Disney Pixar’s LIGHTYEAR is now streaming on Disney+. Go “To Infinity and Beyond” now that LIGHTYEAR has launched on Digital, make sure you go back and watch for all the LIGHTYEAR Easter Eggs you may have missed.
All the LIGHTYEAR Easter Eggs You May Have Missed
Spoilers ahead if you haven’t seen LIGHTYEAR.
Chris Evans as himself
When Buzz awakes from his hyperspace sleep, he steps out of the container just like Steve Rogers does after he receives the super soldier serum in Captain America: The First Avenger.
Buzz cracks his neck like Lucas Lee in Scott Pilgrim vs. The World.
Both the roles of Lucas Lee and Steve Rogers are portrayed by Chris Evans.
S.C.0.1.T.S.
The exploration vehicle, which Buzz has nicknamed “The Turnip,” has the lettering S.C.0.1.T.S., which stands for “Star Command Number 1 Toy Story.”
That’s a very Buzz Lightyear Thing to do
When Buzz disembarks the ship, he goes through a series of steps that are very Buzz Lightyear-esque as we have seen throughout the Toy Story franchise.
As Buzz observes the planet through his space helmet, you can see his reflection. In Toy Story, When Buzz first arrives in Andy’s room, he looks around and the room is seen through the reflection of Buzz inside his helmet.
“There seems to be no sign of intelligent life anywhere,” Buzz says as he observes the planet for life. He said the same line in Toy Story.
As Buzz rolls down the hill, he jumps up and does the classic Buzz Lightyear pose.
Buzz narrates his Missions Logs in his voice recorder on his wrist module.
Buzz reacts with a Karate stance, which is a nod to his karate chop toy action.
© 2021 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.
Star Wars nods
The forest planet is reminiscent of the forest planet of Endor in Star Wars.
Sox plugs into the ship like R2-D2.
The flight scene with the Cy-Bugs is very Star Wars-esque in the way the blasters (red) and laser swords (blue) flame through the air.
When Buzz initiates Hyperlaunch it looks like the graphic sequence when Chewie punches it into Hyperspace.
Indiana Jones
When Buzz is slashing vines on the planet it is very Indiana Jones-esque in the way he is fighting through the jungle fauna.
Bill Hader
“You’re mocking me, aren’t you?” the Rookie Featherhamstan says to Buzz. Voiced by Bill Hader, this is also a line he delivered in Toy Story 4 as Axel the Carnie. Other Disney Pixar roles Hader has voiced include Fear in Inside Out, J.P. Spamley in Ralph Breaks the Internet, Stan the husband fish in Finding Dory, Fear and Jordan’s Joy in Riley’s First Date short, Referee / Slug in Monsters University, and Mickey / Big Bob Belcher on “Bob’s Burgers” TV Series.
“You’ve Got a Friend in Me,” the theme song for Toy Story is playing in the background when Buzz first turns to look at the Rookie.
Cy-Bugs
The bugs on the planet resemble the Cy-Bugs in the video game “Hero’s Duty” in Wreck-it-Ralph.
During the fight with the bugs, the camera does a 360 spin, much like we see in Marvel Cinematic Universe movies like Avengers saga movies.
© 2022 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.
Not today, Satan
When Buzz says, “Not today, IVAN,” it’s a nod to this pop culture phrase, “Not today, Satan.”
Later in the movie, Buzz repeats this sentiment with “Not today Zurg!”
Wall-E
At the Command Base, the robots resemble the robots in Wall-E and there is even one that looks similar in shape and coloring to Wall-E. Similar to Wall-E, their names are similar in that the names designate their positions.
© 2022 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.
Crystallic Fusion
We hear a discussion about Crystallic Fusion. Right after Woody meets Buzz in Toy Story, Buzz asks him if they have discovered crystallic fusion. Woody replies, “We’ve got Double As.”
IVAN
IVAN, which stands for “Internal voice-activated navigator” is also Navi spelled backward; navi is short for navigation.
The voice of IVAN is Mary McDonald-Lewis, who is the voice of OnStar.
Nintendo
When IVAN isn’t working, Buzz pulls it out of the console and blows on it as if it was an old Nintendo NES Cartridge—and it works!
0 Blood Type
Buzz’s blood type is O+ according to his dog tags. Steve Rogers was O-.
Luxo Jr.
Luxo Jr. can be seen as a constellation in the stars above.
