The Quest to Kill the Wicked Witch of the West

Oz sets an impossible task for Dorothy and her friends: destroy the Wicked Witch of the West in exchange for their wishes.

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Oz's Condition

The Great Wizard's Demand The Terrifying Head Dorothy is summoned to the Throne Room, where she sees a giant Head without a body. The Head speaks, claiming to be Oz. Dorothy explains her wish to return to Kansas. Oz questions her about the Silver Shoes and the mark on her forehead. The Impossible Task Oz says he will help her only if she kills the Wicked Witch of the West. Dorothy protests, but Oz insists. He tells her that the Witch is wicked and must be destroyed. Dorothy leaves weeping, thinking she can never accomplish the task. The Companions' Ordeals The Scarecrow, Tin Woodman, and Lion each have separate audiences with Oz, who appears in different forms: a lovely Lady, a terrible Beast, and a Ball of Fire. Each is given the same condition: kill the Witch to get their brains, heart, and courage. They all agree to venture west.

Journey to the West

Heading into Danger Leaving the Emerald City The next morning, the four friends and Toto leave the Emerald City. The Guardian of the Gates removes their spectacles and points them west. There is no road; they must walk over fields and rough ground. The sun is hot, and the land is untilled. The Witch's Observation The Wicked Witch of the West, with her one powerful eye, sees them coming from afar. She is furious that strangers dare enter her country. She sends her minions to destroy them, but first, she tries to use her wolves. The First Attack That night, as they sleep, the Witch sends a pack of forty wolves to tear them to pieces. The Tin Woodman, awake, stands guard and chops off each wolf's head with his sharp axe. The attack is repelled, but more are to come.

Battles with Crows and Bees

The Witch's Second Wave The Crows Attack The next morning, the Witch sees the dead wolves and becomes angrier. She blows her silver whistle twice, summoning a flock of wild crows. The crows fly to peck out the travelers' eyes. The Scarecrow takes charge: he tells the others to lie down, and he stands alone. The crows, afraid of scarecrows, hesitate, but the King Crow attacks. The Scarecrow twists its neck and kills each crow one by one. Forty crows lie dead. The Black Bees The Witch, now enraged, blows her whistle three times, summoning a swarm of black bees. The Scarecrow instructs the Tin Woodman to remove his straw and cover Dorothy, Toto, and the Lion. The bees come and can only sting the Tin Woodman, breaking their stings on the tin and dying. The bees are defeated. The Winkies' Failed Attack The Witch sends a dozen of her slaves, the Winkies, with spears. The Lion gives a mighty roar, and the Winkies flee in terror. The Witch beats them but is now forced to use her last resort.

The Winged Monkeys Capture

The Witch's Ultimate Weapon The Golden Cap The Wicked Witch uses the Golden Cap to summon the Winged Monkeys for the third and last time. The Monkeys appear and are commanded to destroy all except the Lion, whom she wants to harness. The Destruction of the Companions The Winged Monkeys seize the Tin Woodman and drop him onto sharp rocks, denting him badly. They pull the straw from the Scarecrow and throw his clothes into a tree. They tie up the Lion with ropes and carry him to the Witch's castle. Dorothy and Toto, however, are protected by the Good Witch's kiss and are not harmed. They are gently carried to the castle and left on the doorstep. Dorothy's Captivity The Witch sees the mark on Dorothy's forehead and fears it, but she also sees the Silver Shoes and wants them. She makes Dorothy a kitchen slave, working hard. Dorothy is allowed to take food to the Lion at night. They plan to escape but are guarded by the Winkies.

Melting the Witch

The Witch's Downfall The Theft of the Silver Shoe The Wicked Witch craves the Silver Shoes. She tricks Dorothy by making an invisible iron bar in the kitchen floor. Dorothy stumbles and loses one shoe. The Witch snatches it and puts it on her own foot, gaining half the power. Dorothy's Anger Dorothy is furious and demands the shoe back. The Witch laughs and says she will get the other one too. In a fit of anger, Dorothy grabs a bucket of water standing nearby and throws it over the Witch. The Melting The Witch shrieks in fear and begins to melt away like brown sugar. She confesses that water will end her. In a few minutes, she has melted into a brown, shapeless mass. Dorothy is horrified but also free. She retrieves the Silver Shoe, cleans it, and puts it on. She runs to free the Lion, and together they summon the Winkies to celebrate their liberation.

Rescue and Reunion

Freeing the Friends The Winkies' Gratitude Dorothy frees the Lion and tells the Winkies they are no longer slaves. They rejoice and make a holiday. Dorothy wants to rescue the Scarecrow and Tin Woodman. The Winkies help her. Mending the Tin Woodman They travel to the rocky plain where the Tin Woodman lies battered. The Winkies carry him back to the castle. Tinsmiths work for three days and four nights to hammer, solder, and polish him back to shape. He is as good as new, though patched. He weeps tears of joy, and Dorothy wipes them away to prevent rust. Restoring the Scarecrow They go to the tall tree where the Scarecrow's clothes were thrown. The Tin Woodman chops the tree down. Dorothy picks up the clothes and the Winkies stuff them with clean straw. The Scarecrow is revived, thanking everyone. The party is reunited, and they spend a few happy days in the Yellow Castle before planning to return to Oz to claim their rewards.

Return to the Emerald City

The Journey Back The Lost Path Dorothy and her friends, now with the Golden Cap, start back to the Emerald City. They have no road, only fields of buttercups. They soon lose their way. The Scarecrow grumbles, the Tin Woodman worries, and the Lion loses heart. Calling the Field Mice Dorothy remembers the Queen of the Field Mice, who gave her a whistle. She blows it, and the Queen appears. The Queen tells them they are heading the wrong way and suggests using the charm of the Golden Cap to call the Winged Monkeys. Flight to the City Dorothy reads the charm on the Golden Cap and summons the Winged Monkeys. The Monkeys carry them swiftly through the air to the gates of the Emerald City. The King of the Monkeys tells the story of their enslavement. They land safely, and the Guardian of the Gates lets them in. The people are amazed to see them back, having heard that Dorothy melted the Witch.

After Dorothy's first audience

After the audiences

During the westward journey

After the failed attacks

During Dorothy's captivity

After the Witch's death

After the rescue