The Pocahontas sequel wasn’t as bad as everyone makes it out to be.
Now, I’m sure there are some angry people out there after reading that, but give me a chance before putting me on blast. I have a legitimate case lined up for this film and all you have to do is sit back and either seriously consider my points or just scoff as you type up a strongly worded comment. I’ll take both as a success--I thrive off all sorts of attention.
Pocahontas II: Journey to A New World has been generally perceived as terrible. It’s rocking a sweet 29% on Rotten Tomatoes and has been the source of ridicule amongst the Disney fandom. Trust me, I get why people hate it. As mentioned before, the animation suffered in comparison to the original and it is certainly something I made fun of every single time I watched it. Honestly, never watch the movies back-to-back. The quality shift will reduce you to tears. Regardless, I firmly believe that this film deserves a bit more credit in a certain department. Did you think this was going to be a mere reiteration of an unpopular opinion? Oh no, I’m taking this a step further and arguing that this much hated sequel actually has an empowering and realistic message for children. Yes, folks, we are really going there.
First things first, I hesitate to label it feminist in any aspect, a thought that also extends to the original. For the sake of nuance, I feel it essential to acknowledge the issues at play. Disney completely butchered the real life tale of Pocahontas--kind of like the fact that that’s not even her real name. She was aged up (11 to 18) and made to shack up with a white colonist who, in reality, was almost two decades older than her. A tad creepy, no? We also have the nice little fact that the Powhatan tribe actually offered to help with the accuracy of the film and were told no. Not looking too great right now. To be fair, the whole point of the sequel was to push the story in a more historically accurate direction. However, the reality there is kind of sketchy as well. The real Pocahontas was taken captive by the English in 1613. It was during her captivity that she took on the name Rebecca and converted to Christianity (classical assimilation rears its head). She ends up marrying John Rolfe, has a kid, and dies around the age of 20-21 in 1617. Not very Disney-like, huh? Besides major historical inaccuracies, critics also panned it for not properly representing Native Americans and reverting to harmful stereotypes. As a feminist, I cannot not discount these criticisms. Romanticizing a history of blatant colonialism will always be harmful and this must be taken into account. Out of respect for the Native American community, I will not hail either movie as any sort of feminist media and will fully acknowledge that both are rife with flaws.
Alright, let’s get back on track. A main point of contention amongst fans has been the love triangle between John Smith, John Rolfe, and Pocahontas. Particularly, it has been John Smith being kicked to the wind in favor of John Rolfe that has made a number of fans quite peeved. I’m not even going to beat around the bush with this--Pocahontas thought Smith was dead. We have an entire song of her coming to terms with his apparent death and beginning to move on. It is with that mind-set that she meets and eventually falls for Rolfe. When she heads across the sea to speak to the king in the name of her tribe, she is faced with one hell of a dilemma. Incoming sixteen year old spoiler, Smith is actually alive and he wants her back. To some, the choice is easy. Smith, of course! That’s her first love, one who returned from the dead! It has to be him! Sorry but I’m gonna say it shouldn’t have been and that the right choice was made. Let’s review once more: Pocahontas thought her man was dead, coped, and found a new man. While she still loved Smith, it was no longer in the same way as before. Why? Because she fell in love again, something we all do more than once in our lifetimes. That’s realistic and actually packs an important message. While most films (especially Disney) present first love as being true and eternal, this rarely ends up being the case. It’s a hard reality to deal with--trust me, I know--but it is one children should know so they can form and end relationships in a healthy manner. Yes, the plot point that is so hated actually says something worthwhile. I’ll give you a moment to take that in.
Branching off from the love triangle, let’s take a gander at the concept of independence. Pocahontas willing chose Rolfe. Despite Smith waltzing back into her life and bringing back with him the promises of their initial romance, she chooses Rolfe. Okay, a part of the reason she does is because Disney was retconning the original romance in favor of a historically accurate one. Alright, I acknowledged it. Moving on. I’d argue that Smith and Rolfe represent different parts of her life. Smith is the Pocahontas, who yearned to see the world, rebellious and free. Rolfe is the woman who knows where she truly belongs, happy and free. Pocahontas got to see some of the world and found she missed her home. She could not get used to European society, no matter how hard she tried. She just wanted to go home. And you know what? Choosing Smith wouldn’t have meshed with that. The man is going out on an adventure at the end and offers to take her along, but she refuses because young woman’s desire is bound to change as she grows and matures. She wants home. She wants Rolfe. In the end, she gets both.
As I mentioned earlier, the real Pocahontas does not get a happy ending. She died all the way across the sea from her home, stripped of her identity. To make matters worse, she passed away as she set sail for Virginia once more. Personally, I believe there’s something satisfying to see a version of Pocahontas (albeit one with a lot of creative liberties) finally find her way back home. There’s also the fact that Rolfe chooses her over the opportunity to make his dreams a reality. To take a page from Tangled, she ended up being his new dream. Unlike with Smith, their desires aligned and presented them with a path to mutual happiness. Neither had to compromise because both had their dreams and desires grow to become intertwined with one another. It just made sense.
Let’s end with some more frankness: I don’t expect to change many minds. As I said, I know you have some adamant opinions in regards to your Disney movies and I’ll be damned if I try to change them. However, I like to think I made you at least give an affirmative “huh” at least once. I’m not asking for much here. I truly believe that Pocahontas II should get more credit for working with what it had. It’s in no ways feminist, but there’s still a lesson to be learned. Also, in terms of the fictional characters, John Rolfe > John Smith. Case closed.
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