Our final Villains in Oz focuses on a Thanksgiving in Oz story. In this story adapted from Marvelous Land of Oz, Ozma of Oz, and Volkov's Urfin Jus and the Wooden Soldiers, we get to meet the infamous Tyrone the Terrible Toymaker. This character, who seemingly shares characteristics of the Nome King and Urfin Jus, is introduced to Dorothy from a frightened Jack Pumpkinhead. In this post, we'll learn about his origins, his only media legacy, and ways you can enjoy this gangly curmudgeon. Tyrone's story begins sometime after the death of the Wicked Witch of the West. Living in a castle high atop Ku-Ka-La Mountain, located in what could possibly reside in the Winkie Country, as Jack Pumpkinhead welcomes Dorothy to the "Winkle Country" in the movie/book, and mentions it as the former home of the Wicked Witch. Anyways, Tyrone was hoping to become a successful toymaker; however, when his plans fell through, he decided on taking the evil path. Thus, he has vowed to rule over the Emerald City with his army of toy soldiers, once he obtains the powder(keg) of life, of course. Once he gets the powder of life, Dorothy and her new friends pursue Tyrone to stop him from bringing his army of toy soldiers to life. When Dorothy arrives at the toymaker's castle, she has to use a song to win over the good in his heart. It is quite a fascinating story and obscure at that. This villain's story was only brought to life in the movie, "Thanksgiving in the Land of Oz" (a.k.a. as "Dorothy in the Land of Oz"), which you can check out online by clicking the picture above. Another fascinating piece of merchandise that released with this movie was a novelization of the book, "Dorothy and the Green Gobbler of Oz" by Romeo Muller. As to be expected, you get more information from the book that may not have been made clear in the movie. You can get a copy of the book online. Aside from the book, if you want to get a copy of this movie, you can always get a copy of the movie for yourself or get a copy of the poster for the movie. Below are the DVD cover (left) and promotional poster (right). There unfortunately is not a lot out there, but that means there is always room for making T-shirts and other items in the future. Well, that will do it for another year of Oz explorations. Which post did you enjoy the most? Let me know in the comments; and, however you choose to spend your Thanksgiving this year, don't forget to check out Tyrone's villain story; and until next month, when we return for a whole new year of Oz exploration activities: A Year of Ozian Sidekicks. I'll be seeing you somewhere in the Oz-verse.
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AHHHHHH! A headless woman!!! Run!!! Oh wow, that was close. Now, that we have caught our breath, we can check out the villain of this spooky month: Princess Langwidere and her removable heads. You heard me right! In Oz, there is a princess in the Land of Ev who can remove her heads by choice as well as decapitate others' heads whom she will want to wear. So, in this post, we will learn this characters possible origin story, her reign of terror, her media legacy, and how you can bring this deformed debutante to your neck of the woods. This headless horror is first introduced in Baum's third book, Ozma of Oz. In the story, Ozma is on a royal tour of Oz and its surrounding areas when she comes upon the Land of Ev and its only surviving princess, Langwidere. Her story starts with her uncle, King Evoldo. After he sold his family to the Nome King, this left her in charge of the kingdom of Ev (seen below), even though she didn't want it. After Dorothy landed in Ev, she ended up being captured by Langwidere. When Ozma found out about this, she and Dorothy's friends went to rescue her and promised to save her family from the Nome King. Oh, scandalous! Her reign of terror was only but a moment but the horror of her deheading is what really sicks out with this villain. When Dorothy initially came upon Langwidere's palace, the princess was enamored with Dorothy's head. She insisted that Dorothy give up her head, but when she would part with it (understandably so), she was jailed. Dorothy would not be released until Ozma and friends came to rescue her. Unfortunately, the young girl's release came with the condition that Langwidere's family was returned. This means that her reign did not end there. Aside from Dorothy's curiosity getting her in Langwidere's clutches, Dorothy and friends would not have been in this situation if Langwidere had just took up the mantle and tried to get her family back herself, then no one would have to deal with the no-good Nome King. Now understanding Langwidere's vivaciousness, there has been a lot of adaptations regarding her rule and position in Oz. Her very first media appearance came in 1985 when Langwidere was renamed Mombi, but still kept her heinous head collection in Disney's Return to Oz (see top of post). Then, in 1987, Langwidere returns again with another name change, Princess Lulu, in Panmedia's Wonderful Wizard of Oz (episode 32 - "The Kidnapped Prince). It would be almost 30 years later when Langwidere would return in a few other adaptations such as:
