With the release of Lightyear, the Toy Story universe has been expanded even further, and while there aren't any new toys in the movie, it does introduce some funny new characters. Whether or not fans will see these characters again is unknown, but based on the movie's box office failure, it's unlikely that there'll be a Lightyear 2.
These new fan favorites join the list of other Toy Story characters who only appeared in one movie, and that list is long. Between a sad penguin, a proudly Canadian stuntman, and a sentient spork, the Toy Story franchise doesn't overuse its best characters.
Ken
Ryan Gosling will be playing Ken in the upcoming Barbie movie, but it isn't the first time the character has appeared on the big screen. Though Barbie has appeared in a couple of the Toy Story movies, Ken has only featured once, but it was the most memorable part of Toy Story 3.
Between sweeping the socks off Barbie, playing poker in a vending machine, and his Hawaiian shirts, Ken is totally utilized in the few scenes he's in. Though the character isn't exactly the Joker where each actor tries to surpass the last, as Ken was voiced by Michael Keaton and he played into the novelty of it all, there's a surprisingly high benchmark that Gosling might not pass.
Forky
The existence of Forky creates an interesting and very important rule to the Toy Story franchise. Bonnie created Forky with a spork, a couple of googly eyes, and pipe cleaner, meaning that anything in the world can become sentient if it's anthropomorphic. And while that's a massively flawed guideline that could very easily become contradicted, it made for some of the funniest sequences in Toy Story 4.
Some Redditors think that Toy Story 4 should never have been made, but if that was the case, audiences would never have gotten the now-iconic and quotable line, "Traaaash?" Forky is a great and unusual addition to the gang, and he'll hopefully return in the future.
Sid
Outside of Andy and his mother, Sid is one of the few human characters, and he certainly leaves an impression on audiences. Though the villain in every Toy Story sequel is a toy, whether it's The Prospector, Lotso, or Gabby, Sid was the evil antagonist of the first movie, and the series hasn't been as sinister since. Sid built toys of his own that were made up of toys that he had destroyed, leading to some genuinely creepy inventions that wouldn't be out of place in a Silent Hill game.
However, while it isn't confirmed in canon that it's Sid, the garbage man in Toy Story 3 wears the same skull-printed t-shirt that he wore in the first movie. It's one of Pixar's many clever and cheeky Easter eggs, and it's a smart contrast to Andy preparing for college in the same movie.
Wheezy
Everybody remembers Wheezy in Toy Story 2 as the pathetic squeaky penguin that was left on the bookshelf to gather dust. And while that's true, Wheezy had some deep thoughts and had some surprisingly prophetic and philosophical things to say, but fans don't remember that.
The character essentially foreshadowed the gloom-and-doom final act of Toy Story 3 when he told woody, "What's the point in prolonging the inevitable? We're all just one stitch away from here... to there." As Wheezy was a toy owned by Andy, Woody explained in Toy Story 3 why he wasn't around, as he hinted at the fact that he was sold in a yard sale.
Stinky Pete The Prospector
There are technically two toy villains in Toy Story 2, with the first being Emperor Zurg, but he now has a second appearance in Lightyear, albeit in a very different form. The second toy antagonist is Stinky Pete the Prospector, whom Pixar uses as a way to comment on the idea of toys being collectibles.
Stinky Pete refuses to leave his box, and it's a life that most toys lead these days. But whether his inside or outside of the box, Pete is always interesting, even if he is unlikeable. Pete should get his own Lightyear-style spin-off movie, and given how manipulative he is, it could make for a great character study.
The Bensons
There are plenty of henchmen who aren't pushovers in movies, but, unfortunately, that doesn't describe the Bensons in Toy Story 4. The puppets work for Gabby, and they couldn't be any weaker. However, the sequences with the Bensons are the scariest scenes in the series outside of Sid's bedroom.
The Bensons got the short end of the stick, and they led the typical life of most henchmen. They were inconsequential to the narrative and they didn't have any backstory. While Gabby was all upset that she didn't have an owner, neither did the Bensons, but that didn't matter and they were totally hard done by.
Duke Caboom
Keanu Reeves has been enjoying a huge renaissance, as the John Wick series' popularity has grown exponentially, and he has reprised several old roles for legacy sequels, such as Bill & Ted Face the Music and The Matrix Resurrections. It turns out, that success extends to animation too, and his distinct gravelly voice is perfect for the retired and regretful stuntman Duke Caboom.
The character's story arc in Toy Story 4 is almost identical to Buzz's in the original Toy Story, but Reeves' portrayal of the toy is unique enough that it's easy to overlook. Duke's 70s-based appearance and wholesome patriotism for Canada make it impossible not to love him.
Lotso
Lotso is easily the most devious and maniacal of the toy villains, as he's clever and is always several steps ahead of Woody and Buzz. And as the most memorable and heartbreaking moment of Toy Story 3 is when the toys are nearing the furnace and have accepted their fate, it's Lotso who led them there.
Lotso makes the Prospector look like feeble by comparison, and the bear could even outwit Sid too. But his evil intentions make his appearance that much funnier, as Lotso is a furry, cuddly pink bear — who is literally willing to murder.
Ducky And Bunny
Though some fans thought Toy Story 4 was an unnecessary addition to what was a perfect trilogy, it at least introduced a ton of new characters that instantly became fan favorites. Two of those characters are literally connected at the hip, or hand, at least. Ducky and Bunny are colorful carnival prizes whose bark is worse than their bite.
The pair is like Lotso but without the intimidation factor, as their appearance doesn't match their violent attitude. The most laugh-out-loud scenes in the movie are the ones that are taking place in Ducky and Bunny's imagination, whether it's attacking the antique store owner or turning into a kaiju and terrorizing the carnival. And they're the Toy Story 4 toys fans need to see return the most.
Sox
While Lightyear isn't exactly Toy Story 5, it is a part of the Toy Story franchise, as it's technically a fictional movie that takes place within the Toy Story universe. The movie was released in 1995 and was Andy's favorite movie, which led to him wanting the Buzz Lightyear action figure. However, there lies a huge plot hole.
If Lightyear really was Andy's favorite movie, he would have wanted a Sox toy way more than a Buzz action figure. Sox is the MVP of the new Pixar movie, and between shooting tranquilizer darts from its mouth, creating hyperspace fuel, and its unintentionally witty remarks, the robot cat is an all-time great Toy Story character.