The Wonderful Wizard of OZ - Unabridged and Dramatized - Legacy Edition recap

A cyclone carries Dorothy and Toto from Kansas to the land of Oz, where the falling farmhouse kills the Wicked Witch of the East. Directed toward the Emerald City, Dorothy follows the yellow brick road and befriends a Scarecrow seeking a brain, a Tin Woodman seeking a heart, and a Lion seeking courage. The Wizard promises to help only after they defeat the Wicked Witch of the West. Dorothy accidentally destroys the witch with water, but the Wizard is exposed as an ordinary man using theatrical tricks. He gives Dorothy's friends tokens that confirm qualities they already possess and tries to take Dorothy home by balloon, only to depart without her. Dorothy then journeys to Glinda, who reveals that the silver shoes can return her to Kansas. Her friends take up kingdoms suited to them, the Winged Monkeys are freed from servitude to the Golden Cap, and Dorothy uses the shoes to reach Aunt Em and Uncle Henry.

Dorothy lives with Aunt Em, Uncle Henry, and her dog Toto on a bleak Kansas farm. A cyclone approaches, and Dorothy is unable to reach the underground shelter before the house is lifted high into the storm. It eventually lands in a beautiful, unfamiliar country, crushing the Wicked Witch of the East and freeing the Munchkins she had ruled. The Good Witch of the North welcomes Dorothy, gives her the dead witch's silver shoes, and tells her that the Wizard in the Emerald City may know how to send her home. Dorothy begins following the yellow brick road. She soon finds a talking Scarecrow fixed to a pole and helps him down. Convinced that he lacks a brain, the Scarecrow joins her so that he can ask the Wizard for one.

A cyclone has carried Dorothy and Toto from Kansas to the Munchkin country, where Dorothy's falling house killed the Wicked Witch of the East. The Good Witch of the North gives Dorothy the witch's silver shoes and directs her along the yellow brick road toward the Wizard of Oz. Dorothy frees a Scarecrow from his pole, and he joins her to seek a brain. In the woods they find a Tin Woodman who has been frozen in place by rust. After oiling his joints, they hear how he came to have a tin body and why he believes he needs a heart. He joins the journey. A Lion then attacks the group but retreats when Dorothy rebukes him for threatening Toto. He confesses that fear constantly shames him, despite his imposing size, and decides to ask Oz for courage. The four travelers continue together, each hoping the Wizard can supply what seems missing from life.

Dorothy, Toto, the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion travel toward the Emerald City, seeking a way home for Dorothy and a brain, heart, and courage for her companions. Their route repeatedly tests the very qualities the three friends think they lack. The Scarecrow devises ways across dangerous gaps and a river, the Tin Woodman acts with compassion toward living creatures, and the Lion uses his strength despite his fear. Near the city, Dorothy, Toto, and the Lion fall asleep in a field of enchanted poppies. The Scarecrow and Tin Woodman carry Dorothy and Toto clear, but the Lion is too heavy. After the Tin Woodman saves the Queen of the Field Mice from a wildcat, the mice repay him by pulling the Lion out on a cart. With the whole party reunited and awake, the green glow of the Emerald City lies ahead.

Dorothy's party reaches the Emerald City after overcoming dangers that demonstrate the Scarecrow's resourcefulness, the Tin Woodman's compassion, and the Lion's bravery. The city's inhabitants revere Oz as a great magician, but he appears to each visitor in a different frightening form. He refuses their requests unless they kill the Wicked Witch of the West. The witch sees the travelers coming and sends wolves, crows, bees, and armed Winkies against them, yet the companions defeat each attack. She finally uses the Golden Cap to command the Winged Monkeys. They scatter the group, damage the Scarecrow and Tin Woodman, imprison the Lion, and deliver Dorothy to the witch, who cannot directly harm her because of the Good Witch's protective mark. Dorothy is forced to work while the witch schemes to steal her silver shoes. When the witch tricks one shoe from her, Dorothy angrily throws a bucket of water over her. Water destroys the witch, freeing the Winkies. Dorothy recovers the shoe and begins restoring her friends.

Dorothy and her companions have destroyed the Wicked Witch of the West and freed the Winkies. After the Winkies repair the Scarecrow and Tin Woodman, Dorothy uses the Golden Cap to summon the Winged Monkeys and return the group to the Emerald City. Oz delays seeing them until they insist that he honor his promise. Toto then knocks over a screen, revealing an ordinary elderly man who has created his fearsome appearances with mechanical effects. Oz admits that he has no true magic and came to this land accidentally in a balloon. Even so, he gives the Scarecrow, Tin Woodman, and Lion symbolic treatments that satisfy them because each has already demonstrated intelligence, kindness, and courage. Oz constructs a balloon to carry Dorothy and himself back across the surrounding desert. Toto runs after a cat just as it is ready to depart; Dorothy follows, and the balloon rises before she can board. Oz is carried away, leaving the Scarecrow in charge of the city while Dorothy must seek another route home.

The Wizard has been exposed as an ordinary man whose displays depended on machinery and disguises. He gives Dorothy's three companions ceremonial tokens for the qualities they already possess, but his attempt to take Dorothy home by balloon fails when it departs without her. Dorothy, Toto, the Scarecrow, Tin Woodman, and Lion therefore travel south to seek Glinda. They cross a forest of fighting trees and a delicate china country, and the Lion kills a monstrous spider that has oppressed the forest animals, who ask him to become their king. The travelers reach Glinda's palace after passing the country of the Quadlings. Glinda explains that Dorothy's silver shoes have always been able to carry her wherever she wishes. She uses the Golden Cap to return the Scarecrow to the Emerald City, the Tin Woodman to the Winkies, and the Lion to his forest, then gives the cap to the King of the Winged Monkeys so that his people will never again be commanded. Dorothy bids her friends farewell and uses the shoes to return to Kansas with Toto. The shoes vanish during the journey, but Dorothy lands near Aunt Em and Uncle Henry's rebuilt farmhouse and is joyfully reunited with her family.

After Oz's balloon leaves without her, Dorothy travels south with the Scarecrow, Tin Woodman, Lion, and Toto to seek Glinda's help. Along the way the companions cross a forest of hostile trees, pass through a fragile china country, and help the Lion defeat a giant spider that has terrorized the forest animals. Glinda explains that Dorothy's silver shoes have always had the power to carry her home. Before Dorothy leaves, Glinda uses the Golden Cap to send the Scarecrow back to rule the Emerald City, the Tin Woodman to rule the Winkies, and the Lion to the forest whose animals chose him as king, then frees the Winged Monkeys by giving their cap to their king. Dorothy says goodbye, knocks the shoes together, and asks to return to Aunt Em. The magic carries Dorothy and Toto to Kansas, but the silver shoes fall away during the journey. Dorothy finds herself near a newly built farmhouse and runs into Aunt Em's arms, safely home at last.