In addition to those iterations, there have also been some other media forms (comics, radio plays, etc.) where she would premiere as well. In 2011, Marvel would release illustrated comics of the first six Oz books and Langwidere made her appearance in Marvel's Ozma of Oz (see below). Of course, there are countless illustrations from various books done of the Ozma of Oz story. Langwidere went audio in some notable radio plays from the Colonial Radio Theatre and Crossover Productions, where each brought Langwidere to life in their own way. The most recent appearance of Langwidere appeared in Maguire's fourth Wicked Book, Out of Oz, which makes a brief mention of Langwidere. Where will Langwidere's hideous heads appear next? Who knows? But, as you can see, she has made her mark on various media outlets and in the Land of Oz. So, a few ways you can bring this majestic monarch to your neck of the woods include getting a copy of any of the adaptations mentioned above or one of the tons of artworks that feature this bombastic beauty or even some great Return to Oz merchandise that will feature Langwidere as Mombi like this awesome T-shirt. So, however you choose to connect with this malevolent matriarch this Halloween is up to you; and until next time, I'll be seeing you somewhere in the Oz-verse.
Hey all and welcome to another vile month of Ozian villains. In September, many young ones are heading back to school, which is a perfect time to check out some schoolyard bullies in Oz such as Wilhelmina Witch, the niece of the Wicked Witch of the West, and Prince Otto, the son of the Nome King. This post will focus on origins, their reigns of terror, their media legacy, and ways you can bring these soon-to-be sinister antagonists to your neck of the woods. The origins of these characters stems from the media adaptations that they appeared in. Wilhelmina Witch first appeared in Boomerang's Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz. Her birth or her parents are never made clear, but her story begins after she was done with Witch Finishing school. Then, to become a more villainous witch, she went to go live with her auntie, the Wicked Witch of the West, whose spirit/essence had been transferred to a gazing glass after the events of the MGM movie. To learn more more about this problematic pre-teen, check out her Oz wiki page. Then, there is Prince Otto, who was born in the underground tunnels as the son of the Nome King in Hyperion Animation's The Oz Kids. He lives with his father in hopes of becoming the next big villain of Oz. He first appeared in the story, "The Nome Prince and the Magic Belt", which ended up sharing many elements of Baum's Ozma of Oz as well as telling a new story after Dorothy got the Nome King's magic belt. Check out Otto's Oz wiki page to learn more about this malicious miscreant. Now, when it comes to each of these villain's reign of villainy, they seem to fluctuate between right and wrong while sometimes walking the line. Wilhelmina's reign of villainy began the moment she arrived at the Wicked Witch's castle. She was so determined to be just as wicked as her aunt that she was willing to do anything she said. Her aunt's goal was to get the ruby slippers and since the witch was trapped in the crystal ball, it was up to Wilhelmina to take up the mantle of villainy. She was always causing grief and problems for Oz's protagonists; but, unfortunately with the hindrance of Frank and Lyman, her winged monkey companions, it always ended up terribly for this wicked witch-in-training while Frank and Lyman ended up taking the brunt of yelling from the Wicked Witch. Otto's reign of villainy began when he started feeling left out; and, since he wanted to gain his father's approval that he was doing good at being a villain, he tried his hardest to cause trouble for Dot and her friends like trapping them in a virtual world or taking revenge for including him by recruiting Andrea to commit his wrongdoings. His minimal efforts at villainy did cause some minor inconveniences for the protagonists, but always seemed to backfire and would end up with him owning up to his errors and trying to fix them. There are moments when he was even on good terms with the protagonists; unfortunately for Otto, this did not please his father and he would end up getting an earful for not being a bad enough villain. So, when it comes to ways you can bring these vivacious villains into your homes, you can do a few things. First, you can purchase either or both of the adaptations online. The covers for the DVDs/VHS are seen throughout this post. You can also get the shows digitally like The Oz Kids on YouTube or Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz on either the Boomerang or Amazon apps. Another great option is to find some coloring pages featuring the characters from the different shows like the one below. You can also play some online games featuring the characters from Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz here. In terms of The Oz Kids, there doesn't seem to be any coloring pages out there, so there is room to create your own and share it in the comments. You can also check out my post on The Oz Kids and help solve the mystery of the Oz Kids here. It would also be really fun to start seeing more memes and gifs out there from the two shows as well, so there is another great activity for you to do. You can also share those as well in the comments below for others to see. One last activity you can do is always purchase one or both of these editions of The Baum Bugle that discuss the two shows. You can get these editions from The Oz Club here. If it's not listed, contact the Baum Bugle editor and see what they can do for you. Well, that will do it, until next time, I'll be seeing you somewhere in the Oz-verse.
