family, he found love in the form of Bo. Woody lost her when she was sold and absent from Toy Story 3, so her and Woody getting reacquainted gives them both a homecoming of sorts.
Since he was introduced, Woody has always been in an existential panic about a plaything's purpose, but Buzz reminds Woody that it's alright let go and chart new waters.
At its core, Woody's storyline here reinforces an idea that's been part of all of the Toy Story movies: change in inevitable.
While this can be a difficult idea for kids and adults alike to accept, it's essentially been the moral of all of the Toy Story films. At times, the toys have all been scared of which new toys will replace them or if a new owner will love them. But here, both leaders take comfort knowing once you trust each other, all will be well. Without even saying that much, Buzz conveys this message to Woody with a slight nod of head, telling him to go to Bo. It's a moment made all the more endearing when Buzz looks back at the lovers as they're driving off, whispering "To infinity," while Woody looks at the stars with Bo finishing the line "...And beyond!"
This emotive ascension is also a callback to Toy Story's 2 ending when both admitted they'd have each other "for infinity and beyond," right after Woody began to understand that kids like Andy would eventually outgrow them. This was when both heroes really starting believing in each other as brothers, and that idea is now brought full-circle in this finale.
The film's conclusion proves how much of a kindred spirit those two leaders were to each other. Both toys taught the other about love and family, and they were more than just narrative anchors. They were the best friends anyone, from toys to owners to the audience members who grew up with their stories -- could have ever asked for.
Directed by Josh Cooley, Toy Story 4 stars Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Keanu Reeves, Annie Potts, Don Rickles, Estelle Harris, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger, Jeff Pidgeon, Blake Clark, Keegan-Michael Key, Jordan Peele and Tony Hale.