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Second Star To The Right, And Straight On 'Til Morning — the original directions Peter gives to Neverland, although it turns out there isn't really a 'direction' as such. He just gets there. He only gives these directions to sound clever to Wendy.

James M. Barrie was a prolific writer at the turn of the 20th century, but his most-beloved works are his play and novels about Peter Pan, the boy who refused to grow up and lives in Neverland, a Magical Land. He has a feisty fairy Sidekick in Tinkerbell.

One spring evening, Peter follows his wayward shadow into a young girl's bedroom. When Wendy Darling fastens his shadow back on, Peter invites her to come and look after his Lost Boys, similarly ageless kids who (like him) lack a mother.

Wendy and her brothers, John and Michael, fly away to Neverland, where the boys have many adventures while Wendy mothers them. Finally, after a climactic battle with Peter's archenemy, the pirate Captain Hook, Wendy decides she's had enough of Neverland. Peter agrees to let her go, and to let her take her brothers and the Lost Boys with her. Twenty years later, Peter Pan returns for Wendy's daughter Jane, and the adventures begin anew.

Peter Pan is a trickster, only nominally human. In Peter Pan in Kensignton Gardens, Peter is alluded to as being half bird; as all children in fact come from birds, but only Peter is close enough to his youth to remember being a bird. In Neverland, he is more like a playful demigod, with aspects of Puck and Pan. The character has become something of a cultural symbol for youthful exuberance and innocence, especially if it persists into adulthood; it also evokes the poignant flip side - never becoming truly mature. Michael Jackson identified with the character so much he named his estate (with an amusement park, et. al. on the grounds) "Neverland Ranch". The darker implications of eternal youth and perpetual irresponsibility is likely why a well-remembered 1987 film about teen vampires was called The Lost Boys.

The well-remembered 1953 Disney animated movie presents a cosier version of Peter Pan. It kept most of the incidents, but virtually none of the original dialogue. Also in the 1950s, a successful Broadway musical version of the story was launched; live TV broadcasts of it with Mary Martin as Peter were ratings winners, and this version is frequently staged in theaters great and small to this day. An unusual quirk of most stagings of the play and musical, going back to its original productions, is that Peter is traditionally played by a young woman instead of a preteen male actor.

Both Disney and the Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital claim to own the Peter Pan copyright, and have authorised clashing Sequel and Prequel books and films. On the non-Disney side, there was a 1990 animated series on the first season of Fox Kids, and a 2003 live-action adaptation, but probably the best-known take on the material from other hands is Steven Spielberg's Hook (1991), a sequel that posits what would have happened had Peter eventually decided to grow up. (A key moment in his E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial has a Shout Out to the Clap Your Hands If You Believe scene.) Robin Williams plays the adult Peter Banning, who has long forgotten his past, and has to go back to Neverland to defeat the Captain once and for all when he kidnaps his children. One of the screenwriters, James V. Hart, subsequently wrote Capt. Hook, a children's novel that explores the early years of the villain. See also Finding Neverland (2004), a Very Loosely Based On A True Story drama about Barrie's conception and initial production of the play.

Disney made a theatrically-released sequel to this story, Return to Neverland, in 2002, but it is not part of the Disney Animated Canon. Their publishing arm has released a series of prequel novels written by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson. Finally, their take on Tinkerbell has long been something of a mascot character for the company and in the new millennium the Spinoff Disney Fairies line of books, merchandise, and a made-for-DVD film was launched focusing on her and other (original) pixies (similar in concept to the Disney Princess line).


This story includes examples of:
  • Adaptation Decay - the characters of Peter Pan and Captain Hook in the Disney movie are nothing like their counterparts in the book.
  • Adaptation Displacement - It's often forgotten that it began life as a play, before being adapted into a novel (both by JM Barrie).
  • Adaptation Distillation - The 1990 cartoon television show Peter Pan and the Pirates was surprisingly accurate to the source material, and often improved upon the original story by adding new bits and pieces to Neverland lore. Sadly, it's all but completely forgotten now. (And it will likely stay that way; in an ironic twist of fate, this show is now owned by...''Disney''.)
  • Alternate Character Interpretation - one of the rare cases in which it hits on something, since most of the people who consider Pan evil have no idea that early drafts of the story had him as the villain, taking children away from their parents.
  • Ambiguous Innocence - The defining characteristic of children, according to the novel — and of Peter Pan in particular — is that they are "innocent and heartless". Peter Pan laughs as Wendy's siblings nearly fall to their deaths and in general lives up to his last name. He even attempts to convince Wendy that her mother abandoned her.
  • And You Were There - Traditionally, in the stage play and musical, Captain Hook and Mr. Darling are played by the same actor (if you watch the Disney version, they still bear a striking resemblance, and are played by the same voice actor) while the Darling's nursemaid is the same actress as Tiger Lily. Interestingly, J.M. Barrie wanted Captain Hook to be played by Mrs. Darling's actress, but was evidently overruled.
    • The Captain Hook / Mr. Darling connection is often kept in most adaptations. For example, in the 2003 movie version, Jason Isaacs plays both roles.
  • Angst What Angst - in everyone who goes to Neverland; in Peter himself so much it's scary.
  • Audience Participation - The clapping to save Tinkerbell in the stage version.
  • Better Living Through Evil: The pirate song.
  • Big Bad - Captain Hook.
  • Broken Masquerade (Neverland, pirates, fairies).
  • Clap Your Hands If You Believe - The Trope Namer, used to revive Tinkerbell of Captain Hook's poison.
  • The Edwardian Era - if only by default.
  • Fisher King - Peter is this to Neverland. The land wakes up when he arrives, and reflects his mood. The 2003 movie adaptation showcases it prominently.
  • Fairy Tale
  • Grokking The Horrorshow: The name 'Wendy' was not commonly recognized as a viable name for a girl before this book.
  • Growing Up Sucks - The Lost Boys.
  • Honor Before Reason - In the Disney movie, having given his word of honor to not fly in his final duel with Captain Hook, Peter doggedly refuses to do so even when Hook proves to be the superior swordsman, having forced him to the corner of a mast leading to a fall that can kill him.
    • Subverted in the 2003 film, where Peter Pan flies... and so does Hook.
  • Hook Hand
  • I Gave My Word
  • Killed Off For Real - In the original book, Hook is eaten by the Crocodile at the end.
    • In fact, all the other pirates died except Smee and Starkey, who ironically is implied to have drowned in the film.
  • Living Shadow - Peter's shadow is alive and tries to escape. Wendy sews it back on.
  • Name And Name - The book was originally published as Peter and Wendy.
  • Never Grew Up - Trope Namer
  • Pajama Clad Hero - The Darling children wear their P Js throughout their adventures.
  • Pirate - Every one of the pirates, and particularly Captain Hook.
  • Public Domain Character
  • Team Mom - Wendy, so much.
  • The Fair Folk - Fairies in the books are notoriously fickle and love playing tricks on people. Peter Pan is the only one they don't mess with.
  • Toy Ship - Peter and Wendy. Also Wendy and Hook, depending on the handling of the adaptation.
    • Especially in the 2003 version. This troper was squicked by Hook's creeptasticness in the book, but seeing it played out (however well) with Wendy on film was very, very uncomfortable to watch. Jason Isaacs had mentioned in an interview that it was quite uncomfortable to play, too.
  • Translation Yes - The 2003 movie version when Smee is helping the Captain "interview" Tiger Lily, her (untitled) invective goes on forever. Smee's translation, much less.
  • Trickster - Peter Pan.