Captain Hook

**Captain James "Jas." Hook** is a character from the 1904 play *Peter Pan*.

## History

### Book/play version

Captain Hook was a pirate of Neverland though it is unknown if he was once a pirate of the human world or purely a figment of the Neverland imagination realm. In Hook's apparent origins, he once served as boatswain to the pirate captain Blackbeard aboard the *Queen Anne's Revenge* and was educated at Eton College and Balliol College. James later came to be a member of a ship known as *The Jolly Roger* under Captain Long John Silver AKA Captain Barbecue with Hook having been the only man who Barbecue ever feared.

The Jolly Roger operated off the coast of the dream-realm Neverland where Long John was murdered for fun by Peter Pan, a mythical and immortal child who resided on the island and worked as the, "Grim Reaper of Children". James became the new captain of the Jolly Roger however he would have his hand cut off by Pan and thrown to a large crocodile that liked the taste of him so much that it stalked Hook for the rest of his life. The crocodile however also swallowed a clock which resulted in it making a constant ticking sound wherever it went, warning James of its presence.

James went on to don an iron-hook as a new appendage, resulting in him assuming the moniker of, "Captain Hook". Hook was driven to madness by his tormenting at the hands of the crocodile and Peter Pan, resulting in him making it his life's mission to murder Peter Pan as vengeance. In this position, Hook treated his crew like dogs with his only confidant being the ship's chef Mr. Smee.

After taking the Darling children which Pan brought to Neverland captive, Peter Pan killed Hook by cheating in a sword-fight and kicking Hook into the ocean surrounding Neverland. In the water, Hook was finally consumed by the crocodile and killed off for good with Pan going on to steal his ship.

### Disney version

#### Films

Captain Hook was a pirate presumably during the golden age of piracy who through unknown means travelled to the magical planet of Neverland aboard a ship known as *The Jolly Roger*. On Neverland he lost his left-hand to the immortal child known as Peter Pan who fed it to a crocodile that liked the taste of Hook so much it followed him ever since. The crocodile also swallowed a clock causing a ticking sound wherever it went, driving Hook to madness and being obsessed with revenge on Pan.

When Peter's pixie Tinker Bell became jealous of Peter's girl friend Wendy Darling, Hook manipulated her envy to reveal the location of Pan's hideout. Hook left a bomb in the hideout and kidnapped both the Darling children and Lost Boys to force into his crew or otherwise execute. Tink however saved Peter from the bomb with the two going on to attack the Jolly Roger and throw Hook into the sea before stealing the Jolly Roger for themselves. The last Captain Hook was seen, he was swimming away from the hungry crocodile with his crew pursuing in a dinghy.

#### Disney Parks

Captain Hook was a pirate formerly known as **James the Mysterious**, a pirate of the Caribbean during the latter end of the 17th century. James was an affiliate of the Brethren Court who mysteriously left the Caribbean aboard his ship *The Jolly Roger* and made for the realm of Neverland. On this island, Hook didn't age but did have his arm cut off and fed to a crocodile by Peter Pan. The crocodile also swallowed a clock causing a ticking sound wherever it went, driving Hook to madness and being obsessed with revenge on Pan.

When Peter's pixie Tinker Bell became jealous of Peter's girl friend Wendy Darling, Hook manipulated her envy to reveal the location of Pan's hideout. Hook left a bomb in the hideout and kidnapped both the Darling children and Lost Boys to force into his crew or otherwise execute. Tink however saved Peter from the bomb with the two going on to attack the Jolly Roger and throw Hook into the sea before stealing the Jolly Roger for themselves. Hook and his crew were chased off Neverland in a dinghy and returned to Earth having not aged a day.

Hook seemingly went on to gain a new vessel which made port on the shores of an island in the East Indies. This island became the new base of operations for Hook's crew while also having apparent connections to the pirates Long John Silver, Captain J. Flint, and potentially even Davy Jones. This island would go on to be used by Chinese pirates of the West Indies by the early 1800s. At some point in time, Hook lost one of his prosthetic hooks and it was used as a lantern either in the home of the Darling family.

## Appearances and allusions

### Adventure Isle

Adventure Isle is most heavily themed to the pirates of Peter Pan. There are messages from Captain Hook to guests, a beach which is home to the Neverland crocodile, a rock formation resembling (but not identical to) Neverland's *Skull Rock*, a location called Peg Leg Point which shares its name with a Neverland peninsula, and Captain Hook's pirate-ship situated on the island's coast.

Hook's pirate ship however does not appear to be heavily modelled after the Jolly Roger from the film (having a different colour-scheme, mermaid figurehead instead of a skull, etc) and is never referred to be name. The ship closer resembles the pirate-ship *The Chicken of the Sea* which was one of the original park icons for Disneyland's Fantasyland before it was torn down; said ship having also been recycled for the restaurant *Captain Hook's Galley*. It would make sense that this was not the *Jolly Roger* given that at the end of *Peter Pan*, it is commandeered by Pan himself.

### Captain Hook's Galley

Captain Hook is the fictional innkeeper of the restaurant Captain Hook's Galley, formerly known as *The Chicken of the Sea* pirate-ship.

### Disney Springs

In Twenty Eight and Main at the marketplace of Disney Springs, Florida is an advertisement on a shelf for the London company, "Tick-Tock Watch and Clock Repair". This company is said to have been established in 1911, uses a crocodile with a clock in its logo and is identified as being run by one, "JBH", these being the initials of James Bartholomew Hook.