In the golden days of summer, there are tons of villains that raise the heat; however, none come close as the terrifying and torturous Hammerheads (at least, in my opinion). These humanoid creatures can extend their heads in a way that can pummel you backwards through the air all because they simply don't like you or your presence in their realm. In this post, we will discuss these bombastic and stubborn denizens of Oz, their questionable origins, their media legacy, and different ways to experience the Hammerheads of Oz. The Hammerheads are a group of creatures that live in the rocky hills of the Quadling Country (see above). Their origin is never specified; although, according to the Royal Timeline of Oz, they are mentioned to have existed around 1742 A.D. So, they have at least be around since the 18th century. How do you think they came to live in the Land of Oz? Let me know in the comments below. They are short, stout creatures with no arms, two legs, and the ability to extend their heads as a hammer that can be directed at you. It would very much hurt you if you experienced this. Dorothy and her friends experienced them in Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. It did not go over very well, and they were forced to use the golden cap to fly them over them Hammerheads domain. The media legacy of these hard-headed horrors has been seen in a few adaptations. After their initial debut in 1900, quite a few authors have adapted them into their own illustrated adaptations like Greg Hildebrandt (see below), Leonid Vladimirskiy (see bottom of the post), and Charles Santore (see above) as well as some iterations drawn in comics (see below). First off, in TV and film, there are some notable representations of these insidious creatures as well. One even took the sea-faring definition of a hammerhead and made it a shark. Check them out below and let me know which adaptation is your favorite? After seeing all those images, it makes you wonder how you can bring these "wild ones" to your neck of the woods? Of course, you can always watch one of the media adaptations, read one of the many illustrated books out there of The Wizard of Oz, or even check out one of the comics that may feature these rock guardians. Of course, you can always purchase one of the illustrations or get a little DIY yourself with one of the many awesome artwork adaptations done by many Oz fans. Below are just a couple examples of artwork you can get framed for your Oz rooms. An additional option might be to get a souvenir like this tarot card set featuring the illustrations of Denslow, one of which has the Hammerheads on it. So, however you choose to add a touch of these villains to your Oz collections, it is up to you; and, until next time, I'll be seeing somewhere in the Oz-verse.
