The Marvelous Land of Oz · Character

Mombi

A Gillikin sorceress of dubious reputation who raised Tip on chores and grudges, and whose past holds the secret everyone is chasing.

major

Also known as old Mombi, Old Mombi, the real Mombi, Old Mombi The Witch, the old Witch, the Witch, clearly old Mombi, Mombi the Witch

First appearance: Tip Manufactures a Pumpkinhead

As a major figure in The Marvelous Land of Oz, Mombi is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

The wicked witch who raised Tip and later joins Jinjur's forces.

In the storyThe Marvelous Land of OzOpen this moment free

See Mombi in The Marvelous Land of Oz Book page

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Mombi is a witch by ambition if not by license, feared by her neighbors and hated openly by the boy she was given to rear. She works magic she isn't supposed to know, keeps her secrets close, and meets Glinda's interrogation with pure defiance even with a golden thread around her throat. What she knows about the vanished Princess Ozma is the hinge on which the entire search turns, and her refusal to speak is the wall the heroes must break.

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The fuller portrait of Mombi sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.

See Mombi in Tip Manufactures a Pumpkinhead

Character Web

18 connections

A slice of how Mombi sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Psychological
Rivalry
Other

Character groups

Ozma's Allies and Adversaries
Protagonist

+13 more in the full Character Web

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point
Aftermath
Closing

This excerpt represents the story's dramatic climax because it marks the emotional and psychological peak of T…

Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.

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Relationships

Tip
psychological · negative
Mombi is Tip's cruel and manipulative guardian, keeping him in servitude and threatening… How this plays out →
Glinda
rivalry · negative
Jack Pumpkinhead
psychological · negative
Scarecrow
rivalry · negative
Tip
psychological · negative
Mombi is Tip's cruel and manipulative guardian, keeping him in servitude and threatening… How this plays out →
Glinda
rivalry · negative
Tip
psychological · negative
Mombi is Tip's cruel and manipulative guardian, keeping him in servitude and threatening… How this plays out →
Scarecrow
rivalry · negative
Jack Pumpkinhead
psychological · negative
Jack Pumpkinhead
psychological · negative
Glinda
rivalry · negative

Tip
Mombi is Tip's cruel and manipulative guardian, keeping him in servitude and threatening him with transformation.
Glinda
Glinda is Mombi's powerful magical adversary, opposing her evil schemes and ultimately forcing her to reveal secrets.
Jack Pumpkinhead
Jack fears Mombi as his creator and former owner, who treated him as a mere object.
Scarecrow
Mombi opposes the Scarecrow's rule and plots against him, viewing him as a foolish obstacle.
Tip
Mombi is Tip's cruel and manipulative guardian, keeping him in servitude and threatening him with transformation.
Glinda
Glinda is Mombi's powerful magical adversary, opposing her evil schemes and ultimately forcing her to reveal secrets.
Tip
Mombi is Tip's cruel and manipulative guardian, keeping him in servitude and threatening him with transformation.
Scarecrow
Mombi opposes the Scarecrow's rule and plots against him, viewing him as a foolish obstacle.
Jack Pumpkinhead
Jack fears Mombi as his creator and former owner, who treated him as a mere object.
Jack Pumpkinhead
Jack fears Mombi as his creator and former owner, who treated him as a mere object.
Glinda
Glinda is Mombi's powerful magical adversary, opposing her evil schemes and ultimately forcing her to reveal secrets.

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

See Mombi in Tip Manufactures a Pumpkinhead

In the story

Mombi appears across 10 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

The Marvelous Land of Oz
The wicked witch who raised Tip and later joins Jinjur's forces.
Tip Manufactures a Pumpkinhead
Tip's guardian, a sorceress who has gone on a two-day journey to a village.
The Marvelous Powder of Life
Returns early with new magical powders, brings Jack to life, and threatens to transform Tip into a marble statue.
The Flight of the Fugitives
The old witch who plans to turn Tip into a marble statue; she is asleep when Tip escapes.
Tip Makes an Experiment in Magic
Referenced as the source of the magic powder and incantations that Tip replicates.
Mr. H. M. Woggle-Bug, T.E.
Summoned by Jinjur to aid the rebel army; uses magic to create the sunflower field and alter the landscape to hinder the travelers.
Old Mombi Indulges in Witchcraft
Indulges in witchcraft, sending a series of deceptive obstacles to hinder the travelers.
The Tin-Woodman Plucks a Rose
Uses deception to evade capture, first by transforming Jellia Jamb into her likeness, then by turning herself into a red rose.
The Transformation of Old Mombi
Transforms into a rose, a shadow, a black ant, and a griffin in an attempt to escape Glinda, but is ultimately captured.
Princess Ozma of Oz
Captured and forced to confess that she transformed Princess Ozma into the boy Tip.

Chapter companion notes

Spoil-light check-ins for Mombi unlock in the free preview.

See Mombi in Tip Manufactures a Pumpkinhead

See Mombi in The Marvelous Land of Oz