Scene I'd Like to See: Black Hat Brigade #2

Scene 2

Setting: An elevator opens upon an office floor, filled with cubicles.

Scar: I see this is a long-standing effort. I had imagined I would be needed all throughout the planning.

Susan: I've been trying for more than seventy years. At first it was quite difficult. But, as the internet has enabled more deconstruction, I have been able to find more connections. The cannons of fictions have been doing injustices to their antagonists since the very beginning.

*The two walk past a cubicle filled with a tree. A snake rests among the branches.*
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The Case for a Toy Story Sid Supplimental

This comes from a comment I made on a cracked article a while back. The basic premise is that the Toy Story trilogy only really shows one moment in Sid's life. It actually characterizes Sid rather well as the kind of kid that plays out doing harm to others by using his toys as stand-ins.

It also, perhaps without intending to, explains why.

His dog is downright mean, his home is dark and dirty, his father is at the very least inattentive. None of these are signs that the parts of his home life that we don't see are very pleasant. None of this excuses anything about how Sid treats his sister, treats his toys, and likely treats other kids. But, it does show us some of his story and, like all good stories, there's a chance for either comedy or tragedy.

While there's some darkness to this story, I don't think it's dark in a way that is unfriendly or unknown to children. Now, being Pixar, the story would have to go in the positive direction, rather than the tragic. But, that's entirely doable, and doable with Sid becoming a trash collector, too.

One single scare doesn't take care of Sid's issues. Being neglected and probably also abused, his aggression will need outlets and those toys will still be there when he convinces himself that what happened didn't happen. What was done once can be done again, Sid's toys remind him that they can move and think and act for themselves... and defend or avenge themselves.

His toys are right there in his house with him, so noticing the connection between Sid's treatment of them and his treatment by his father would be easy. At least some of his broken toys would see Sid, himself, as another broken toy, one with which they can sympathize.

One or a group of Sid's toys would get it in their minds to avenge Sid by taking out his father. Sid catches wind of this and, despite his own power fantasies of avenging his own abuse on its source, still loves his father and wants his approval, so convinces them not to hurt his dad. A relationship has begun, one that Sid cannot acknowledge to the outside world.

Time goes on, Sid ages, his little sister ages, his father only becomes more abusive and, when Sid reaches an age that he can fight back, Sid's father turns instead to Sid's little sister. Sid, having received care and love not from his father, but from the friends who were once his own victims, has the courage and love necessary to now, personally fight his father to a standstill and even kick him out.

Court system is difficult, but he can convince a judge that he should be an emancipated minor and also take over parental duties for his little sister, who still needs some stable influence in her life.

Sid takes a job as a garbage man, in order to pay the bills. But, he keeps his toys with him and he finds others, saves them when he sees them in the trash, and talks to them like he knows what they feel like... and he smiles as his own toys confirm, yes, they can talk around him.

Word gets around among the toy community. If you've been hurt, abused, thrown away or abandoned, Sid knows what you've been through, and he can help... toy or human, Sid can help.

I think it would be a good story, one that acknowledges a bit of darkness in Sid's character and in what shapes his character, but reminds that even in those dark situations, there's still hope.