Heartwarming / Toy Story 4

Moment Subpages are Spoilers Off. You Have Been Warned.

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Film

After 20 years, they're together again.

• The film's opening scene alone is filled with these:
  • The camaraderie shown between all the toys as they work together to save a lost toy from being swept into the rain.
  • The fact that said toy is none other than R.C., especially since his last appearance in 3 was nothing more than a blink and you'll miss it cameo.
    • Not to mention Slinky finally succeeds in his rescue attempt of Woody and RC.
  • And then it ends with perhaps the most powerful moment. Woody tries to help Bo escape from being taken away to a new home, only to find out that she wants to leave, making a not so subtle offer to come along with her. An offer that seems to be accepted as Woody begins to step in...until Andy frantically bursts outside, desperately looking for him. Upon seeing and hearing Andy so distraught, Woody simply bids Bo farewell as he pushes the box outside where her new owner last left it.
• Jessie is shown having a panic attack from being in Bonnie's closet, Woody and Buzz help her through it.
• Miss Wendy, Bonnie's new kindergarten teacher, is very kind and encouraging towards her, which speaks promise of what a wonderful experience kindergarten will be. The kids have yet to warm up to Bonnie, but there's no doubt her teacher will help the girl feel welcome until then.
  • Later, the same teacher expressing how impressed she is by Bonnie's ingenuity and creativity when the latter creates Forky. In short, Miss Wendy being exactly the kind of teacher an anxious, shy child needs.
• Woody being a gentle father figure to Forky when he introduces him to the other toys. He later does the same with Gabby Gabby after hearing of her plight and longing for a child's love, and after she was rejected by Harmony.
• Even though Bonnie meant to sleep with Forky, her snuggling with Woody in her sleep does give him a second feel of being loved by a kid again.
• While also a humorous moment in context, Forky whispering to Woody "Everything's going to be okay" is oddly heartwarming. The editing and its placement in the trailer make it seem as though he's reassuring the audience.
• While Bonnie is shown to have lost most of her interest in Woody, it is shown she hasn't completely forgotten about him, as not only did she choose to bring him on the road trip with the others, but during the "I Can't Let You Throw Yourself Away" sequence, she's actually shown playing with him for a bit.
• Minor example, but it's nice to see Woody's Character Development: Back in the first movie, he was extremely jealous of Buzz, and played a major role in his almost being lost. Now, he seems perfectly content with Forky being Bonnie's favorite, and risks himself to save Forky for that exact reason.
  • Woody's entire motivation also plays into his Character Development over the years. With Bonnie completely ignoring Woody in favor of nearly every other toy she had, a less mature Woody would've become extremely resentful of both Bonnie and the rest of the toys. However, Woody shows nobody any ill will, and instead dedicates himself to making sure Bonnie is happy, even if all he can do is make sure her new favorite toy remains safe.
• Woody winning Forky over on the concept of being Bonnie's toy by speaking of his own experiences with being Andy's toy.
  • Forky coming to his own conclusion that Bonnie feels the same way about him he does about trash. Once Woody goes along with it, Forky finally comprehends how important he is to Bonnie and how lucky he is to have someone who loves him. On top of that, he realizes poor Bonnie would be worried sick without him there to comfort her. That's a surprising amount of empathy from a toy made from a spork.
  • Moreover, this features a lovely coincidence when it comes to Woody and Forky. They are kindergarten favorites of their respective first kids (Andy and Bonnie).
• Woody's reunion with Bo Peep. Once the two are out of sight from other kids, they are bursting with joy at seeing each other again!
  • The initial moment of their reunion is also sweet in a way: while trying to cross the playground, Woody winds up having to go limp when a girl notices him. She proceeds to pick him up and, when playing with him, introduces him to the other toy she found: Bo. And although neither toy is currently alive, the musical score just lets you know how awestruck Woody is.
