pocahontas 3 the journey home

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Pocahontas 2: Journey to a New World

Pocahontas sets off on a journey to England with Meeko, Flit, and Percy. Hearing rumors of John Smith's death, Pocahontas tries to prevent war and battle. Pocahontas sets off on a journey to England with Meeko, Flit, and Percy. Hearing rumors of John Smith's death, Pocahontas tries to prevent war and battle. Pocahontas sets off on a journey to England with Meeko, Flit, and Percy. Hearing rumors of John Smith's death, Pocahontas tries to prevent war and battle.

• Bradley Raymond
• Allen Estrin
• Cindy Marcus
• Flip Kobler
• Irene Bedard
• Donal Gibson
• Jim Cummings
• 119 User reviews
• 27 Critic reviews
• 1 nomination

Top cast 38

• Grandmother Willow

• Mrs. Jenkins

• Additional voices

• Uttamatomakkin

• (as Morgan Sheppard)

• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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Did you know

• Trivia Donal Gibson, the actor who voices John Smith, is the younger brother of Mel Gibson, who voiced the same character in the first film.
• Goofs During "What a Day In London", a character appears who is intended to be William Shakespeare. In reality, Shakespeare died on April 23, 1616; preceding Pocahontas's arrival in London by less than two months on June 12, 1616.

John Smith : [Pocahontas runs off] Pocahontas!

[he tries to run after her, John restrains him]

John Rolfe : Let her go.

John Smith : You may not care about her safety...

John Rolfe : [rounding on him] Don't you dare tell me I don't care about her!

John Smith : [realizes the truth] You love her.

• Crazy credits This film would not have been possible without the inspiration from the original motion picture and the work of its talented artists and animators.
• Alternate versions UK video versions are cut by 2 seconds by the BBFC to remove three instances of the word "Bloody".
• Connections Featured in Disney Sing-Along Songs: Honor to Us All (1998)
• Soundtracks Where Do I Go From Here? Written by Marty Panzer and Larry Grossman Performed by Judy Kuhn

User reviews 119

• amyevans4590
• Apr 12, 2006
• August 25, 1998 (United States)
• United States
• Official site
• Disney's Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World
• Walt Disney Feature Animation - 500 S. Buena Vista Street, Burbank, California, USA
• Walt Disney Home Video
• Disney Television Animation
• Disneytoon Studios
• See more company credits at IMDbPro

Technical specs

• Runtime 1 hour 13 minutes
• Dolby Digital

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• Movie - Pocahontas III, The Journey In Time - 1998

Pocahontas III, The Journey In Time  (1998)  بوكاهونتاس 3 الرحلة عبر الزمن

• Genre: Animation (more)

After visiting all the tribes from the Indian confederation, Pocahontas was able to travel through the time barrier to visit the magnificent kingdoms of Maya, Inca and Aztec. But there are traditions ...Read more like the human sacrifice of the Mayan civilization that is not in harmony with the Great Spirit.

• Kim Jun Ok (Director)
• Loris Peota (Writer)
• Clelia Castaldo (Writer)
• Teresa Pascarelli
• Francis Parheillan
• Gregory Snegoff
• More Parts:
• Pocahontas II, The Spider Woman
• Pocahontas 4, Winter on the Rocky Mountain

Watch Online

• Generations S1
• 2010 - Series

After visiting all the tribes from the Indian confederation, Pocahontas was able to travel through the time barrier to visit the magnificent kingdoms of Maya, Inca and Aztec. But ...Read more there are traditions like the human sacrifice of the Mayan civilization that is not in harmony with the Great Spirit.

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Everything You Need to Know About the Disney Film Pocahontas

by Mickey Blog · July 27, 2018

Pocohontas recently turned 23!

A svelte hunter/gatherer powerfully rows a heavy, hand-carved canoe against the cool, unpredictable current of a mighty river. The strong arms appear to be effortless as the gatherer speeds past the trees and rocks that line the distant inlet where, just through the foliage, a small village sits modestly in the forests- just like it has for countless generations. Although weighed down by large baskets carrying a successful bounty, the hunter/gatherer uses their strong legs to bound from the canoe, followed closely by a strangely domesticated group of forest animals who guide the way. Cheers erupt from the village as the energized hunter makes their way past the low hanging branches and into clearing lit by the setting sun…the hero has returned home. And the village is grateful.

Who, or what comes to mind by that description? I picture a rugged looking, muscular man, maybe even a war hero. The last image that pops into my mind is one of a Disney Princess , but those personality traits are exactly those of one of my favorite Disney Princesses of all time, and she celebrated a big anniversary last month! As Pocahontas  recently turned 23 years old, there isn’t a better time to re-visit the classic film featuring a no-nonsense Princess I’ve looked up to since I was a kid. Let’s celebrate Pocahontas !

A Cinematic Masterpiece

On the heels of the massive success of The Little Mermaid, Walt Disney Animation finally had the big return to the silver screen it desperately needed. The studio wasted no time in producing high-quality, now-classic films in the next few years, and we saw films like Beauty and the Beast, and The Lion King top the box offices. Pocahontas was released in 1995 when these hand drawn films were at their peaks. Speaking of hand drawn, Pocahontas is (sadly) one of the last hand drawn animated feature films Disney released…but does the style still hold up? I’ve watched plenty of animated Disney movies with my little cousins, and now that they’ve grown enough to speak up about their favorites, their choices surprise me! It doesn’t matter that digital animation has taken over, they are just as obsessed with the hand drawn films as they are The Incredibles !

When (not if) you re-watch Pocahontas this week, really look at the animation. The film opens in England as John Smith and his crew prep to sail to the New World…and the clean, crisp, colors in this sequence summarize the sleek, bright life the privileged English live. In the very next scene, a dramatic shift in scene- and colors- take us to Pocahontas’ home village in the New World. The incredible change in colors from bright and cool change to earthy and understated as we are introduced to Pocahontas’ world- one drastically different than John Smith’s. Not only are the colors and animation style at play in setting the scene, the shift in music doesn’t hurt either!

I could write a dissertation on the music in this movie because it is, in my opinion, Alan Menken’s best score from beginning to end. His orchestrations are great through the whole thing, but to get the best sense of his genius musicality, you’ve got to listen to/watch the Colors of the Wind sequence! Firstly, I’ve never heard another Disney film’s music encapsulate the sounds of nature via musical instrument like Menken’s in Pocahontas. When a gust blows Pocahontas’ famously wind-tossed hair, he somehow wrote a musical line for the flute that sounds EXACTLY like wind…that’s why we buy so wholeheartedly into Pocahontas’ plea during the song!

The music also brilliantly supports the incredible animation in this sequence. That same earthy color palette is used here, but this time it’s accented with more brightness. Pocahontas’ world comes to life for John Smith at the same time it comes to life for the audience, and we get to experience it right along with the film’s protagonists! Upbeat and light woodwind orchestrations make the pitter-patter of the pairs’ running feet that much more realistic for the audience, and the music/animation one-two punch is exactly why this film has so much staying power!

TIP: Really focus on that finale scene! Pocahontas running through the forest to catch John Smith’s departing ship is some of the best animation/music you’ll find!

Embodying Strength On Screen and In the Parks

I think that each and every one of the Disney Princesses is strong in their own way. Even the three or four who get a bad wrap for needing saving go through an awful lot! There isn’t another Princess with as much innate physical and emotional strength, smarts, intuition, and family-focused goals as Pocahontas. Name me another Princess who can row herself through careening rivers, run through the hidden pine trails of the forest, and dance around the fire without ever wearing a pair of shoes!

Pocahontas’ strength is truly unparalleled, and I’ve always been inspired by her! When I was growing up, she wasn’t often meeting and greeting her fans in the Disney Parks, but that all changed as she proved her staying power! You can meet Pocahontas on the Discovery Island Trail at the Animal Kingdom ! You can also catch the Princess nightly in Fantasmic! at Hollywood Studios! There is an entire, action-packed scene that utilizes water, pyrotechnics, and live stunt performers to bring the film to life on the massive stage, and it’s punctuated with an appearance by Pocahontas herself! No matter if you choose to see the Princess on your TV screen or in the Parks , you can draw inspiration from one of my favorites every day, and soon, you’ll be painting with all the colors of the wind. Is Pocahontas your favorite princess? Have you ever meet her in the Parks? Let me know in the comments!

Thanks for visiting MickeyBlog.com! For a FREE quote on your next Disney vacation, please fill out the form below!

Special thanks to Maria Salerno for writing this article:  Hiya pal! I am a NYC-based writer thrilled to be part of your Disney day! I’m a WDW Annual Passholder, so you can find me in the parks regularly throughout the year. In addition to being a Disney Parks loving girl, I’m also a Disney toy and merchandise collector, a runDisney enthusiast, and Disney music and movie aficionado. You can follow me on Instagram: NYCtoAP and find me on YouTube: NYCtoAP. Thanks for reading, hope to see ya real soon!

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Pocahontas (Disney)

Pocahontas is the titular protagonist of Disney's 33rd full-length animated feature film of the same name and its sequel Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World . She is the 7th Disney Princess in the official lineup.

She is the daughter of the Chief Powhatan that manages to stop an armed conflict between the Powhatans and the British settlers. She is an adventurous woman who violates her father's forbidding of meeting white people and even falls in love with Captain John Smith ; however, she doesn't marry him because in order for him to get his treatments in the end (due to Ratcliffe), they part.

