This article is about the character from Once Upon a Time. For other articles, see Peter Pan.
- “Peter Pan never fails.”
- ―Peter Pan's catchphrase.
Malcom (better known as Peter Pan) is a major character in the ABC fantasy-drama series Once Upon a Time, who is the main antagonist of the first half of season three. He returns in the fifth season's second half in the underworld, where he has been residing since his death. His reign is later ended for good when Rumplestiltskin disguises some water from the river of lost souls as a heart, which destroys Pan once and for all.
Background[]
Personality[]
As a grown man, Malcom was shown to be very lazy and care more about himself than his own son, although he otherwise claimed to be working hard for his life with Rumplestiltskin. Malcom had a wishful imagination since he was a young boy, as he imagined living in a location where he could fly, which he named Neverland, vowing to return to this location as an adult. When Malcom and Rumple gained a magical bean, they landed in Neverland and he tried to relive his childhood dream, caring more about that than what his son wanted. His selfishness escalated when he trades Rumple for youth after realising an adult cannot fly.
Once Malcom became Peter Pan, he was shown to be a cruel, evil and power hungry man-child, using his abilities to trick Henry Mills, his great-grandson, into trading his heart to keep himself young forever. He also enjoyed messing with the heroes as he played games with them so they wouldn't find him or Henry. Even in death, Pan was shown to still be as sinister as he was when he was alive, trying to ploy his grown up son into reviving him, although Rumple did not fall for his father's tricks, and tricked him into being destroyed forever,
Powers and abilities[]
- Magic: Peter Pan was the most powerful magic user from Neverland, which is where his power originates from. While on the island, Pan was stronger than the Dark One and the Evil Queen. He has great knowledge about dark and forbidden magic and has a large arsenal of spells, curses and magical traps.
- Longevity: While on Neverland, Pan was able to live far beyond a normal human lifespan, having been alive since the "middle age" in the Enchanted Forest. He was not subject to disease or old age.
- Flight: Pan was able to use pixie dust combined with the heart of the truest believer to levitate himself above the ground and fly in the air.
- Telekinesis: Pan was capable of manipulating objects or people without physically touching them.
- Teleportation: Pan could move from one place to another at will.
- Omniscience: Pan could sense when people enter and exit the Neverland.
- Chlorokinesis: Pan could manipulate plant life from Neverland. He was able to summon vines that are strong enough to immobilize both Emma, Regina and Mary.
- Transfiguration: Pan had the ability to change his appearance and transform any object into something else.
- Regeneration: Pan could automatically regenerate from any injuries.
- Heart Extraction: Pan could remove the hearts of other living beings without killing them and use them to control the owner or kill them by crushing the heart.
- Magical Immobilization: Pan could freeze people with just a thought.
- Protection Charm: Pan could protect a place or an object by creating a magic barrier.
Weaknesses[]
- Laws of Magic: Like any magician or sorceress, Pan was subject to the laws of magic, as a result he was unable to raise the dead, create love and time travel.
- Enchanted Cuffs: As shown (on-screen) cuffs that are enchanted to block magic have the same effect on him as anyone else.
Role in the series[]
Before the First Curse[]
Malcom abandons his son before transforming to Peter Pan.
Peter Pan's real identity was Malcolm, the father of Rumplestiltskin, separated spouse of the Black Fairy (formerly Fiona), the grandfather of Baelfire and Gideon, and the paternal great-grandfather of Henry Mills and one of the great-great-grandfathers of Lucy. Malcolm originally left his son in the care of two spinners, who gave Rumplestiltskin a magical bean to create a portal to leave his careless father. Using the magic bean, Malcolm and Rumplestiltskin travelled to Neverland, a place which Malcolm envisioned in his dreams. Upon arrival, Malcolm discovered he could not fly like in his dreams, and the Shadow told him this is because he did not belong on the island as it was only for children. Realizing that he could not be a child as he was a father, Malcolm forced Rumplestiltskin to be taken home by the Shadow. Malcolm transformed into his younger self, adopting the name of Peter Pan (which he named himself after Rumplestiltskin's doll). The Shadow informed Pan that his youth is limited, and he will die when the hourglass of Skull Rock is complete.
Pan in Neverland, in the 19th century,
At some point in the 19th century[1], Peter Pan meets Captain Liam Jones and his brother, Killian, who have been sent by their king so locate a special plant known as Dreamshade, which they believe is going to be used to heal those injured. However, Pan reveals to the brothers that the plant is actually the deadliest one in the world and the king will actually use it to kill his enemies instead of saving people. Killian becomes concerned about this fact, but Liam does not believe Pan, thinking he is just messing with them. Pan tells them where the plant is, which is later proven to indeed be deadly as Liam uses it on himself to try and prove his point to Killian, but instantly becomes gravely ill. Peter Pan agrees to help Killian save his brother's life by showing him a special spring which holds healing water, but it does come with one condition: Liam can never leave Neverland if he drinks it. However, Killian ignores Pan's warning as Liam dies aboard the ship as soon as it passes over the Neverland waters.
