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Test pilot episode for Jake & the Neverland Pirates back when it was Team Pirate.

It feels a bit like “uncanny valley Jake-verse” because everything is just a little bit off from the finalized version. Skully just being a normal parrot and not fully part of the team and Bucky having a face and talking definitely threw me for a bit of a loop. (It seems the extra character Nibs was totally scrapped and replaced by a much more human-like Skully.) But there are lots of subtle differences too like slight character design alterations to Cubby and Izzy (Reddy). To me, Hook and Smee even sound a little different here. I wonder if at this point Corey (who has occasionally done Smee) was doing both parts and also still finding his footing with what this version of Hook should sound like.

Thanks @ldfdtheseries for sharing this with me! It was a wild ride.

#jake and the neverland pirates #captain hook #captain hook disney #disney peter pan #disney #disney villains #peter pan #disney junior #disney jr #Youtube

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'Jolly Roger' by Chris Dunn

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I haven’t had the time to check the whole thing out yet but this is so neat! I love that they were going to use an actual Lost Boy name (Nibs) for Jake originally and that they describe Smee accurately as the bosun. I’m guessing they changed it to First Mate in the series because (1) little kids wouldn’t understand what a bosun is and (2) the crew is significantly smaller than in the film version. I wonder if the name they originally had for Izzy (“Reddy”) had any bearing on them coming up with the character of Red Jessica later… Also, I just love that Hook is described as “often melancholy and melodramatic, Hook doesn’t understand why children despise him.” 🥺

Team Pirate Bible

So I mentioned that the bible/art book for Jake and the Never Land Pirates (back when it was called Team Pirate) was very hard to download. I waited a few hours for Mega to get its shit together and it paid off. Here's the art book for the series that would eventually be known as Jake and the Never Land Pirates: This book pre-dates the pilot episode I linked earlier this morning and it shows.

Characters:

Yeah, right off the bat it's clear that our group of Neverland Pirates was much different.

For one, the leader wasn't Jake, it was Slighty. Whether it's Slighty from the movies, or, much like Cubby and Nibs, a different character with the same name. I'm leaning towards that. Disney Jr's version of Slighty had Jake's role as the leader, who helps and guides his team. Something to notice is that the Sword of Forever isn't really a concept. It wasn't in the pilot that included Jake either. Jake/Slighty's object was a Spyglass rather than a sword given to him by Peter Pan.

There's also some insight on the development of Bucky. According to the series bible, he is enchanted by Pixie Dust, but not in what you'd expect. Instead of flying, he is alive! A sentient pirate ship who is part of Team Pirate, and communicates through ringing.

This totally shoots down my "Tinker Bell invented Bucky" theory but this is just as cool. Though considering Tink sprays Pixie Dust on Bucky in one episode, I'm now wondering the logistics of Pixie Dust in this world, but that's another lore post for another day.

Also, I adore how Hook has his movie design here.

Locations, Curriculum, and Stories:

What-the, DINOSAURS??????????????? IN NEVERLAND???

The first episode, The Mystery of Turtle Rock, seems to be what would soon become the Season 2 episode "Mystery of Mysterious Island!" The second one, I think is Pirate Ghost Story's beta version. But you can see how different things were in production between the final version, especially the dynamic between the characters/

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I think Peter Pan (2003) did the best version of George Darling, especially with regards to the dual-casting tradition.

Not only did it let Jason show off his acting range but the explorations of masculinity were really fascinating to watch. George Darling is a nervous wreck who is constantly trying to prove himself as a 'proper' gentleman. "I must become a man that children fear and adults respect!" While he certainly scared the hell out of Wendy then, she still responded "Father? Brave?" to her mother's claims.

So, when Wendy goes to Neverland, she meets a man who is, as Jason Isaacs said, "strangely alluring yet repulsive at the same time, and looks like her dad". Captain Hook is the nightmare version of Wendy father. He's confident, he's aggressive, and he is a cruel, selfish asshole. But the sad thing is, he'd probably be more respected in Edwardian society than George.

Going back to George, when he finds out his kids are missing he literally sprints home out of pure fear and desperation to bring them back. He ran! That is a HUGE 'proper gentleman' no-no! Then when the kids do come home, he practically knocks himself out sprinting into the nursery and smashing his body against the door frame! He tries to put on the gentlemanly persona. Stiff upper lip, manly-man handshake, keep your emotions buried deep inside... but he can't do that. But that's a good thing! He breaks down, embraces his children, and their family is whole again. Rejecting Edwardian social norms was the right thing to do.

So, what I love about this version of George Darling and Captain Hook is how effectively they portray the best and worst forms of masculinity.

#yeeeeessss #all of this #but also I love this because George is like…the redemption potential Hook has because they’re two sides of the same coin #George is honestly who Hook is on the inside most of the time but just won’t let on how insecure and afraid he really is #Hook is who George thinks he needs to be in order to be respected by society

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There is one where they do give him a tiny little stache. And also a soul patch for some reason.

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100% agree! Hook may be my fav but Smee is a very close second for all the reasons you just mentioned. Smee is often labeled as “stupid” (even by Barrie himself in the novel!) but I honestly feel like while he can be a bit absent-minded, Disney’s Smee is probably the most mentally stable, thoughtful, and indeed, wise character in the film. This often comes out especially well in the Jake series where Hook and Smee’s friendship is further developed. You really just can’t hate Smee. He’s such a kindhearted man, and Hook absolutely would not still be alive or functioning as well as he does without him.

