Character guide

Dorothy Gale

major

Also known as Dorothy, little Dorothy, V Dorothy

Dorothy arrives in this story fresh from California, separated from Toto and saddled with Eureka, a kitten whose manners leave much to be desired. She is the fixed star of Baum's Oz books — the child readers refused to let him retire — and her calm familiarity with witches, nome kings, and talking beasts steadies everyone around her. When the ground opens and swallows her companions into strange countries below, it is Dorothy's unshakable matter-of-factness that keeps the group moving toward home.

Jim the Cab-Horse

major

Also known as Jim, old Jim, XVI Jim, Real Horse, noble Horse, Jim the Cab

Jim has spent his whole life as a servant, so Oz's royal treatment goes straight to his head — he snaps at stewards and demands oatmeal raw. His first encounter with the Sawhorse, a gold-shod log that claims to be the only horse in Oz, becomes a prickly comedy of pride between a real animal and a splendid imitation. His blunt horse sense and wounded dignity give the underground journey a grounding, grumbling counterweight to Dorothy's cheer.

Zeb

major

Also known as Quick Zeb, Zeb of Hugson, Hugson

Zeb is the newcomer in a party of Oz veterans, uneasy at the thought of a land full of talking animals and uncertain whether he can fight when it counts. He clings to the Wizard as a fellow outsider and worries openly about Dorothy when she vanishes from sight. His skepticism and willingness — however doubtful — to stand his ground make him the reader's stand-in as the group descends into the Valley of Voe and beyond.

Eureka the Kitten

supporting

Also known as Eureka, the Kitten

Eureka travels in Toto's place and immediately tests every boundary, from invisible hosts to the tempting damas fruit that would render her unseen. She is greedy, curious, and only barely obedient, deciding she won't touch the fruit but insisting Dorothy keep it away from her. Her small rebellions add a domestic, comic friction to the journey — and a quiet worry that Dorothy might lose her altogether.

Princess Ozma

supporting

Also known as Ozma, the Princess Ozma, The Princess

Ozma rules the Emerald City with a sweetness that has made her people fiercely loyal, and her subjects will not willingly part with her even for the returning Wizard. She is the reason Oz feels like a homecoming rather than a destination — the friend Dorothy trusts and the monarch whose magic powder once gave a sawhorse life. Her presence in the story's background reminds the travelers, and the reader, what they are trying to get back to.

The Wizard

supporting

Also known as Mr. Wizard, the little Wizard, the Wizard of Oz, Oz, the Wonderful Wizard

The Wizard built the Emerald City and ruled it once by sheer showmanship, and he returns to Oz not to reclaim a throne but to revisit old friends like Jellia Jamb and the green-whiskered soldier. He carries a satchel of tricks and a jointed sword, and he is the first to admit he is no warrior. His fondness for the Munchkins, Winkies, Quadlings, and Gillikins — and his willingness to yell when fighting fails — make him the story's warm, self-aware anchor.

The Tin Woodman

supporting

Also known as Tin Woodman, The brilliantly polished Tin Woodman, Nick Chopper

Once a flesh-and-blood man named Nick Chopper, he now reigns over the Winkies as a famously kind-hearted ruler. Though he no longer appears in person, his reputation as one of Oz's 'very important people' shapes how newcomers like Zeb imagine the strange land they are about to enter. His enduring friendship with Dorothy and the Scarecrow anchors the reunion that draws the Wizard back toward the Emerald City.

The Scarecrow

supporting

Raised from a pole in a cornfield to rule the Emerald City, he is one of the celebrated figures Dorothy names when the Wizard asks after old friends. His longing for brains has long since given way to a reputation for wisdom, making him a natural steward of Oz's most famous city. His continued prominence helps convince the Wizard that Oz has flourished in his absence and is worth returning to.

The Sawhorse

minor

Also known as Sawhorse

A wooden sawhorse brought to life, used as a mount in Oz.

Billina

minor

A talking yellow hen who accompanies Dorothy and her friends.

The Hungry Tiger

minor

Also known as the Tiger

A large tiger who longs to eat but is too kind-hearted.

The Cowardly Lion

minor

Also known as the Lion

A lion who pretends to be cowardly but is actually brave.

Uncle Hugson

minor

Also known as Uncle Bill Hugson, Uncle Bill, Hugson

Zeb's uncle who runs a ranch in California.

The Gargoyles

minor

Also known as Gargoyles

Wooden flying creatures who attack intruders in their mountain.

The Mangaboos

minor

Also known as Mangaboos, the heartless Mangaboos

Vegetable people who live in the Glass City underground.

The Braided Man

minor

A peculiar man made of braided hair on Pyramid Mountain.

Jellia Jamb

minor

Also known as Jellia

A servant in the Emerald City who assists Ozma.

Professor Woggle-Bug

minor

Also known as the Woggle-Bug

A highly magnified and educated woggle-bug who teaches in Oz.

Toto

minor

Dorothy's loyal little black dog from Kansas.

Tik-Tok

minor

A mechanical man who must be wound up to move and think.

The Gurgles

minor

Strange creatures encountered in the Valley of Voices.

Gwig

minor

A strange creature met during the journey underground.