© 2022 Disney/Pixar
Baymax
When Buzz returns from one of his missions, he is gifted SOX, a Personal Companion Robot. SOX is much like Baymax, but smaller, furrier, more agile, and snarkier.
Space Mountain
As the command base is being built, the ship launch area looks like the Space Mountain ride design
Rex
Inside Alisha’s living quarters, there is a toy tyrannosaurus rex dinosaur on the table, a nod to Rex from the Toy Story franchise.
Hidden Mickey
There are always Hidden Mickeys. The balloons in Alisha’s room during the 40th Anniversary celebration scene form a Hidden Mickey.
Another Captain America Nod
After decades pass while Buzz is on missions, everyone Buzz knows has passed on. This is similar to Captain America when he wakes up after being frozen for decades; he knows no one. Buzz and Steve are both “soldiers out of time.”
Pizza Planet Truck
The Pizza Planet Truck can be seen on the left as Buzz is driving to get away from the soldiers.
Darth Vader
Zurg is in a chamber like Darth Vader.
Buzz calls Zurg “dad.” This is a nod to Toy Story 2 when Zurg says to Buzz, “I am your Father,” just like Vader says to Luke in The Empire Strikes Back.
© 2022 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.
Zurg Bots
We first see Zurg Bots in Toy Story 2 in a Buzz Lightyear video game. The Zurg Bots are seen again in the 2000 TV show “Buzz Lightyear of Star Command.”
D.E.R.I.C.
D.E.R.I.C. has “El Riesgo Siempre Vive” on the front of his body; it means “the risk always lives.” This is a nod to Aliens‘ Jenette Vasquez.
D.E.R.I.C. and the other robots are voiced by Director Angus MacLane.
D.E.R.I.C. gives them directions just as Apple Maps would.
Another Star Wars Nod
On the command base, there is a jetpack that looks like the jetpacks Mandalorians use.
Toy Story Aliens
As the Armadillo is flying away from Zurg, its shape on the radar screen resembles the shape of the Toy Story Aliens.
Bug’s Life
The inflatable surrender suit is a nod to Bug’s Life.
Onward
The vending machine stocks Castle Cakes from Onward.
Elemental
For years, every Pixar movie has included an Easter egg for the next Pixar movie. In LIGHTYEAR, there is an Easter egg for ELEMENTAL, the upcoming Pixar movie it is found inside the vending machine: Wade Water. Wade is one of the main characters in the upcoming Pixar ELEMENTAL. ELEMENTAL will be directed by Peter Sohn, who voices SOX.
Old Tech
Sox sounds like an old computer working overtime when he reboots.
Scream Canister
One of the weapons looks like a Scream Canister from Monsters Inc.
Buzz can fly!
Buzz flies using his wings. This is a nod to Toy Story when Buzz believes he’s a real space hero with powers and skills (like the ability to fly in a space suit and shoot lasers) before he learns he is a toy.
Final Star Command Ship
The design of the final Star Command ship that Lightyear and his crew fly at the end of LIGHTYEAR is the same model that the toy Buzz comes packaged in in Toy Story.
All the LIGHTYEAR POST-CREDIT SCENES EASTER EGGS
Mid-Credit Scene
On the shelves in Burnside’s office are the Toy Story Aliens and the Wall-E robot named MO.
Post-Credit Scene One
D.E.R.I.C. is still trying to give directions, which is a nod to just how poor Apple Maps can be.
Post-Credit Scene Two:
Stay until Luxo Jr. turns off his light and you will see Zurg floating through space. Watch a moment longer and you’ll see his lights suddenly pop back on. Zurg isn’t dead…
About LIGHTYEAR
From Disney and Pixar comes an animated sci-fi action-adventure—the definitive origin story of Buzz Lightyear (voice of Chris Evans), the hero who inspired the toy. Lightyear follows the legendary Space Ranger on an intergalactic adventure alongside ambitious recruits, Izzy, Mo, and Darby, and his robot companion Sox. As this motley crew embark on their toughest mission yet, they must learn to work as a team to escape the evil Zurg and his dutiful robot army who are never far behind.
LIGHTYEAR is now streaming on Disney+. LIGHTYEAR launches on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD September 13.
- Finding Calm in the City That Never Sleeps - September 24, 2025
- Different Reasons to Consider Using a Therapist in New York - March 12, 2025
- Is a Micro Wedding the Dream You Didn’t Know You Had? - February 14, 2025
Leave a Reply