Emperor Zurg

Emperor Zurg
Series information
Appearance	Toy Story 2 Toy Story 3
Portrayed by	Andrew Stanton (films)

Zurg: "So we meet again, Buzz Lightyear, for the last time!"
Buzz: "Not today, Zurg!"

—Emperor Zurg confronts Buzz Lightyear in a video game.

Emperor Zurg (also known as Evil Emperor Zurg or simply Zurg), The Sworn Enemy of the Galactic Alliance and the arch enemy of Buzz Lightyear, is a minor antagonist in Toy Story 2. He makes a cameo appearance in Toy Story 3.

Mentions

Before Zurg made his first appearance in Toy Story 2, he was also mentioned in the first film and some of the Toy Story Treats.

Mentions in Toy Story

"Right now, poised at the edge of the galaxy, Emperor Zurg has been secretly building a weapon with the destructive capacity to annihilate an entire planet! I alone have information that reveals this weapon's only weakness. And you, my friend, are responsible for delaying my rendezvous with Star Command!"

—Buzz Lightyear, arguing with Woody

Although Zurg doesn't actually appear in the first Toy Story movie; he is, however, only mentioned by Buzz two times in the film. As he introduces himself to the toys, Buzz describes his "occupation" as a member of an elite universal protection unit to protect the galaxy from Zurg. Later, when Buzz and Woody argue at a gas station, Buzz mentions about Zurg building a secret weapon with enough power to destroy an entire planet, making a reference to the Death Star from Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. Andy also mentions Zurg when he plays with Buzz on his birthday.

Zurg was originally supposed to be in the first movie. However, he was deleted. An earlier version of Zurg is in one of the alternate openings for Toy Story.

Mentions in Toy Story Treats

Zurg is also mentioned in some Toy Story Treats.

Appearances

Toy Story 2

Zurg: "So we meet again, Buzz Lightyear, for the last time!"
Rex: Aah!
Buzz #2 and Rex: "It's Zurg!"
Rex: "Look out! He's got an ion blaster!

—Andy's toys encounter Emperor Zurg again

Emperor Zurg in Buzz Lightyear: Attack On Zurg.

Zurg finally make his first appearnace in the Toy Story franchise in Toy Story 2. He appears in two forms in Toy Story 2. He is first appears during the opening scene, where he is initially seen tracking Buzz's location through his fortress inside his control room. A little later, he is seen doing battle with Buzz, in which Zurg, using his ion blaster, blasts the top half of Buzz's body into smithereens; however, the opening sequence is revealed to be only a video game.

Much later in the film, a toy incarnation of Zurg is later accidentally released by Andy's Buzz Lightyear in Al's Toy Barn. Believing himself to be real much like Andy's Buzz has done in the first film, he pursues after Andy's Buzz to destroy him. He seems to have followed Andy's Buzz across the street, through an air vent of Al's apartment, and up the elevator shaft as he is seen arriving atop the elevator when Andy's Buzz and his rescue squad of toys head back to the elevator after Al packs Woody and the Roundup gang into his case and leaves his room to head for the airport. Along with the group is another Buzz Lightyear action figure (also released from Al's Toy Barn by Andy's Buzz Lightyear), who also believes himself to be real. Both Buzz #2 and Rex, a fan of the video game "Buzz Lightyear: Attack on Zurg", are caught with surprise by Zurg's unexpected arrival. A showdown occurs between the Buzz #2 and Zurg atop an elevator, where Zurg uses his chief weapon (which appears to be a Nerf ball gun.) During this battle, after overpowering the other Buzz, Zurg reveals he is Buzz's father (a parody of the duel between Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker from Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back). As Zurg sets his gun to his highest level and is about to finish Buzz #2 off (at point-blank range), Rex, not bearing to watch the duel anymore, turns away, but his large thick tail hits Zurg, knocking him down the elevator shaft. While Rex finally feels excited about finally overcoming his frustration toward not being able to defeat Zurg previously, Buzz #2 suddenly feels forlorn about losing his father. Zurg seems to have survived the fall as he, with one of his horns slightly bent backwards, is seen playing catch and spending "quality time" with Buzz #2 when Andy's Buzz and his rescue squad make their way out of Al's apartment. The Buzz #2 describes Zurg as a "great dad" as he rushes to catch another ball fired by Zurg.