Greetings all and happy Independence Day from the states! This month, we are focusing on two villains that come from our world but have been connected to Oz stories. These characters are not in any books, but solely created for the films. We will be discussing Ms. Almira Gulch from the '39 film, The Wizard of Oz, and Dr. J.B. Worley from the '85 film, Return to Oz. These two characters were as vile as they come with Ms. Gulch being the epitome of a privileged white woman, who used her family connections to terrorize, and Dr. Worley, who used science as a smoke screen for experimenting on children. So, we will discuss each character, their origin (if any is known), their appearance in media adaptations and how you can experience these villains in your neck of the wood. Let's begin with the villain that appeared first, Miss Almira Gulch. This character is introduced in the '39 film and is a movie-only character. She is prominent citizen of an unnamed county in Kansas, has known Aunt Em for over 23 years, and has had trouble with Toto for a while now. Additionally, Em reveals that Almire owns half the county that they live in, which means she is half-owner. Her reign of villainy is constrained to this brief interaction as she e desires to have Toto destroyed. But why? Furthermore, when she arrives at the Gale farm, Almira gives them an order from the Sheriff to collect the dog. What a shame! Now, let's explore why Almira tried to hurt the dog as I don't believe for a second that someone would do this unprovoked. Apparently, the reason she is upset is because the dog frequently gets onto her property and chases her cat around. Then, out of sheer frustration, Miss Gulch tried to hit Toto with a rake this time. Once she arrives at the Gale farm, Almira tells them that the dog bit her. Is that a lie or did that really happen? Now, we don't actually know what happened and how this actually went down as it happened before the story opens; but it is wild that this woman feels the dire need "to destroy" the dog instead of maybe getting a restraining order against him. Additionally, if she didn't get the dog, she was going to pursue a "damage suit" against the Gales. Oh dang! She is wicked! But I want to know what you think about who is right. Comment below. Next up, Dr. J. B. Worley from Disney's Return to Oz (1985). Another movie-only character, he is introduced initally in a newspaper advertisement that helped people with "electric healing" (Vinge, 5). His office, where this process takes place, is located in a town called Cottonwood Falls. He has various people employed at this establishment including Nurse Wilson and various attendants. His clinical attitude makes him incredibly unrelatable and viciously uncomfortable, especially with his desire to use electricity to "heal" people. Ugh! So despicable! There is nothing describing his origin story or any other defining elements about how he is the way he is except the interaction between him, Dorothy, and Aunt Em. The scene where she is about to have the procedure done can be seen above and it will give you an idea about how haunting this doctor and his office is. Of course, since these are only movie characters, the adaptations that you can see them in are their respective movies. However, Ms. Gulch does make an appearance in Tom & Jerry & The Wizard of Oz, an animated feature that was shown earlier. Be sure to check it out in its entirety along with the other ones, even if you have seen them. There is always something new to see. Of course, when it comes to books, you can always check out these comic book adaptations of the movies, which feature both Dr. Worley (in the Return to Oz comic) and Ms. Gulch (in the Marvel MGM comic). Return to Oz also published a novelization of the film, which features more information about Dr. Worley's interactions with Dorothy and a script was published of the MGM film, which features a closer look at the words said in the film. They are all very fascinating additions to your Ozzy collections. In addition to watching the movies and checking out the books, another way you can bring these heinous villains to your neck of the wood is buying various memorabilia that is contantly being released. Check out this colorized version of Ms. Gulch with Toto in basket ornament or the Return to Oz soundtrack with the instrumental song, "The Ride to Dr. Worley's". So, however you wish to experience these villains is entirely up to you; and until next time, we'll be seeing you somewhere in the Oz-verse. Greetings all and welcome to another #Pride month in the Land of Oz. This month's "villain" is the one who wore all the colors of Oz in her outfit and hat while leading an all-female army with outfits matching hers. Her villainy is questionable since she is not fully trying to harm people but trying to give equality to all. She just seems to do in a way that is not helpful to her. Who is this equality denizen? Of course, I am referring to General Jinjur, who a surprise villain of Baum's second book, The Marvelous Land of Oz, as she was not expected. In this post, we will be showcasing her reign of villainy, her media legacy, and how you can experience this colorful crusader in her neck of the woods. General