• The park toys in general. Despite all technically being lost or discarded toys, they have a vibrant culture, work well together, and clearly enjoy their new lives.
• Woody mentions to Giggle McDimples how Bo Peep used to be Molly's toy. He relays how Bo once comforted Molly when the latter was afraid of the dark. While Bo is a little embarrassed at revisiting her past, her smile indicates that being a toy that's a source of comfort for a child is something to write home about.
  • Bo's sheep getting excited when Woody says the word "Molly." Aw, they miss their kid, too!
  • Just the look on Bo's face when Woody mentions the toys heard "Molly cry every night". After so many years, it still hurts Bo to think of her kid crying and her not being able to help.
• Woody admiring the Antique Store's chandeliers with Bo Peep.
• Even after bad-mouthing Woody's worst traits, Giggle McDimples doesn't question Bo Peep when the latter changes her mind about helping Woody save Forky.
• Forky wanting to stick around longer to witness what he believes will be Gabby Gabby's adoption by Harmony. He treats it with all the beauty and love of witnessing a birth, or even a foster child's adoption. He's roughly two days old, and he already has the empathy to delight in seeing Gabby Gabby's dream come to fruition.
• Upon seeing Harmony unceremoniously dismiss her, Woody decides to help Gabby Gabby move on from her dreams of being Harmony's toy and convinces her there are other children worth her time.
  Woody: A friend once told me, "There are plenty of kids out there." And one of them, is named Bonnie. She's waiting for you right now. She just doesn't know it yet.
  Gabby: But what if... you're wrong?
  Woody: Well, if you stay on a shelf for the rest of your life, you'll never find out, will you?
  • Most antagonists that Woody encountered with, he is either scaring them, or throwing them in a girl's backpack just to teach them a lesson about playtime, or calling them out on how weak their backstory is compared to their heinous crimes. Either way, Woody is shown to be quite unforgiving to them. With Gabby Gabby, however, he is very quick to forgive her, sacrifices his voice box to repair her and even helps her get her an owner, all because he understands that her actions are out of desperation of being loved by a kid. In short, Gabby is a nice change of pace for Woody.
  • Fridge-Heartwarming: Unlike the past three antagonists, Woody helped Gabby Gabby because he eventually saw she was redeemable.
• Gabby Gabby is found by a lost little girl whose spirits are lifted upon hearing her new voice. She gives Woody a thankful smile as the little girl carries her home. Woody smiles back at her, clearly happy for her. Even the other toys were happy for Gabby too. It's very touching to see Woody, the gang and Gabby part on very friendly terms despite the initial bad blood between them.
  • For that matter, the film's overall handling of Gabby as the film's main villain counts as well. Simply put, she isn't one. Her politeness towards the protagonists, sympathetic goal, and moments where she bonds with Forky are all completely legitimate and NOT acts of manipulation. Gabby doesn't even turn into a villain after being rejected by Harmony, unlike previous antagonists. On the contrary, she offers Woody his voicebox back.
  • And it's through helping Gabby Gabby that Woody is able to see a new purpose of being a lost toy: to help other toys who are in need of owners and live a life with Bo. So in a way, Gabby helped Woody too.
  • Just the way the little girl connects with Gabby. She sees someone she can take care of, just as Gabby saw her as someone who needed her. Her adoption of Gabby Gabby also allows her to calm down and flag down a cop to help her find her parents.
    • Before the girl notices Gabby Gabby, the latter expresses anxiety about being her toy, especially after being rejected by Harmony. Woody gently gives her pep talk by telling her the exact same words that she told him before he sacrificed his voicebox to repair her.
      Gabby Gabby: What if she doesn't like me? I don't know if I can do this.
      Woody: Gabby, it's just like you said. This is the most noble thing a toy can do.