The Shadow arrives with a boy named Baelfire (who, unbeknownst to him, is his grandson). Wendy Darling then arrives in order to save him, but Pan decides to keep her prisoner and blackmails John and Michael Darling to help him with his tasks, in exchange for their sister Wendy's life.
Sometime later, Pan visits Hamelin in the Enchanted Forest to expand what would later become the Lost Boys, a band of fearful followers who listen to Pan's every command and is in search for Henry, the son of Emma Swan and his great-grandson.
During the First Curse[]
In 2001, Pan is able to locate the "truest believer" in the Land Without Magic. He tries to get the newborn child adopted by his minions, John and Michael Darling. However, the plan fails when Regina decides to keep the child, after she originally planned to give the baby to John and Michael when she originally thought she couldn't be a mother.
After the First Curse[]
When the heroes arrive on Neverland in search of Henry, Pan appears to him as a fugitive boy pretending to escape from the Lost Boys. He "befriends" Henry who is also attempting to escape upon arriving in Neverland, following his kidnap from Storybrooke.
Robbie Kay as the ruthless Peter Pan
When Emma, along with a team of heroes (being Snow White, Prince Charming, Rumplestiltskin, Queen Regina, and Captain Hook) comes to retrieve the boy, Pan tricks the team in finding Henry by moving the camp where they are keeping them. Upon knowing his old ally Captain Hook, has feelings for the savior (Emma), Pan tries to make a deal with Hook that he can leave the island with Emma and her son, so they can be a family, but Hook turns against Pan and helps Emma's family in saving Henry instead. While the group is searching, the Lost Boys are reunited with Baelfire/Neal Cassidy, who is working with his father to rescue Henry from Pan. Using squid ink, Neal and Rumple are able to temporarily stun Pan. Peter Pan is then soon able to be freed after Neal and Rumple retrieve Henry, although Pan captures him once more. After knowing Killian refused to help him, Pan reveals that Neal is alive and in Neverland, but he is keeping him trapped and wants to know everyone's secrets, by tricking the group into rescuing Neal, which they are able to do with Hook's help.
With Henry back in his clutches, Pan tricks him by making Wendy Darling pretend to be sick and make Henry believe that magic is dying, as well as the island. Wendy is able to convince Henry that he can save magic, which Pan congratulates her on fooling the young boy. While Peter Pan takes Henry to Skull Rock to make him think that he will save magic, Wendy reveals to Henry's family that Pan's time is running out and he is tricking Henry into giving him his heart because Henry has the heart of the truest believer. Pan then traps his son into Pandora's Box, which Rumple tried to use on his father, but failed.
When Henry and Pan arrive at Skull Rock, his family follows them and tries to convince him that Pan is using him into thinking he is saving magic, but Pan is able to convince him that his family are not helping him and that he can make his own choices. Henry decides he wants to save magic and gives his heart to Peter Pan, who regains his power and is back to being an immortal. Pan leaves as Henry seems lifeless.
Pan about to switch bodies with Henry.
With Regina's magic, she is able to preserve Henry for a while to give the heroes time to track Pan and destroy his shadow. The heroes are later able to leave Neverland on Hook's ship where Rumple is freed from the box and reunites with his son, Baelfire. Henry comes to and is taken to the lower deck to rest, but while Regina is able to put a protection spell on her son's heart, Pan suddenly appears and tries to take it. Realising he can't, he tries to kill Henry by removing his shadow, but Rumple saves his grandson, by trapping Pan into Pandora's Box like he originally attempted. However, what Rumple and the family doesn't know, is that Peter Pan was able to switch bodies with Henry just as Regina comes back down.
With having switched bodies with Henry, Pan is able to trick his family into believing he is not feeling safe after everything that has happened. Pan reveals to Felix that he switched bodies and they work together in secret. Upon arriving in Storybrooke, as Henry, Pan is able to make the heroes believe that he is not safe around Felix, and wants to spend the night at Henry's house, with Regina. Upon reading the storybook, Pan tricks Regina into feeling safer with her than with Emma. He is able to make his shadow kill Mother Superior and pretends to feel unsafe with it being around. As Henry, Pan is able to make Regina feel the need to take her "son" to safety by going to her vault.
Pan is killed by his son.
While in the vault, Pan is able to knock Regina out while the heroes free "Pan" from the box and across the town line. When everyone realises that Pan and Henry switched bodies, they return to the vault where they find Regina unconscious and learn that Pan stole the dark curse that Regina cast to create Storybrooke, while he breaks Felix out of jail. Up on the hillside, outside of town, Pan explains to Felix that they will overtake the town and rename it to "the New Neverland". Felix asks what Pan will sacrifice for the curse to work, so Pan explains that he has to sacrifice the heart of the thing he loves most, saying he never loved Rumple. Explaining that love can mean more than just romance, Pan rips out Felix's heart and crushes it to enact the curse.
