Buzz Lightyear, the galaxy's greatest Space Ranger, is devastated when his partner Warp Darkmatter sacrifices himself during a mission against the Evil Emperor Zurg. Vowing to work alone to ensure no other Ranger gets hurt, Buzz is forced by Commander Nebula to accept a ragtag team of rookies: a robotic experimental ranger named XR, a janitor with a heart of gold named Booster, and the ghostly Princess Mira Nova. Together, they must stop Zurg's latest scheme to steal the "Uni-Mind," a device that links all Little Green Men, and uncover a shocking betrayal from Buzz's past.
Information |
|
|---|---|
Language |
English |
Country |
United States |
Premiere date |
August 08, 2000 |
Running time |
70 minutes |
Genre |
Animation Action Adventure Comedy Family Sci-Fi |
Budget |
Undisclosed |
Box Office |
Direct-to-Video Release |
Crew |
|
Directed by |
Tad Stones |
Produced by |
Tad Stones Mark McCorkle Bob Schooley |
Written by |
Mark McCorkle Bob Schooley Bill Motz Bob Roth |
Music by |
Adam Berry |
Edited by |
Gordon D. Kent Jennifer Dolce |
Production Co. |
Walt Disney Television Animation Pixar Animation Studios |
Distributed by |
Walt Disney Home Video |
Official Trailer
The Plot
Prologue: The Tape in the Deck
In Andy's bedroom, sometime after the events of the second adventure, the toys have gathered for a special screening. Woody, Buzz, Jessie, Rex, Hamm, Slinky, Wheezy, Bullseye, and a host of others—including the Robot, Sarge, Troll, Roly Poly Clown, the Toddle Tots, the Troikas, and the Aliens—assemble eagerly. They are preparing to watch a VHS copy of the movie Buzz Lightyear of Star Command. As the tape begins to roll, the setting shifts from the toy-sized world of the bedroom to the vast, animated reaches of the Gamma Quadrant.
The Mission to the Zeta Quadrant
Space Ranger Buzz Lightyear and his veteran partner, Warp Darkmatter, are on a patrol deep within the Zeta Quadrant. They have searched half the sector and landed on an uncharted moon in search of three missing Little Green Men (L.G.M.), the brilliant, noosphere-dwelling scientists of Star Command’s Universe Protection Unit. While scouring the lunar surface, they discover three stowaway L.G.M.s hiding in their rover. These stowaways explain that they can sense their missing brethren through their telepathic mindlink and insist that they are close. Buzz immediately suspects the involvement of the Evil Emperor Zurg, though Warp is skeptical, noting that Buzz has a habit of blaming every galactic calamity on his nemesis.
The investigation is violently interrupted when a massive crater viper slag monster—a beast with smaller "crater vipers" for fingers—erupts from the ground. Buzz and Warp engage the beast in combat, but the L.G.M.s insist their friends are directly beneath the monster. Utilizing a large boulder, the Rangers crush the beast, revealing a metallic hatch beneath it bearing the emblem of Emperor Zurg. They have found a hidden outpost.
The Torture Tank
Inside the subterranean base, Zurg’s minions, including Brain Pods and Grubs, are conducting experiments on the captured L.G.M.s inside a torture tank. Zurg enters the chamber, dissatisfied with his minions' failure to extract the secret of the L.G.M.s' mental bond. He takes matters into his own hands, torturing the aliens with a self-generated sphere of electricity to force them to reveal how they function as a collective mind. The captives cry out, a pain felt instantly by the free L.G.M.s outside due to their connection through the Uni-Mind—a mystical orb on their homeworld that links their thoughts.
At the entrance, Buzz attempts to cut through the door with his laser, but the diabonic alloy is resistant. Warp uses a ruse to trick the Grub guarding the door into opening it, knocking him unconscious. The Rangers storm the facility. Zurg, preparing to use a "cranial dissect-a-bot" to physically pick the brains of his captives, is stopped when Buzz blasts the machine. A firefight breaks out as Zurg summons his army of robotic Hornets. Realizing the Rangers have breached his sanctum, Zurg flees on an escape platform, but not before activating the base's self-destruct sequence, leaving the heroes with only sixty seconds to escape.
The Sacrifice of Warp Darkmatter
Buzz and Warp fight back-to-back, destroying the wave of Hornets while ensuring the L.G.M.s evacuate to safety. As the countdown ticks away, a destroyed Hornet falls into a volatile energy brazier, triggering a premature explosion that collapses part of the ceiling. A massive pillar crashes down, pinning Warp to the floor. Buzz rushes to his partner's aid, straining to lift the debris, but Warp realizes there is no time. Refusing to let Buzz die with him, Warp forces Buzz to leave by activating the emergency eject on Buzz's flight pack. Buzz is rocketed out of the exploding base against his will. As he hurtles to safety, he looks back to see Warp grinning, apparently satisfied that his friend is safe, just as the entire outpost is consumed in a massive fireball. Warp Darkmatter is presumed dead, killed in the line of duty.