She is voiced by Irene Bedard , while Judy Kuhn did her singing voice.

In the French dub of the sequel, she was voiced by Yumi Fujimori, who dubbed Nakoma in the first movie, as well as Cloud Queen Rayla in Barbie and the Magic of Pegasus .

• 1 Background
• 2 Personality
• 3 Powers and Abilities
• 4.1 Pocahontas
• 4.2 Pocahontas 2: Journey to a New World
• 5.1 Ralph Breaks the Internet
• 8 External Links
• 9 Navigation

Background [ ]

Pocahontas is a member of the Powhatan Indian tribe that makes their home in Virginia. She is the 18-year old daughter of Chief Powhatan. It is stated that Pocahontas' mother had died, and that Pocahontas had inherited her strong will and free spirit. She is the only member of her tribe that is not xenophobic towards the white settlers, instead forming a relationship with John Smith. By the time of the second film, she is respected enough that she is sent as an ambassador to England on behalf of her people.

Personality [ ]

Pocahontas is displayed as a noble, free-spirited and highly spiritual young woman. She expresses wisdom beyond her years and offers kindness and guidance to those around her. She loves adventure and nature. In the film, she appears to have shamanic powers since she was able to commune with nature, talk to spirits, empathize with animals and understand unknown languages.

In the sequel, Pocahontas seems to have grown after hearing of John Smith's assumed death. She keeps her independent spirit and playfulness, but is much more mature and self-assured than she was in the first film. During her stay in England, she nearly loses herself in the hustle and bustle of this new world and is turned into someone she's not. But in the end she bravely intends to sacrifice herself for her people's safety and returns to her homeland, finding herself, and romantic love, once again.

She believes that here mother's spirit surrounds her.

Powers and Abilities [ ]

• Shamanism : Pocahontas' powers are linked to shamanism, as she shows ability to communicate with spirits, connect with nature, empathize with animals, and understand other languages.

Appearances [ ]

Pocahontas [ ].

Pocahontas is first seen atop a waterfall, when she is summoned by her best friend Nakoma that her beloved father has returned. It is revealed that Pocahontas has been having a series of unusual dreams, and she does not understand what they mean. Nakoma counsels Pocahontas to speak with her father, Chief Powhatan, who has recently returned from war. At the village, Pocahontas meets with her father, and learns that Kocoum, one of her father's finest and fiercest warriors, has asked to marry her. As a gift, Powhatan gives Pocahontas her late mother's necklace, which her mother had worn at their wedding. Pocahontas doesn't feel that this is the right path for her, but Powhatan feels that Kocoum would be a fine husband for Pocahontas, as Kocoum is steady and serious, as well as brave, loyal, strong and protective.

After hearing this, Pocahontas travels to Grandmother Willow in order to gain some advice. After telling Grandmother Willow about her dream and her father's plans for her arranged marriage, Grandmother Willow tells Pocahontas that her dream is pointing her down her path. When Pocahontas asks how to find her path, Grandmother Willow teaches Pocahontas to listen to the spirits of the earth. Pocahontas does so, and after hearing the wind, is able to spot the ship carrying the Europeans, though she mistakes the ship's sails for "strange clouds."

Pocahontas later encounters one of the settlers, John Smith. Over time, the two get to know each other, asking all sorts of questions about each other's people, lives, and different worlds. However, the conversation goes sour when John Smith unintentionally reveals his prejudices towards Native Americans. Pocahontas explains to him the beauty and importance of nature and respecting the earth through the song, Colors of the Wind. This causes John to see the ill of his thoughts and change his ways, and the two begin to strongly fall romantically in love with each other. However, after hearing drums due to Kocoum's friend Namontack getting wounded by Governor Ratcliffe while he and Kocoum observe them, Pocahontas is forced to return to the village leaving a saddened John Smith behind who then returns to his camp.

Later on, while picking corn with Nakoma, Pocahontas meets John Smith again. After swearing Nakoma to secrecy, Pocahontas takes John Smith out to the woods. Pocahontas takes John to meet Grandmother Willow. When John reveals that the settlers had come looking for gold, Pocahontas reveals that there is none in the area. When other settlers come into the area looking for Smith, Smith is forced to leave, but the two agree to meet that night at Grandmother Willow's glade. After Smith leaves, Pocahontas worries about her actions. Grandmother Willow reminds Pocahontas of her dreams, and Pocahontas begins to suspect that her dream is pointing her towards John.

Upon returning to the village, Pocahontas discovers that warriors from neighboring villages have arrived and are planning to fight the settlers. That night, despite Nakoma's protests, Pocahontas sneaks off to meet John. Both reveal that their respective people are planning for war. Pocahontas asks John to come to her village and speak with Powhatan, in an attempt to avoid fighting. John is reluctant at first, but agrees after some advice from Grandmother Willow. When Kocoum, who had been warned about Pocahontas by Nakoma, suddenly stumbles upon Pocahontas and John Smith kissing. Kocoum becomes enraged and attacks him. Before Pocahontas can break them up, Thomas, who had been sent to find John, shoots and kills Kocoum. Enraged, Pocahontas charges at Thomas, but John Smith stops her, saying it won't help. John Smith takes the blame, is taken prisoner by the Powhatan men who alerted by the gunshot from Thomas' gun, and sentenced to die at sunrise. When Kocoum's body was carried back to the village, Powhatan scolds Pocahontas for disobeying him regarding not to leave the village, shaming her own father and her foolishness leading to Kocoum being killed. As John Smith is taken away, Nakoma approaches her and Pocahontas tells her that Kocoum was only trying to protect her and she apologizes to her for her actions as she was worried and she thought that she was trying to do the right thing. Nakoma brings Pocahontas to the tent where John Smith is held. She tells the two warriors guarding the tent that Pocahontas wants to see the eyes of the man who killed Kocoum and they agreed, telling Pocahontas to be quick and let her in. She apologizes to John Smith before leaving. She later meets with Grandmother Willow to voice what is going to happen to John Smith and how it will lead to war, but upon remembering John Smith's compass, she recognizes it as the arrow from her dream, and knows what she must do now. Encouraged by Grandmother Willow, who asks that the spirits of the Earth guide her, Pocahontas departs to stop the impending bloodshed.

Pocahontas realizes that she must stop the execution that will lead to war between the Native Americans and the settlers. She runs to where it will take place, calling out to the forces of nature to help her reach them in time. Pocahontas reaches John Smith just in time to throw herself over him and save him from being killed by her father, Chief Powhatan. Pocahontas tells her father that if he kills John, he'll have to kill her too. Powhatan orders his daughter to stand down, but she refuses and tells him that she loves John. She tells her father off for being led down by a path of hatred. She tells him that this is the path she chooses and asks him what will his path be if they choose to fight. Moved by his daughter's love and wisdom and possibly by the spirit of his late wife in the Colors of the Wind, Powhatan releases John Smith, which causes both the Native Americans and settlers to stand down, choosing peace over war. When the enraged Governor Ratcliffe rejects the offer and shoots at the chief, John Smith pushes Powhatan out of the way, and takes the bullet himself, angering the settlers at Ratcliffe's actions against John Smith and cause them to turn on him, intending to take him back to England to stand trial for treason. Soon after, a wounded John Smith asks her to come with him to England, but she explains that her place is in Virginia, with her people.

To comfort him, she tells him that "no matter what happens, I'll always be with you, forever." They passionately kiss, and the men carry him onto the ship. As it is leaving, Pocahontas runs as fast as she can to a cliff overlooking the ocean. John waves goodbye in the Powhatan fashion, and Pocahontas waves back in the Powhatan fashion, like she showed him to earlier when the two first met, as the ship sails away.

Pocahontas 2: Journey to a New World [ ]

Several years after the original film, Pocahontas has been mourning John Smith's apparent death in England. She eventually decides to move on and buries Smith's compass in the snow. Unknown to her, Smith's death is part of a plot by Governor Ratcliffe to manipulate England into a war with the Indians.

Later on, she has a run in with an English diplomat named John Rolfe , who has recently sailed to Virginia. The two do not get along at first, with Pocahontas disliking Rolfe's interference in a near-skirmish between the Powhatan and the English, while Rolfe dislikes Pocahontas for rebuking him for said interference. Rolfe later overhears of Pocahontas's role in stopping a war, and mistakenly assumes Pocahontas to be the Chief, rather than the young woman he just met.

Later that night, Rolfe appears at Pocahontas's village with a gift for Pocahontas, but is astonished when he learns Pocahontas's identity. Rolfe reveals that Chief Powhatan must come to England to meet with King James; otherwise, he will allow England to go to war with the Indians. When Powhatan refuses to go, Pocahontas volunteers instead. She visits Grandmother Willow the next day, asking for advice for the journey, and is told to "listen to the spirit within." Later, Pocahontas leaves with Rolfe for England, and is nearly arrested for "harboring stowaways" before Rolfe comes to her aid. The two come to a truce.

Upon arriving in England, Pocahontas is astounded by this "new world." But at the height of her fun, Ratcliffe appears and grins evilly when he finds out Pocahontas is the ambassador instead of the Chief. He hands Rolfe a proclamation that King James has signed that says an armada is going to set sail to destroy the Powhatans. Rolfe and Pocahontas set out for Rolfe's townhouse outside of London, where Mrs. Jenkins happily greets them and puts on tea. Rolfe goes off to meet with King James alone. The King, tricked by Ratcliffe, invites Pocahontas and Rolfe to The Hunt Ball. If Pocahontas can impress the King and Queen, her people will be saved. If she is deemed "uncivilized," however, then the armada will sail.