Return to Neverland - My Favourite Captain Hook moments

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These are some of my favorite shots from the film as well. As others have noted in some of the reblog tags, one thing I love is that this version of Hook is legitimately scary at times. A lot of Hook fans seem to think of Disney’s version as a joke but you can’t tell me this guy wasn’t 100% ready to skewer Jane with a sword in some of these gifs. Look at the fear in her eyes when it suddenly registers that he is not playing. And look at him. He doesn’t hesitate. Just goes right from trying to cut her hand off to get the key back to “I will shish kabob you.” And he would have if she hadn’t moved fast enough. This man has killed children before.

…And this is why he’s so interesting to me because he’s so emotionally fragile at times when his fear levels are up, so human. He literally begs for his life at the end of the film. But he’s also a very dangerous man.

Return to Neverland - My Favourite Captain Hook moments

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It always bugs me SO MUCH when I see maps like the second one where things aren’t where they are supposed to be in film. Hook’s map is definitive. I don’t care what later Disney imaging says.

Notice the difference between these tow maps?

Description:

Cannibal Cove was an area mentioned in Peter Pan, but never visited. It was later renamed Pirates Cove in later adaptions and spinoffs, likely to avoid offending anyone with the thought of cannibals in children’s media, or because someone thought it was racially offensive (some art shows them as “natives”)

In Wasteland:

Well, there aren’t any actual cannibals in Disney media, so likely just the name of an area.

….Unless we go “Samurai Jack Metal Eaters scene” on all this…but let’s not.

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So, @constant-and-immovable and I were tossing around the idea of doing a side-by-side comparison of the novel and the play if we actually get enough interest in doing a book club since the book alone is pretty short. Maybe one chapter (and the corresponding part of the play) per week? Thoughts?

Kinda want to do a virtual Peter Pan book club similar to “Dracula Daily” but it’s only 17 chapters long so it would be super short… But it would be fun to go through the story with people who have never read the original for themselves and with others who have read it before but want to go back and take a closer look at it together. Would anybody actually want to do something like this?

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The intentional juxtaposition of Hook/Pan and Hook/George Darling is just so…*chef’s kiss*. Peter may be the boy who never wants to grow up, but Hook is what happens when a child is forced to grow up too quickly and really mentally isn’t as mature as they ought to be. He’s technically the grown-up in the story, but he is honestly very childish at times. Mr. Darling is too, for that matter. His hot temper and need to be in control are a cover for a lot of insecurities about his role as a husband, father, and the family breadwinner. George Darling is a toned down but more real-world version of Hook. BUT here’s the thing…by the end of the film, George does something neither Hook nor Pan does…he grows. He starts out the film obsessed with how he is perceived by society. He needs to be someone who “children fear and adults respect” in order to feel valued. But by the end of the film, none of that matters. Not his job at the office. Not his pride. Not the fact that they have a dog for a nursemaid because they can’t afford to hire anyone. Not the noise and chaos the children will inevitably cause when they come back home again…because without them, the silence in the house is deafening and all he wants is for his children to be home and safe and to know how much he loves them. Did I mention I really love George Darling’s character arc? And see this…this is why I need a redemption arc for Hook where he eventually adopts Peter and they help each other grow and heal and discover what’s really important…because if George is capable of it, then so are they.

so hook says "you die alone and unloved. like me." and peter says "to die will be an awfully big adventure." and hook says "you are a tragedy." and peter sobs and screams over tinkerbell's corpse and hook says "there's another in your place" and mr darling cries into the hair of his finally returned children

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No but see it’s more like this.

Smee is actually the protective one.

pinterest it's actually the same pics🙄

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I had an interesting Peter Pan dream last night that I REALLY wish I could draw some sketches from, but I have zero drawing talent so y’all are just gonna have to listen to me ramble and imagine it for yourselves. I don’t remember all of it but it was being told like a story. Almost like…when you’re shown a children’s book in a film, ya know? Like you can see the writing on the pages but the images are slightly animated. Unfortunately, I never got to the ending so idk what actually happened but there is a very vivid image stuck in my mind of Hook that was rather heartbreaking. There was an image of him flying (???) carrying a younger version of himself that seemed upset. Gradually, his adult self got lower and lower until he finally laid down in the water, floating on his back (almost Ophelia style) with his younger self seemingly asleep cradled to his chest. It was just… O W. If anyone who actually IS an artist wants to do something with that image, feel free to do so and just tag me because I desperately want to capture that image.

#Peter pan #Captain Hook #Disney villains #Captain Hook Disney #disney peter pan #Disney #dreams

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Kinda want to do a virtual Peter Pan book club similar to “Dracula Daily” but it’s only 17 chapters long so it would be super short… But it would be fun to go through the story with people who have never read the original for themselves and with others who have read it before but want to go back and take a closer look at it together. Would anybody actually want to do something like this?

#Peter pan #Captain Hook #jm barrie #novels #book club #wendy darling #tiger lily #tinkerbelle #tinkerbell #mr smee #the lost boys #lost boys

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sorry about my constant depressive episodes. its just that i have issues and also problems

#Hook @ Smee when he’s constantly using him as a therapist instead of a bosun

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characters with prey animal rage

#and this is why Hook is so….the way he is #the man definitely has some PTSD

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Why they not give him his stache?

#baby!!!! #but yeah someone needs to paint a lil Stache on him #I know they were going for the child look #but his face looks naked without it

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M dieron ganas de redibujar esos muñecos que hice hace unos meses akjnksgnkfg

#awwwww! they’re so cuuuuuute!!!