Characters of Peter Pan

The works of J. M. Barrie about Peter Pan feature many memorable characters. The numerous adaptations and sequels to those stories feature many of the same characters, and introduce new ones. Most of these strive for continuity with Barrie's work, developing a fairly consistent cast of characters living in Neverland and the real-world settings of Barrie's stories.

Major publications and films

This article covers the characters appearing in the canonical works of Barrie, the official books and plays, the major motion pictures and television series based on them, and the major prequels/sequels (authorised and not):

• The Little White Bird or Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens (novel)—PPKG
• Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up (play)—PLAY
• Peter and Wendy (novel)—P&W
• Peter Pan (1924 film)—1924
• Peter Pan (1953 film)—1953
• Peter Pan and the Pirates—1990
• Hook (film)—1991
• Return to Never Land (film)—RNL
• Peter Pan (2003 film)—2003
• Peter Pan in Scarlet (novel)—PPS
• Peter and the Starcatchers (novel)—P&SC
• Peter and the Shadow Thieves (novel)—P&ST
• Peter and the Secret of Rundoon (novel)—P&SR
• Peter and the Sword of Mercy (novel)—P&SM
• Neverland (miniseries)—2011
• Jake and the Never Land Pirates—2014
• Pan (film)—2015

Characters in Barrie's works

A number of characters appear throughout J. M. Barrie's works, including the play Peter Pan, the novel Peter and Wendy, and the novel Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens.

Peter's Gang

Peter Pan

Peter Pan is a free spirited and adventurous young boy who would not grow up. He can fly, and lives on the island called Neverland. He is described as "a lovely boy, clad in skeleton leaves and the juices that ooze out of trees".^[1] It is also stated that he still has all his baby teeth.

The Lost Boys

The Lost Boys are a gang of young boys who fell out of their prams and were not claimed by their parents, so Peter brought them to the Neverland. It is implied there has been a succession of lost boys over time, but the boys in Barrie's work are Tootles, Nibs, Curly, Slightly, and The Twins. Additional or different Lost Boys appear in sequels, prequels and adaptations.

The Pirates

Captain Hook

Captain Hook is a pirate and captain of the Jolly Roger. He is Peter Pan's archenemy and is determined to get revenge on Peter for cutting off his right hand in a battle and feeding it to a crocodile.

Pirate Crewmen

• Mr. Smee: the Irish bo'sun, the only non-conformist in Hook's crew. One of two pirates to survive the final battle, and "henceforth wandered around the world in his spectacles, making a precarious living by saying he was the only man that Jas. Hook had feared."
• Gentleman Starkey: once an usher in a public school "and still dainty in his ways of killing". He and Smee are the sole survivors of the final battle, although he got captured by the Piccaninnies, "who made him nurse for all their papooses".
• Bill Jukes: used to be on the Walrus under Flint, and is heavily tattooed.
• Cecco: a very handsome Italian fellow, who was said to have "cut his name in letters of blood on the back of the governor of the prison at Gao".
• Cookson: he is said to be the brother of real-life pirate Black Murphy ("but this was never proved").
• Noodler: not much is known about him, except for the fact that his hands are fixed on backwards, and he is superstitious, like all sailors.
• Skylights (Morgan's Skylights): he is killed off early on in the novel "to show Hook's method".
• Black Pirate: it is only stated that he is gigantic and has had many names that still terrify children on the banks of the Guadjo-mo.
• Alf Mason: one of the pirates who was killed in mortal combat with Lean Wolf early on in the battle between the pirates and Tiger Lily's braves.
• Robert Mullins: he is killed by Peter in the final battle with the pirates.
• George Scourie: another casualty in the battle.
• Chas. Turley ("Chay Turley" in the play): he is said "to laugh with the wrong side of his mouth (having no other)"; another casualty in battle by the Piccaninnies.
• Foggerty: an Alsatian who also died in the above battle.
• Whibbles: he wears an eye patch and is the first casualty in the final battle.
• Ed Teynte: the quartermaster in the novel (but not mentioned in the play), was the first killed in the last battle (instead of Whibbles).
• Black Gilmour (only in play): killed in battle by the Piccaninnies.
• Alan Herb (only in play): "still remembered at Manaos for playing skittles with the mate of Switch for each other's heads"; killed in battle by the Piccaninnies.
• Canary Robb (only in play): killed in the above battle.

The Fairies

• Tinker Bell is a tinker fairy, and Peter Pan's companion at the time of his adventures with Wendy Darling and her brothers. She is known for her loyalty to Peter but is very jealous of Wendy and Tiger Lily. In the original play she is portrayed by a darting light and voiced by a tinkling bell.
• Queen Mab: the queen of the fairies who live in Kensington Gardens and who teaches Peter Pan to fly, in Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens.

