Characters of Peter Pan facts for kids

Welcome to the magical world of Peter Pan! This article introduces you to the amazing characters created by J. M. Barrie, and also some new friends and foes from popular movies and books based on his stories. You'll meet Peter, the boy who never grows up, his fairy friend Tinker Bell, the brave Lost Boys, and the scary Captain Hook, plus many more!

Major Stories and Movies

This article talks about characters from the main Peter Pan stories, including the original books and plays, and big movies and TV shows. Here are some of the most famous ones:

Characters from J. M. Barrie's Original Stories

These are the characters who first appeared in J. M. Barrie's original play Peter Pan and his novel Peter and Wendy.

Peter's Friends

Peter Pan

Peter Pan is a fun-loving and brave young boy who decided he would never grow up. He can fly and lives on the amazing island called Neverland. He's often described as wearing clothes made of leaves and tree sap. He's always ready for an adventure!

The Lost Boys

The Lost Boys are a group of young boys who fell out of their prams (baby carriages) and were never found by their parents. Peter brought them to Neverland to live with him. In Barrie's stories, the main Lost Boys are Tootles, Nibs, Curly, Slightly, and The Twins. Many other Lost Boys appear in later stories and movies.

The Pirates

Captain Hook

Captain Hook is a mean pirate and the captain of the ship called the Jolly Roger. He is Peter Pan's biggest enemy. Hook wants revenge on Peter because Peter cut off his right hand in a fight and fed it to a crocodile!

Pirate Crew

• Mr. Smee: He is Captain Hook's loyal (but sometimes silly) first mate. Smee is one of the few pirates who survives the final battle.
• Gentleman Starkey: He used to be a school usher and is known for his fancy ways of killing. He also survives the final battle, but is captured by the Piccaninnies.

The Fairies

• Tinker Bell is a tiny, glowing fairy and Peter Pan's closest friend. She is very loyal to Peter but can get quite jealous, especially of Wendy. In the original play, she was shown as a darting light and made a tinkling sound.
• Queen Mab: She is the queen of the fairies who live in Kensington Gardens. In Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens, she teaches Peter Pan how to fly.

The Darling Family

• Wendy Moira Angela Darling is a young girl who becomes friends with Peter Pan. She flies with him to Neverland to be a mother figure to Peter and the Lost Boys, and to share in their adventures.
• John Napoleon Darling is the middle child of the Darling family. He is named after one of the real boys who inspired Barrie's stories.
• Michael Nicholas Darling is the youngest of the three Darling children. He is very young and sweet.
• George Darling: He is the father of Wendy, Michael, and John. He works at a bank and is a bit strict but loves his family.
• Mary Darling: She is the mother of Wendy, John, and Michael, and George Darling's wife. She is a kind and loving mother.
• Nana: She is a big Newfoundland dog who acts as the children's nurse. She is very caring and protective.
• Jane: She is the daughter of the grown-up Wendy Darling. Peter Pan visits her briefly at the end of the original story.
• Margaret: She is Jane's daughter, mentioned at the very end of the story. She is the one who will go back to Neverland with Peter for "spring cleaning" when she grows up.
• Liza: She is the maid who works in the Darling family's house.

Other Characters

Neverland Characters

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

1907 illustration of Tiger Lily by Oliver Herford.

• Tiger Lily: She is the brave daughter of the Chief. She is often called a princess. The pirates capture her and leave her to drown, but Peter Pan always rescues her.
• Crocodile: This crocodile is Captain Hook's other big enemy. It ate Hook's hand after Peter cut it off and now wants to eat the rest of him! The crocodile swallowed a clock, so Hook can hear it ticking when it's near, which scares him.
• Mermaids: These creatures are half-woman and half-fish. They live in the sea around Neverland, especially in Mermaids' Lagoon. They are often vain and can be unfriendly, especially towards humans (except Peter Pan).

London Characters

• Maimie Mannering: She is a little girl who Peter Pan helps and befriends in Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens. She is thought of as an early version of Wendy. Maimie enjoys her time with Peter, but she realizes her mother is worried and must return home.

