| “ | Among all my gifts to you, only this one I denied you. The one forbidden tree in the garden. This world belongs solely to me. My private hunting reserve. My minions worked so hard over the ages, locking the magic away. Resulting in a place where all of the pretty little boys would come to me pure. Innocent. Untainted by the vulgarities of the so-called higher arts. | „ |
| ~ Peter Pan to Geppetto in Fables #152 — "The Black Forest Chapter Two: Pandemonium" |
Peter Pan is a powerful Fable who is the secret puppet master behind Geppetto. He manipulated events from behind the scenes and had complete control over Geppetto, being the true mastermind behind the evil Adversary. He made a brief appearance as a top page illustration of Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall — "A Most Troublesome Woman," before making his full debut in Fables #151 — "The Black Forest Chapter One: Greenjack."
History
Background
Peter Pan is the cunning puppet master who holds all the strings in Geppetto's empire, orchestrating events from the shadows and exerting total dominance over Geppetto.[1] For millennia, he has held Tinker Bell captive with powerful magical bonds that bind her to his will, enslaving the fairy and forcing her to obey his every command. She is his slave, a prisoner of his will and magic.[2]
The mundane world
Peter Pan watches from a distance as King Cole converses with mundy soldiers. Disdainful of the fact that the mundane world has well and truly become magical, Peter blames Geppetto and decides to confront him.[3] He reminds Geppetto that, while the latter held the Empire's strings, it was Peter who held his. Deciding that Geppetto damaged beyond repair, Peter orders Tinker Bell to kill him. However, due to Geppetoo's own magical powers, Tink's magic merely turns him into a pebble, which Tink claims that Geppetto can never free himself from. Claiming that the mundane world has become ruined and filthy, Peter and Tink set out to "find one that isn't."[1]
Jack in the Green, intent on finding and confront an unknown danger threatening the Black Forest, tracks Pan to New York City. Upon her initial arrival, she is completely unaware that Pan is navigating the city streets just beside her.[4] She finally locates Pan at a restaurant on 241 West Broadway, where Pan is enjoying a meal. However, when she draws her bow and announces her intention to identify the culprit and take necessary measures, the police are quickly summoned to the location, and Jack is taken into custody. Afterward, the police questions Peter Pan, who had witnessed the event. However, Pan becomes frustrated with their questioning and commands Tinker Bell to eliminate them all, leading to the merciless slaughter of twelve police officers.[2] The authorities are looking for a scapegoat and as a consequence, Jack is incarcerated without a trial.[5]
The Black Forest
After five years behind bars, Jack is finally released from prison and casts a travelling spell that will transport her and her companion Mrs. Bear to the location of the villain. The two of them are transported back to the Hesse,[6] Jack's homeworld.[1] Jack realizes that Pan is here, waiting for them.[6]
Pan soars across the Black Forest in the midst of a violent storm, and finds refuge at the Last Story Home, the home of Jack's predecessor, the former Jack in the Green. The former Jack inquires about his presence outdoors in such weather conditions, wanting to know his identity and his purpose for being there. Jack reluctantly allows Pan to seek shelter from the storm when he requests it. Upon entering, Pan promptly surveys the house and boldly declares his admiration for the residence, expressing his desire to make it his personal headquarters. He brazenly declares his intention to move in, but Jack refuses, stating that he will not allow another homeless individual to move in as if it were a charity inn, adding "Over my dead body." Pan "accepts" his offer, proceeding to swiftly cut through Jack's skull with his sword, killing him.[7]
Showdown
After his son is killed by Tinker Bell on Pan's command,[8] the forest god Herne tracks down Peter Pan, and they engage in a fierce fight, during which Pan manages to sever Herne's hand. But Herne proves to be too strong and nearly defeats Peter.[9] However, just as he is about to land the killing blow, Tinker Bell flies in to save her master, challenging Herne in a fierce battle. Tink admits to Herne that she does not want to kill him, but she is compelled by strong bonds to do Peter's bidding. Just as she is about to finish Herne off, Jack in the Green shows up.[9]