A Ranger Alone
Following a funeral for Warp, a grieving Buzz Lightyear vows to never take another partner, refusing to expose anyone else to the danger inherent in his missions. Commander Nebula, however, disagrees. At the Star Command Training Deck, Nebula subjects the new recruits to a brutal Level 9 simulation. Most fail immediately, but one recruit, Princess Mira Nova of Tangea, survives. Nebula cranks the simulation to Level 10. Overwhelmed by giant robots firing sticky entrapment blobs, Mira utilizes her species' unique ability to "ghost"—turning intangible to pass through solid objects. She phases through the robots, ripping out their wiring from the inside. Despite her impressive display and Nebula’s insistence that she be assigned as Buzz's new partner, Buzz staunchly refuses, citing his refusal to risk another life.
Elsewhere in Star Command, a large, shy janitor named Booster Munchapper is nearly fired for trespassing in the restricted launch bay. Booster, a massive fan of Buzz Lightyear, dreams of being a Space Ranger and has memorized the manual, but is relegated to cleaning duties. Buzz intervenes to save Booster’s job, lying to security that the janitor was authorized to be there, before being summoned to the science bay by the L.G.M.s.
The Experimental Ranger
The L.G.M.s present their solution to Buzz's partner problem: XR (Experimental Ranger), a robot soldier with an artificial intelligence chip that allows him to learn and adapt. To demonstrate his durability, the L.G.M.s blow XR up and immediately rebuild him. Since XR can be rebuilt after any battle damage, they argue he is the perfect partner for a Ranger who fears losing teammates. Buzz is skeptical, and Commander Nebula is furious, as he despises robots. However, the debate is cut short when the L.G.M.s freeze in collective terror. They sense a disturbance in the force of their mindlink: The L.G.M. homeworld is under attack.
Invasion of the Homeworld
On the L.G.M. homeworld, Zurg’s forces have launched a full-scale invasion. Zurg has dispatched his new enforcer, Agent Z—a mysterious figure with a robotic arm capable of transforming into various weapons. The invasion's goal is the theft of the Uni-Mind, the glowing orb responsible for the telepathic link between all L.G.M.s. Buzz and XR arrive on the scene to defend the planet. XR, eager to please, mimics Buzz’s every move and catchphrase.
They confront Agent Z, who proves to be a formidable adversary. The battle moves to a rooftop, where Buzz employs a tactical ruse, setting his detached glove to fire automatically while he flanks the enemy. Buzz expects the element of surprise, but Agent Z predicts the maneuver perfectly, destroying the decoy glove. Before XR can assist, Agent Z fires a heavy explosive directly at the robot, blowing him to pieces. With the Rangers incapacitated, Zurg’s dreadnought descends and successfully extracts the Uni-Mind. Zurg escapes, leaving the L.G.M.s severed from their collective intelligence.
Corruption of the Uni-Mind
Back at Zurg’s fortress on Planet Z, the Emperor is not content with merely possessing the Uni-Mind. He plans to corrupt it. Sinking his claws into the pure orb, he infects it with his own malice. The Uni-Mind turns from a glowing pearl to a crackling, purple sphere of evil energy. Zurg intends to use this "Mega-Ray" to enslave the minds of the entire Galactic Alliance. Meanwhile, at Star Command, the L.G.M.s manage to rebuild XR. However, without the stabilizing influence of the Uni-Mind, the aliens are confused and erratic. As a result, the rebuilt XR has no mission protocols; he is now an eccentric, selfish robot with a billiards ball for an arm joint. Nebula, disgusted, orders XR out of his sight, and the L.G.M.s pawn him off on Booster.
The Theft of Alpha-One
Commander Nebula plans a full-scale assault on Planet Z, dismissing a tactical suggestion from Mira Nova to infiltrate Zurg’s defenses using a prototype stealth ship, the Alpha-One. Both Buzz and Mira believe the stealth approach is the only way to succeed, but Nebula is obstinate. Taking matters into her own hands, Mira uses her ghosting powers to sedate Buzz with a "Tangean brain squeeze" and steals the Alpha-One. Buzz awakes and pursues her in his personal Star Cruiser.
Unknown to Buzz, Booster and XR had sneaked aboard his cruiser to play "Space Rangers." They are hiding in the cargo bay as Buzz blasts off. In deep space, Buzz utilizes a magnetic grappling hook to latch onto the Alpha-One, capturing Mira and forcing her to power down. He stows her ship in his cargo bay, only to discover his two stowaways, Booster and XR. Before he can discipline them, a red alert sounds.
The Fall of Star Command
Zurg has completed his Mega-Ray and begins testing it, instantly enslaving the populations of planets Rizone and Bathyos. Emboldened, he turns the weapon on Star Command itself. From deep space, Buzz and his ragtag team watch as the beam strikes the station. Buzz hails base with his iconic line, "Buzz Lightyear to Star Command: Come in, Star Command!" but receives only ominous silence.
