Andy's best friend in the Toy Story movies is his cowboy doll Woody, but a theory posits that Woody first belonged to Andy's absent father.

Andy's best friend in the Toy Story movies is his cowboy doll Woody, but a theory posits that Woody first belonged to Andy's absent father. Ever since the first Toy Story hit theaters in 1995, the franchise has been a beloved pop culture staple, with three sequels being made (so far) and lots of other shorts, specials, and cartoon shows being set within its world. Toy Story also has a big presence at Disney's theme parks, and as the first Pixar movie ever, looms large in the annals of animation history. Here's the Woody Toy Story doll theory explained.

In a near-unprecedented circumstance, all four Toy Story movies are generally considered to be excellent, with the franchise completely escaping the law of diminishing returns. After Toy Story 3 debuted to critical acclaim, many fans implored Disney and Pixar to not press their luck by making a fourth installment, then were blown away when that fourth movie was great too. At the center of all four movies is Woody, a cowboy doll (based on an old in-universe TV show) voiced by Tom Hanks, who when audiences first meet him has a happy home with Andy Davis.

While Andy would eventually grow up and pass on his toys to Bonnie, and Woody would end up going off to a free outdoor life at the end of Toy Story 4, it's safe to say the Woody Toy Story doll will always have a special place in his heart for Andy, and vice versa. According to a particular theory though, there may be an extra reason for their attachment to each other: that Woody previously belonging to Andy's father.

How Woody Could Have Belonged To Andy's Dad

Andy's dad never appears in any of the Toy Story films, and his absence is never addressed directly. Naturally, several theories have sprung up to explain that away, including some in which Andy's parents got divorced. One theory suggests that Andy's dad died prior to Toy Story 1, after a childhood battle with polio. The theory traces back to a man named Mike Mozart, who revealed it on the Super Carlin Brothers YouTube channel in 2017. Mozart was a friend of Joe Ranft, who worked for Pixar, and has a story credit on Toy Story 1.

Mozart says Ranft revealed to him that Andy's dad was also named Andy, and that name was carved into Sheriff Woody not by Andy, but in the 1950s by Andy's father. After he got polio, Andy Sr.'s toys were burned, but he hid Woody, sparing the cowboy doll that fate. Andy recovered from the illness, grew up, met his wife, and they had a son — but not long after Andy's sister Molly was born, the theory posits that Andy developed post-polio syndrome, a condition that ultimately led to his death. Before dying, Andy's dad entrusted him with the Woody Toy Story doll, who is revealed in Toy Story 2 to be quite rare. In this theory, the doll was a one-of-a-kind prototype that came into Andy Sr.'s possession partly in response to his being near fatally ill as a child.

The theory has become a popular one with many, and Mozart swears it's true, but another Toy Story writer — and Finding Nemo director — Andrew Stanton has soundly debunked it on social media, referring to the theory as "fake news." Unfortunately, Ranft isn't around to comment on Mozart's assertions, as he tragically passed away in a car crash in 2005 at the age of 45. While the theory that Woody belonged to Andy's dad is fairly plausible, and Andy's mom does even refer to Woody as "an old family toy" onscreen, the way it neatly patches up several Toy Story franchise plot holes in one go seems a bit overly convenient. Plus, Stanton denouncing it so forcefully wouldn't make sense if it was true. For now, Andy's dad remains a mystery.

The Theory Explains Why Woody Is So Loyal

The Woody Toy Story doll is loyal to Andy to the ends of the Earth — and the fact that he might've belonged to Andy's dad could explain why. When looking at the other Toy Story toys, Woody's fierce determination to stay by Andy's side isn't even comparable to the others. The western doll will stop at nothing to make sure that he's never separated from his owner, even when replacements like Bonnie or Daycare weasel their way into the picture. This undying loyalty makes total sense when framed with the idea that he's originally Andy's dad's toy, especially if his dad died of Polio.

It's in this way that being played with more than the other toys doesn't really factor in for Woody. Rather, his main focus would be staying loyal to his first kid owner by supporting his second. It's possible that Andy Sr. would've asked a pre-Toy-Story Woody to watch over his son, not really knowing that Woody would understand him, and the toy would've taken that to heart, especially as a sheriff. The Polio theory also explains why Woody from Toy Story didn't ever remember the TV show Woody's Round-Up. If he spent most of his days in a hospital with Andy's dad, it's likely there wouldn't be a TV in the 1950s. All in all, the theory holds water and explains why the toy is so loyal to his owner.