The ending of Toy Story 4 brought a tear-jerking, but satisfying conclusion to the story of Sheriff Woody, as he finally realized that his purpose in life can change. It was certainly sad to sit in a theater and watch Woody hug Buzz and Jessie goobye, but there’s something so cathartic about seeing Woody move on to a new stage in life. It would have been difficult for the creative team behind Toy Story 4 to deliver a better ending, a point that’s made even more clear by the recently-released alternate version of the film’s finale.
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EW revealed an exclusive look at the alternate ending from Toy Story 4, which will be included on the upcoming home release as a special feature, and it takes the movie in a completely different direction. Honestly, it’s hard to imagine that the rest of the film would have stayed the same if this ending stuck. You can watch the full alternate ending in the video above!
The entire plot of Toy Story 4 dedicates itself to showing Woody’s growth and his realization that life extends beyond a kid’s room. By the end of the movie, he decides to leave his previous life behind and join Bo on the road, essentially owning what was previously his biggest fear. In the alternate ending, it’s Bo that makes a surprising decision, one that doesn’t at all fit with the narrative of the movie (at least, the version that was released).
This ending sees Bo decide that she does belong with a kid after all, and that her kid is Harmony, the young girl whose grandmother runs the antique shop. The villainous Gabby Gabby spends the entire film hoping to gain Harmony’s adoration, only to be turned away when she finally gets her chance. Bo notes in the alternate ending that she just feels like she’s supposed to belong to Harmony, and that Harmony is supposed to be her kid. So she tells Woody he’s been right all along, they share a tearful goodbye, and she disappears into the carnival to go find Harmony.
Of course, this totally undermines the message of the rest of the movie, and it leaves Woody having not advanced his story at all, ultimately making Toy Story 4 a pointless endeavor. Fortunately the filmmakers made the right call and delivered an ending that landed on multiple levels, putting a nice bow on the entire Toy Story franchise.
What did you think of Toy Story 4‘s alternate ending? Let us know in the comments!