Zurg's name is mentioned once again by Andy (after he returns home from Cowboy Camp to see Jessie and Bullseye added into his collection) as a polecat who has stolen his space cows.

Toy Story 3

"Silence, minions of Zurg!"

—Bad Buzz, as he captures Andy's toys

Zurg's cameo appearance in Toy Story 3.

Zurg is mentioned again by Buzz, who sees Andy's toys as minions of Zurg after Lotso turns him back to his original settings, which is one of the indicators to Andy's toys that Buzz thinks he's a space ranger again.

At the end of the film, when Andy introduces Buzz to Bonnie, Andy mentions Zurg, from whom Buzz is sworn to protect the galaxy from. Zurg makes a brief appearance in the end credits of Toy Story 3, where he is shown being donated to Sunnyside Daycare in a box along with a dinosaur, a giraffe plush, and two Fisher-Price Little People. He is helped down to the floor by Stretch and meets Ken and Barbie, who welcome him to a now cool and groovy Sunnyside, of which the two are leaders. He is later seen doing the robot dance.

It was revealed on Lee Unkrich's now defunct Formspring that this was a different Zurg than the one in Toy Story 2.

It is unknown what happened to his gun, and if he thinks he's real or know he's a toy.

Toy Description

From Official Website:

“

The ultimate force of evil in the galaxy, terrifying tyrant Emperor Zurg is unswerving in his quest to destroy his enemy, Buzz Lightyear.

”

Disney Store Zurg

Emperor Zurg Talking Action Figure "15

Trivia

Zurg's LEGO minifigure

Zurg, as he appears in Toy Story 3: The Video Game (Zurg is only playable on PS3).

Emperor Zurg in Toy Story 3: The Video Game, riding in his custom-made car.