Rolfe and Mrs. Jenkins teach Pocahontas how to fit into English society, dressing her as an Englishwoman and teaching her how to dance. At first, Pocahontas impresses the King and Queen, but during dinner, she is horrified by a bear-baiting spectacle. Unknown to her, Ratcliffe had arranged it knowing Pocahontas would not approve. She angers King James by calling him and his people barbarians, and with Ratcliffe encouraging and supporting him, James orders her arrest, and scheduled to be executed.

Later on, Rolfe and a disguised John Smith break Pocahontas and Uttamatomakkin out of the Tower of London. She is shocked when Smith reveals himself and says that the rumors of his death were "greatly exaggerated." They take Pocahontas and her friends to a cabin in the forest. Smith explains that he had gone into hiding to avoid a treason conviction. While Smith wants to resume his relationship with Pocahontas, Pocahontas is more concerned about the armada scheduled to sail to Virginia to attack her people. Rolfe and Smith begin to argue over a course of action. Smith believes Pocahontas should stay in hiding to avoid being hanged or decapitated, while Rolfe believes she should follow her heart. Pocahontas runs off, upset, while Smith realizes that John Rolfe is in love with Pocahontas. How Smith feels about this seems rather vague. She later returns, declaring her decision to go back and face King James, despite the threats to her life if she returns to London. Her courage impresses John Rolfe, and he returns her mother's necklace to her as a way to support her.

The next day, Pocahontas prepares to face King James, willing to sacrifice herself to save her people. While she convinces the Queen, the King does not believe her until John Smith shows up. Upon seeing Smith, the King realizes that Ratcliffe has lied about everything. Pocahontas says they need to stop the armada, but Queen Anne reveals that they have already left. Pocahontas counters that they must at least try, and it turns out that the armada had not actually set sail just yet. Pocahontas, John Smith, and John Rolfe are able to stop them, and Ratcliffe is arrested. Smith is given a ship of his own, while Rolfe is offered an advisory position to the king.

During the celebratory ball, Pocahontas plans to return home on the next ship and is trying to work up the courage to ask John Rolfe (whom she has fallen in love with) to come with her. John Smith wants her to travel the world by his side, but Pocahontas explains to him that they now have different paths to follow. Smith understands and wishes her the very best, and she wishes him the same. After Smith leaves, she goes in search of Rolfe but is unable to find him before the ship sets sail. She is forced to board the ship without him and casts her face downward in sadness until Rolfe reveals himself from the shadows. They rejoice as Rolfe reveals that he turned down the King's position to be with her. They kiss as the ship sails off into the sunset.

Other Media [ ]

Ralph breaks the internet [ ].

Pocahontas, along with her fellow official Disney Princesses and honorary members Anna and Elsa , are part of the Oh My Disney site in the Wreck-It Ralph sequel as netizens of the site, serving as Cast Members on it similar to their real life face character counterparts at the Disney Parks and Resorts. One day, while they are on break in their private quarters, they are startled by the appearance of Vanellope von Schweetz in their room after she glitched in to avoid First Order Stormtroopers attempting to apprehend her for illegal pop-up advertisement. Thinking her a threat, possibly sent by one of their respective Disney Villains, or a user's avatar that had committed the cardinal violation of trespassing in a "Cast Members Only" restricted area without authorization, similar to a Guest being in the backstage areas of the parks without special permission or VIP access, Pocahontas jumps up to confront her with the other Princesses, arming herself with her father's club he intended to execute John Smith with to attack Vanellope with and subdue her to turn over to the proper authorities for her unauthorized entry into their restricted private quarters. However, when Vanellope tries to calm them down by saying she's a princess as well, Pocahontas is still wary of Vanellope's claim by asking what kind of princess she is while pointing her father's club at her, making it clear Vanellope better be honest in her answers, or else. After the Princesses grill Vanellope with several questions pertaining to their respective films, once Vanellope answers the big one asked by Rapunzel about if she always has some big, strong man saving her when there is trouble positively, the Princesses are convinced that Vanellope is a princess and stand down, welcoming her into their group.

When they take notice of Vanellope's casual wear and are impressed by it, Cinderella has her mice friends make comfy casual wear for the rest of the girls, allowing them to finally get out of their usual attire and wear something a little more modern and comfy while not on duty and relaxing in their break room. They also explain to Vanellope about their "I Want" song that they do when they want something more out of their lives and to look at a source of water for inspiration for it as well. After C-3PO tells the girls they are back on duty in a few minutes to do another quiz, Vanellope departs from their presence, but the girls are glad to have met and befriended her.

Later, when the site is attacked by viral clones of Ralph due to his insecurities being manipulated by the Arthur virus, triggering a Denial-of-Service attack, the Princesses are evacuated for their own safety. After Ralph sorts out his insecurities and dispels them, thus getting rid of the viral clones, he is left plummeting to his death. Seeing him in trouble, the Princesses work together, using their various traits from their respective films, to save his life. Afterwards, they befriended him, as Elsa puts it, "any friend of Vanellope is a friend of ours".

• In real life, her birth name is "Matoaka" and "Pocahontas" is a childhood nickname (meaning "little wanton"). Later in life, when she became a Christian, she took the baptismal name "Rebecca". Pocahontas was also described by John Smith as a girl around 10 years old when they met in 1608, meaning that her birth year is around 1595 or 1596. In the film, Pocahontas met John Smith in 1607 when she was 18 years old, placing her birth year around 1589.
• Even though many European settlers commonly describe Pocahontas as an "Indian Princess," most Native American tribes never had royalty, and most chieftains were elected (like the President of the United States, for instance) rather than inherited. When her father perished in real life, Pocahontas would have never inherited his role regardless. It was her uncle, Opechancanough, who became the paramount chief after the death of Powhatan.
• Pocahontas is the first and currently only Disney Princess (and Disney protagonist in general) to be based on an actual historical figure instead of the traditional fairy tale or folktale.
• Also, Pocahontas is the first Disney Princess to be a daughter of a chief, followed by Moana.
• Pocahontas is the only Disney Princess to have her singing voice done by Judy Kuhn. Jasmine and Fa Mulan's singing voices were done by Lea Salonga.
• Pocahontas is the second Disney Princess to have her speaking and singing voices done by two different people. The first being Jasmine and the third being Fa Mulan.
• Pocahontas is the first Disney Princess to have more than one love interest,followed by Anna.

External Links [ ]

• Pocahontas on the Pure Good Wiki
• Pocahontas on the Disney Wiki

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Chief Powhatan

Chief Powhatan is Pocahontas ' father and a major character in Disney 's 1995 animated feature film  Pocahontas .

• 1.1 Personality
• 1.2 Physical appearance
• 2.1 Pocahontas
• 2.2 Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World

Background [ ]

Personality [ ].

Chief Powhatan, as his title states, is the chief of the Powhatan tribe . He was once married, but his wife died sometime before the time period of the first film. He has one daughter, Pocahontas . He is initially prejudiced towards the white settlers, but later changes his ways thanks to Pocahontas who convinced him not to go down a path of hatred.

Chief Powhatan appears to be middle-aged; however, he is still a powerful and respected warrior, as he has led his tribe to battle on at least two known occasions. His most distinctive clothing consists of a feathered headdress and a buckskin cape that he later gifts to John Smith . He appears to be a wise leader, though his distrust of the white settlers almost gets the best of him.

Physical appearance [ ]

Chief Powhatan is an aged but muscular man with black mohawked hair, tanned skin, and brown eyes. He wears a feathered headdress, an article of clothing similar to a loincloth, and a buckskin cape decorated with raccoon tails and also carries a staff.

Appearances [ ]

Pocahontas [ ].

Powhatan appears early in the film, having just returned from a successful war campaign against the hostile Massawomeck tribe. That night, he proclaims a feast in honor of Kocoum , who had distinguished himself as the bravest warrior. Later, he reunites with Pocahontas. Pocahontas relates a dream that she recently had, telling him she believes that it means something exciting will happen. Powhatan reveals to her that Kocoum has asked to marry her. Pocahontas is somewhat reluctant, but Powhatan believes it is the right path for her. He gives Pocahontas a necklace that her mother wore when she married Powhatan and counsels Pocahontas that the people will look up to her as she is the Chief's daughter.

When white settlers appear on the shore, Powhatan orders Kocoum to take some men and observe. After one of the warriors is shot, Powhatan forbids his tribe from going near them (not knowing his daughter has already met one). Powhatan begins making plans to gather his allies, a call-to-arms to prepare for a war against the settlers. Later, Pocahontas, who has met a white man named John Smith , asks her father if he would be willing to speak with a white settler should one wish to. Powhatan finally concedes that he would, but is certain that they would not want to.

When Kocoum is killed, Powhatan orders that John Smith, who is believed to be the murderer, be killed at dawn. He then harshly scolds Pocahontas for disobeying him and leaving the village, and when she tries to explain that Smith was trying to help her, her father accuses her of foolishness and being a traitor and puts the blame of Kocoum's death on her, leaving his daughter in tear-inducing disgrace. Later that night, he and the warriors prepare for a war against the soldiers.