The Darling family

• Wendy Moira Angela Darling is a young girl who is befriended by Peter Pan. She flies away with Peter to Neverland to be a mother to him and the Lost Boys.
• John Napoleon Darling is the middle Darling child. He is named after Jack Llewelyn Davies.
• Michael Nicholas Darling is the youngest of the three children in the Darling family. In an early draft of the play, the character's name was "Alexander" or "Alex", but was renamed after Michael Llewelyn Davies and Nicholas Llewelyn Davies, who were both born during the play's development.
• George Darling: the father of Wendy, Michael, and John. He is a bank clerk and is named after George Llewelyn Davies.
• Mary Darling: the mother of Wendy, John and Michael, and wife of George Darling. She is named after Mary Ansell, Barrie's wife.
• Nana: the Newfoundland nurse of Wendy, John, and Michael, hired by the Darlings to look after the children.
• Jane: (last name is not given) the daughter of the adult Wendy Darling who appears briefly in Barrie's An Afterthought and the final chapter of Peter and Wendy.
• Margaret: Jane's daughter, mentioned at the end of the story as the one who will go back to Neverland with Peter for spring cleaning.
• Liza: the maid in the Darling household.

Supporting characters

Neverland characters

• Great Big Little Panther: the Chief of the Piccaninny tribe and the father of Tiger Lily.

1907 illustration of Tiger Lily by Oliver Herford.

• Tiger Lily: the chief's daughter, often described as a princess, (in her own right) and who is captured by the Pirates and left to drown on Marooners' Rock before being rescued by Peter Pan.
• Crocodile (Tick-Tock in the Disney movie): the crocodile is Hook's other nemesis, and the only thing which he fears. It ate Hook's hand when Peter cut it from him in battle, and craves for the rest of him. The clock swallowed by the crocodile warns Hook of its proximity. In Peter and Wendy, the crocodile is briefly referred to by the feminine pronoun "she",^[2] a point overlooked in subsequent adaptations.
• Mermaids are half woman and half fish; they live in the sea but are often seen in Mermaids' Lagoon on the Neverland. They're vain, unfriendly and care for their looks and good appearance. They can be dangerous creatures (especially at night) and dislike all humans (except Peter Pan) and act very spiteful towards Wendy.

London characters

• Maimie Mannering : a little girl who is helped and befriended by Peter Pan in Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens, and considered to be Wendy's literary predecessor.^[3] Although enjoying Kensington Gardens and her friendship with Peter when she stays behind one day after Lock Out time, she comes to realise that her mother is very worried about her so she must return. When she grows up, she continues to think of Peter, dedicating presents and letters to him. To remember Maimie, Peter rides the imaginary goat she created for him.

Characters from other works

• Mohican tribe: a tribe in the 2003 film adaptation.

Steven Spielberg's Hook

The Banning family

• Peter Banning is Peter Pan, grown up. When he fell in love with Moira, he abandoned his eternal youth. He was adopted by an American couple named Hank and Jane Banning, and forgot about his life as Peter Pan. He is played by Robin Williams.
• Moira Banning – Moira is Wendy Darling's granddaughter and Peter Banning's wife. She is played by Caroline Goodall.
• Jack Banning – Jack is Peter and Moira Banning's son and Maggie's older brother. Nearing his teen years, Jack is often frustrated by his father's repeated broken promises and absences that he turns towards Hook for a father figure. However, after watching Rufio die, he turns his back on Hook and regains his trust in Peter. Jack is played by Charlie Korsmo.
• Maggie Banning – Maggie is Peter and Moira Banning's daughter and Jack's younger sister. Sweet and imaginative, she is captivated by stories of Peter Pan. Maggie is the only one who retains faith in Peter and mistrusts Hook. When she learns that her father is the famous Peter Pan, Maggie accepts him and tells Hook off that he's the one who needs a mother to straighten up his bad attitude. She is played by Amber Scott.

Lost Boys

• Rufio is the leader of the Lost Boys and Peter's successor who was hand-chosen by him when he chose to leave Neverland for good. Although initially refusing to believe that Peter Banning is Pan grown up, Rufio fights beside him in the final battle against Hook's pirates but is slain by Hook. He was played by Dante Basco.
• Thud Butt is a member of the Lost Boys who accepts the possibility that Peter Banning may be Peter Pan from the start, and strikes up a friendship with him. At the end of the film, with Rufio having been slain by Hook, Peter chooses Thud Butt as the Lost Boys' new leader. He is played by Raushan Hammond.
• The remaining Lost Boys consist of Pockets (Isaiah Robinson), Ace (Jasen Fisher), Don't Ask (James Madio), Too Small (Thomas Tulak), Latchboy (Alex Zuckerman), and No Nap (Ahmad Stoner).

