Top 10 Toy Story 5 Theories That Might Be True
#10: Another Emotional Ending
The franchise really gained a reputation for its heartwrenching endings starting from “Toy Story 3,” when Woody and the other toys say their final farewells to Andy. “Toy Story 4” also delivered a wallop of an emotional ending when Woody bids farewell to the rest of the toys. So it stands to reason we’ll be getting another tearjerker for the fifth installment of the series. One fan theory suggests that the ending of “Toy Story 5” will give us a teenage Bonnie, or even have Jessie and the rest of the toys reunite with Woody and Bo Peep. Either way, it’s a reasonable bet some tissues will be involved.
#9: The Army of Buzz Lightyears is Due To the Toy’s Anniversary
In 2024, at D23 Brasil, Pixar released concept art of malfunctioning Buzz Lightyear toys breaking free. Sure enough, “Toy Story 5’s” trailer shows us a brief moment of Buzz with the other Buzz Lightyears. How will this play out in the film proper? One fan theory posits it’s the 15th anniversary of Buzz Lightyear in-universe, so the toy company could have released a commemorative version. It could also be that Andy would buy a Buzz Lightyear toy for his kids, prompting the original Andy’s toys to reunite with him. Either way, it’d be interesting to see the role these Buzz Lightyears would play in the story.
#8: The Carnival Brings Woody Back to Town
In “Toy Story 4,” Bonnie and her family take a road trip to a traveling carnival, where her toys, naturally, get lost. Woody reunites with Bo Peep there. After his adventure, he decides to stay with her and the carnival, helping other lost toys find their owners. If so, that means he will be doing some traveling of his own, perhaps even back to Andy’s hometown or, most likely, Bonnie’s. Per this theory, Woody would reunite with his old friends and play some role in the “Toy Story 5” plot. We’ll see how it goes, but the carnival's return is certainly not far-fetched.
#7: Woody Will Not Return to Bonnie
The ending of “Toy Story 4” proved a little divisive among fans. Some fans were upset that Woody would ever abandon his human, given his intense loyalty to Andy and the rest of the toys. On the other hand, many people liked the theme of letting go of the past and starting anew. To these fans, Woody going back to Bonnie in this latest installment would invalidate his personal journey in “4.” One fan prediction, then, is that Woody would not return to Bonnie in the fifth movie and instead stay a lost toy. Whatever side you’re on, we can be sure we will get an answer to the Bonnie question soon enough.
#6: Lilypad Will Be an Ally First, But Then a Malevolent iPad
One new character we will certainly encounter in “Toy Story 5” is Lilypad. Introduced in the trailer, Lilypad is Bonnie’s new smart tablet, preferred by Bonnie over Jessie and the other toys. It seems almost certain Lilypad will be an antagonist of some sort. Moreover, it looks like she will be an ally to the toys before revealing her true colors, as fans have speculated. Exactly how Lilypad will cause trouble remains to be seen. Whatever the case, the theme of technology versus old-fashioned playtime will definitely play out in this film.
#5: The Side Characters Shine
A common complaint of “Toy Story 4” is that Andy’s old toys did not have much to do in the film. This was glaringly obvious compared to the big role they played in the other movies. So many fans hope the old gang will play a more significant role in “Toy Story 5.” The trailer does suggest a dual narrative with Jesse and the other toys fighting with Lilypad and Woody and Bo Peep in their arc. No doubt those two narratives will merge, but it does give the film an opportunity to let Andy’s toys shine without Woody.
#4: Technology Leads Buzz & Company to Become Lost Toys
A confrontation with Lilypad seems inevitable based on what we’ve seen. If so, then fans postulate we’ll be seeing a repeat of the other “Toy Story” movies, with Lilypad becoming the (temporary) victor and Buzz, Jesse, et. al. becoming lost toys. If so, they may well reunite with Woody and Bo Peep this way. The latter may even help them find new owners. Conversely, they could accept them as perpetual lost toys and let them travel with the carnival. “Toy Story 5” may even take a page from the short “Lamp Life,” which followed Bo Peep’s own journey into becoming a lost toy.
#3: Lilypad is Not the Main Villain
Isn’t it a little suspicious that “Toy Story 5’s” antagonist has been revealed early and easily? There must be a twist, right? After all, other “Toy Story” films apart from the first one had twist villains, and Pixar kept those under wraps until the release. Fans have speculated as such, theorizing that Lilypad is a red herring villain and that the real one is someone else entirely. Exactly who it will be is uncertain: Maybe the twist villain in “Toy Story 3” would return? Either way, Lilypad being a bait-and-switch antagonist is plausible.
#2: Jessie is the New Leader of Bonnie’s Toys, Not Buzz
The new trailer certainly suggests this heavily, with Jesse communicating with Woody via walkie-talkie. The featurette also has Jesse confront Lilypad, not Buzz. This would make sense, since Buzz has always been the deuteragonist to Woody’s protagonist. Jesse taking Woody’s place as leader, being another cowboy doll, would be in line with that. Also, of all the toys besides Woody and Buzz, Jesse is the one we know best, with a sympathetic backstory and all. In this setup, we may even get more Jessie/Buzz romantic moments in the bargain, too. Buzz and Jessie as a power couple? Yes, please.
#1: Andy Will Get the Toys Back For His Kids
It must be said that Andy is still very popular with fans and general audiences alike. So the likelihood that Andy may return in some way is high, or at least the prospect is desirable. Exactly what role he’d play is obscure. But if the toys can’t stay with Bonnie, then one option is that Andy will come across his toys in some way and get them back for his own kids. It would complete the cycle very neatly and illustrate the franchise’s themes of loyalty and friendship. Also, it would bring out the waterworks for a truly emotional conclusion.
What do you think is most likely to happen in “Toy Story 5?” Let us know in the comments down below!