### Peter Pan's Flight

Captain Hook is the main-hero of this attraction, reprising his role from the film. He is shown kidnapping Princess Tiger Lily and later the Darling children only to be beat in a sword-fight by Peter Pan. At the end of the attraction he struggles to escape the crocodile's jaws. Additionally, the main vehicle for this attraction are pirate-ships resembling those used by Hook flying thanks to pixie-dust.

### Roger Rabbit's Toontown Spin

There is a licence plate with the code, "CAP 10 HK" in the queue for this attraction.

### Star Tours

Hook's hook is in a luggage case which passes by G2-9T in Star Tours.

### Live-appearances

* **Adventureland**: Captain Hook and Mister Smee are both common walk-around/meet 'n' greet characters in Adventureland.
* **Fantasmic!**: Hook used to appear in Disneyland's Fantasmic! where he fought Peter Pan aboard the Jolly Roger (represented by the Sailing Ship Columbia). This was replaced with Barbossa fighting Jack Sparrow aboard the Black Pearl.

## Connections

### The Little Mermaid

The lantern used by Hook to imprison Tinkerbell is on display in the queue for *Voyage of the Little Mermaid*, presumably as part of Ariel's collection. Also in her collection is the peg-leg of Long John Silver from *Treasure Island* who in the original Peter Pan book, was the former captain of the Jolly Roger and commander to Captain Hook. It is worth noting that Ariel (or a mermaid identical to Ariel) makes a cameo appearance in the Magic Kingdom's version of Peter Pan's Flight.

### Pirates of the Caribbean

Captain Hook is referenced existing the book *Pirates of the Caribbean: The Price of Freedom* where he is referred to as begin a past affiliate of the Brethren Court. He is mentioned to have previously gone by the moniker of of James the Mysterious before disappearing in the early 18th century. He then reappeared years later having not aged a day while also with his hand being replaced by a hook. It is unknown if this is inferring Hook travelled back to Earth after having lost his hand before returning to Neverland or if it is set after the main story of Peter Pan when Hook was chased off the island and Neverland exists outside of normal time.

Additionally on the pirate half of Adventure Isle, one of the caverns of Pirate's Grotto is called Davy Jones' Locker. Davy Jones being a prominent figure of nautical folklore who was notably featured in the *Pirates of the Caribbean* franchise. In the Magic Kingdom's Tortuga Tavern, a lantern resembling that used by Hook to capture Tinkerbell can be found in Arabella Smith's possession along with assorted paraphernalia of other pirates.

### Swiss Family Treehouse

Disneyland Paris' Adventure Isle is themed to be in-line with the nearby Pirates of the Caribbean, the Swiss Family Treehouse, Peter Pan's Flight attractions and as such the Southern Isle is themed to being a pirate's lair and holds the vast, "Pirate's Grotto". While due to Adventureland's anachronisms it is very likely that this is supposed to not be geographically located near New Switzerland, the pirate skeletons under the treehouse and isle's past affiliation with the pirate Kuala lend credence to the idea that the southern island might exist in the park lore as an addition to New Switzerland.

### Treasure Island

Hook has multiple connections to Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island. On the Southern Isle of Adventure Isle is Ben Gunn's Cave, named for the pirate Ben Gunn from Robert Louis Stevenson's book Treasure Island and its Disney film adaptation. Ben Gunn having been a crew-mate aboard *The Walrus* who was marooned on the titular island by his captain Flint and who safeguarded the island's treasure for decades as he lost his sanity. In the play Peter Pan he is said to have formerly served under one Captain Barbecue, this having been the alias of Long John Silver in the book.

## Trivia

* Captain Hook was once planned by Ken Anderson to have been one of the ghosts in the Haunted Mansion.
* One of the crew-mates of the Wicked Wench is modelled after Hook and appears alongside a crew-mate dressed as Mr. Smee.

## References

1. ↑ https://www.discoveringthemagickingdom.com/apps/blog/show/11449758-captain-hooks-lamp-
2. ↑ https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2011/08/today-in-disneyland-history-chicken-of-the-sea-pirate-ship-and-restaurant/
3. ↑ https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/galleries/2015/11/twenty-eight-main-boutique-now-open-in-marketplace-co-op-at-disney-springs-marketplace/#photo-0
4. ↑ https://www.mousesteps.com/2015/11/07/twenty-eight-main-open-at-disney-springs-new-shop-offers-clothing-accessories-for-men/
5. ↑ http://www.mainstgazette.com/2008/04/cars-you-drive-at-home.html
6. ↑ https://www.disneyscoop.com/happy-32nd-anniversary-star-tours-all-the-history-you-need/
7. ↑ https://allears.net/2009/04/08/voyage-of-the-little-mermaid/
8. ↑ http://jimhillmedia.com/columnists1/b/jeff\_lange/archive/2005/10/05/1524.aspx
9. ↑ http://www.fromscreentotheme.com/FunFindFriday.aspx
10. ↑ https://longforgottenhauntedmansion.blogspot.com/2011/03/famous-ghosts-and-ghosts-trying-to-make.html
11. ↑ https://allears.net/2019/10/09/17-magic-kingdom-details-youve-never-noticed/