The Wizard of Ozis a key part of cinema history that is still enchanting audiences today. The 1939 movie is about a young girl named Dorothy (Judy Garland) who is caught in a tornado and sent to the land of Oz. With the help of her friends — Glinda the Good Witch (Billie Burke), the Scarecrow (Ray Bolger), the Tin Man (Jack Haley), and the Cowardly Lion (Bert Lahr) — Dorothy goes on a journey to meet the Wizard of Oz (Frank Morgan),find a way back home, and escape the Wicked Witch of the West (Margaret Hamilton).

A decided classic,The Wizard of Oz’s connection to the upcoming movie musicalWickedis more complicated than one might expect. The highly anticipated new film depicts the origins of the Wicked Witch, Dorothy’s primary antagonist and the person the Wizard of Oz requests Dorothy kill before he sends her back to Kansas. However, killing the Wicked Witch is far from easy, likewise is Dorothy’s journey home. Afterre-watching the originalWizard of Ozon one of severalplatforms,there may be a few questions or interpretations about what the ending ofThe Wizard of Ozmeans.

Glinda standing in Munchkinland after her bubble

Were The Events Of The Wizard Of Oz Just Dorothy’s Dream?

Dorothy Wakes Up In Bed, But She Insists Oz Is Real

After clicking her heels and chanting “There’s no place like home,” Dorothy wakes up back in Kansas with her loved ones waiting for her.According to everyone, Dorothy was knocked out by the tornado,but she insists she went to Oz. However, as she looks around at the men in her life — Hunk, Zeke, and Hickory — she realizes they were with her in Oz as the Scarecrow, Cowardly Lion, and Tin Man respectively.

Dorothy also reunites with Professor Marvel, who she recalls was the Wizard of Oz himself.

Collage of George Bailey in It’s a Wonderful Life, Kenya Barris, and Dorothy and her friends in The Wizard of Oz

Dorothy also reunites with Professor Marvel, who she recalls was the Wizard of Oz himself. Additionally, the Wicked Witch shares a striking resemblance to Miss Gulch, who threatened to take Toto away. While this makes it seem even more likely that it was all just a dream,Dorothy insists she really ran away and ended up in Oz.However, she realized she never wanted to leave home or her loved ones, so she did everything she could to return to them.

How Dorothy Uses Glinda’s Advice To Return Home

Originally, Dorothy thought she had to rely on the Wizard of Oz to return home. However, due to an issue with his hot air balloon, the Wizard departs without Dorothy. This leaves Dorothy distressed until Glinda arrives. Dorothy asks for help, but Glinda reveals she does not need anyone else’s assistance to get back home.The magic Dorothy needed was always within her,she just needed to realize that home truly is where the heart is.

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Prior to coming to Oz, Dorothy ran away from home, thinking she was better off on her own. However, while in Oz, she learns the importance of relying on those around her, as well as how badly she wants to go home. Once she fully accepts these lessons, she’s able to return to Kansas and, more importantly, those who love and support her.

Scarecrow, Tin Man, Dorothy, and The Cowardly Lion cowering by door in The Wizard of Oz

The Wicked Witch Of The West’s Defeat Explained

Dorothy Tries To Save The Scarecrow But Melts The Witch

Before Dorothy realizes she could always go home, she is sent by the Wizard of Oz to kill the Wicked Witch of the West. Unfortunately, Dorothy is kidnapped by the Witch instead, and it is up to the Scarecrow, Cowardly Lion, and Tin Man to save her before it is too late. As they escape with Dorothy, they encounter the Wicked Witch, who uses the Scarecrow’s fear of fire against him, setting him aflame.

That act of kindness doesn’t just save the Scarecrow, but it also proves to be the Wicked Witch’s undoing as she faces the consequences of her actions.

The Cowardly Lion (Bert Lahr) looking scared in The Wizard of Oz

Dorothy grabs a pail of water and splashes it on the Scarecrow to save his life, but as she does so,the water hits the Wicked Witch and melts her. While it is Dorothy and co.’s intention to kill the Wicked Witch to achieve their dreams, Dorothy is not trying to kill her at that moment. Instead, she is trying to save a friend from the Witch’s cruelty. That act of kindness doesn’t just save the Scarecrow, but it also proves to be the Wicked Witch’s undoing as she faces the consequences of her actions.

What Happens To The Scarecrow, Cowardly Lion & Tin Man In The Wizard of Oz?

The Scarecrow, Cowardly Lion & Tin Man All Get Their Wishes

With the Wicked Witch of the West dead, Dorothy and co. return to the Wizard of Oz; however, he denies their wishes, after which they discover the Wizard is just a con man, and they realize he does not have the power to give them what they truly want. Yetthe Wizard insists the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion always had what they were looking for.The Scarecrow was always smart, the Tin Man could always love others, and the Cowardly Lion always had the capacity for bravery. They just needed to go on this journey with Dorothy to realize that themselves.

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Whilethey have what they have been looking for all along, the Wizard still gives them gifts to signify their wishes. The Scarecrow gets a diploma, the Tin Man gets a heart-shaped clock, and the Cowardly Lion gets a medal. Furthermore, the symbolism of these wishes interestingly interacts with new narratives — for instance, theTin Man’sWickedbackstorytouches upon his heartlessness. Dorothy, on the other hand, needs to get home, a much more difficult task.

An edited image of Boq and Elphaba in Wicked.

Who The Wizard of Oz Really Is

The Wizard Of Oz Was Just Like Dorothy Before Coming To Oz

The Wizard is not just any con man; he is an average person from Kansas who used to pilot a hot air balloon before it was blown off course, leading him to Oz. This is similar to what happened to Dorothy, as her house was blown far away from Kansas with her in it. Like the Wizard, she crashes into Oz, where she makes an immediate impression on the locals.

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While the citizens of Oz think the Wizard of Oz is a literal wizard, they also think Dorothy is a witch who set them free from the evil reign of the Wicked Witch of the East. Feeling compelled to genuinely help someone, the Wizard promises to take Dorothy home, despite his lack of magic. Instead, they plan to leave the way he came, in his hot air balloon. However, like her friends,Dorothy needs to rely on her own abilities to make her wish come true.

Dorothy (Judy Garland) speaks to Toto, in Kansas, in The Wizard of Oz.

The Real Meaning of The Wizard of Oz’s Ending

It Does Not Matter If The Dream Of Oz Was Real Or Not

WhileDorothy’s family claims her time in Oz is just a dream, the lessons from her adventures are real. She needs to learn on her own that running away is not the answer to one’s problems, even when they are hurt or scared. Nothing would ever replace her home or her loved ones, and those loved ones would always be there for Dorothy. Especially when things get out of hand, Dorothy will always have a place to call home as long as she is willing to rely on those close to her, as well as herself — the true moral ofThe Wizard of Oz.

The Wizard of Oz

Cast

Based on Frank L. Baum’s book of the same name, The Wizard of Oz follows young Dorothy Gale (Judy Garland) as she’s swept away to the magical land of Oz. Upon arriving, she falls afoul of a witch, then enlists the help of a scarecrow, a tin man, and a lion in order to find the Wizard and get home to her family.

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