At dawn, Powhatan prepares to execute Smith but is stopped by Pocahontas, who reveals her love for the settler and tells him that he'll have to kill her if he kills John. Pocahontas refuses to stand aside and then scolds everyone for following a path of hatred and tells her father what would his path be if he choose to fight out of hatred. Powhatan looks to his warriors and the settlers preparing to attack each other, realizing that he will be responsible for the deaths of many more people, including his own if he goes through with the execution. Seeing the wisdom in his daughter's words, he then spares Smith, and both sides lower their weapons. However, Governor Ratcliffe (the leader of the settlers) rejects the offer and attempts to kill Powhatan, as he believes the Indians to be hiding gold. John steps in the way, saving Powhatan's life. Powhatan is seen stooping to care for the injured Smith.

Later, as Smith is preparing to return to England for medical treatment, Powhatan comes to see him off. Powhatan thanks John for saving him, giving Smith his own cape as a gift. Powhatan also tells Smith that he is welcome among the tribe.

Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World [ ]

John Rolfe is tasked with bringing the "Indian Chief" to England for negotiations to avoid war between the tribe and England. However, a misunderstanding leads Rolfe to believe that Pocahontas, rather than Powhatan is the chief. After learning his mistake, Powhatan is asked to accompany Rolfe back to England. Powhatan stubbornly refuses, and so Pocahontas is sent in his stead. Before Pocahontas leaves, Powhatan appoints a warrior named Uttamatomakkin as a bodyguard to Pocahontas during the voyage.

Gallery [ ]

• According to history, this Pamunkey chief had many wives and children. All of his children were half-siblings and not two were, it is believed, full siblings. He would marry many at once in different stages of pregnancy. He would keep a wife until she bore him a child. When this was accomplished that wife and her child would be sent back to her own people. Later on, the child would be sent back to Powhatan's court and that woman would no longer be the chief's wife. She was then free to remarry.
• He had a half-brother or younger brother named Opechancanough who succeeded him after his death in 1618. Opechancanough led an attack on Jamestown four years later because he felt his tribe was threatened by the growing size of the settlement. John Rolfe , who was then married to his third wife, Jane Pierce, was possibly one of Opechancanough's victims.
• Ratcliffe's attempted murder of Powhatan was foreshadowed by Kekata, in which a wolf-shaped smoke representing the settlers tried to fly towards Powhatan, but it was blocked by him.
• He is the second Disney Princess Father to have two different voice actors, with Russell Means doing the speaking voice and Jim Cummings doing the singing voice (and two lines of dialogue); the first being King Stefan .
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Pocahontas (released June 23, 1995) is the 33rd entry in the Disney Animated Canon . It is loosely inspired by true events around the foundation of Jamestown (the first permanent English settlement in North America ), specifically by John Smith's rewrite of Pocahontas' life. It takes the old legend of the First Nations girl who supposedly saved the life of Englishman John Smith and turns it into a musical with few roots in the historical record, giving Pocahontas a significant Age Lift as well as romantic interest in John Smith. It literally has more roots in fantasy, in fact — a supporting character is a talking willow tree.

The film centers around Pocahontas, who has been promised to the best warrior of the tribe by her father, Chief Powhatan (the chieftain of the Powhatan Tribe), but she senses she has a greater purpose in life than this. When English settlers arrive to form the Jamestown colony, she meets the idealistic John Smith, the one member of the group who is interested more in adventure and the beauty of the land than the gold said to lie in it, which Governor Ratcliffe exhorts the others to dig up. Each an outcast among his/her own people, they fall in love.

But both groups are intensely mistrustful of the other — the Powhatans fear the English will ravage their land and people; the English regard themselves superior to the "savage" natives. When a rendezvous between the lovers leads to the death of her intended at the hands of a settler, John Smith is captured and sentenced to die, and (utterly convinced that the natives hide the gold) Ratcliffe intends to use this as the perfect excuse to exterminate the Powhatan people. Only Pocahontas can save both worlds.

A Direct to Video sequel, Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World , was released in 1998. It applied similar fictionalization to Pocahontas' later life, namely her journey to England and marriage to John Rolfe. A video game adaptation was also released for the Sega Genesis .

Pocahontas provides examples of:

