Captain John Smith and Pocahontas

Captain John Smith is the pragmatic leader who steers the Jamestown colony through siege, hunger, and internal strife. He negotiates with Powhatan, survives capture, and leads risky missions to secure supplies. His decisions shape the colony's survival and set the tone for its early governance.

Pocahontas acts as a bridge between the settlers and the Powhatan. Her courage saves Captain Smith from execution, and her marriage to Smith is arranged to seal a fragile peace. Her actions influence the colony's diplomacy and survival, highlighting the complexities of cross-cultural alliances.

Powhatan is the chief who presides over the Powhatan Confederacy and sets the terms of early peace and conflict with the colonists. He engages with Smith in diplomacy while facing pressure from rivals within his people. His relationship with Pocahontas and the settlement influences the balance of power in the colony.

Wingfield is a contentious colonial leader whose plans to abandon Jamestown threaten the colony's survival. He corruptly uses gold to undermine the settlement and plots to seize control. His actions set off a chain of betrayals that escalate tensions, ultimately meeting his demise at Turnbull's hands.

John Rolfe is a key settler who takes charge in Smith's absence, helping to sustain the colony. He participates in the efforts to secure supplies and improve agricultural yields to avert famine.

Opechanco is a hostile leader who orchestrates attacks against the settlers. He embodies the resistance to encroachment and retaliation for affronts. His conflicts with Smith escalate the violence and threaten the fragile peace.

Turnbull appears as a military figure who ends Wingfield's scheming by killing him, removing a rival leader. He contributes to the defense of Jamestown amid internal and external threats.

Davis is a colonist who becomes a victim of Wingfield's greed when gold is discovered. His murder highlights the corrupt motives and the danger faced by the settlers.

Nataquas is a Powhatan ally who is unjustly blamed for a death and lashed. He is later killed by Opechanco as revenge for attempting to inform Chief Powhatan.

King James is depicted in court as the monarch being told Smith's story. The film ties the colony's fate to the crown's legitimacy and the Virginia Company's interests.