They may bring joy to millions, but behind some of the colorful characters we know and love are backstories that'll haunt your dreams.

From the Simpsons' best-kept secrets to the true villain hidden at the heart of Star Wars, let's explore the dark origins of famous characters.

You're listening. You're listening to the TV. dark origins of famous characters. Going by the Going by the 1995 Disney film, you'd think the story of Pocahontas was one of history's greatest tales of romance in the face of adversity.

Unfortunately, historical accuracy isn't the movie's strong point.

And the reality was much different for Pocahontas.

For starters, Pocahontas was merely a nickname, believed to mean playful one.

The legendary Native American's real name was Mtoica, and she was around 10 years old

during her correspondence with the film's male lead John Smith, who was 27. With that age gap in mind,

you'll be relieved to learn that the movie's romantic elements were entirely fabricated and the bear

were never romantically involved.

Phew, not that Pocahontas would want to be either. Even ignoring the age gap, Smith's real-life

counterpart was a far cry from the empathetic solely became in the film. Smith, like many

colonists of his time, was known to be a harsh, sometimes cruel man with an authoritarian outlook.

On top of this, the iconic scene where Pocahontas saved Smith's life was based on wildly exaggerated stories told by Smith himself.

While Pocahontas did work as a translator and ambassador for the Pohattan

people, her real life took a dark turn as she grew a little older. The Native American man she

married as a teenager mysteriously disappeared and she was captured and married off to a

colonist named John Rolf soon after.

She likely had little choice in the matter and she was carted off to Britain with Rolf,

living life as an object of exotic curiosity for the English. She died either of tuberculosis

or pneumonia on her way back to America in 1617 at around 20 years old.

Following her death, the relationship between the settlers and the Pohatans deteriorated and never really recovered.

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