• 2D Visuals, 3D Effects : Grandmother Willow's face and some of the canoes are animated with noticeable CG.
• Added Alliterative Appeal : The opening song mentions "glory, God, and gold" as the settlers' motivation.
• Closed captions in television airings inform us of what Meeko, who otherwise chitters unintelligibly, means to say.
• Lon is never referred to by name in the movie.
• Always Chaotic Evil : The natives' view of the settlers, and the other way around. Bonus points as the Powhatan people view the settlers' use of firearms as Bad Powers, Bad People .
• Ambiguous Situation : Was Pocahontas just pretending she doesn't speak English when she first met John Smith, or did she really not know English, despite speaking it fluently with her tribe ?
• Hardtack is a term that wouldn't come into use until the American Civil War. Back then, such bread was typically called ship's biscuit or sea biscuit.
• Depending on the Artist , the British flags of the settlers either do or don't include the red diagonal cross representing Northern Ireland, which would not be added to the flag until 1801.
• Animal Reaction Shot : After the magic of the Virginia woods eliminates the language barrier between John Smith and Pocahontas, Meeko and Flit both share a Jaw Drop and a stunned exchange of looks.
• Answer Cut : There's an interesting take on this in the opening sequence. John Smith: I've seen hundreds of new worlds, Thomas. What could possibly be different about this one? [ cue title card ]
• Armor-Piercing Question : When Pocahontas stops her father from executing John Smith , she tells him that the path of hatred has brought them to armed conflict with the settlers and asks what his path will be. It causes Powhatan to order his men to stand down and release John .
• Artistic License – Animal Care : Let's just say that if weren't for cartoon logic, Percy would be pretty worse off from eating cherries since they contain cyanide, which is toxic and fatal to dogs if consumed in large enough amounts.
• Artistic License – Biology : Flit the hummingbird gulps an entire raspberry at one point. Hummingbirds in reality eat nectar, tree sap, and small insects, and have been known to sip juices from overripe/pecked fruit. If they were actually able to eat solid berries, they would have to be in much smaller chunks than a whole raspberry, which would kill Flit by asphyxiation.
• Artistic License – Geography : This story is set in coastal Virginia, but there are mountains, waterfalls and thick pine forests. While there are certainly mountains in Virginia, they're hundreds of miles away from the coast... which is quite flat and swampy.
• Artistic License – History : To list every single historical inaccuracy in the movie would take up an entire separate page, as there are very, very few things in the film that are accurate to the real life history of Pocahontas note  among the very few is that John Smith did go on a few month trip back to England due to an injury, albeit it was the result of a powder keg explosion and not getting shot . However, this was done intentionally—the filmmakers did extensive research on the history of Pocahontas and even had full access to historical documents of the history of Jamestown as reference, but they said they were more interested in adapting the legend of Pocahontas than being historically accurate. For one thing, they knowingly made her older.
• John Smith's matchlock rifle is somehow still lit after he jumps through a waterfall . A match cord can be hard to light or keep lit if it's just damp , so even approaching a strong waterfall would probably be a bad idea.
• Aside Glance : Two woodland critters give each other a bored one after Grandmother Willow makes a Pun .
• "Colors of the Wind" is a big ballad preaching a Green Aesop — and a good amount of advertising for the film consisted of this song just being shown. It did win the Oscar.
• "If I Never Knew You", a big love duet that received a cover by Jon Secada and Shanice for the end credits. It ended up cut from the theatrical release, as during test screenings with child audiences, their attention "seemed to wander from the film" during the sequence (it was set during Pocahontas' conversation with John Smith while he was being held prisoner before his scheduled execution the next day). The Mel Gibson/Judy Kuhn version is available on the 10th anniversary DVD.
• Reality Is Unrealistic / Shown Their Work : Keeping both eyes open and focused on your target does boost accuracy in Real Life , though it takes a fair bit practice to get the hang of it.
• Bad Powers, Bad People : Firearms + white people equals evil , according to Kekata.
• Bavarian Fire Drill : Ratcliffe waging war against the Powhatans. Sure, Smith was in very real mortal peril (although there was no way Pocahontas was going to let him die), but Ratcliffe actually didn't give a rat's ass about Smith's life. In fact, he wanted to rid himself of Smith. Also, he ordered for anyone who wouldn't shoot a native at sight to be hanged for treason. So by his own laws, Smith would have to be considered a bloody traitor.
• Becoming Part of the Image : Ratcliffe does this with a painting of King James during the song "Mine, Mine, Mine". The result is Ratcliffe's face replacing that of King James on the painting. Unlike most other examples, he does it on purpose.
• The Big Damn Kiss : Several for Pocahontas and John. Most iconically, their first kiss next to Grandmother Willow, but the very last one could also count.
• Pocahontas just as her father is about to kill John in the climax.
• Shortly afterwards, John does one as he notices Ratcliffe aiming his musket at Powhatan. He promptly shoves the chief out of the way, taking the bullet instead .
• Bilingual Bonus : Every Indigenous word and sentence in this movie was a real word in the partially lost Powhatan language , although the implied grammar is mostly guessed.
• Bittersweet Ending : John takes a bullet meant for Chief Powhatan, and must sail back to England for medicine. Pocahontas realises she's needed with her own people, so the lovers can't be together. However Ratcliffe is removed from power, and things between the settlers and natives are slightly better now.
• Black-and-White Morality : Played straight at the extremes: Pocahontas is good, John develops into good, Ratcliffe is bad. Every single other character is some tint of grey .
• Bloodless Carnage : Several characters are shot, sometimes fatally (in Kocoum's case), with no blood or other visible sign of injury. This leads to an odd moment with the "Savages" verse "I wonder if they even bleed" because... they don't .
• Book Ends : Disney goes back to its roots here, opting for more appropriate parchment instead of a storybook. The first shot of the film is a parchment drawing of London harbour. The final shot features a drawing of a cliff in Virginia.
• Calling the Old Man Out : Pocahontas does this while her people are ready to fight the English .
• Canine Confusion : At one point, Percy enjoys cherries while he's taking a bath. In real life, dogs should not eat cherries because their pits, leaves and stems have cyanide in them, which is poisonous and dangerous. Cherry pits can also get stuck in a dog's intestinal tract.
• Cassandra Truth : "But there is no gold!"
• Cerebus Retcon : Early in the film, Thomas makes a joke that if any Indian gets in his way, "I'll blast him". Later on he fatally shoots Kocoum, which nearly gets John executed and starts a war.
• Chekhov's Gun : Pocahontas's dream of a spinning arrow comes into play when she is unsure of what to do during John Smith's impending execution. She then looks at his compass which she has been carrying, and it spins wildly until it points to the direction he is in, allowing her to finally follow her destiny.
• Chekhov's Lecture : John Smith tells Thomas to keep "Both eyes open" while shooting to shoot straight. Thomas whispers that advice while taking aim at Kocoum.
• Closer to Earth : The Powhatan are depicted this way when compared to the settlers. They wage battles, but overall they are more In Harmony with Nature and are not taking from others. Ostensibly, like their real life counterparts, the first battle is a result of conflict — they are not expansionists or conquerors. At no point are they depriving others of basic necessities or destroying natural resources in pursuit of a (highly valued but) practically useless mineral. Wahunsenacah says he would seek peace if the settlers would talk and listen, but anytime the natives go near their camp, even just to look, they get shot at. Meanwhile Ratcliffe has no grayness, shoots first and never asks questions, and will never negotiate. '''Pocahontas:''' Then you should talk back.-->
• Conspicuous Consumption : Ratcliffe envisions himself wearing a suit of armor made of solid gold, beset with gemstones.
• Counterpoint Duet : More like Counterpoint Trio with Chorus — "Savages (Part 2)" has the settlers vs. Pocahontas' tribe vs. Pocahontas, herself.
• "Savages" is the most brutal and intense song that addresses the themes of othering, xenophobia, and genocide.
• The killing of Kocoum is one of Disney's few onscreen human character deaths.
• The climax of the movie centers around an execution and an upcoming war.
• Near the end of the movie, John Smith sacrifices himself by throwing himself in front of Chief Powhatan and gets wounded in the process, leading to a Bittersweet Ending instead of the standard Disney happy ending.
• Dawn Attack : After Thomas kills Kocoum and the Powhatans capture John Smith, Chief Powhatan and Governor Ratcliffe each announce plans to attack their opposition at sunrise.
• Didn't Think This Through : Apparently, killing a man as a part of shooting him never occurred to Thomas.
• Disappointed in You : "Because of your foolishness, Kocoum is dead !"
• Disney Acid Sequence : "Colors of the Wind" goes into surreal images to show Pocahontas telling John about the wonders of her homeland.
• Disneyfication : The film shredded everything we know about the historical Pocahontas. For one thing, she was between 10 and 12 years old when she first met John Smith, making a romantic relationship unlikely at best. She and Kocoum were already married , not just engaged. Her father had fifty wives and many children. She was taken to Jamestown as a hostage and married before her trip to London, and no armada was threatening to annihilate her people. John Smith was not a Prince Charming type, but in fact an unattractive, short man with a giant woolly beard. The only bit they got right was her saving Smith from execution, and even that is considered by some historians to be the enactment of a ritual (and thus Smith wasn't in any real danger). Still other historians suspect Smith of making up the entire story, since it doesn't appear until he wrote his memoirs, four years after her ''death'' . And she didn't actually marry John Smith. She married John Rolfe. In real life, John Smith was more of a father-type figure to her than a love interest.
• Description Cut : Immediately after Powhatan expresses his hopes that the settlers will leave, Governor Ratcliffe christens Jamestown.
• Double-Meaning Title : The title of the Villain Song , "Mine, Mine, Mine" uses "mine" as both the pronoun and the verb; it's both about Ratcliffe's desire to make the New World his own, and about literally ordering his men to dig for gold.
• Dramatic Necklace Removal : A rather disturbing example. Pocahontas' father gives her a necklace at the beginning of the movie during the scene where he talks about her eventual marriage to Kocoum. She's supposed to wear it to her wedding, and it used to belong to her mother. In the scene where Kocoum sees Pocahontas consorting with John Smith and it all hits the fan, Kocoum is fatally shot and dies falling backwards into water. As he goes down, he grabs at Pocahontas' necklace, shattering it into tiny pieces.
• Dramatic Wind : And how! The heroine is almost constantly followed by winds that artistically blow leaves around. Her hair also gets this treatment, especially at dramatic moments. According to Wikipedia, this wind actually represents the guiding spirit of her Missing Mom . Russell Means, who voiced Powhatan, points out that wind is a powerful spiritual force in many Native American worldviews.
• Drums of War : The song "Savages" has both the Powhatans and the English colonists beating their respective drums as they go to war. The song's lyrics include the line "now we sound the drums of war".
• Dumbass Has a Point : Wiggins hits the nail on the head for why the Native Americans attacked the Englishmen while they were digging for their gold. This astonishingly accurate assumption is ignored because Ratcliffe thinks that the Indians are hoarding the gold for themselves and don't want the English to take it. Ironically, the Native Americans weren't even attacking — Chief Powhatan's command was to observe them, not engage.
