Peter Pan

**Peter Pan** is a character from the 1904 play *Peter and Wendy*.

## History

### Book

Peter Pan was born in London, England, at-least two generations prior to *Peter and Wendy*'s 1902 setting (prior to c.1856). In the lore of J.M. Barrie, all infants inherently know how to fly due to their spirits flying into their mothers wombs; however they forget how to fly upon birth. By fluke, Peter never forgot how to fly and as a result flew out of his cradle while unattended and into Kensington Gardens. In the gardens, he was largely raised by birds and fairies who taught him to refine his flying abilities.

By unknown means, Peter Pan found his way to the realm of *Neverland* which personified the dreams of children and where no-one aged. On the island, Pan gained a mythological status where he was known as, "The boy who never grew up" and the, "Grim Reaper of Children". The latter of these monikers referenced how Pan would reap the souls of children in the mortal world and bring their spirits to the realm of delights in Neverland. Peter also often lured away children to Neverland, teaching them how to fly so they could join his following, "The Lost Boys" whom he often tortured, hunted and killed for fun. It is possible if not likely that many if not all of the children souls which Pan reaped were children killed by himself to increase the ranks of the Lost Boys.

At one point in time, he murdered a pirate on the isle known as *Captain Barbecue* or *Long John Silver*. Barbecue's successor was a pirate of unknown identity whom Pan mutilated for fun, cutting off his hand and throwing it into the jaws of a hungry crocodile. This pirate later took up the moniker of, "Captain Hook" and was driven to insanity by a combination of his maiming and the torment of the crocodile obsessed with pursuing him. To further this madness, Pan tossed a clock into the crocodile's maw so that the creature made a ticking sound whenever near Hook as a form of audible torture of his inevitable demise.

Peter was often accompanied by pixies though due to their short lifespans he went threw many over his immortal lifespan. Also due to this expansive lifespan (and possibly the magical influence of Neverland), Pan had little-to-memory for those he met, his past pixie companions, or the countless that he killed. Pan wore a necklace of his own baby teeth and became skilled on the pan-pipes as-well. Meanwhile on Earth, the legend of Peter Pan was popular amongst children though many lost memory of him by adulthood.

In the Edwardian era, Peter became fond of a young girl named Wendy Darling as she often told stories of his adventures. As a result, Peter took Wendy and her two brothers John and Michael to Neverland so that Wendy could be, "Mother" to him and the Lost Boys (meaning she would tell them stories). Peter's plan was to take them away for so long that they would become enamoured by Neverland and forget about their lives in the real-world. Following their abduction, the Darling parents lead a city-wide search in vanity to try and find their missing children.

Due to the grieving and love of the Darling mother, Wendy was unable to forget her original life while her brothers did. Eventually, she and the Lost Boys were kidnapped by Captain Hook as a means of getting revenge on Pan. Amidst this, Hook poisoned medicine in Pan's hideout only for Pan's most recent fairy companion Tinker Bell to sacrifice her life by drinking it. Tinker Bell was later resurrected when Pan called out the dreams of children across the world to use their faith and bring her back.

Pan and Tinker Bell later attacked Hook aboard his ship, The Jolly Roger to save his captives. Amidst a fight with Hook, Pan broke the rules of engagement and kicked the captain over the side of the ship and into the jaws of the crocodile which killed and ate him. Peter Pan later decided to return the Darling children to London alongside all of the remaining Lost Boys for them to find homes. Not long after this, Pan lost all memory of the Lost Boys, Darling children, pirates and Tinker Bell too after she died of unknown circumstances.

Pan did however remember Wendy and a generation later (presumably in the 1940s-1950s), visited her daughter Jane whom she bore with one of the Lost Boys. Peter felt betrayed by Wendy for her having grown up and to appease him, she two struck a bargain which would follow the Darling family for the subsequent eras. Every Spring cleaning, the next of kin would be sent to Neverland to work as an indentured servant for Peter. This began with Wendy's daughter Jane who progressively lost more and more of her memories over the years and when she became to old, her daughter Margaret was sent in her stead.

## Appearances and allusions

### Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

Tinker Bell's silhouette is in the marble-flooring of this resort, originally constructed by S.E.A. member Merriweather Adam Pleasure. Additionally is marble-flooring showing Peter, Wendy, John and Michael flying.

