Monsters, Inc. features a subtle reference to Sid from Toy Story, but even the most pᴀssionate Pixar fans could easily miss this Easter egg. One of the most popular Pixar fan theories states that the studio’s movies all take place in a shared universe, even if the movies are separated by huge distances and hundreds of years. Evidence for this theory can be spotted in Monsters, Inc., and it links two of Pixar’s best movies in an unexpected way. It’s subtle enough that anyone could miss it, but the coincidence is too strong to be ignored.
The fact that a reference to Toy Story shows up in Monsters, Inc. highlights the fact that Pixar has been throwing fuel on the “shared universe” fire since the start. It’s also worth noting that Monsters, Inc. has a subtle Easter egg which alludes to Finding Nemo, which came out two years later. These hidden details are one of the things which give Pixar movies so much rewatch value. They may be aimed toward a young audience, but adults can still go back to their old favorites and find hidden details which they never noticed in their childhoods.
Where To Find Toy Story’s Sid In Monsters, Inc.
The Toy Story Reference Is Relatively Early On
Although Toy Story‘s Sid doesn’t appear on screen in Monsters, Inc., one of the doors on the scare floor seems to lead to his room. The large blue monster known as Pete “Claws” Ward – who can be identified by his big snout and his long claws at the end of his arms – hurries out of a room and cowers in fear. Clearly, whatever was behind that door scared him, but the only thing visible is a poster with the words “Paul Bunyan” emblazoned on it in bold lettering. Toy Story fans might recognize this as the same poster hanging in Sid’s room, suggesting that Claws tried and failed to scare Sid.
Although Toy Story‘s Sid doesn’t appear on screen in Monsters, Inc., one of the doors on the scare floor seems to lead to his room.
The one flaw in this theory is that Claws’ helper – the Mike Wazowski to his James P. Sullivan – claims that the room belongs to a six-year-old girl. However, it’s worth remembering that Sid has a younger sister in Toy Story, so the monsters could easily have made a mistake. It’s possible they made an even bigger mistake, and that they know so little about humans that they believe Sid could be a six-year-old girl. Either way, the poster is definitely an intentional nod to Toy Story, suggesting that Sid could well be behind that door.
Monsters, Inc. Highlights How Awful Sid Actually Was In Toy Story
If Sid Can Terrify Giant Monsters, Then He Might Be Even Scarier Than Toy Story Shows
Sid is still one of Pixar’s best villains, even though the studio has since produced characters with lower morals who indulge in more outright violence. What makes Sid perfect for Toy Story is that he suits the narrative’s tone, and he highlights the kinds of dangers that a toy might face. Even though he doesn’t know that the toys he’s performing his cruel experiments on have any kind of sentience, there’s still a malevolent rage in his actions. He’s a destructive force who happens to channel his harmful instincts toward toys, but his family also bear the brunt of his atтιтude.
Sid’s secret role in Monsters, Inc. underlines his menacing nature. He’s the only child who could see a giant monster with long claws creeping into his bedroom without being scared. In fact, he turns the tables and terrifies the monster into running for cover. Perhaps this episode of his life came after Woody and the rest of Andy’s toys conspired to scare the living daylights out of him in Toy Story. After something like that, Sid might never be afraid of anything ever again.
One popular Easter egg from Toy Story 3 seems to show an adult Sid working as a garbage truck driver, still wearing his black T-shirt with a white skull on the front. Whether this is really him or not, it would be interesting to see how Sid’s life turned out after the traumatic experience of seeing toys coming to life. His hidden role in Monsters, Inc. suggests that he might have even more childhood trauma from bumping into a monster, so there’s no telling how these experiences shaped him. Perhaps future Toy Story sequels will reveal some more clues, but Pixar fans will also be looking for more Easter eggs in other movies.