• Earn Your Happy Ending : Pocahontas is the only one who can prevent the plot from going into a bloody massacre.
• The Eleven O'Clock Number : "Savages" is the final song of the film, happening right before the Pamunkey and the English go to war.
• Epic Tracking Shot : The first shot of Pocahontas is one of these, zooming in and up to focus on her face as she stands on a clifftop.
• Equippable Ally : Meeko holds and swings Flit around like a sword against Percy, but doesn't actually make any contact.
• Two of them in the same scene. Thomas is washed overboard because of his clumsiness. John promptly jumps overboard after him, saying the rest of the crew would do the same for him. Then Ratcliffe comes along, gives a resounding speech in front of the men, and proceeds to demean them when alone with Percy and Wiggins.
• Before that, we see John boarding the ship by riding a cannon. We also see men bidding their wives and failies goodbye, see Thomas hugging a woman goodbye, then pull back to reveal his father and little sibling, thus establishing him as the baby of the expedition.
• When Powhatan first appears on screen, he seems a stern, imposing figure. Then a young woman exuberantly greets her lover returning from war by tackling him into the water, and Powhatan gives a gentle smile at this.
• Face Plant : When Percy chases Meeko after their first encounter, he trips and lands face-first in mud, ruining the bath he just took.
• The English colonists' mission to amass gold was destined to fail from the outset, due to Virginia having a complete lack of the resource they were seeking.
• Due to his double status as Butt-Monkey and being the villain's pet, Percy can't win in anything, especially eating.
• The Natives' attempt to resist the invasion is equally doomed.
• Falling-in-Love Montage : "Colors of the Wind" starts off as a "Reason You Suck" Speech in song form, before becoming this.
• Fantasy Americana : Although this movie leans more towards Magic Realism , this trope is still present. A willow tree contains a wise spirit who gives guidance, and Pocahontas has distinctive shamanic powers. Again, this is working off real traditional Native worldviews and both Irene Bedard (Inuit) and Russell Means (Lakhota) advised on this as a condition of being in the film at all.
• Forgotten Fallen Friend : The death of Kocoum has very little effect on most of the characters. While the heroine is seen mourning shortly after the event, it's not because of his death but because of Smith's impending execution. Thomas shows little emotion over just having killed someone, and Chief Powhatan, who had thought especially highly of Kocoum , does not seem too concerned about finding the real murderer after Smith is let go. The only character who really shows any substantial emotion about this death is Percy. Can be justified as the movie doesn't really have time to explore everyone's feelings about the loss of Kocoum , especially in light of John's impending execution and preparations of war between the settlers and Powhatan's tribe.
• Before the opening title even comes on, we see a rat boarding the ship at the same time as Ratcliffe, just in case you couldn't already tell he was evil by the way he dressed and acted .
• Ratcliffe pumps up the crew's morale incredibly easily after the storm , which paves the way for how easily he turns them into bloodthirsty racists at the climax. Just around the riverbend Beyond the shore '''Somewhere past the sea''' Don't know what for''...-->
• As Kekata is treating Namantek's gunshot wound, he says "this wound is strange to me". This foreshadows that John Smith's only hope to survive his own shot wound is to sail back to England .
• Thomas nearly shoots John while the former is keeping guard. Thomas later kills Kocoum to protect John, and John himself is shot in the climax by Ratcliffe.
• Go Through Me : Near the end, when Pocahontas shields John Smith from the attempted blows of her father's club, she protests that, if he wants to kill him, he'll have to kill her too.
• Good Versus Good : John Smith, Kocoum and Thomas are all fully sympathetic characters. Kocoum attacks and tries to kill John Smith because he thinks he is trying to hurt or take advantage of his betrothed, and Thomas kills Kocoum to protect John Smith from being killed, immediately regretting the murder afterwards.
• Head Crushing : Pocahontas narrowly averts the execution of John Smith by her father as a penalty for killing Kokoum. Chief Powhatan is poised to crush Smith's head with a large club when his daughter intervenes.
• Held Gaze : Pocahontas and John Smith share the romantic variant of the trope when they first meet and Smith lowers his gun in awe of her beauty as Pocahontas gazes into his eyes curiously.
• That said, Powhatan's deerskin cloak is a pretty close recreation of what the actual historical figure wore.
• I Come in Peace : John subverts this upon meeting Pocahontas, and not even in We Come in Peace — Shoot to Kill terms. One is left to wonder just what he might've done if Pocahontas hadn't been a girl .
• If I Were a Rich Man : Combined with I Just Want to Be Special . Ratcliffe's Villain Song implausibly denies he's bitter, but he'd love to see his rich rivals squirm once he gets back home.
• Implausible Deniability : Ratcliffe denies to himself that there is no gold, just to reassure himself he won't have to return to England having failed his last assignment.
• Improvised Weapon : Meeko turns Flit into this, in order to fight off Percy.
• Inexplicable Language Fluency : English explorer John Smith meets the alluring Pocahontas of the Powhatan tribe. Smith doesn't know her language, nor she his. That is, until Pocahontas takes a breath of magic wind. Suddenly, her English is better than his.
• Instant Marksman: Just Squeeze Trigger! : John Smith gives the inexperienced Thomas advice on how to handle his gun, including a gentle reminder to "keep both eyes open". This becomes an Ironic Echo when Thomas shoots Kocoum .
• I Reject Your Reality : Radcliffe stubbornly refuses to believe Smith’s claims that the Indians are friendly and that there is no gold in the new world, thinking that Smith has gone delusional. Ironically, Radcliffe is the delusional one. The same could be said for the excuses to all of his other actions.
• "And he came so highly recommended." Ratcliffe says it of Wiggins after perceiving the latter to be inept; Wiggins utters the very same line tearfully after seeing Ratcliffe being taken away for his crimes .
• Before shooting Kocoum, Thomas whispers John’s advice: "Both eyes open."
• "But I can't leave you." "You never will. No matter what happens, I’ll always be with you, forever." said by both Pocahontas and John before the attack and near the end.
• "Just Around the Riverbend" for Pocahontas. She doesn't seem to know what she wants, except the feeling of not knowing what's coming; something she won't have if she marries Kocoum.
• "Mine, Mine, Mine" combines this with a Villain Song for Ratcliffe, serving as a counterpoint to John Smith's purer intentions. Just to make things odd, Ratcliffe seems to be saying he'll take everything they dig up for himself, but the men of the company find the song inspiring, since they seem to understand "mine!" as a command.
• Kill on Sight : Governor Ratcliffe declares that "anyone who doesn't shoot an Indian on sight shall be charged with treason and hanged!"
• Lady Vessel : The Susan Constant is the ship which brings John Smith and the other settlers to North America.
• Lame Pun Reaction : When Grandmother Willow comments that "My bark is worse than my bite", the owls give an exasperated glance at each other.
• Language Fluency Denial : The Native Americans speak to each other in English, but whenever the Powhatans meet with one of the Englishmen, they speak Powhatan (with the exception of Pocahontas). However, it's not clear if it's meant to be this trope or if it's meant to be a case of Translation Convention .
• Language Fluency Reveal : When Pocahontas first meets John Smith, she speaks Powhatan , until some spiritual magic gets involved and bridges the language barrier. An ambiguous example, since it's not clear if her speaking Powhatan was meant to be Language Fluency Denial or if her and her tribe speaking English earlier was meant to be a case of Translation Convention .
• Language of Love : Sort of. Pocahontas instantly becomes fluent in English as a result of "listening with her heart".
• Leave the Two Lovebirds Alone : Surprisingly, Meeko of all people pulls one off by stopping Flit from interfering with the protagonists' relationship.
• Magic Realism : The film is given a serious realistic feel and actual date of when it takes place (1607), but it also has a talking willow tree and magical wind to represent the spirits of the earth. Pocahontas also has certain powers, like being able to jump from a high cliff, an unusually close connection to animals and the ability to learn English via listening with her heart. Aside from the Translator Microbes , the writer really were attempting to include sacred traditions.
• Maligned Mixed Marriage : While not a marriage, John and Pocahontas's relationship is not accepted at first because they are of different races, who hate each other.
• Map Stabbing : Governor Ratcliffe stabs a map of the New World with his sword just before starting his first musical number ("Mine, mine, mine") .
• Match Cut : During the "Savages" sequence, there's a juxtaposed shot of the natives beating war drums with the settlers beating their own war drums, clearly intended to show that the two groups are the same.
• Meaningful Echo : Not quite direct, but possibly intentional. When John rescues Thomas at the beginning, he says to the rest of the men, "Of course, any of you would do the same for me." When John is taken prisoner, Thomas says they have to rescue him as "he'd do the same for any of us."
• Mirroring Factions : The Native Americans Pocahontas comes from and the colonizers John Smith come from are portrayed as much more similar than they should be. A fairly dark example, considering our first view of the natives is their warriors returning from having "defeated the Massowomecks" and the ending only avoided being a massacre because both sides launched their sneak attacks at the same time. Also, the leads were too popular to ignore their wishes . Lampshaded when both of them sing a similar song. In fact, "Savages" can be considered this trope in song form, as much for some of the expressions and animation choices as for the lyrics.
• The Mountains of Illinois : Either the filmmakers didn't do the research on the Tidewater/Coastal Plains region of Virginia, where the movie takes place, or they did, but didn't care. Because, like the name "Coastal Plains" implies , the area doesn't have any mountains or cliffs.
• Murder the Hypotenuse : Upon seeing Pocahontas kissing John Smith, Kocoum's first response is to try killing his rival for Pocahontas.
• My God, What Have I Done? : When Thomas informs the colony that they've taken John prisoner and the men gear up for war, not simply a rescue mission, his face throughout "Savages" pretty much says it all .
• Naïve Newcomer : By a very loose interpretation of this trope, all of the English colonists qualify. They were greatly misinformed or uninformed about the realities of the New World.
• The Native Rival : Kocoum, mainly because he's annoyed at John Smith for getting romantically involved with his intended bride. He ends up getting killed by Thomas (John Smith's friend) while trying to murder Smith.
• Neutral Female : Pocahontas tries in vain to avert this during the fight between John Smith and Kocoum.
• Nice Job Breaking It, Hero : Thomas shoots Kocoum, which leads to the Indians capturing John and planning to execute him the next morning. Thomas tells the settlers and Ratcliffe decides to attack.
• Noble Savage : Part of the point. Only Pocahontas herself plays it completely straight, considering the film begins with her people returning from a successful war against a rival tribe. Even so, her people do seem to be just as In Harmony with Nature as she is.
• Not Drawn to Scale : The masts of the settlers' ship tower over the giant hardwoods of Virginia.
• Oddball in the Series : The film has a Bittersweet Ending , unlike the rest of the Disney animated canon, which almost all end euphorically (the exceptions being The Fox and the Hound and The Princess and the Frog ).
