Warning: Contains Spoilers***
Many of us have seen Disney’s “Pocahontas,” whether we grew up with it, watched it in our early childhoods, or first saw it in recent years. I was 21 when I first saw it.
Despite the mixed success and criticism on the movie’s portrayal of Native Americans, I really enjoyed the film, and give it five stars.
However, no story, in any form, is without its flaws. Aside from the grossly insensitive lyrics in the song, “Savages,” sung when John Smith is about to be executed (but he is rescued, of course), there are a few parts of “Pocahontas” that bother me a bit. They are unanswered questions.
Regardless of what I said about them, I don’t obsess over them. At least not too much.
There’s the first mystery, of where are Nakoma’s (Pocahontas’s friend) parents or guardians. The second, which is a plot hole, is how did Pocahontas sneak out to see Grandmother Willow after her father yelled at her for wandering off at a dangerous time. And the third, which this post focuses on, is where do those flying leaves come from.
I noticed they come at crucial points of the story. They also seem to arrive when characters change.
Obviously, Pocahontas is not unknowingly or secretly an enchantress (that would make an interesting conspiracy theory, but would be shut down by everyone). But what is the point of the flying-colored leaves? I’ve actually recently nicknamed them the deux ex machina leaves.
Have you also noticed this?
When Powhatan is about to execute John Smith and Pocahontas not only saves her love interest, but also defends him, the leaves fly into Powhatan’s face. He closes his eyes and seems to absorb the wind. Then he suddenly changes and decides not to fight the English. He also lets John Smith go.
I don’t believe the leaves forced Powhatan to change. Nor do I think they have a bunch of supernatural powers (they do have some, though, as they alter John’s shirt during the “Colors of the Wind” number).
But it seems to be a mystery to where they come from and what powers they have besides changing colors as they fly as well as a few other skills.