The story structure for TS4 is actually quite complex as I noted previously interweaving key storylines: Woody / Forky / Bo Peep. I think you’re right to add Buzz. Each is the Protagonist in their own right, thus, character archetypes are fluid when considering their respective arcs.
Laura, your take does a great job in highlighting this precise point. I would add these two points:
- I see Forky as a Trickster, a shapeshifter who has his own agenda and to the degree it aligns with Woody’s, he’s an ally. But then there are times when he dons a ‘nemesis’ mask creating opposition for Woody.
- I really like the way Gabby Gabby is treated in this story. I’m reminded of a quote: “Even bad guys have mothers.” It’s important to discover the humanity in Nemesis figures and TS4 does that with GG. She just wants to be loved by Harmony. Who among us doesn’t want to be loved? Since we can relate to that desire, the character is transformed over time — in our perception — from evil to sympathetic, a more complex take on the Nemesis archetype.
Final thought: The Bo Peep storyline and the toys out in the wild recalls the TV series Westworld where the robots have broken free from the determinism of humans to do what the humans want. There is an interesting philosophical dynamic at play in TS4 about predestination and free will, and as always the existential question: Who am I?
Thanks, Laura! As always, I appreciate your analysis and hope the process of studying these scripts is advancing your growth as a writer.