Duke Caboom is a 1970s toy based on Canada's greatest daredevil and stuntman. With his trusty Caboom stunt-cycle, Duke has confidence and swagger as he shows off all of his stunt poses. But despite being a toy emulating Canada's greatest stuntman, Duke has never been able to do the stunts as advertised by his own toy commercial. He's been forced to relive his failures stuck on the shelves of the antique store.
Role in the film[]
Duke is first seen at Tin Toy's party when he encounters Woody and Bo Peep. He joins Woody,Buzz Lightyear, Bo Peep, Giggle McDimples, Ducky and Bunny on their mission to rescue Forky, but when they run into Gabby Gabby and her troupe, they exit the store and Duke crashes. Woody begs him and everyone to return to the store, but he and everyone leave and give up.
After Woody gives his voice box to Gabby Gabby, Duke returns with the gang and gets them to ground. Duke was happily proud that Gabby Gabby has gotten an owner, which inspired him to stay with Bo Peep and his new found friends. Duke was present when Woody returns to his gang but he choose to stay with them instead of returning to his owner. After Woody said goodbye to his friends, Buzz Lightyear and Forky, Duke and everyone begin their quest in finding lost toys find homes and owners.
In a mid-credits scene, Duke Caboom is present and surprised when Ducky and Bunny pretend to have laser eyes.
After the credits, he takes Luxo, Jr.'s place during the Pixar logo, and the winter Combat Carl appears to give him a high five, where Duke finally does so.
Duke Caboom appears in the game as the first hero of Toy Story 4 before Bo Peep and Ducky and Bunny, his abilities make him a hero of greater use since he is part of the Toy Story and damage collections. He rides across the battlefield to deal damage and salutes to grant allies several buffs.
This is also Keanu Reeves' second Disney role, since 1986's Young Again.
Since Duke was released to Disney Heroes: Battle Mode as playable character, two weeks before Toy Story 4 released, that game marks his first appearance in Disney media ever, instead of the movie.
His toy form was inspired from 1975 Evel Knievel Rally Stunt Cycle. In September 2020, Knievel's son, Kelly and K&K Promotions filed a lawsuit against Disney and Pixar, claiming Duke was created illegally using Knievel's likeness.
Duke seems to have some sort of PTSD.
Duke serves as a foil to how Buzz was in the first Toy Story film: in both cases, their own individual toy commercials resulted in a reality check and caused internal strife about who they are. With Buzz, seeing his own commercial makes him realize he is in fact a toy (and, in particular, not a flying one), and attempting to prove the commercial wrong by flying resulted in him falling down a flight of stairs and having his arm pop off. With Duke, it's implied he knew from the start he was a toy, but when his owner, Rejean, tried and failed to get him to jump like in his commercial, he got so upset he threw Duke away on Boxing Day, the same day he got him, and this incident wound up scarring Duke for years when he sees an angry Rejean's head watching him while on a rescue mission for Forky and Bo Peep's sheep and instilling an uncertainty of ever making a stunt jump ever again.
Duke's triumphant jump at the end of Toy Story 4 sends him flying across a bright, full moon, mimicking an iconic scene of Elliott and E.T. flying across the moon while on a bicycle in E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial.
Duke Caboom being Canadian is likely a reference to his voice actor Keanu Reeves being Canadian himself.
Flea provides the voice of the TV announcer in the Duke Caboom commercial seen on Duke's tragic flashback. Additionally, this is Flea's first voice role outside the Inside Out universe.
Coincidentally, Duke Caboom's voice actor Keanu Reeves has also played fellow fictional character John Wick again for John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, the third movie of the John Wick film series. and both Toy Story 4 and that movie were also released in the same year of 2019.
It's unknown if Duke Caboom will return in Toy Story 5
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