  • At one point, she's able to convince Woody by gently reasoning that perhaps, he can find it in his heart to grant Gabby a chance to be there for a kid of her own by donating the one thing she needs (a new voice box).
    • Just the way Woody's face changes through Gabby Gabby's gentle speech to him, going from a look of distrust to a look of solemn compassion for Gabby Gabby's situation is both this and a Tear Jerker. It was from that point onward that Woody no longer sees Gabby Gabby as a villain but a desperate toy who wants to be there for a child just like he has been.
      Gabby Gabby: I was defective right out of the box. I could only imagine what it must have been like for you. All that time you spent with Andy, riding a bike with him for the first time, comforting him when he skinned his knee, proudly watching him grow up. And then you got a second chance with Bonnie, giving her comfort when she's scared at school, helping her when she needs it most. You've been there through all their ups and down. Please, be honest with me. Was it as wonderful as it sounds?
      Woody: [calmly yet solemnly] ...It was.
      Gabby Gabby: All I want is a chance for just one of those moments. I'd give anything to be loved the way you have.
  • The way Gabby puts it, it gives a whole new perspective on Woody's time with Bonnie: even in the smallest way, helping Bonnie through Forky was a worthwhile endeavor.
• Gabby thanking Woody after giving her his voicebox. She's giddy with joy as she hugs him.
  Gabby: All my dreams are coming true because of you. Thank you, thank you!
• The scope of the Bensons' loyalty to Gabby Gabby: they are willing to help her attain a child to adopt her, even if it means they essentially won't have a boss of their own.
• Duke Caboom performing a stunt that will help Woody, Bo and their ragtag team reach their rendezvous point with Bonnie's toys. The heartwarming part comes when Caboom dedicates his jump to his kid Rejean, showing he's made peace with his personal demons.
• The Bittersweet Ending naturally has several:
  • Buzz encouraging Woody to follow his heart by reassuring him that Bonnie will be OK.
  • Woody passing on his sheriff's badge to Jessie.
  • Everyone else gets a short reunion with Bo, who fondly remembers all of them and is especially glad to see her old moving buddy Buzz again.
  • The toys from the original gang (Hamm, Rex, Slinky, Bullseye, and the Potato Heads) all piling on Woody for a group hug. Then Woody gives his final, and longest, hug to Buzz.
  • Throughout the series we've seen the other toys taken away from each other through donations, sales or just trashed, while the remaining toys are helpless to do anything. This time a toy chooses to leave of his own volition, and his friends get the chance to say goodbye to him and wish him well.
  • Even Forky gets out of the car long enough to give Woody a goodbye hug. Awww...
  Woody: So long, Forky.
  • Bo and Woody running up the canopy of the carousel, happy and free.
  • Woody finishing Buzz's catchphrase even after Buzz had long gone out of earshot.
    Buzz: To infinity...
    Woody: ...and beyond.
• In The Stinger:
  • We cut to a year later and Bonnie's first day of first grade. Jessie pulled the same stunt as Woody in covertly following her to make sure the day went well, and brings everyone the news that Bonnie made another toy out of a plastic knife, this time a female one who Forky is instantly smitten with, and eagerly takes on the job himself of introducing her to her new life as a toy. It's like if Frankenstein actually had a happy ending. Not only that, the fact that the toys are emulating Woody's behaviors shows that even though he's gone, he's still a part of them.
    • There's the fact that after a solid year, Forky is still among Bonnie's toys. He was made from a disposable spork and scraps of art supplies, but nonetheless Bonnie treasures him to this day.
  • Bunny and Ducky apparently give up their long-cherished dream of going home with a kid so they can help all the other toys in the same position.
  • Woody, Bo Peep, and the Lost Toy gang helping several kids win the carnival game so the toys there get a home so they're able to get played with a kid.
• In the Logo Joke where Duke Caboom replaces Luxo Jr. in the Pixar Logo, Winter Combat Carl Jr. comes along offering a high five. Caboom gives him one.
• A small one, but that bystanders in this film are not apathetic, something that's uncommon in films in general.
  • After seeing a baby stroller rolling by itself and tip over, a nearby group is horrified, and one woman immediately runs to pick up the stroller and check that the "baby" is okay.
  • When the toys are messing with the RV to force Bonnie's parents to go back to the fair, police (try to) pull the RV over and they question the parents. Like the above, it's played for laughs, but the police genuinely seem competent.
  • When the little girl Gabby sees and decides to adopt gets the attention of a security officer, the officer briefly looks annoyed, but softens as soon as she sees a crying child is who got her attention. And the girl’s parents were already getting help to find their missing daughter from another officer, so thanks to the fair's security it only takes a minute for the family to reunite.
• Hearing the full version of "You've Got a Friend in Me" during the opening credits again is a joy after the third film cut the song short, which indicates that things have very much improved for the toys since then as we see a montage of Andy playing with the toys and then we him giving his toys to Bonnie and then showing her having fun with the toys. Really gives the feeling of the franchise coming full circle.

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