Pocahontas

Lore & Background

In 1607, three ships—the Susan Constant, Godspeed, and Discovery—carry settlers from London to Virginia, bringing Captain John Smith and Governor Ratcliffe, who seeks gold to win favor with King James. Pocahontas, fearing an arranged marriage to the serious warrior Kocoum, consults Grandmother Willow, a talking willow tree, after dreaming of a spinning arrow. This dream alerts her to the arriving English. While the settlers dig for nonexistent gold in Jamestown, John Smith explores the wilderness and meets Pocahontas. Despite their different worlds, they bond quickly through gestures and broken English before falling in love. Their secret relationship is discovered by her friend Nakoma, who warns Pocahontas, while Kocoum attacks John Smith out of jealousy. Following Kocoum's death, Ratcliffe orders a specific attack on the Powhatan village, not an indiscriminate policy from the start.

In Their Own Story

The conflict escalates when a skirmish breaks out between the settlers and natives. John and Pocahontas plan peace with Grandmother Willow's help but are interrupted by Kocoum, who attacks John after overhearing their kiss. Thomas, sent by Ratcliffe to follow John, shoots and kills Kocoum instead. Enraged, Powhatan declares war on the English and orders John's execution at dawn. Ratcliffe uses this as an excuse to annihilate the tribe while searching for gold. On the night of the planned battle, Pocahontas realizes the arrow from John's compass matches her spinning arrow dream, revealing her destiny. At dawn, just as Powhatan prepares to execute John and Ratcliffe leads his men into battle, Pocahontas throws herself over John. She convinces her father to spare him and end the fighting. Although Ratcliffe fires at Powhatan, John takes the bullet. With Ratcliffe sent back to England in chains, John must leave to heal. He asks Pocahontas to come, but she chooses to stay with her tribe.

Reader's Guide

Pocahontas is a noble, adventurous young woman defined by her spiritual connection to nature and her refusal to follow strict prohibitions against meeting the English. She acts as a guide for John Smith, helping him see beyond his discriminatory views of other cultures. Her key relationships include her father Chief Powhatan, who initially distrusts the settlers but eventually makes peace through her influence; Grandmother Willow, who guides her during uncertainty; and John Smith, with whom she shares a deep bond before he departs. She is supported by friends like Nakoma and animals Meeko (a raccoon) and Flit (a hummingbird). Her defining moment occurs when she intervenes to stop the war between her people and the colonists, choosing peace over vengeance and staying in Virginia rather than leaving with John.

Did You Know?

• The film grossed over $346 million at the box office, becoming the fourth highest-grossing film of 1995 behind Toy Story, Apollo 13, and Die Hard with a Vengeance.
• Christian Bale did not voice any character in Pocahontas; he portrayed John Rolfe in Terrence Malick's The New World (2005).
• Irene Bedard provided the speaking voice while Judy Kuhn sang for Pocahontas; Michelle St. John voiced her best friend Nakoma.
• Gordon Tootoosis, who played Kekata the medicine man, also acted as Chief Powhatan in the 1995 film Pocahontas: The Legend.
• The project went into development concurrently with The Lion King (1994), attracting most of Disney's top animators.