Everyone remembers the big moments. Buzz Lightyear discovering he’s literally a mass-produced piece of plastic in a showroom or Woody’s heartbreaking choice between a museum in Japan and a kid named Andy. But if you really sit down and watch the 1999 Pixar classic again, you start to realize something. Toy Story 2 Rex isn't just the comic relief. He’s the emotional glue holding the rescue party together, even if he’s shaking in his plastic scales the entire time.
He's terrified. Constantly.
Wallace Shawn’s frantic, high-pitched delivery turned a generic green Tyrannosaurus Rex into a symbol of modern anxiety long before that was a "thing" on the internet. In the sequel, Rex gets a much bigger playground. While the first film established him as a dinosaur with an inferiority complex, the second film gives him a specific mission: he has to beat Buzz Lightyear. Not the real Buzz, but the video game version. This subplot sounds silly until you realize it’s the primary driver for his character growth throughout the entire ninety-two-minute runtime.
The Gaming Obsession That Defined Toy Story 2 Rex
The movie opens with a fake-out. We see Buzz Lightyear navigating a crystalline planet, dodging robots, and eventually getting vaporized by Zurg. Then the camera pulls back. It’s Rex. He’s playing the Buzz Lightyear: Attack on Zurg game on a console that looks suspiciously like a Super Nintendo or a Sega Saturn, though the graphics are far beyond what those consoles could actually pull off in the late nineties.
Rex is a wreck. He’s frustrated because his tiny arms can't reach the buttons fast enough to dodge Zurg’s ion blaster. This isn't just a gag about his anatomy. It’s the setup for his "expert" moment later in the film. When the toys finally infiltrate Al’s Toy Barn, Rex finds the strategy guide. He spends the rest of the movie reciting "The Ultimate Guide to Defeating Zurg" like it’s holy scripture.
Most people forget that Rex is the one who technically "defeats" Zurg in the elevator shaft. Sure, it’s an accident. He turns around, his massive tail knocks the Zurg action figure off the top of the elevator, and the villain plummets. But Rex finally won. He didn't use his thumbs; he used what he actually had. It’s a weirdly empowering moment for a neurotic toy.
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Why the Animation for Rex Was Such a Big Deal in 1999
Pixar was essentially inventing the wheel while driving the car during the late nineties. If you look closely at the scales on the Toy Story 2 Rex model compared to the 1995 original, the leap in texture quality is massive.
The animators, led by directors John Lasseter, Lee Unkrich, and Ash Brannon, had to figure out how to make plastic look like plastic. Not skin. Not metal. But that specific, slightly shiny, hollow-sounding injection-molded material. Rex has these subtle scuff marks. If you freeze-frame when he’s in the heater vent, you can see the way the light catches the imperfections in his mold lines. It’s those tiny details that make him feel like a physical object you could pick up at a garage sale.
The Al’s Toy Barn Sequence and the "Party" Dynamic
When the group leaves Andy’s house to find Woody, the dynamic shifts. Buzz is the leader, Slinky is the muscle (sort of), Mr. Potato Head is the cynic, and Hamm is the brains. Where does that leave Rex?
He's the heart. And the noise.
Think about the scene where they’re crossing the street under the traffic cones. Rex is the one who almost causes a pile-up. He’s clumsy. He’s loud. He’s the guy you probably shouldn't take on a stealth mission. Yet, the group never leaves him behind. There’s a specific brand of loyalty in Toy Story 2 that feels more earned than in the first movie. They aren't just roommates anymore; they’re a unit. Rex’s role is to keep the stakes feeling real. When Rex is scared, the audience knows the situation is actually dangerous.
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Kinda makes you wonder how he survived the move in the first place, right?
The "But I’m Not Ready to Be a Hero" Trope
Rex represents every person who has ever felt unqualified for the job they were given. He doesn't think he’s a "real" dinosaur. He knows he’s a toy. He’s hyper-aware of his own limitations, specifically his small arms and his inability to be truly intimidating.
There’s a nuance there that most kids' movies miss. Usually, the "scared" character gets a moment where they become brave and stay brave. Rex doesn't. He stays scared. He just does the thing anyway. That’s a way better lesson for kids—and adults—than just "finding your courage." Rex shows that you can be absolutely petrified and still be the guy who knocks the bad guy off the elevator.
Wallace Shawn: The Voice That Built a Legend
It is literally impossible to imagine anyone else voicing this character. Wallace Shawn brings a specific, intellectual neuroticism to the role. He’s a playwright and a serious actor, yet he treats the line "I'm going for the head!" with the same gravitas he’d give a Shakespearean monologue.
According to various Pixar "Behind the Scenes" features from the DVD era, Shawn’s recording sessions were legendary for his physical commitment. You can hear it in the breathiness of Rex’s voice. He’s always out of breath. He’s always peaking on the microphone. It creates a sense of constant urgency that keeps the middle act of the movie moving when the plot could have easily slowed down.
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Real-World Legacy: The Rex Merchandising Phenomenon
After Toy Story 2 hit theaters, the demand for Rex toys skyrocketed. Think about it. In '95, everyone wanted Buzz. By '99, people wanted the whole "gang."
Thinkway Toys produced the "Signature Collection" version of Rex years later, which is widely considered the gold standard for collectors. It’s a 1:1 scale replica of the digital model. It has the same motor functions and the same voice lines from the film. Because the Toy Story 2 Rex design was so specific—the way his jaw unhinges, the way his tail is slightly too long for his body—it became a benchmark for how accurately a toy company could replicate a digital asset.
The Ending That No One Talks About
By the time the credits roll, Woody is back, Jesse has joined the family, and Bullseye is sleeping at the foot of the bed. But Rex? Rex is finally at peace. He’s beaten the game. He’s found his "niche" in the group as the guy who knows the secrets and the hacks.
He didn't need to become a fierce predator. He just needed to be okay with being a clumsy green plastic dinosaur who likes video games. Honestly, that’s a pretty solid character arc for a supporting player in a movie about talking playthings.
Actionable Insights for Toy Story Fans and Collectors:
- Check the Markings: If you are hunting for an original 1999 Toy Story 2 Rex figure, look for the "Thinkway Toys" stamp on the bottom of the foot. The older versions have a slightly different green pigment than the "Mattel" versions released for Toy Story 3.
- Watch the Background: During the Al's Toy Barn scenes, look at the other "Rex" boxes on the shelves. It’s a great example of the "mass production" horror theme the movie explores with Buzz, just handled more subtly with the dinosaurs.
- Appreciate the Sound Design: Next time you watch the "Zurg Elevator" scene, turn up the volume. The sound of Rex’s plastic body hitting the metal walls was recorded using actual high-impact plastic to ensure it didn't sound like "movie" foley, but like an actual toy.
- Look for the Strategy Guide: The "guide" Rex carries is actually a nod to the old Prima Games guides that were ubiquitous in the 90s. It’s a perfect time-capsule detail that anchors the film in its specific era of gaming culture.
Rex proves that you don't have to be the protagonist to be essential. You just have to be willing to show up, even if your knees are knocking together the whole way there.