Emperor Zurg will reappear in Lightyear as Buzz's archenemy, but what the Toy Story villain looks like under his helmet has long been the subject of speculation. Zurg was first mentioned in Toy Story but doesn't physically appear until Toy Story 2. His most memorable moment comes when the movie parodies The Empire Strikes Back as, like Darth Vader does to Luke Skywalker, Zurg reveals he is Buzz's father.
The similarities that Emperor Zurg shares with Darth Vader do not stop there, as his appearance is clearly a purple take on the Dark Lord's iconic look. Zurg and Vader both wear classic, villainous capes, and have helmets with red-eye lenses and a prominent, triangular mouth grill. But while Vader's true form under the mask was revealed in Return of the Jedi, the identity of Zurg is still a mystery in the Toy Story franchise.
One original concept for Emperor Zurg shows him as a tiny alien inside the imposing purple suit. A rare sketch of what this version of Zurg would have looked like (below, bottom left) comes from the collector's edition of Disney Pixar’s Toy Story: The Sketchbooks Series, which was limited to 2500 copies. Zurg would have been the typical Sci-Fi "little man in a can", a trope that has been used in other popular franchises, including Doctor Who's Daleks and Men In Black's Arquillians. An alternate universe version of Emperor Zurg appeared in the Buzz Lightyear of Star Command cartoon series, where beneath the mask is an evil Buzz Lightyear. But in the upcoming Lightyear, it's unknown what Zurg will look like under the helmet.
Is Toy Story's Emperor Zurg A Robot Or An Alien
In the trailer for Lightyear, Emperor Zurg appears to be mechanical with Buzz describing him as "a massive robot". Zurg's regal robes and cape from the original Toy Story series have been replaced by a giant metal suit that towers over the much shorter Buzz. Although the Gundam-like redesign makes him look threatening, it raises questions about Emperor Zurg's origins and if he is Buzz Lightyear's father.
Emperor Zurg's species has long been a topic of debate, but there is canonical evidence that proves he is not a robot. Buzz Lightyear of Star Command features several examples that show Zurg must be some sort of organic alien, given he requests water, eats food, and uses the restroom. However, the Zurg that appears in Lightyear could deviate away from the established Buzz Lightyear canon given it is set up as a "real-life" origin story for the action figures.
Pixar may revisit its original concept art and make Emperor Zurg a small alien who operates the robotic suit shown in the Lightyear trailer. Alternatively, he could be an alien that more closely resembles Buzz and remotely controls the giant robot, which would allow Lightyear to crossover with Toy Story by continuing Zurg's claim that he is Buzz's father. Or, Pixar could keep up with their history of referencing Star Wars by turning Zurg into a General Grievous-like cyborg, making him an alien-robot hybrid. The new look for Emperor Zurg in Lightyear is refreshing and intriguing, but what he looks like underneath may continue to be a mystery.