Jinjur first appeared in Baum's The Marvelous Land of Oz. After experiencing too much inequality at home and hearing that another male figure was ruling Oz, she gathered an army of women around Oz to overthrow the Emerald City. Her army appeared quite intimidating (as one can see below) and the soldiers of the Emerald City did not expect it because no one is Oz apparently has problems like these. The army was armed with knitting needles instead of guns and they were able to overthrow the Scarecrow and his friends as they had abandoned their posts to go get help from the Tin Man, who was now an Emperor for the Vinkus "Winkie" Country. Her reign of "villainy" begins with her putting her army together, known as the Army of. Revolt. She is upset at how she and all women in Oz are treated as secondary citizens. Of course, her cause is incredibly noble but the way that she went about it seemed very questionable. I mean why didn't you just go talk to the Scarecrow? I'm absolutely convinced that he would have heard you out and done something about it. So, it begs the question, why did she feel she had to go to the extreme that she did to get her point across? Anyways, she storms the Emerald City with her army and overtakes the city. When everyone clears out the palace, she makes decrees that women and men have to swap roles and the men do all the work of the women. while the women took over the men's obligations. She crowns herself ruler of Oz and begins her temporary rule as "Queen of Oz". Her villainy continues when she refuses to give up her crown when she is approached by the Scarecrow and his compatriots. They are thrown out and discover that Jinjur is working with Mombi. This ends up not so good for Jinjur and Mombi as the heroes connect with Glinda to ask for help, who swoops in and settles everything in a very "deus ex machina" way. Mombi is stripped of her powers, restricted to use any magic in the future, and banished back to her home indefinitely. Jinjur is eventually overthrown but is given what she wants to have a female ruler of Oz when everyone figures out where the rightful ruler is. She is then asked to return to her life in Munchkin Country and never return. Much of Jinjur's overthrow can be seen in this video from Cinar's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz saga (episode 29). Let me know what you think in the comments. Jinjur's media legacy has been shown in a number of adaptations (including the ones discussed already). Jinjur made her first appearance on screen in the 1914 film, The Patchwork Girl of Oz. She is played by Marie Wayne and is the reason Ojo gets thrown in jail for stealing a 6-leaved clover. It would be over 45 years before Jinjur would be seen in a different form on screen again in Shirley Temple's The Marvelous Land of Oz, played by Johnathan Winters. Some other notable representations of Jinjur can be seen below. Wow, what a legacy! Even an international legacy! How wonderfully Ozzy! So, how can you bring this rainbow-colored general to your neck of the woods? Well, aside from reading the comics or watching any of the adaptations above, there is some merchandise that you can purchase; however, it is up to you how much you want to spend and if you want to include these items in your collection. Below is just a sampling of items you can get. Check them out by clicking on the item you want to explore more. Additionally, you can always find yourself a great picture and craft it into a wall decoration for your Ozzy collections. Furthermore, here are some other options for adaptations you can enjoy in the comfort of your own home that feature General Jinjur in radio theatre form. Click on each image to find out more information about each. However you want to connect with this hardcore general, it is up to you. Let me know in the comments which version you life the best; and until next time, we'll be seeing you somewhere in the Oz-verse.
Happy Spring from Oz! May is a lovely month to begin growing your own flowers, fruits, and vegetables. However, in Oz, there is a kingdom that is made up of vegetation that is not friendly at all and puts whole new meaning to "cold as a cucumber". The Vegetable Kingdom is first discovered in Baum's fourth book, Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz. In this post, we shall discuss the Vegetable Kingdom, its denizens, its reign of terror on Dorothy and her companions, as well as how you bring this farming nightmare to your neck of the woods. Dorothy and her cousin Jeb along with Jim, Jeb's horse, and Eureka, Dorothy's companion cat, first came across the Vegetable Kingdom after surviving an earthquake and falling through the earth. Mystically, they floated through the air toward the Mangaboo Palace below (see above). The kingdom under the Land of Oz, which magically grew everything underground, consisted of many types of vegetable denizens, who call themselves Mangaboos. It contains six different colored suns as well as multiple buildings made of glass. After coming down to the floor of the kingdom, they were met by a ruler of the Mangaboos. The denizens were definitely not happy about Dorothy and her companions' arrival because the rocks that fell through with them from the earthquake