Zurg Train in World of Cars Online

• Before Zurg made his first appearance in Toy Story 2, he was mentioned in the first Toy Story movie. An earlier version of him is shown in an alternate opening of the first film.
• In Toy Story 2, Zurg claims to be Buzz Lightyear's father, and then the two spend time together as father and son. However, in Buzz Lightyear of Star Command, Zurg only briefly claims to be Buzz Lightyear's father in order to distract him during battle. After doing so, he knocks Buzz over and mocks him for actually falling for it, hinting that Zurg may not actually be Buzz Lightyear's father.
• Zurg's character may appear to draw from Darth Vader, a main villain in the Star Wars original trilogy, with a similar voice, appearance, and set of mannerisms.
• When Zurg lifts Utility Belt Buzz off the floor by his "neck," Buzz uses both hands to try to wrench Zurg's hand off him. A similar manner occurred at the beginning of the original Star Wars where Darth Vader lifts up a rebel soldier off the floor by his neck and the rebel soldier also uses both hands to try to wrench Vader's hand off him.
• Buzz #2 spending "quality time" with Zurg may possibly be a reference to Kevin Costner's character Ray Kinsella reunited and playing catch with his father in the final scene of Field of Dreams.
• Zurg's species in Buzz Lightyear of Star Command is unknown, as he is never seen not wearing his helmet.
• Zurg appears as a playable character exclusive to the PlayStation 3 version of Toy Story 3: The Video Game, along with his custom-made car.
• Zurg appears in the Buzz Lightyear Astro Blaster Level in Kinect Disneyland Adventures.
• While Zurg and Buzz #2 fight atop the elevator, as the talk button of Buzz #2 is repeatedly hit, it skips the message "Buzz... Buzz... Buzz Lightyear to the rescue," which also happens when Woody and Buzz fight underneath Andy's car at the gas station in Toy Story.
• When looking at the shot where Zurg is about to finish the Buzz #2 off, it is noticeable that the levels on his gun are numbered to 11, a reference to Nigel Tufnel's amplifier in This is Spinal Tap.
• Zurg is also similar to Captain Gantu from the Lilo & Stitch franchise, being that they are both tall characters and have deep voices.
• A fun meal miniature figure of Zurg appeared in the Toy Story Toons episode "Small Fry".
• Zurg was actually to have a slightly bigger role in Toy Story 3, according to the original script. He was one of the recalled toys along with Buzz Lightyear. A quite insane Zurg was the first one to introduce Buzz to his ultimate fate of not being repaired, but sent to the toy crusher. Much easier to just ship out a new one than actually repair the recalled toys.
• The character may also be based on Emperor Ming in the 1980 film Flash Gordon, because he sports a cape similar to that of Ming's and is referred to as "Emperor".
• During Woody's nightmare earlier in the film, some of the the mismatched toy arms in the trash can Woody was discarded in belonged to Zurg (although there were a couple color variations).
• Zurg was based partially off Toy Story 3 director Lee Unkrich's favorite toy, the Six Million Dollar Man.
• The "Zerg" faction in the Blizzard produced computer game Starcraft originally had their name spelled identically to Emperor Zurg's during the game's earlier builds. However, in order to avoid possible copyright issues, the faction later had its name re-spelled with an "e" instead of a "u."
• According to concept art, Zurg is really just a small alien in robotic armor.
• In one Buzz Lightyear of Star Command intro, a Zurg toy is seen in Andy's room (replacing Hamm) possibly meaning that Andy might've had a Zurg toy or borrowed one from a friend at one time. However, it is unknown what happened with it, but most likely it was donated, given back (if it was indeed just borrowed), sold, or thrown away during the events between Toy Story 2 and Toy Story 3. It is also unknown what relationship he had with Buzz. On the other hand, however, this may just be non-canon.
• In the Buzz Lightyear episode "The Lightyear Factor", Zurg enters an alternate universe where he finds an Evil Buzz Lightyear ruling the galaxy. The Zurg from that universe was a burger guy at Cosmo's restaurant, not having what it took to be "ultimate evil."
• In World of Cars Online, Zurg has a cameo where he is depicted as a train in an arcade game.
• Zurg's "villainy" may have been due to the fact that Zurg (the toy) actually thinks that he is the real Zurg and not just a toy, very much like how the toy Buzz Lightyear actually thinks that he is the real Buzz. It's implied that the toy Zurg is actually friendly, had he realized that he is just a toy.

Quotes

"Come to me, my prey."

—Video Game Zurg tracks Video Game Buzz Lightyear's location through his fortress

"Aah! Destroy Buzz Lightyear. Destroy Buzz Lightyear. Destroy Buzz Lightyear."

—Emperor Zurg, as he chases Andy's Buzz Lightyear across the parking lot of Al's Toy Barn

Zurg: "Surrender, Buzz Lightyear! I have won."
Buzz #2: "I'll never give in. You killed my father!"
Zurg: "No, Buzz. I am your father."
Buzz #2: "NO!"

—Zurg and Buzz #2 as they fight

Rex: "Aah! Buzz, you could have defeated Zurg all along! You just need to believe in yourself! Ah!"
Zurg: "Prepare to die!"
Rex: (turns away) "Aah! I can't look!" (accidentally knocks Zurg away with his tail)
Zurg: (as he falls down the elevator shaft) "Wh-Wh-Wh-Whoa!"
Rex: "I did it! I finally defeated Zurg!"
Buzz #2: (forlornly) "Father..."

—Rex inadvertently "defeats" Zurg for real

Buzz #2: "I got it!"
Buzz: "Buzz, are you coming?"
Buzz #2: "No, I...I have a lot of catchin' up to do with my dad." (throws the ball back at Zurg, it hits him on his head)
Zurg: "Good throw, son. That's my boy. Go long, Buzzy!" (fires another ball)
Buzz #2: "Oh, you're a great dad! Yippee!"
Buzz: "Farewell."

—Andy's Buzz runs into Buzz #2, who is playing catch with Zurg

Gallery

Concept Art

Promo

Attempting to attack Buzz Lightyear

In a donated box

Brought down by Stretch

Confronting the toys

A mini version of Zurg in Small Fry.