Toy Story 4 introduced the world to a brand new character which has joined the gang on their latest adventures. In order for Bonnie to feel more secure during her first days of school, she made her very own friend to join her on the journey. That friend is Forky, a spork that has been brought to life after becoming a toy.
Forky is introduced into this strange world with Woody as his guide. Of course, as you’d expect, Forky has a lot of questions and very few answers. It was announced as part of the Disney+ content that’s in development, that PIXAR is working on a series called Forky Asks A Questions. It’s an education series of sorts for young children, although could potentially be used to discuss some of the more philosophical and mysterious questions we have about the Toy Story universe. So here’s 10 questions that Forky could ask in the upcoming series.
WHY AM I ALIVE?
One of the final scenes we see during the film is the creation of another toy, that Bonnie has clearly designed with Forky in mind. The toy is made out of a plastic knife and is just as clueless as the spork was when he was first brought into the world. This post-credits sequence was potentially created in order to showcase the new Disney+ series however.
During the scene, this new toy asks Forky, “Why Am I Alive?” Although he had promised to answer anything she could think of, this question baffled the newest member of the crew and was notably puzzled by the complexity of what was asked of him. It’s a topic we’ve all wondered about for years as it’s never fully explained why these toys are living and breathing. We think it would be the perfect first episode for this new series!
CAN A TOY BUILD A TOY?
Another similar topic was actually asked of Tony Hale during a press interview. The Forky voice actor seemed just as baffled by the question as we all are. It leads directly on from the question of life in a toy and goes to play on some other philosophical meanderings about technology, for instance what does it mean if a robot can build a robot?
In this case though we’re discussing toys and it’s really quite puzzling. What if another toy actually constructed a toy themselves, much like Bonnie did? Would it come to life in the same way, or does it require a human hand? Most toys are just built in factories but there is a human design element to them. You’d think maybe that it’s love that can bring them alive, but many toys are alive in their packaging before anyone has played with them! This is a question Forky needs to explore.
DO I HAVE A SOUL?
Another deep question for such a young toy to answer, this series would be really helpful if it explained whether toys have souls or not. Throughout Toy Story 4 there was an ongoing plot point about Buzz trying to listen to his inner voice. Of course this was a metaphor for a soul on some level so there is a suggestion here that toys do indeed have a soul.
But, if they do have a soul, then how do they have one at all? And is this soul copied in each toy. Does every Buzz have the same soul and their experiences are what actually shifts them? This would then bring in a nature vs nurture debate which is a big topic for a kids TV show but Pixar has never shied away from grand questions and themes like this before. Most of their films delve into a complicated idea like this, with Inside Out standing out as an example.
WHEN DID THIS START?
We’ve asked the questions about life, the soul and how it happened, but what we’d really like to know is when it happened? At some point in time toys started coming to life. Was this always the case or did it change at some point during the 20th century?
There’s evidence that toys existed throughout our history, even during our most basic civilizations. Does this mean that some of Earth’s very earliest toys were actually alive as well? This would be a really fun way to explore our history within the series, to teach kids about the world, while also answering some of these interesting questions about the strange world Pixar has created.
WHAT’S THE OLDEST TOY?
If toys really were alive for all this time, this also allows us to ask the next question. What’s the oldest toy that’s still alive today? Archaeologists are constantly digging up ancient artifacts that are researched and dissected and every now and again one of these objects from times past is actually a toy.
An episode where Forky goes out to meet the oldest toy in existence could be a way for the young man to understand what it really is to be a toy. That kind of ancient toy is sure to be old and wise, with many experiences that could help answer some of these fundamental questions. It’s also fun to speculate what could really be the oldest toy and which civilization it belonged to.
CAN A TOY DIE?
If toys can age at this rate though then can they die also? It’s a question that we’ve all asked at some point during our time watching these films and was specially made prominent by the ending of Toy Story 3. During the final sequence, it seemed that the toys were heading towards their certain demise, but then we didn’t know if they could actually be killed at all.
We can assume that by completely destroying a toy that this would kill it, but then we’ve seen some of these characters lose body parts many times without dying. Being melted or crushed may be the only way to kill a toy but could they, in theory, be rebuilt. This kind of brings us back to the soul question once again, so we really hope that Forky Asks a Question can clear up this issue.
CAN ANYTHING BECOME A TOY?
It’s a question that’s only become more relevant after Toy Story 4. With both a plastic spork and a plastic knife becoming toys, this suggests that any object can become a toy right? But the question is then, does this object have to have some kind of human features or is this not actually necessary for the process? All the toys we’ve seen in the series so far have one thing in common, eyes.
There are other toys that we’ve seen throughout the franchise, such as plastic cars. But they are seemingly not actually alive, instead acting like a toy in our reality would. The same can be said for something as simple as a bouncy ball or a yo-yo. Yet a plastic telephone is something that is alive, but it has eyes. Does a toy have to have human components to be brought into existence?
DOES ANYONE KNOW WE’RE ALIVE?
One of the biggest fears of a toy is being caught by a human. The characters of the Toy Story world go to great lengths to make sure that no one spots them talking or moving. Of course animals have seen them in the past and there have been a few sightings by characters such as Sid, but this can easily be written off.
The question is does anyone really know that these toys are alive? An interesting episode could be an exploration of a human who is living side by side with a toy and is completely aware that they are alive. Really young kids often think that their toy is actually alive, so maybe this is another instance of the toys revealing themselves. It would also be great to know if there are any consequences for them revealing themselves!
ARE HAUNTED TOYS REALLY HAUNTED?
During Toy Story 4, Forky comes face to face with villainous ventriloquist dolls that have been beautifully animated by Pixar. It’s obviously heavily referencing the great horror films our of time, which have often included a haunted toy that is set to rampage against an innocent and unassuming family.
In this world, are there ghosts or haunted toys at all, or are the seemingly un-dead playthings that are causing terror on Earth, actually just mischievous toys that are alive in the same way that Woody and the gang are? If that is the case, then a paranormal episode where Forky realizes that these haunted creatures are identical to him could be a quirky way to introduce this concept.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE?
With the suggestion of immortality of these toys, it goes to wonder what could happen in the future. We’ve seen from Pixar films such as Wall-E that anything can happen to the human race in the future. Whether our species go instinct or leave the Earth because it’s covered in trash, there might just be something left living in the debris.
If these toys really are these magical creatures we’re coming to realize they are, then it stands to reason that they could absolutely outlive humanity and may be around once we’re all gone. In the far future, there could be a whole society of toys, living out their lives as humans once did, although on a much tinier scale! They might even start building toys for their own amusement and then the cycle starts all over again.
