Pocahontas: The Legend

An English expedition arrives on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay and begins exploring the area. John Smith meets the beautiful Pocahontas as a tentative friendship forms. The expedition names their settlement Fort James, marking the start of English presence in the region.

In the main Powhatan village, Kocoum and Mochiqua warn the English not to trust the newcomers. Pocahontas urges her father to trade, and Powhatan agrees to keep the peace. When a group of Powhatan meet the English, Newport offers metal goblets, but Kocoum rejects them and demands guns, which Newport will not provide.

Wingfield orders the men to pan for gold in the James River, but they come up empty. Sickness spreads through Fort James, so Smith, Opachisco, and three others leave to trade for medicine. The mission underscores the fragility of the English position as tensions mount.

While on the medicine expedition, Powhatan warriors ambush the party and kill everyone except Smith. Wingfield suspects that Smith orchestrated the attack to go native and hoard gold. Smith is left alive only by fortune, beginning a dangerous fraught relationship with Powhatan.

Smith is brought to the Powhatan village, beaten, and sentenced to death. Pocahontas intervenes, claiming him as her captive and nursing him back to health. During this time, the two grow closer and fall in love.

Smith sends Pocahontas's younger brother Japazaws to the fort with a message describing his whereabouts. Wingfield intercepts the message and lies to Newport that Japazaws was sent by Smith to steal guns. Based on that deception, Newport declares Smith a traitor.

When Smith returns to the fort he is arrested. Pocahontas speaks on his behalf and demands his release. When Smith's stolen letter is found, Newport realizes he has been deceived; Wingfield is removed from the fort's governing council and Smith is freed.

The English deliver firearms and ammunition as a gift to Chief Powhatan. Mochiqua reveals to the Chief that the box of ammunition is actually rocks. Pocahontas accuses Mochiqua of switching the ammo, and the Chief begins to see how firearms could divide his people.

Wingfield and Kocoum take Pocahontas captive, and Japazaws alerts Smith. A confrontation looms as the two sides brace for further conflict.

In the ensuing fight, Smith kills a Powhatan, and Pocahontas shoots Wingfield dead. Kocoum returns to the village and persuades the Chief to go to war. Pocahontas then challenges Kocoum to a trial by fire to prove her truthfulness, and Kocoum loses and is executed.

The Chief calls off the war but still wants Smith killed. Pocahontas begs her father to show mercy and spare him. The fragile truce holds for the moment as tensions ease.

Newport reports Wingfield died of fever to avert further conflict. Chief Powhatan offers a truce on the condition that Smith return to England. Smith reluctantly departs as Pocahontas and Japazaws watch him sail away.