### It's a Small World

Peter appears alongside Wendy and Tinker Bell in It's a Small World in Disneyland, Hong Kong Disneyland and Disneyland Paris.

## Connections

### Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

Tumbleweed's fire-chief is one Richard LePere, Jr. who is also referenced in Peter Pan's Flight as fire-chief of the Lost Boys Fire Brigade. There is an additional stone formation in the shape of Tinker Bell's silhouette outside of Walt Disney World's Big Thunder.

### Disney films

* **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.In the Walt Disney World version of Peter Pan's Flight, Ariel makes a cameo in Neverland's Mermaid Lagoon and this mermaid's counterpart in Disneyland is sometimes identified as representing Ariel's late mother.
* **Treasure Island**:

### Disney Springs

An airline arrival from Neverland in the town of Disney Springs is mentioned in the Co-Op Marketplace. During the holiday season, a poster can be found promoting the, "Second Star to the Right Travel Agency". In Twenty Eight and Main at the marketplace 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.

In the World of Disney is an illustration of Tinker Bell on a table, made by animator Marc Davis from the old Disney studio of Disney Springs, Florida. Tinker Bell is shown to inhabit the World of Disney store, a former animation studio for Walt Disney Studios in the town of Disney Springs, Florida. She flies around the paint-and-ink area where she manipulates artwork of classic Disney films.

### Main Street, U.S.A.

There is a posting in the Disneyland Casting Agency for, "One Talented Pixie" which reads as, " *Aerial artist to fly in nighttime Extravaganza! See T. Kline for further info*". T. Kline is an allusion to performer Tiny Kline who used to portray Tinker Bell in the nighttime shows of Disneyland. In Main Street's City Hall is a copy of, "Peter Pan" identified as being written by the Lost Boys.

### Oceaneer Lab

There is a large amount of artwork within the RV Oceaneer Lab of Neverland.  Captain Mary Oceaneer also has a book on Pixie Hollow within the Oceaneer Club library.

### 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.

### Soarin'

Tinkerbell appears in the climax of Soarin' at EPCOT and Grizzly Peak. She flights in-front of guests' hang-gliders and does some magic either in-front of Spaceship Earth or Sleeping Beauty Castle depending on the park. In Soaring: Fantastic Flight, Tinker Bell is replaced by Camellia Falco's pet falcon Aletta while in *Soaring Over the Horizon* she is replaced by an Arbori priest.

### 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.

## Trivia

* In the meta implication of the work, Pan was inspired by JM Barrie's brother David who died as a child making him eternally a boy. This could infer that Peter himself might be undead hence the flying abilities of a disembodied soul which first took him to Kensington gardens.

## References

1. ↑ https://findmickeys.com/hidden-mickeys/walt-disney-world-resort/disneys-grand-floridian-resort-spa/2020/02/14/disneys-grand-floridian-resort-spa-hidden-tinkerbell
2. ↑ https://www.laughingplace.com/w/leg/?legacyasppage=Lotion-View-949-13.asp
3. ↑ http://www.imaginerding.com/2015/12/12/reedy-creek-fire-department/
4. ↑ https://themouselets.com/5-secrets-and-facts-thunder-mountain
5. ↑ https://allears.net/2009/04/08/voyage-of-the-little-mermaid/
6. ↑ http://jimhillmedia.com/columnists1/b/jeff\_lange/archive/2005/10/05/1524.aspx
7. ↑ http://www.mainstgazette.com/2017/10/gate-change.html
8. ↑ https://allears.net/2019/11/09/check-out-the-2019-christmas-tree-trail-posters/
9. ↑ 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
10. ↑ https://www.mousesteps.com/2015/11/07/twenty-eight-main-open-at-disney-springs-new-shop-offers-clothing-accessories-for-men/
11. ↑ https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2018/10/first-look-inside-the-reimagined-world-of-disney-stores/
12. ↑ http://www.mainstgazette.com/2016/07/now-casting.html
13. ↑ https://duchessofdisneyland.com/disneyland/city-hall-bookcase/
14. ↑ http://www.fromscreentotheme.com/FunFindFriday.aspx