TV

All of the questions Forky has asked on Forky Asks a Question

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Published on January 10, 2020 09:00AM EST

What the fork?!

This summer, Forky (voiced by Tony Hale) won over the hearts of audiences in Toy Story 4 — the little spork's existential woes (who among us has not thought "I am trash" at least once in our lives?) and whimsical blend of eternal questioning and seeming death wish made him an instant canonical addition to the toys in Bonnie's room.

Pixar and Disney capitalized on this forking delight in no time, allowing us to spend more time with the character in new Disney+ short series Forky Asks a Question. Over the course of the 10 episode season, Forky has asked questions both small — What is cheese? What is a pet? — and hugely subjective — What is love? What is time? — but always with his signature off-beat humor.

As the first season draws to a close, though we're certain Forky has many more questions, we take a look back at all of the cutlery questions he laid on the table.

What Is Money?

Fittingly, everyone's favorite piggy bank, Ham, is here to make cents of this answer. He tries a more formal answer before using a quarter as a case study, helping Forky understand we use money to buy things. Forky is still confused, but he does learn the most important lesson: money isn't as rewarding as quality time with the ones we love.

What Is a Friend?

Forky seeks answers from Bonnie's mom's inanimate coffee mug that's adorned with a smiley face. But he does manage to grasp on his own that friends make each other smile. Also, dancing and tickle fights! But he finally realizes that a friend is someone who you can sit with and say absolutely nothing and still have the best time. Until, he accidentally breaks said friend. <insert sad emoji>

What Is Art?

Sure, art is subjective, so who better to help define it than the gang's favorite actor, Mr. Pricklepants. He tries a clinical definition, but when it devolves into an acting lesson, Forky realizes he is art and that art is about making people feel things, like love. I guess the only question left is: to be or not to be art?

What Is Time?

Time is a pretty existential concept to grasp, so who better to explain it than our favorite anxious dinosaur, Rex? Rex uses the history of the dinosaurs to explain time, ending with the depressing reminder that the asteroid always wins. Time is about being forgotten, which gives Forky a valuable lesson – time is a gift and the best time is the present.

What Is Love?

Forky seeks some wisdom from older toys – Melephant Brooks, Carl Reineroceros, and Chairol Burnett. The trio bicker about what love feels like before acting it out, forcing Forky to conclude that love is boring. Boom! But when hidden feelings are revealed, it becomes a soap opera-level drama that convinces Forky he wants in on the messiness of love. Awwww.

What Is a Computer?

Computer whiz Trixie attempts to explain this more technical question to Forky, but he keeps getting lost. Until she instructs him to click a lot and yell at the screen. Those of us with semi-computer literate grandparents are familiar with this explanation. Forky tries to teach Trixie too, offering up the idea that connecting in person is better than being glued to a computer. But Trixie is a little bit obsessed with her screen time.

What Is a Leader?

Dolly, the self-appointed leader of Bonnie's toys, is happy to answer this for Forky. Forky gets hung up on the expression, "That's just the way the cookie crumbles," and Dolly proves that being a good leader is harder than she thinks. But, you know, that's just the way the cookie crumbles…

What Is a Pet?

Leader of the Pet Patrol, Rib Tickles, is happy to enlighten Forky on the difference between toys and pets, who must be real animals. Rib Tickles has some outstanding trauma when it comes to pets, having been previously swallowed by Dragon the cat. But for Forky, that's where his interest piques – luckily, the tale ends with Rib being relieved. Literally.

What Is Cheese?

Buttercup, the curmudgeonly unicorn, helps Forky with this delectable answer, one especially pertinent given that Forky is a utensil. Frustrated with Forky's constant questions, Buttercup does a speed round of answers, explaining everything from blocks to rock'n'roll to string theory. It turns out Forky knows some unexpected things about economics, but ultimately, he has to become a cheese fork himself to get a gouda answer.

What Is Reading?

Forky wrangles the cutest little Peas-in-a-Pod siblings to help him understand the concept of reading, after they have some questions of their own – namely, why is Forky a utensil? They ignore reading expert Mr. Spell's efforts to help. But it turns out Forky wasn't actually ignoring him — because he already learned to read from Mr. Spell and recruiting the peas was just a joke. Well, I guess we can close the book on that question then — and for now, be at peas.

Forky Asks a Question is now streaming on Disney+.

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