• Oh, Crap! : The look on Ratcliffe's face when Smith takes the bullet for Powhatan. Not from any actual remorse, but when your casus belli was to avenge the settlers' admired captain and you wind up shooting him yourself...
• One Dialogue, Two Conversations : The end of "Savages (Reprise)". Men: Now we sound the drums... of... Pocahontas: Is the death of all I love carried in the drumming of... Men: WAR! Pocahontas actually adds on to this with her Big "NO!" just afterward; although she shouts in protest, in stopping the battle between her tribe and the Jamestown settlers, she answers her own question.
• One Head Taller : Highlighted in the "Colors of the Wind" number. Pocahontas and John Smith send eagles up to the top of a tree, with John Smith's eagle being one head taller than Pocahontas's eagle. This leads into a Match Fade of Pocahontas and John Smith themselves following the trope.
• One-Steve Limit : Ratcliffe's first name was John too, but he's only ever called by his last. Possibly to distinguish him from John Smith.
• Only One Name : Basically every character except John. Every other character is referred to either by only their first name (such as Pocahontas, Thomas, Ben, and Lon) or their surname (such as Ratcliffe or Wiggins).
• Oscar Bait : Disney hoped Pocahontas would score a Best Picture nomination like Beauty and the Beast , hence the (by Disney standards) "serious" tone. It didn't take and, while the film got two Oscars for its music, Disney never lobbied to get a Best Picture nomination again.
• Parents Suck at Matchmaking : Chief Powhatan promises Pocahontas in marriage to his best warrior, Kocoum, although she doesn't like him because he is too stoic. In a scene, the chief decides to call Kocoum to "protect" Pocahontas while she is gathering corn, but it is obviously an excuse to push on her the unwanted fiancée. She huffs in annoyance.
• Perpetual Frowner : Kocoum rarely grins at all — so much so that when Nakoma expresses attraction towards him, Pocahontas sarcastically remarks his best feature is his smile. He doesn't even grin at Pocahontas—whom he intended to marry.
• When Kocoum is shot dead by Thomas, Meeko comforts Percy.
• Very small one, but during the "Savages" song, when he and the settlers rush up to "save" John Smith, Ratcliffe's expression of horror does appear to be sincere.
• Picture-Perfect Presentation : The movie starts with a woodcut of London Harbor that transitions to the harbor in-animation, zooming in on the dock where the colonists are boarding and loading their ship. It ends with a shot of Pocahontas on the cliff, watching John Smith's ship heading back to England, transitioning back into a woodcut.
• Politically Correct History : The film airbrushes out the darker, more heinous elements of the conflict between the colonists and the Native Americans.
• Posthumous Character : Pocahontas's mother. Filmmakers originally wanted to include her, as they were getting sick of Disney Princesses having Missing Moms , but their research showed that the real Pocahontas was unlikely to have known her mother. There was a planned scene where the mother's spirit would give her advice, but it was scrapped because The Lion King (1994) was using a similar idea.
• The Power of Love : Not the typical magical effect it usually has in Disney movies, but saving both a lover and a people from extermination is not to be sneezed at. It could be that the power of love helped Pocahontas and John Smith overcome the language barrier in about five seconds. Supposedly, the pink and purple leaves swirling about were her mom's spirit/symbolic of the power of love. This seems so powerful that it lets Nakoma understand English too.
• Prolonged Prologue : About 6-7 minutes pass until the title and opening credits are shown.
• A Real Man Is a Killer : Ratcliffe tells Thomas that "a man's not a man unless he knows how to shoot".
• If you take away the romantic images accompanying it and look purely at the lyrics, "Colors of the Wind" is this in song.
• Pocahontas also delivers one when saving John Smith from execution. It doubles as Calling the Old Man Out .
• Ratcliffe delivers a rather harsh one to Thomas. Ratcliffe: Oh, and Thomas, you've been a slipshod sailor and a poor excuse for a soldier. Don't disappoint me again.
• Revealing Reflection : While John Smith is exploring Virginia, Pocahontas follows him out of curiosity, keeping out of sight. When he stops by a waterfall to get a drink, he notices her reflection and casually gets up then to ready an ambush.
• Riding into the Sunset : The last scene has John being taken back to England on the ship with Pocahontas looking on from a clifftop.
• Ripping Off the String of Pearls : As Kokoum is shot, he grasps at Pocahontas' necklace (which belonged to her mother) and it breaks off and falls to the floor in pieces, signifying how the shooting breaks relationships between the two sides and brings them to the brink of war. It gets fixed at the very end, though.
• Aside from much of the imagery during "Colors of the Wind", the Dramatic Wind , and especially the Ripping Off the String of Pearls , there's the scene where Grandmother Willow tries to convince John to go with Pocahontas to meet with her father by showing him how ripples can spread, "but someone has to start them."
• "Savages" is also chock full of it, from the superimposed images of the settlers and Ratcliffe in the fire and of Pocahontas's face as she rushes to get there to save John and avert the war to the way the smoke from the settlers' and tribesmen's torches rises up to join and form a great thunderhead over the battlefield. There's also the fact that the fire and the moonlight make the settlers' and Natives' skin look red and white, respectively, bringing to mind how they're similar.
• And then there's an invoked example where, on the fly, John points out that Percy and Meeko's scuffle as an allegory about how their people are inevitably bound to wage war with each other.
• Meeko's hunger and Percy suffering for it.
• Also, John 's "I've been through worse scrapes/suffered worse wounds than this... can't think of any at the moment, but..."
• Ben does this in the prologue, yelling, "Smith! Smith! Are you crazy?!" when John dives off the ship to save Thomas.
• Thomas yells John's name after John is shot by Ratcliffe.
• Scenery Porn : Although highly inaccurate . The animation was so detailed that it took about five years to complete.
• Screw This, I'm Outta Here! : Ben and Lon when Grandmother Willow give them a taste of When Trees Attack . "He's a big lad! He can take care of himself!"
• Shoo Out the Clowns : Wiggins is briefly seen securing Ratcliffe's armor during the beginning notes of "Savages", before disappearing and only reappearing in the final scene to comment on Ratcliffe's betrayal.
• Flit's personality. Male hummingbirds are actually incredibly belligerent and territorial, to the point where some species have evolved beaks that they basically use as swords to duel with other hummingbirds at a food source.
• John's reaction to Meeko, calling him "a strange-looking fellow." Raccoons aren't native to the Old World; of course he's never seen one before! Their closest Old-World relatives are the mustelids, i.e. weasels, badgers, and the like.
• The Smurfette Principle : Does better averting this than other Disney Renaissance movies. In addition to the main heroine, there are two female supporting characters with big influences on the plot. Grandmother Willow is the Mentor while Pocahontas's friend Nakoma ends up an Unwitting Instigator of Doom .
• Soup of Poverty : Discussed . When John Smith is trying to convince the settlers that they can benefit from cooperating with the Native Americans instead of fighting them, he shows them an ear of corn. He comments that it’s “better than hardtack and gruel.”
• Staggered Zoom : Used to zoom in on Ratcliffe at the start of the second half of "Savages".
• Star-Crossed Lovers : John is part of an invading crew of settlers, Pocahontas is The Chief's Daughter . They're the first Disney couple who don't end up together. The story was even created to be Romeo and Juliet in 17th Century Virginia. Even when they're reunited in the sequel they still don't end up together .
• Stuff Blowing Up : Happens at the end of Ratcliffe's Villain Song .
• Taking the Heat : When Kocoum attacks John Smith out of jealousy and rage after witnessing him and Pocahontas kissing, and tries to kill him until Thomas shoots Kocoum dead where this only angers Pocahontas. When they hear the voices of Kocoum's warriors in the distance, John orders Thomas to get out of the area so that he can take the blame of Kocoum's death allowing Thomas to warn the settlers of what has happened.
• Translation Convention : The Native Americans' spoken dialogue are portrayed to the audience as being spoken in English. Whenever the Powhatans meet with one of the Englishmen, they speak Powhatan, until some spiritual magic gets involved and bridges the language barrier. However, it's not clear if it's meant to be this trope or if it's meant to be a case of Language Fluency Denial , with the Native Americans hiding their ability to speak and understand English for their safety and Grandma Willow merely letting Pocahontas know that John Smith posed no threat.
• That Old-Time Prescription : Pocahontas gives John Smith willow bark for the pain after he is shot in the side.
• Nakoma, fearing for Pocahontas' safety, tells Kocoum about Pocahontas going off to meet John Smith in the woods. She was hoping Kocoum would stop Pocahontas from fraternizing with John Smith and the settlers, but she didn't expect Kocoum to witness Pocahontas and John kissing where this causes him to try and kill John in a blind rage before he gets fatally shot by Thomas, leading to the near genocide of both sides. Although she wasn't called out on her actions by Pocahontas, who was harshly blamed by her father for Kocoum's death, Nakoma is horrified of what has happened due to her actions and does her best to make it up to her friend.
• Thomas, who was sent by Ratcliffe to follow John Smith as he wants to know where he is sneaking off to, only shot Kocoum to save John, but this prompts John to willingly take the blame of Kocoum's death to protect Thomas, leading to Kocoum's warriors capturing John and take him to the village where Chief Powhatan plans to execute him at dawn. When Thomas rushes back to Jamestown to inform the settlers that the natives have taken John prisoner, Ratcliffe, still wanting his opportunity to find the gold, decides to rally his settlers to attack the natives in an all out war, not simply rescuing John. As Ratcliffe and the settlers eagerly armor up for battle, Thomas can only stare at his musket in horror over his own actions.
• Very Loosely Based on a True Story : As mentioned earlier, the movie is based on the legend of Pocahontas rather than what actually happened.
• Victorious Chorus : The finale track "Farewell" features one of the more epic versions in the canon—but played with, as the movie's Bittersweet Ending makes it more heart-wrenching than celebratory.
• Villain Has a Point : Ratcliffe was too stubborn to listen to reason when John said that there is no gold and saying the land is theirs. Even if Ratcliffe was argumentative & prejudiced toward the Native Americans and believed that Natives were only pretending to be friends with John Smith, he was correct to not trust Kocoum who attacked John Smith out of jealously for Pocahontas' love for him which ultimately led to John's capture and his near execution by Powhatan. His execution cancelled when Pocahontas reminded him of the path of hatred nearly causing a war but still.
• Wasn't That Fun? : John comments "That was refreshing!" after leaping overboard to rescue Thomas.
• What Happened to the Mouse? : Poor Namontack took a shot to the leg and the last we see him he's still writhing over his wound. Given his tribe's unfamiliarity with gunshot wounds, the odds of his recovery are slim.
• What the Hell, Hero? : Pocahontas calls Chief Powhatan out on his actions in her speech.
• White Man's Burden : John initially thinks this about the Natives. After talking to Pocahontas, he realizes that they don't really need their help and should looked at as equals instead of inferiors.
• Winds Are Ghosts : It's heavily implied that the wind blowing leaves represents Pocahontas's dead mother.
• Yank the Dog's Chain : Percy is quite frequently given the opportunity to enjoy various foods and treats. Unfortunately, Meeko steals them from him every single time . He can't catch a break.
• You Can Talk? : John Smith reacts this way when Pocahontas introduces him to Grandmother Willow. He tells her that the tree is talking to him and she suggests that he talk back.