Henry and Pan return to their own bodies and Rumple confronts his father while Henry returns to the family with the scroll that has the curse. However, Pan is able to find everyone on main street and freezes them all, while having the curse once again. Mr. Gold promises that Pan won't hurt his family and Pan taunts his son about Rumple caring for the heroes. Using his dagger, Rumple is able to stab his father, which reverts Peter Pan to his original appearance as Malcom. Rumple stabbing his father, however, means that Rumple also dies as Pan can only die if Rumple dies as well. With this sacrifice, Peter Pan's terror is finally over, leaving everyone in shock over Gold's sacrifice, and Belle heartbroken. After his death, Peter Pan's soul travels to the underworld, along with his son. However, despite Pan's death, the curse is still coming, until Regina is able to contain it by sending Emma and Henry across the town line with new memories.
During the Second Curse[]
Peter Pan is mentioned by Neal a year later, when he and Emma are discussing their failed relationships. When Emma tells Neal she was considering getting married to a man who was revealed to be a flying monkey from Oz, she and Neal laughed it off as he almost married Tamara, who was revealed to have been working for Pan to retrieve Henry for Pan. Rumple is also revived by the Wicked Witch of the West.
After the Third Curse[]
Pan in the Underworld, in season 5.
He returned in the second half of the fifth season when the heroes (led by his son) arrived in the Underworld to rescue Hook. Upon their arrival, Pan immediately approaches Gold and offers him a deal - one of Gold's current allies would stay behind, and Pan would return in his place. At this point, Gold refuses, and Pan hands over the Ale of Seonaidh, the means Emma later uses to contact Hook.
However, after Hades backs Gold into corner, Gold forms a partnership with Pan, and the two sorcerers kidnap Hades's true love Zelena, the Wicked Witch of the West. Then the malevolent father-and-son pair offer Hades a counterproposal - he tears up the contract (which stated that Gold owed Hades his second-born child, Gideon) and then he would get the witch. But after Hades tears up the contract that gives him claim of his second grandson, Pan attempts to rip out Zelena's heart, hoping to use it to return to life. This attempt is prevented by the timely arrival of Emma, who rescues Zelena. Pan questioned why his illegitimate granddaughter-in-law would be helping the king of death, and Emma pointed out that Hades promised to help them get them home. Gold then warned her that she had picked the wrong side, but Emma then questions why the Dark One was still there since he had already gotten what he wanted. Seeing her point, Gold responded by abandoning his father. Outnumbered, Pan is also forced to retreat.
Later, Pan tracks his son down and hands him Pandora's box, which he says Gold could use to more easily transport his wife Belle (who is under a sleeping curse, provided by Zelena) to Storybrooke. As a price of this gift, Gold was to steal a heart and give it to Pan, allowing the deceased man-child to return to life. However, the Dark One betrayed his father and instead inserted him with not the heart of Robin Hood, but a wineskin filled with water from the River of Lost Souls and damned him for eternity. As Pan faded, Gold reiterated the statement he gave his father the first time he killed him: "Villains don't get happy endings." Peter Pan was obliterated while his pleased son bid him a cold farewell.
In the final season, an alternate version of the character appears near the finale, having been trapped by his son.
Trivia[]
- Unlike the animated character, this version of Peter Pan is much more sinister and evil and he is a villain instead of a hero. He is currently the only variant of the character to be portrayed this way.
- Ironically, this more sinister and evil version of Peter Pan seems to be much closer to his original counterpart from the original J.M. Barrie play when compared to Disney's other iterations of the character.
- It's revealed in "Think Lovely Thoughts" that Peter Pan is actually Rumplestiltskin's father and his real name is Malcom.
- Pan chose the name Peter Pan because of a toy Rumple had when Malcolm sent his son away.
- The reveal is actually hinted at in "Nasty Habits", when Pan comments with "father and son, reunited", when speaking about Rumple and Neal working together.
- Pan is one of 3 people, along with Liam Jones and Neal Cassidy, who refers to Hook by his real name, Killian Jones. The other characters only occasionally call him Killian, and mostly call him Hook.
- The underworld episodes reveal that Malcon sees himself as Peter Pan even in death, despite dying as an adult in "Going Home".
Gallery[]
Photography[]
Screenshots[]
See also[]
References[]
- ↑ Killian mentions in "Rocky Road" that he is 200 years old by 2013-14, which is in the 21st century. Then in "Swan Song", Killian mentions in the Enchanted Forest flashbacks that he is at least 100 years old.
