The Dark Origins of the Boy Who Never Grew Up: Peter Pan

The Truth about Neverland

The Lost Boys and the Darlings are faced with danger throughout the play and book. Peter, however, sees the danger as entertainment as opposed to being scary. He always ends up saving them, but it’s because he wants to show off his own cleverness, not necessarily because he wants to help him.

Mia Farrow, Michael Deeks, Nicholas Lyndhurst, and other children in the Peter Pan movie, 1976.

Photo by ITV / Shutterstock

The idea of Neverland began with Barrie and the Llewelyn Davies kids were playing around a lake in the countryside. It was a fun land filled with youth and joy, almost making the deaths, starvation, and mutilation not feel real. But once you look at Neverland literally and acknowledge the Lost Boys and Darlings as real people, this exciting adventure becomes disturbing.

Peter Pan – The Cult Leader

The latest version of the Peter Pan story is “Lost Boy” by Christina Henry. In this rendition, bloodthirsty Peter Pan is a sinister cult leader, rather than the spirit of eternal youth. Peter lures little boys away from their families, starves them, and then forces them to play a game called “Battle,” which drives them to murder each other.

Mia Farrow as Peter Pan holding a knife as if he was about to stab something.

Photo by NBC / Hallmark Hall of Fame / Kobal / Shutterstock

He doesn’t kill them but makes someone else do it. The boys both love and hate Peter Pan equally (sounds like Stockholm syndrome). The boys are stuck in Neverland forever and have no way of getting back home; Peter is their only “protector,” so they stick with him. This ending is sadder than Barrie’s ending.