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By: History.com Editors

Updated: July 7, 2023 | Original: October 29, 2009

Pocahontas was a Native American woman born around 1595. She was the daughter of the powerful Chief Powhatan, the ruler of the Powhatan tribal nation, which at its strongest included around 30 Algonquian communities located in the Tidewater region of Virginia. As far as historians know, nothing in Pocahontas’ childhood indicated she would become known as a folk icon. But when the first European settlers arrived on Powhatan land to begin the colony of Jamestown, Pocahontas became embroiled in a series of events with Captain John Smith and John Rolfe that permanently linked her to America’s colonial heritage.

Pocahontas Matoaka

Pocahontas was named Amonute at birth and went by the name Matoaka. She supposedly earned the nickname Pocahontas, which means “playful one,” because of her happy, inquisitive nature.

As the daughter of Chief Powhatan, Pocahontas may have had more luxuries than many of her peers, but she still had to learn so-called women’s work such as farming, cooking, collecting herbs, building a house, making clothes, butchering meat and tanning hides.

Pocahontas and John Smith

The first English settlers arrived in Jamestown colony in May 1607. That winter, Pocahontas’ brother kidnapped colonist Captain John Smith and made a spectacle of him in front of several Powhatan tribes before taking him to meet Chief Powhatan.

According to Smith, his head was placed on two stones and a warrior prepared to smash his head and kill him. But before the warrior could strike, Pocahontas rushed to Smith’s side and placed her head on his, preventing the attack. Chief Powhatan then bartered with Smith, referred to him as his son and sent him on his way.

Smith’s account of Pocahontas’ lifesaving efforts is hotly debated, partly because he wrote different versions of this initial meeting with Chief Powhatan. Many historians believe Smith was never in peril and the placement of his head on the stones was ceremonial.

Even so, if Smith’s explanation of the incident is true, he had no way of knowing about Powhatan ceremonial customs and from his terrified point of view, Pocahontas was undoubtedly his benevolent rescuer.

How a Romanticized Take on Pocahontas Became a Touchstone of American Culture

Early American plays portrayed her as a mythical 'Indian princess.'

5 Myths About Pocahontas

Four centuries after Pocahontas’ death, unlearn everything you thought you knew about this Native American icon.

What Was Life Like in Jamestown?

Life in the early 1600s at Jamestown consisted mainly of danger, hardship, disease and death.

Pocahontas Saves John Smith Again

Pocahontas became known by the colonists as an important Powhatan emissary. She occasionally brought the hungry settlers food and helped successfully negotiate the release of Powhatan prisoners in 1608. But relations between the colonists and the Indians remained strained.

By 1609, drought, starvation and disease had ravaged the colonists and they became increasingly dependent on the Powhatan to survive. Desperate and dying, they threatened to burn Powhatan towns for food, so Chief Powhatan suggested a barter with Captain Smith.

When negotiations collapsed, the chief supposedly planned an ambush and Smith’s execution. But Pocahontas warned Smith of her father’s plans and saved his life again.

Soon after, Smith was injured and returned to England; however, Pocahontas and her father were told he died.

Kidnapped by the English

It’s thought that Pocahontas married an Indian named Kocoum in 1610. Afterwards, she avoided the English until 1613 when she was lured onto the English ship of Captain Samuel Argall and kidnapped during the First Anglo-Powhatan War.

Argall informed Chief Powhatan that he wouldn’t return Pocahontas unless he released English prisoners, returned stolen weapons and sent the colonists food. Much to Pocahontas’ dismay, her father only sent half the ransom and left her imprisoned.

While in captivity, Pocahontas lived in the settlement of Henricus under the care of a minister named Alexander Whitaker where she learned about Christianity , English culture and how to speak English. Pocahontas converted to Christianity, was baptized and given the name “Rebecca.”

Marriage to John Rolfe

During her imprisonment, Pocahontas met widower and tobacco planter John Rolfe . The couple decided to marry, likely for both love and political purposes—although the decision wasn’t an easy one for the staunchly Christian Rolfe until Pocahontas converted.

They sent word to Chief Powhatan that they wanted to marry; he consented as did the Virginia governor, Sir Thomas Dale. It’s unclear what happened to Pocahontas’ first husband, but divorce was allowed in Powhatan culture.

Pocahontas married Rolfe in April 1614. The match was considered an important step towards re-establishing positive relations between the colonists and the Indians. Indeed, the marriage brought a season of peace to the region.

Journey to England

In 1616, Sir Thomas Dale sailed to England to rally financial support for the Virginia Company, the company owned by wealthy Londoners that had financed the Jamestown colony.

The company also wanted to prove they had met their goal of converting Native Americans to Christianity, so Rolfe, Pocahontas, their infant son Thomas (born in 1615) and a dozen Powhatan Indians accompanied Dale on the trip.

In London, Pocahontas was revered as a princess and referred to as “Lady Rebecca Wolfe.” She attended plays and balls and was even presented to the royal family.

Much to her surprise, Pocahontas encountered Captain Smith (whom she thought was dead) in London. Although she was overcome with emotion upon seeing him alive and called him “father,” she also reportedly chastised him for his treatment of Chief Powhatan and her people.

The Virginia Company commissioned a portrait of Pocahontas dressed in expensive clothes with an engraved label that said, “Matoaka, alias Rebecca, daughter of the most powerful prince of the Powhatan Empire of Virginia.” It is the only image drawn of her in person.

How Did Pocahontas Die?

In March 1617, Pocahontas, her husband and son set sail for Virginia. But they had hardly made progress when she became gravely ill and was taken ashore at Gravesend, England.

It’s uncertain what disease struck her down. Some speculate it was tuberculosis, pneumonia, dysentery or smallpox; others believe she was poisoned. According to Rolfe, Pocahontas said on her deathbed, “All must die. But ‘tis enough that my child liveth.”

Pocahontas was buried at St. George’s church in Gravesend on March 21, 1617. Rolfe returned to Virginia, but her son Thomas remained with relatives in England. He returned almost two decades later at age 20 to claim inheritances from his father and grandfather and became a successful gentleman tobacco farmer.

Chief Powhatan was devastated upon learning of his daughter’s death. He died about a year later and relations between the Powhatan and Virginia colonists declined rapidly.

Much of Pocahontas’ life has been romanticized and sensationalized in movies and books. But written accounts and Native American oral history show she lived a brief yet significant life.

She was instrumental to maintaining relations between her father and the Jamestown colonists and is believed to be the first Powhatan Indian to convert to Christianity. She is remembered as a courageous, strong woman who left an indelible impression on colonial America.

HISTORY Vault: Native American History

From Comanche warriors to Navajo code talkers, learn more about Indigenous history.

Ambassador to England. Jamestown Rediscovery.

Captain John Smith. National Park Service: Historic Jamestown.

Marriage. Jamestown Rediscovery.

Pocahontas Biography. Biography.

Pocahontas. Gravesend St. George’s.

Pocahontas: Her Life and Legend. National Park Service: Historic Jamestown.

Virginia Company. Jamestown Rediscovery.

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Pocahontas (1995)/Home media

At first announced to be released on March 6, 1996, [99 ]   Pocahontas  was first released on VHS and Laserdisc in the United States on February 28, 1996, under the "Masterpiece Collection" lineup. A deluxe VHS edition included the film and a documentary on the making of the film alongside a special edition of  The Art of Pocahontas  book and Disney-certified lithograph prints. [100 ]  Released on November 13, 1996, the CAV laserdisc Deluxe Edition contained the film, a historical documentary on Pocahontas, and  The Making of Pocahontas , along with added storyboards, character design artwork, concept art, rough animation, publicity and promotional trailers, the deleted "If I Never Knew You" musical sequence, and an  audio commentary  on a total of four double sided discs. The release was also accompanied with a Special Edition of the  Art of Pocahontas  book. [101 ]  Disney initially shipped 17 million VHS copies to retail stores, [102 ]  with nine million copies sold within its first weekend. [103 ]  By mid-1998, the operating income of the VHS release had accumulated to $250 million in worldwide sales. [104 ] [105 ]

In January 2000, Walt Disney Home Video launched the Walt Disney Gold Classic Collection, with  Pocahontas  re-issued on VHS and DVD on June 6, 2000. [106 ]  The DVD contained the film in its 1.66:1  aspect ratio  enhanced with 5.1  surround sound , and was accompanied with special features including two music videos, a trivia game, the theatrical trailer, and a "Fun with Nature" activity booklet. [107 ]  In 2005 the film was remastered for a 10th Anniversary 2-disc Special Edition DVD, the DVD release featured two versions of the film which also featured a new extended cut of the film (adding two performances of "If I Never Knew You"), the original theatrical version and numerous bonus features. [108 ]   Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment  released  Pocahontas , alongside its sequel  Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World , on  Blu-ray Disc  as a 2-Movie Collection on August 21, 2012. [109 ]   Pocahontas  was re-released yet again in 2016 as a Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital HD combo pack, available exclusively through the Disney Movie Club. It featured brand-new cover art, and, for the first time, a digital copy download of the film alongside the physical release. [110 ]

• 2 Supplements
• 3.1 Theatrical release
• 3.2 1995 VHS

Timeline [ ]

Supplements [ ], advertised on: [ ], theatrical release [ ].

• Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (October 28, 1994)
• Disney's Sing-Along Songs: Circle of Life (December 16, 1994)
• The Lion King (March 3, 1995)

1995 VHS [ ]

• Cinderella (October 4, 1995)
• The Santa Clause (October 25, 1995)