As we roll into the spooky and “Wicked” season, what better way to grab some thrills and chills in Oz than with a post all about those hideously grotesque wicked ol’ witches. Of course, I am talking about the notable wicked witches of the West and East; however, there are some other wicked witches that do exist in the north and south as well. So, I will discuss in the more notable and #villainous characters first, their convoluted origins, some notable magical powers, and their magical legacy. Also, I will highlight a little bit about the more unknown wicked witches of Oz. So, let’s journey through the Haunted Forest and see what awaits us! So, the most notable wicked witches of Oz have been the ones that we all know, love, and loathe at the same time. I am referred to, of course, the Wicked Witches of the West and East. So, let’s start with the Witch of the East then we'll talk the Witch of the West. Wicked Witch of the East In Baum’s lore, not much is divulged about her except that she was terribly wicked to the Munchkins and was responsible for not only the Tin Woodman’s appearance but also Captain Fyter’s (another tin character that appears in Book 10) tin appearance as well. She lived in a cottage in Munchkin Country and while looking for herbs and spices for a spell, Dorothy’s house crash landed on top of her and thus crushing her “to death”. That scene is heavily depicted and referenced from the MGM’s The Wizard of Oz (1939) and gives insight into some magical footwear that she had in her possession that clearly had the ability to transport someone across great distances. The book said that they were silver and the movie made them ruby red. In 1975, The Wiz gave the Witch of the East a name, “Evvamean”, for the first time ever. It would not be until Gregory Maguire’s first Wicked novel published in 1995 that we would actually get a backstory and a different name for this unknown witch. In NBC’’s Emerald City, it was suggested that she had the magical power of weather, which caused the tornado to come collect Dorothy and bring her back to Oz. Wicked Witch of the West Regarded as the #4 greatest villain of all time, according to the American Film Institute, this wicked witch has quite the story to tell. So, in Baum’s world, no origin is ever divulged for this character. She has always lived in the Winkie (or "Vinkus") Country as a very malevolent ruler. She is described and illustrated in the book as having an eye patch, three pigtails, and an umbrella. She was very aqua-phobic in the books, just like the adaptations. She is believed to possess only magical power with the animals that she can control, e.g., the flying monkeys, the crows, the bees, the wolves. She also possessed the Golden Cap, which was discussed two posts ago. Her story ends when Dorothy throws water on her and thus melts to a liquid puddle that evaporates (meaning that she has either died or changed forms). In Maguire's world, we get to see a deeper side of her story from birth to death along with legacy. The whole saga is quite a fascinating story and in honor of those stories, I created a Wicked Years section of my blog where every "Wicked" season, I post something new. This year will be the 10th anniversary of the fourth book in the saga, so I will posting some fun activities to celebrate that anniversary. After discussing the origins, its now time to look at the magical abilities of these witches. Wicked Witch of the East In Baum's world, the Witch of the East had the ability to enchant an weapon (like an axe or sword) to move on its own with dark intentions, possibly a curse or hex, as well as making potions from herbs and spices. The incantation for the enchantment is unknown as well as what types of potions she was able to make. In various adaptations, it has been implied that she has the ability to control the weather and do weather-based magic. Wicked Witch of the West This witch's magical abilities has been explored much more in depth than her "sister-witch". In Baum's world, she can magically control such creatures as wolves, bees, crows, and winged monkeys. This magical ability has never been explored except that it is implied that can do animal-based magic. This did imply that she was able to communicate with the animals through her own magical skill set. She also has the ability to create objects and make them appear invisible. Various other adaptations have given her some notable abilities like the ability to read magical texts, using transfiguration magic, clairvoyance and other divination practices such as the ability to use a crystal ball. There is another implication that somehow her magic like her "sister-witch" might have been used to control the denizens of the different regions; however, that is not fully backed up with the texts. But, now, I pass it to you! Which magical abilities would you want? Also, if you have noticed other magical abilities from other various adaptations, please feel free to comment them below! Each of these characters has appeared in various interpretations, so I will just highlight some of my favorites below. I have already include some of the more famous legacy images above. If you are looking to see a more comprehensive list of each witch, click East or West.
Now, we have heard the origins, discussed the magic of each of these Wicked Witches, and shown their legacies within different media adaptations. So, how do we bring these lovelies to our neck of the woods? There are tons of options from watching the movies above to checking out some notable books that include these powerful womxn. First, if you want to check out more on the Wicked Years, feel free to jump over to my other tab where I am currently celebrating the 10th anniversary of Out of Oz, the fourth Wicked book. You can also check out the activities I posted last year for 25th anniversary of the first Wicked book. Other notable books include some comic adaptations along with new written histories concerning the Wicked Witches of Oz. Oh, and if your wondering about the other Wicked Witches in the North and South, there are some notable stories that have been written concerning them. Mombi is implied to be the Wicked Witch of the North in Baum's Marvelous Land of Oz and Singra is said to be the Wicked Witch of the South, according to the book written by Oz Historian Rachel Cosgrove Payes. In the book Ages of Oz, the Wicked Witch of the South is called Aphidina. We will discuss this more in Part 2 and Part 3 coming in Year 4. As close out our spectacularly wicked celebration of the Wicked Witches of Oz, I offer up some more ways for you to bring them into your world and enjoy them. Some notable options include the Oz Museum, which has tons of Wicked Witch souvenirs to purchase as well as the All Things Oz Museum. Then, you will want to stop by the Wicked: The Musical store and check out what fun options you have there. If that does not spark your interest, check out my Wicked post from last year to get some inspiration. Amazon, Etsy, and Pinterest all have tons of ideas as well. So, what will you add to your Wicked Witch collection this October? Also, what is your go to Wicked Witch of Oz book? Let me know in the comments below. One last piece is to check out Bridge to Another World: Escape from Oz collector's edition as the bonus chapter features the Witch of the West. Let me know if you have had a chance to play this game and until next time, I'll be seeing somewhere into the Oz-verse.
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May 2024
AuthorMy name is Vinkus Ken and I have been a long time fan of many things in Oz and how their world truly does emulate much of ours. Did you know that they have a flag of their own? Or did you know that they have a law about only having 9 jurors in their courts? Also, Oz has a court system! I like to introduce facts that seem meaningless and bring meaning to them by comparing them to our world. So, come along on this journey and enjoy the ride. |