The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Ending Explained

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Spoiler warning: this post explains the full ending of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. If you have not finished the book, stop here and come back later.

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Quick answer: After the Wizard is exposed as an ordinary man from Omaha and accidentally floats away in his balloon without her, Dorothy travels to Glinda, the Good Witch of the South. Glinda tells her that the Silver Shoes she has worn all along can carry her home, and Dorothy clicks her heels three times and returns to Kansas.

Quick facts

– Book: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum

– First published: 1900

– Type: A children's fantasy novel

– Tone of the ending: Happy

Table of Contents

What Leads Up to the Ending

A cyclone carries Dorothy and her dog Toto from Kansas to the Land of Oz, where her house lands on the Wicked Witch of the East. She takes the witch's Silver Shoes and follows the yellow brick road to the Emerald City with the Scarecrow, who wants brains, the Tin Woodman, who wants a heart, and the Cowardly Lion, who wants courage.

What Happens at the End of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

The Wizard sends the group to kill the Wicked Witch of the West. Dorothy melts her with a bucket of water. Back in the Emerald City, Toto knocks over a screen and reveals the Wizard as a humbug. He gives the friends symbolic gifts and plans to take Dorothy home by balloon, but it leaves without her. The friends journey south to Glinda, who reveals the power of the shoes. The Scarecrow rules the Emerald City, the Tin Woodman rules the Winkies and the Lion rules the forest animals. Dorothy returns to Aunt Em.

The Ending in 4 Quick Points

The Wizard has no real magic.
The friends already had what they wanted.
The Silver Shoes were the way home all along.
Each friend becomes a ruler.

What Happens to the Main Characters

Character	What happens to them
Dorothy Gale	Returns to Kansas
The Scarecrow	Rules the Emerald City
The Tin Woodman	Rules the Winkies
The Cowardly Lion	Becomes King of the Beasts
The Wizard	Leaves Oz in his balloon

What the Ending Means

The ending shows that people often already have the qualities they seek. Home and friendship are the real treasures.

Themes the Ending Brings Together

Self-belief. The friends discover their own strengths.

Home. Dorothy's journey is about returning home.

Illusion. The Wizard's power is a trick.

Is the Ending Happy or Sad?

Most readers describe the ending of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz as happy. How you feel about it usually depends on what you hoped for the characters and what you expected L. Frank Baum to do with the story, so it is worth asking friends how they felt before you compare notes.

Who Will Like This Ending

Readers who enjoy endings that are happy will find a lot to talk about here. If you prefer every thread tied up neatly, it helps to know in advance how L. Frank Baum closes the story, which is exactly why many readers look it up. Either way, the final chapters reward a second look once you know where everything is heading, because small details from the middle of the book start to matter. If you are reading with a group, agree beforehand whether everyone has finished, so nobody has the last chapters spoiled.

Book Versus Adaptation

The 1939 film changes the Silver Shoes to ruby slippers and makes Oz a dream.

Discussion Questions About the Ending

If you are reading The Wonderful Wizard of Oz with a book club or a friend, these questions work well once everyone has finished:

Did the ending surprise you, or had you seen it coming from the first chapters?
What does the final scene say about self-belief, and do you agree with L. Frank Baum's view?
Which character made the most important choice in the last part of the book, and was it the right one?
How would the story feel if it had ended one chapter earlier or one chapter later?
Does the ending leave you hopeful about the characters, or do you worry about what comes next?
Would you describe the ending as happy, or would you choose a different word?

How to Read the Final Chapters Again

Compare the opening with the close. Look at how the first chapter introduces self-belief and how the ending answers it.
Track each final choice. The table above shows where every main character ends up, so ask which of those outcomes was earned.
Notice what L. Frank Baum leaves unsaid. Gaps in the last pages are often deliberate, and they are where most of the debate about the ending begins.
Listen for echoes. Images, phrases or settings from earlier in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz often return in the final scene with a new meaning.

Questions to Ask Yourself After Finishing

Was the ending of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz earned by what came before it, or did it feel sudden?
Which character's final moment affected you most, and why?
If you could change one thing about the last chapters, what would it be?
Did the ending change how you think about the opening pages?

Check price of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz on Amazon

Books to Read After The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

Ozma of Oz by L. Frank Baum
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens at the end of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz?

After the Wizard is exposed as an ordinary man from Omaha and accidentally floats away in his balloon without her, Dorothy travels to Glinda, the Good Witch of the South. Glinda tells her that the Silver Shoes she has worn all along can carry her home, and Dorothy clicks her heels three times and returns to Kansas.

Is the ending of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz happy or sad?

Most readers call it happy.

What does the ending of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz mean?

The ending shows that people often already have the qualities they seek.

Is the ending of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz the same in the adaptation?