broke many of the buildings within the kingdom. They even called it the "rain of stones". The trouble with the Mangaboos definitely started when Dorothy and her confidants crashed through into the city; however, it definitely got worse when the Wizard arrived soon after. Once the Wizard arrived and introductions were made, he met the sorcerer of the Mangaboos, Gwig (see above), and the two seemed to have a "grumpy, old men" fight about who was the better sorcerer. This argument led to the Wizard "killing" the Gwig by slicing him in half with a sword; however, the denizens were so shocked by this and took Gwig to be replanted so that he may once again be born whole. As to be expected, once this happened, the Mangaboos were weary of the "intruders"; but, continued to let them tour their fine city of glass. It had gardens, a palace, and a community gathering hall. In the gardens, the group came upon a section that housed the royal bush of the Mangaboos. Here is where the rulers are plucked to be the ruler. When it was discovered that there was a princess who was meant to be plucked and still has not due to the current ruler not wanting to give up his title, Dorothy took it upon herself to get the princess and make her the rightful ruler of the Mangaboos. This aggravated the current ruler and insisted that they be destroyed as he did not want more "meat" people to grow in their beautiful city. After the princess got her rightful place, the previous prince exiled and shunned, and the "strangers" sleeping in the Gwig's house, all seemed right! You would be wrong. Once the princess was caught up on everything, she decided to continue the prince's punishment and destroy them. They surrounded them in Gwig's house intent on throwing them into a black pit. They were forced into the pit, which turned out to be a tunnel and that is the end of the reign of terror from these cold and heartless glass city citizens. Whoo! That was a close call. They are absolutely terrifying. Once you think you are safe, you are not! Just like a horror movie. Well, now that we have discussed the horrid experience that Dorothy and her friends experienced, let us discuss some of the media adaptations that have shown this kingdom and its shady community. Of course, the original text has some illustrations of the kingdom, as seen in the post. There is also a comic series from Marvel that shows much more of the story through more rigid and terrifying illustrations. Check it out for yourself here. You can read the entire story at that link. Another adaptation was done with The Oz Kids back in the '90s in an episode called "The Underground Adventure". In this adaptation, young Frank, who is the son of the Wizard of Oz, ends up falling through the ground with other kids who are on a field trip in a bus. Once there, they meet up first with the Mangaboos and how cold and cringey they are. You can see the entire story below. That is all there is in regard to media adaptations. So, how can you bring this kingdom to your neck of the woods? Well, you can always watch or read any of the adaptations mentioned above, which is a great way to experience the cold-hearted vegetation. Another way that many Oz fans get into bringing Oz to their homes is to have gardens filled with different kinds of flowers like roses from the Rose Kingdom or Oz-themed flowers like those found in the Munchkin Country. For the Mangaboos, one will need to have a place to plant different types of vegetables in a garden plot with a greenhouse cover as well as a sign on the outside that says, "Welcome to the Home of the Mangaboos!" Also, feel free to check out this reading of the Vegetable Kingdom from Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz (below). However, you would like to add a touch of the Mangaboos to your domain, it is up to you. We always welcome difference and diversity in the Land of Oz unlike the denizens of this villainous domain; and, with that, that will close out another visit to the sinister and malicious denizens of Oz. Until next time, we'll be seeing you somewhere into the Oz-verse. Welcome all back to the Oz-verse! This rainy, watery month, we will be diving into the waters of the Nonestic Ocean, where the terrifying and sinister villain Zog resides. In this post, we will discuss origins and looks, his horrifying reign, his media legacy, and how you can experience Zog at your home. Zog origins align with many of the immortals that have been around since the beginning of Oz-verse. One distinction is to his origin story that was disclosed in Baum's The Sea Fairies was how he came to be, which was through scientific experimentation. He was made in a laboratory by a scientist who merged five beings together to create the individual personae that he is. Ugh....gross! Talk about the epitome of animal cruelty. Whoever this scientist was is the real monster! Zog’s reign of villainy began eons ago when he was first dropped into the Nonestic Ocean. He attempted to overthrow King Anko but failed miserably. He was banished to a hidden palace that no one knew that place of; until a young girl, Mayre “Trot” Griffiths and a family friend, Captain Bill, discovered his palace by accident. Accompanied by Queen Aquarieine, Zog