Disney's Peter Pan-Tinker Bell franchise

Return to Neverland

• Wendy's daughter Jane is portrayed in as a cynical, no-nonsense, down-to-earth girl who refuses to believe her mother's stories about Peter Pan. Unlike Wendy, she is not interested in playing "mother" for the Lost Boys and spends most of her time in Neverland just wanting to leave.
• Danny: Danny is Jane's little brother. He believes entirely in his mother's stories about Peter Pan and is very similar to his uncle Michael (from the original Disney film adaptation), even to wearing footed-pajamas.
• Edward: Edward is Wendy's husband and the father of Jane and Danny. He is called to serve in the British army during World War II, and returns at the end of the film. He is depicted as a warm and caring man.
• Nana II: a St. Bernard owned by Jane's family who could be a descendant of the original Nana.
• The Octopus: a gigantic orange octopus who replaces the Crocodile for some unknown reason as Captain Hook's enemy who wants to eat him because he enjoys his taste. He makes "plip-plop" noises with his eyes and suckers reminiscent of the Crocodile's ticking. In the end, he sinks Hook's ship and chases Hook and his crew (who he mistakes for fish) into the distance.

Disney Fairies

• Queen Clarion (Anjelica Huston) is the Fairy Queen of Pixie Hollow. She is slender and taller than hand-size with a light shimmering long yellow dress, a light golden shimmering large yellow butterfly shaped wings, tiaras for different occasions, fair skin, blue eyes, and light brown hair in an up-do style.
• Bobble and Clank (Rob Paulsen and Jeff Bennett, respectively) are a pair of intelligent yet bumbling tinker sparrow men who form a brotherly relationship with Tinker Bell..
• Chloe (Brenda Song), a garden fairy of Thai descent. She is small, slender, and hand-sized with brown hair, brown eyes, fair skin, and pointy ears. She wears a pink sports dress and leggings.
• Fawn (America Ferrera, Angela Bartys and Ginnifer Goodwin) an animal-talent fairy. She is small, slender, and hand-sized with an orange and brown dress, amber curl shoes, fair skin, light freckles, braided light brown hair, amber eyes, pointy ears, and clear fairy wings on her back.
• Iridessa (Raven-Symoné) is a light-talent fairy. She is small, slender, and hand-sized with a sunflower petal dress, yellow shoes, dark skin, black hair in a round up-do, brown eyes, pointy ears, and clear fairy wings on her back.
• Nyx (Rosario Dawson) an incredibly loyal and devoted scouting-talent anti-hero in Tinker Bell and the Legend of the NeverBeast. She wears brown sleeveless shirts and leggings, with gray-and-black striped undershirts and boots, olive green waist sashes, and black wrist bracers. She protects all of Pixie Hollow from any dangers or threats, also leads a team of fellow scout fairies who follow her commands without question. She is known to be quite tough and the kind of person who will fight until the fighting is done. She never backs down and will do whatever it takes to ensure the safety and wellbeing of Pixie Hollow and its people.
• Periwinkle (Lucy Hale) is a frost-talent fairy. She is Tinker Bell’s fraternal twin sister born of the same baby's first laugh and match. She is small, slender, and hand-sized with fair skin, ice-blue eyes, snow white hair, pink blushing cheeks, and pointy ears and wears an aqua strapless dress that shimmers like ice and aqua blue-colored shoes with white puffs on her toes and has clear sparkly fairy wings on her back, which are identical to Tinker Bell's.
• Rosetta (Kristin Chenoweth and Megan Hilty) is a garden-talent fairy. She is small, slender, and hand-sized with a rose petal dress in three shades of pink, fair skin, red shoes, shoulder-length red hair with curled ends, green eyes, pointy ears, and clear fairy wings on her back.
• Silvermist (Lucy Liu) is a water-talent fairy. She is small, slender, and hand-sized with a dark blue-green lily single-strapped dress, blue shoes, fair skin, long loose black hair, brown eyes, pointy ears, and clear fairy wings on her back.
• Terence (Jesse McCartney) is a pixie dust "sparrow man" of French-Celtic descent. He has a big crush on Tinker Bell, and is also her best friend. He is small, slender, and hand-sized with blonde hair, blue eyes, fair skin, and pointy ears and wears an acorn top hat.
• Vidia (Pamela Adlon) is a fast-flying-talent fairy. She has black ponytailed hair, gray eyes, pointy ears, fair skin and wears a purple vest with pink feathers, purple pants and ballet shoes and has clear wings on her back.
• Zarina (Christina Hendricks) an alchemist who dabbles in piracy with Hook for a while, she appears in the movie The Pirate Fairy.

