Peter Pan & Wendy ending explained: Why did Peter return to Neverland?

Peter Pan & Wendy, the latest take on J.M. Barrie's all-time classic Peter Pan, premiered on Disney+ on April 28, 2023. The new story, helmed by David Lowery, saw the story humanized to a great extent. The new take features the classic storyline with adept changes that fit in quite perfectly with the time and age. Moreover, the new version took time to develop the characters and give them unique backstories.

Still, like the original play, and Disney's deviation from the same, the ending remained one of the most intriguing parts of Peter Pan & Wendy, which deviated slightly from the endings of both Barrie's original play (and eventually novel) and Disney's animated classic but paid tribute to both adaptations with a unique twist of its own.

The synopsis of Peter Pan & Wendy reads:

"Wendy Darling, a young girl looking to avoid boarding school, meets Peter Pan, a boy who refuses to grow up. Wendy, her brothers, and Tinker Bell travel with Peter to the magical world of Neverland, where she encounters an evil pirate captain."

The film is now available for streaming on Disney+ globally.

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Peter Pan & Wendy ends on a positive note of friendship that was not a part of the original

One of the big changes that this adaptation of Peter Pan had was the character of Captain Hook (played by the brilliant Jude Law). Previous versions of the story, especially the animated ones, always portrayed Hook as a villainous monster, which many interpreted as a symbolic representation of adulthood.

Like the play, the final moments of Peter Pan & Wendy saw Peter (Alexander Molony) agreeing to bring the lost boys (and girls) back to England with Wendy (Ever Anderson). This was mainly because of his feelings towards Captain Hook, whom he had once abandoned, leading to his becoming the villainous character that we now know.

After being a little reluctant, Peter decided to do what was best for the lost boys, and he took them to England, where they were adopted by the Darlings. However, Peter did not stay back despite Wendy's insistence.

This was because Peter was not sure whether he was ready to grow up yet. He also wanted to return to Neverland to accompany his oldest friend and mend things, which ultimately did not happen, but Hook and Peter acknowledged each other, and the former forgave the latter as well.

There was also another deviation from the source material in the form of Peter's backstory, where he revealed that he initially ran away because of his abusive mother. In the original play, Peter ran away when he was just days old after overhearing his parents talk about him growing up.

Though the film maintained Peter's character and his eventual return, it also hinted that he may not be ready now, but he may be ready to grow up someday, shedding a more realistic light on the story.

All in all, Peter Pan & Wendy ends on a positive note of friendship that was not a part of the original story but was a welcome change in this one.

The film is available for streaming on Disney+.