With her bow drawn, and a Thanatos Arrow aimed at Pan,[9] she warns him to stand down and surrender. She makes it clear that if he doesn't, the arrow will be released and its power will kill him, no matter how strong he may be. Pan refuses to give up, so Jack releases the arrow, which whizzes past Peter, causing him to taunt her for missing, but Jack confidently states that she never misses her target. Pan is horrified when he realizes that Jack shot the powerful arrow at the magical restraints that force Tinker Bell to do Pan's bidding. The moment the constraints are shattered, Tinker Bell breaks free from Pan's control. Finally able to seek retribution on her former captor without any mercy or restrictions, she grows into a giant and kidnaps Pan and makes a swift escape.[10]
Eternal torment
Tinker Bell drags her prey down to the lowest depths of the Hesse, where fiery flames erupt from the world's core. She tightly binds him with chains, rendering Pan completely helpless, and subjects him to unspeakable physical torture, but never gives him the release of death. Eventually, she grows bored and abandons him in his eternal imprisonment, bound by chains that will never release him. In time, Blossom Wolf, seeking revenge[10] for Pan's murder of Herne's son, whom she loved deeply,[6] takes over where Tink left off. Periodically, she transforms into a colossal viper and coils her way down to Pan's prison, burning his skin by dripping venom from her fangs onto him. His spasms are powerful enough to rock the earth, causing earthquakes that periodically strike the Hesse.[10]
Personality
Peter believes that uncertainties and surprises are what make life worth living, and that magic is vulgar and diminishes life.[2] He considers the mundane world poisoned by the recent introduction of magic, having worked to prevent that from happening in the past by allowing Geppetto to conquer the other worlds.[1]
Physical appearance
Having a youthful appearance, he is also dressed in formal wear and carries a cane with him. Peter's hair is light brown, while his eyes are a pale blue.[3]
Powers and abilities
- Immortality: Peter is immortal, if not extremely long-lived. He claims to have had dealings with Geppetto centuries in the past.
- Flight: Peter is able to fly.[6]
Appearances
Fables
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Original source
He is based on Peter Pan, a fictional character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie. A free-spirited and mischievous young boy who can fly and never grows up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood having adventures on the mythical island of Neverland as the leader of the Lost Boys, interacting with fairies, pirates, mermaids, Native Americans, and occasionally ordinary children from the world outside Neverland. The character was introduced in the novel The Little White Bird from 1902, with some of the chapters later published separately as the 1906 novel Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens. The character went on to appear in the stage play Peter Pan; or, the Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up, which was later expanded into the 1911 novel Peter and Wendy.
Trivia
A foreshadowing of the Adversary's intended identity, in Fables #4 — "Chapter Four: Remembrance Day"
- Peter Pan was originally supposed to be the Adversary, but was replaced with Geppetto in order to avoid copyright issues. The original plan was that Pan was the evil Adversary who would venture into the mundane world and abduct innocent children, while Captain Hook and his band of pirates were on a mission to go to Neverland and save these children. The label of "pirate" was only assigned to them because Peter manipulated people's perception of the situation.[11] Pan role as Geppetto's superior and old ally[1] is presumably a nod to this.
- During King Cole's speech in Fables #4 — "Chapter Four: Remembrance Day," we see an imagined version of the Adversary as a satyr, the same species as Peter Pan's namesake, the Greek god Pan. In addition, Cole states that the Adversary lived "beyond the farthest shores of never," a subtle reference to Neverland, where Peter Pan lives in Barrie's play.
Peter Pan in Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall
- Prior to making his full debut in Fables #151 — "The Black Forest Chapter One: Greenjack," Pan had a cameo as a top page illustration in Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall — "A Most Troublesome Woman," in which he is seen battling Captain Hook, while Wendy Darling is seen flying through the air.
- He carries a cane topped with an acorn motif,[3] a nod to Barrie's story, in which Peter Pan gives Wendy an acorn to represent his kiss to her.
- When Connor Wolf accidentally crashes into him in Fables #158 — "The Black Forest Chapter Eight: Villainy," a furious Pan starts spouting Latin. He calls Connor "faex!," meaning "dregs."[12] As he gets up, he angrily exclaims "morde meum globes!", Latin for "bite my balls."[13] When Pan charges at Connor with a knife, he yells "fututus et mori!", meaning "fuck off and die."[14]
- Tinker Bell also uses Latin glossary in Fables #160 — "The Black Forest Chapter Ten: Tremble."
References
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