captured the group and held them “captive” in his palace. He attempted to get her to spill her secrets by casting various spells on them like freezing their rooms or amplifying the heat around them. He even sent a pinching monster on them, which does not sound enjoyable at all. The group was able to escape the clutches of Zog right when King Anko arrived to assist their escape. King Anko defeated Zog again by killing him into a gelatinous mess. Gross! In terms of media adaptations featuring this monstrosity, there are only a few options. Zog appears in a culmination episode of The Oz Kids called “Journey Beneath the Sea”, released in 1990. Then, almost thirty years later, he appears in an episode of Boomerang’s Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz called “The Emerald of Zog”. Check out this animatic featuring behind the scenes drawings of that episode. Zog only appears in the 1911 book, The Sea Fairies, in an illustrated format, see picture at top of post. So, you can definitely check out any of those adaptations and read the book. There is a comic adaptation of The Sea Fairies but Zog is not illustrated in that book. Have you seen any of the adaptations featuring Zog? What is your impression of this villain? Let me know in the comments. This character should also not be confused with the flying dragon named Zog as that is a different universe. Well, we have come to end of another villain’s reign of terror. Do you think that that this underwater monster turned villain was really a bad being or were they put into a bad situation? Let me know in the comments your thoughts and I’ll be seeing you next time somewhere into the Oz-verse.
Greeting all! This month, in celebration of powerful women, we look to maniacal Madame Morrible, the "unofficial Wicked Witch of the Emerald City". Not only is Madame Morrible an excellent candidate for this women's history month, she also dominates with the month's signature color: emerald green! In this post, we will discuss her origins, her media legacy (and future legacies), as well as how you can celebrate this gangrene beauty in your neck of the wood.
Headmistress Morrible, or more commonly known as Madame Morrible, is first introduced in Gregory Maguire's Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West. Her origin is not divulged in the books; however, we do learn a lot about her throughout the novels like:
In the book, she kills Dr. Dillamond with her Grommetik assistant as well as Glinda's nanny, Ama Clutch, who witnessed her doing it. Then, she drugged Elphaba, Glinda, and Nessarose with some kind of magical potion to convince them to become leaders in different regions of Oz and work for the Wizard. When none of them consented, this put them on her hit list. Morrible was behind Elphaba's love, Fiyero being killed by the Wizard's army, Glinda not getting into the Sorcery program, and Nessarose dying by Dorothy's house. Pretty diabolical for a headmistress, who you don't suspect to be that focused on three students in her college. Eventually, Morrible died in the end from old age, even though Elphaba told everyone she came across that she killed her.
Now, in the play, similar events seem to transpire, but with a lighter touch like her not killing Dr. Dillamond but getting him kicked out of his position. Fiyero was not killed by a militant group but instead was swept away in a tornado. She also spread lies that Elphaba was a thread that needed to be eradicated. The event that did stay the same was Nessarose having a house landing on her and Morrible was the reason why the tornado came to Oz. Her end in the play was not that she died but that she was dismantled from her position and outcast from the Emerald City.
With all that information about Madame Morrible, you may ask well, what is her media legacy? Well, it is just limited to the play currently; however, in 2024, the musical comes to the big screen with Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible. You can check out more from The Hollywood Reporter above. Additionally, Madame Morrible has been seen is a wide variety of different countries like the United Kingdom & Ireland, South Korea, and Australia. Which country's production would you like to see in person?
So, how you can you bring some Madame Morrible to your neck of the woods? Well, you can always purchase something from the Wicked The Musical store like some Shiz University gear or follow Wicked on various social media platforms. You can always check out my posts on Madame Morrible on my Wicked Years blog like this one where I showcase a vlog series from the first African-American actress to play Madame Morrible, Sheryl Lee Ralph. There is a lot out there like the Wicked: The Musical Grimmerie or the Wicked: the Musical programs as a wide variety of merchandise like puzzles that were made featuring the different characters from the musical. All of these I have shown on my Wicked Years blog. So, get out there and check it out for yourself and have yourself a wonderfully Morrible time with the vast inspirations out there like this fun video made by a Wicked fan and artist: BagamCadet. Share your stories and inspirations below and until next time, I'll be seeing somewhere into the Oz-verse.
