# Oz — The Wonderful Wizard of Oz character guide

> Oz in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum.

**Role:** major

**Also known as:** the Great Oz, the terrible Oz, Oz the Terrible, the Great and Terrible, the Great Oz himself, myself

**First appearance:** 0003-ii-the-council-with-the-munchkins

## Who they are

The unseen ruler of the Emerald City, who speaks through flames and heads and never lets anyone look him in the face.

## Relationships

### [Dorothy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_wizard_of_oz_se/characters/dorothy)

_professional_

Oz acts as a powerful but deceptive ruler whom Dorothy seeks out for help returning to Kansas.

### [Scarecrow](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_wizard_of_oz_se/characters/scarecrow)

_professional_

Oz tasks the Scarecrow with killing the Wicked Witch in exchange for brains, maintaining a transactional relationship.

### [Tin Woodman](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_wizard_of_oz_se/characters/tin_woodman)

_professional_

Oz promises the Tin Woodman a heart if he helps defeat the Wicked Witch, keeping a conditional pact.

### [Cowardly Lion](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_wizard_of_oz_se/characters/cowardly_lion)

_professional_

Oz demands the Cowardly Lion prove his bravery by helping defeat the Witch, keeping a conditional promise of courage.

### [Wildcat](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_wizard_of_oz_se/characters/wildcat)

_professional_

Oz employs the Wildcat as a servant or guard within his palace, maintaining a master-servant dynamic.

### [Tin Woodman](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_wizard_of_oz_se/characters/tin_woodman)

_professional_

Oz promises the Tin Woodman a heart if he helps defeat the Wicked Witch, keeping a conditional pact.

### [Dorothy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_wizard_of_oz_se/characters/dorothy)

_professional_

Oz acts as a powerful but deceptive ruler whom Dorothy seeks out for help returning to Kansas.

### [Scarecrow](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_wizard_of_oz_se/characters/scarecrow)

_professional_

Oz tasks the Scarecrow with killing the Wicked Witch in exchange for brains, maintaining a transactional relationship.

### [Dorothy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_wizard_of_oz_se/characters/dorothy)

_professional_

Oz acts as a powerful but deceptive ruler whom Dorothy seeks out for help returning to Kansas.

### [Wildcat](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_wizard_of_oz_se/characters/wildcat)

_professional_

Oz employs the Wildcat as a servant or guard within his palace, maintaining a master-servant dynamic.

### [Cowardly Lion](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_wizard_of_oz_se/characters/cowardly_lion)

_professional_

Oz demands the Cowardly Lion prove his bravery by helping defeat the Witch, keeping a conditional promise of courage.

### [Cowardly Lion](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_wizard_of_oz_se/characters/cowardly_lion)

_professional_

Oz demands the Cowardly Lion prove his bravery by helping defeat the Witch, keeping a conditional promise of courage.

## In the story

### [XI: The Wonderful City of Oz](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_wizard_of_oz_se/chapters/xi-the-wonderful-city-of-oz)

Oz appears in three different forms—a giant Head, a lovely Lady, and a terrible Beast—and sets the same deadly task for each visitor.

### [XV: The Discovery of Oz, the Terrible](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_wizard_of_oz_se/chapters/xv-the-discovery-of-oz-the-terrible)

Revealed as a little old man and a humbug; admits he is not a real wizard but agrees to grant the friends' requests.

### [The Magic Art of the Great Humbug](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_wizard_of_oz_se/chapters/xvi-the-magic-art-of-the-great-humbug)

Reveals himself as a humbug, successfully granting the companions' wishes through trickery but admitting he cannot help Dorothy.

### [How the Balloon Was Launched](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_wizard_of_oz_se/chapters/xvii-how-the-balloon-was-launched)

Reveals his plan to escape in a balloon; admits he is a humbug; departs alone, appointing the Scarecrow as ruler.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_wizard_of_oz_se/characters/oz
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_wizard_of_oz_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wonderful_wizard_of_oz_se/characters