Gwendolyn Carlisle

Gwendolyn Jane Mary Darling Carlisle is a human girl whom Peter Pan brings to Never Land, and a descendant of Wendy Darling. She lives with her parents and grandmother in the same house that Wendy had lived in so long ago.

Peter and the Starcatchers

The Aster family

• Leonard and Louise Aster: Molly Aster's parents. Leonard is an ambassador for the King to Rudoon. In Peter and the Shadow Thieves, Louise is taken captive by the Others.

Molly Aster

• Molly Aster is one of the main characters of the four Starcatchers novels. She is the daughter of famous Starcatcher Leonard Aster and his wife, Louise Aster, and is therefore a Starcatcher by blood and very wealthy.

Her relationships with Peter, George Darling, Tinker Bell, and the mermaids are all consistent with her being Wendy's mother, a conclusion hinted at but not confirmed until the fourth book, Peter and the Sword of Mercy. She is called "Molly" rather than "Mary", but "Molly" is a traditional nickname for "Mary".

Tribes

• Mollusk Tribe: a tribe of Native Americans.
  • Fighting Prawn: Chief of The Mollusk Tribe that live on Peter's Island and father of Shining Perl.
• Scorpion Tribe: a dangerous group in Peter and the Secret of Rundoon, who use poison as their main weapon and are the most feared tribe of them all.

Other characters

• Lord Ombra: a shadow creature from Peter and the Shadow Thieves and Peter and the Secret of Rundoon
• Captain Nerezza: a cruel captain lacking a nose who is often employed by the "Others".
• King Zarboff III – The King of Rundoon and one of the "Others".
• Mr. Grempkin: second in Command at St. Norbert's Home For Wayward Boys.
• The Headmaster's Daughter: an awful girl who likes to drop spiders on the boy's heads.
• Prentiss: a new boy at St. Norbert's.
• James: a boy closer to Peter than any other at St. Norbert's. In Sword of Mercy, he becomes James Smith and works for Scotland Yard.
• Tubby Ted: a boy who is always hungry.
• Thomas: a boy from St. Norbert's.
• William Slank: an evil man who was second in command on the ship known as "The Never Land". He is presumed dead after Peter and the Shadow Thieves.
• Little Richard: a huge giant of a man who is very handy with a whip. He is eaten alive by Slank so that he could live.
• Mr. Grin: the crocodile.

Peter Pan in Scarlet

• Fireflyer: A silly blue fairy born out of a baby's first laugh. Like most fairies he's conceited and self-centered, but he's a devoted friend to the lost boy Slightly.
• Ravello: a mysterious circus owner who is revealed to be Captain Hook.

Peter Pan and the Pirates

• Hard-to-Hit: the prince of the tribe of Native Americans living on the island of Neverland, Great Big Little Panther's son and Tiger Lily's younger brother. He is voiced by Michael Wise.
• Girl in the Moon: a girl who is responsible for bringing the night by replacing the sun that appears during the day with the moon at the normal time.
• King Kyros: the Ice King of Neverland who owns a giant ice cave and has elves as his subworkers. Peter entered into conflict with the king when he entered the king's home without permission and took away a crystal claiming it as his own.
• Crooked Tail: a mermaid who was once beautiful, but conceited and haughty until a potion meant to enhance her beauty went horribly awry and turned her into a green-skinned hag. She helped Peter Pan rescue Wendy from two mermaids who tried to turn Wendy into a mermaid.
• Short Tom: Captain Hook's mischievous one-eyed pet parrot; is capable of speech, though extremely limited. He constantly tries to warn the pirates when Peter Pan steals aboard, but usually fails.
• Captain Patch : Captain Hook's late brother (whose real name is Jasper Hook), who also had been a pirate; so-called because Hook once took out his eye in a sword fight long ago. Appears as a vengeful ghost in two episodes. He was voiced by Ed Gilbert who also voiced Smee.
• Olook: a grumpy giant troll.

Neverland miniseries

• Aaya is Tiger Lily.
• Kaw Tribe: the Native American tribe.
• Captain Elizabeth Bonny: the previous captain of the pirate ship.
• Fox: a lost boy that was killed by Captain Bonny
• The Twins: instead of two twins in the Lost Boys, there is one boy known as Twins for unknown reasons.

References

• This article incorporates material derived from the "Nyx (Disney Fairies)" article on the Disney wiki at Wikia and is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike License (23 June 2015).

1. Barrie, J.M. Peter and Wendy. Hodder & Stoughton, 1911. Chapter 1
2. Barrie, J M. Peter and Wendy. Hodder & Stoughton, 1911, Chapter 5
3. Rose, Jacqueline. The Case of Peter Pan, Or, The Impossibility of Children's Fiction. University of Pennsylvania Press, 1984. Pg. 28.

External links

• Characters of Peter Pan at Neverpedia