Upon boarding the station, they find the lights out and the personnel silent. Suddenly, Zurg’s voice speaks through the mouths of the Rangers, Commander Nebula, and the L.G.M.s. They have all been assimilated into Zurg’s hive mind. The suborned staff attacks Buzz's team, forcing them to flee back to Buzz’s Star Cruiser. As they escape, a mind-controlled Ranger plants a bomb on their hull. Thinking quickly, the team abandons the Star Cruiser and transfers to the captured Alpha-One prototype just as the cruiser explodes. Zurg, watching the explosion from afar, laughs in triumph, believing his greatest nemesis is finally dead.
Crash Landing on Planet Z
Using their presumed death as a cloak, Buzz pilots the Alpha-One to Planet Z to stop Zurg. The infiltration hits a snag when Booster, trying to be helpful, accidentally sits on the emergency water landing button. The ship’s airbags deploy in mid-air, killing the engines. They crash-land on the planet surface, bouncing harmlessly but conspicuously. Fortunately, a Brain Pod monitoring the perimeter dismisses the object as a weather balloon.
On the surface, Buzz reverts to his stubborn nature, ordering Mira, Booster, and XR to stay behind while he assaults the tower alone. He refuses to put them in harm's way. He infiltrates the tower and confronts Agent Z. After a fierce duel, Buzz overpowers the enforcer and prepares to arrest him. Agent Z removes his helmet, revealing his true identity: Warp Darkmatter. Buzz is stunned. Warp explains he faked his death at the outpost to work for Zurg full-time as a double agent, having been on Zurg's payroll for years. Taking advantage of Buzz's shock, Warp knocks him unconscious.
The Final Log Entry
Buzz awakens strapped to a table. Zurg mocks him, replaying the footage of Buzz’s eulogy for Warp to twist the knife of betrayal deeper. Rather than killing Buzz, Zurg plans to turn him into the first soldier of his new order using the Mega-Ray. He allows Buzz a "final log entry." Buzz dictates a message that seems to be a surrender to protocol, but is actually a coded plea for help, admitting he cannot work alone. Mira, Booster, and XR, monitoring the frequency from the crash site, hear the message and rush to the rescue.
Team Lightyear to the Rescue
Just as the Mega-Ray descends to corrupt Buzz, XR swings in on a cable, snatching Buzz from the table. Booster pilots the Alpha-One into the fray, while Mira uses her ghosting powers to possess a Hornet robot, causing it to attack Warp. In the chaos, Booster crash-lands the Alpha-One (again), ejecting from the cockpit and landing directly on top of Warp, pinning the traitor. Mira and Booster manage to rip the mechanical weapon-arm off of Warp, neutralizing him.
Zurg, desperate to turn the tide, claims he has already targeted the "Planet of Widows and Orphans" with the Mega-Ray. Buzz hesitates, allowing Zurg to damage his jetpack. However, the team rallies. They surround Zurg, pronouncing him under arrest. Zurg creates a distraction and flees to the top of his spire, aiming the Mega-Ray to fire one final, galaxy-enslaving burst.
Healing the Uni-Mind
Zurg fires the beam. Buzz realizes the only way to stop the corruption is to restore the Uni-Mind. He attempts to touch the orb, hoping his goodness will counteract the evil, but Zurg’s rot is too deep. Mira Nova steps in, grabbing Buzz and using her ghosting power to phase him directly inside the core of the Uni-Mind. Inside the sphere, Buzz’s aura of pure, selfless heroism overwhelms Zurg’s contamination.
The Uni-Mind flashes brilliant white, sending a healing wave across the galaxy. The energy restores the minds of the L.G.M.s, Star Command, and the enslaved planets. On the tower, the backlash leaves Zurg momentarily helpless. His escape ship is engulfed in the healing wave, and he shakes his fist, screaming, "Curse you, Buzz Lightyear!" before retreating into deep space. Booster and XR capture Warp Darkmatter, leaping from the exploding tower with a parachute just in time.
To Infinity and Beyond
Back at Star Command, the L.G.M.s are fully restored, though they note that XR has retained his quirky, individual personality—a development they decide to keep. Warp Darkmatter is taken into custody, much to his chagrin. In a grand ceremony at Alliance Plaza, Commander Nebula awards the highest commendations to the heroes. Buzz takes the podium and, having learned his lesson, officially forms "Team Lightyear," accepting Mira, XR, and Booster as his permanent partners. The film concludes with the newly formed team flying off into the cosmos, shouting their legendary motto: "To Infinity and Beyond!"
Top Cast
- Tim Allen as Buzz Lightyear
- Wayne Knight as Evil Emperor Zurg
- Nicole Sullivan as Mira Nova
- Stephen Furst as Booster
- Larry Miller as XR
- Adam Carolla as Commander Nebula
- Patrick Warburton as Little Green Men
- Diedrich Bader as Warp Darkmatter / Agent Z
- Kevin Michael Richardson as Space Ranger
- Sean Hayes as Brain Pod #13