Characters from Disney's Peter Pan Movies

From Return to Never Land (2002)

This movie is a sequel to the 1953 Disney film. It tells the story of Wendy's daughter.

• Jane: She is Wendy's daughter. Jane is a practical girl who doesn't believe in her mother's stories about Peter Pan at first. She wants to act grown up and doesn't enjoy playing "mother" for the Lost Boys.
• Danny: He is Jane's little brother. Danny believes all of his mother's stories about Peter Pan. He is very similar to his uncle Michael from the original Disney movie.
• Edward: He is Wendy's husband and the father of Jane and Danny. He goes off to serve in the British army during World War II.
• Nana II: This is a St. Bernard dog owned by Jane's family. She might be a descendant of the original Nana.
• The Octopus: This giant orange octopus replaces the Crocodile as Captain Hook's enemy. It enjoys chasing Hook and his crew.

From the Disney Fairies Series

This series of movies focuses on Tinker Bell and her fairy friends in Pixie Hollow.

• Queen Clarion: She is the beautiful and wise Fairy Queen of Pixie Hollow.
• Fawn: She is an animal-talent fairy, meaning she can talk to and understand animals.
• Iridessa: She is a light-talent fairy, who can control and create light.
• Periwinkle: She is a frost-talent fairy and Tinker Bell's twin sister! She can create ice and snow.
• Rosetta: She is a garden-talent fairy who loves flowers and plants.
• Silvermist: She is a water-talent fairy, who can control water.
• Terence: He is a pixie dust "sparrow man" and Tinker Bell's best friend. He helps manage the pixie dust.
• Zarina: She is an alchemist fairy who experiments with pixie dust. She even dabbles in piracy with Hook for a while in the movie The Pirate Fairy.

Characters from Other Stories and Movies

From Steven Spielberg's Hook (1991)

This movie shows what happens when Peter Pan grows up.

The Banning Family

• Peter Banning: This is Peter Pan all grown up! He fell in love and forgot about his life in Neverland. He is played by Robin Williams.
• Moira Banning: She is Wendy Darling's granddaughter and Peter Banning's wife.
• Jack Banning: He is Peter and Moira Banning's son. Jack is often upset by his dad's broken promises and starts to look up to Hook.
• Maggie Banning: She is Peter and Moira Banning's daughter. Maggie is sweet and imaginative. She is the only one who believes in Peter and doesn't trust Hook.

Lost Boys

• Rufio: He becomes the leader of the Lost Boys after Peter leaves Neverland. Rufio doesn't believe that Peter Banning is the real Peter Pan at first. He fights bravely against Hook but is sadly killed by him. He was played by Dante Basco.
• Thud Butt: He is a Lost Boy who believes that Peter Banning might be Peter Pan from the start. Peter chooses him to be the new leader of the Lost Boys after Rufio's death.
• Other Lost Boys include Ace, Don't Ask, No Nap, Pockets, Latchboy, Too Small, and the twins Sooner and Later.

From Peter Pan (2003)

• Aunt Millicent: She is the Darling children's aunt. She is a bit strict and wants Wendy to grow up quickly. By the end of the movie, she becomes kinder and even adopts one of the Lost Boys, Slightly.

From Peter and the Starcatchers Books

These books tell the story of how Peter Pan came to be.

Aster Family

• Molly Aster: She is a main character in the Starcatchers books. Molly is a "Starcatcher" by birth, meaning she protects magical "starstuff." Her story hints that she might be Wendy's mother, which is confirmed later.

Other Characters

• Lord Ombra: He is a scary shadow creature from these books.
• Mr. Grin: This is the crocodile in the Starcatchers series.

From Peter Pan in Scarlet (2006)

This is an official sequel to Barrie's original novel.

• Fireflyer: He is a silly blue fairy and a devoted friend to the Lost Boy, Slightly.
• Ravello: He is a mysterious circus owner who is later revealed to be Captain Hook!

From Neverland Miniseries (2011)

This miniseries tells a new origin story for Peter Pan.

• Aaya: She is the character of Tiger Lily in this series.
• Captain Elizabeth Bonny: She is the previous captain of the pirate ship before Hook.

Characters of Peter Pan at Neverpedia