Greetings all and welcome to that lovely red month of February. This month, we will be venturing to the scarlet south, wherein lies the fourth and final Wicked Witch of Oz. This crimson-colored mysterious wicked witch has eluded media adaptations and has changed her name multiple times throughout different literary canon; however, she is probably the most villainous in her anonymity and her secretive nature. In this post, we will discuss this evil witch’s various origins, names, etc., along with her various reigns of terror, notable books she has appeared in, and different ways you can bring this carmine character to your neck of the woods. To begin with, The Wicked Witch of the South, known by many names over various sources, was first introduced by Baum in his first book when Dorothy first arrived in Oz. She was told that each country in Oz had a good witch and a wicked witch. The Wicked Witches of the East and West were the current witches in Oz and have been the most popularized in media. The Wicked Witch of the North was revealed in the second book, unofficially, as Mombi. She has appeared in not as much but has definitely been seen out there. Check out my previous post all about her. The Wicked Witch of the South was never really identified with a name until Baum's later book, The Scarecrow of Oz, in which he called her Blinkie. She lived in a southern area of the Quadling Country called Jinxland and even identified herself as the Wicked Witch of the South. Blinkie made an appearance in Boomerang's Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz in the third season episode, "North meets West" (see below). After her introduction in Baum's book, the Wicked Witch of the South did not reemerge until years later where she would not only change appearance but also her name. Rachel Cosgrove Payes, who is another Royal Historian of Oz, wrote a whole book about her and renamed her Singra (see picture at top of post). Here she had been asleep for a century and when her magical alarm clock woke her up, she arose to discover her cousins have been "killed" and vowed revenge on Dorothy and the Land of Oz. Check out the full story by getting your own copy from a library or from The International Wizard of Oz Club. If you get it from the Oz Club, you can get a discount on it if you are a member. Other books that mention her include Gabriel Gale's book, The Ages of Oz: A Fiery Friendship, the Wicked Witch of the South's origin story is detailed in a different way but definitely aligns with the Oz universe and timeline. In this book, she owns a girl's boarding school and is adept at plant magic. Her name is Aphidina, like an Aphid, and she is definitely a power to go up against, as a young Glinda and Locasta learned. Let me know if you have had a chance to read this story yet? It is available in audiobook, e-book, and hard copy. Since this villain has different reigns and different paths, it is up to you to decide which path you enjoy the most and run with it. Be inspired to do something with it to the best of your skills. Moving into media adaptations outside of books, she has made her mark on a comic book, a TV show episode (mentioned previously), and a podcast/audio drama. She appeared Marvel's Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz (2011) com (see picture above lef), and she appeared in Hit the Bricks, a podcast/audio drama with a very parallel story to Ages of Oz: A Fiery Friendship with major changes like the name, looks, and magical ability (see picture above right). Other than that, she has unfortunately not been visually adapted as much as her villainous relations. So, how can you bring this Southern Sorceress to your neck of the woods? Well, you can always start by checking out of the adaptations mentioned above to get your fix; however, there is always some other book options for you (see covers above). As you may know, there are tons of spin-offs and fan-fiction type stories out there in all fandoms and Oz is no exception. Two books featuring the Witch of the South include The Enchanted Apples of Oz and The Magic Book of Oz (cover above, left). The former is a comic book story that features a magician who is trying to awaken The Wicked Witch of the South (see above) while the latter showcases an alternate version of Oz with an alternate version of the Witch of the South where her name in this universe becomes Kragmagda. You can purchase both books online or you can try to find them at your local library.
Well, that will do it for our exploration all about this quiet Quadling. What was your favorite part of her story? Let me know in the comments below. To check out Part 1 and Part 2, click each name respectively. Until next time, we'll be seeing you somewhere into the Oz-verse. |
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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. |