Dorothy Must Die

Danielle Paige

Dorothy Must Die

Danielle Paige
70 pages2-hour read
Fiction
Novel
YA
Published in 2014

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Character List

Meet the key characters, with insights into their roles, motivations, and relationships—spoiler-free.

Major Characters

Sixteen-year-old Amy lives a difficult life in Kansas, enduring high school bullies and maternal neglect. When a tornado sweeps her trailer to a dark, corrupted version of Oz, she discovers she possesses latent magical abilities. Resentful yet fiercely protective of the vulnerable, she joins an underground group of witches to train as a weapon against Dorothy's tyrannical rule.

Key Relationships

Daughter of Amy's Mom

Assassin targeting Dorothy

Fellow rebel to Nox

Student of Gert

Guided by Pete/Ozma

Travel companion of Indigo

Owner of Star

Once the celebrated hero of Oz, Dorothy has returned to become its tyrannical dictator. She strips the land of its magical resources to hoard them for herself, plunging the countryside into a gray wasteland while she remains in vibrant luxury. She enforces her will through brutal laws and severe punishments, maintaining an airbrushed, artificially youthful appearance.

Key Relationships

Enemy of Amy Gumm

Ally of Glinda

Ruler of The Scarecrow

Ruler of Tin Woodman

Ruler of The Lion

Employer of Jellia Jam

Reluctant ally of The Wizard

Nox is a dedicated warlock in the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked. Having lost his entire village to a devastating flood caused by Glinda, he was rescued by Mombi and raised specifically to act as a weapon against Dorothy's regime. He maintains strict professionalism and focuses entirely on the rebellion's goals.

Key Relationships

Trainer of Amy Gumm

Ward of Mombi

Fellow rebel of Melindra

Ozma is the true ruler of Oz who disappeared after Dorothy seized control of the land. She possesses incredibly strong magic and a deep desire to restore goodness to her home. Meanwhile, a boy named Pete assists Amy from the wreckage of her trailer, offering crucial early guidance to help her survive in this dangerous new environment.

Key Relationships

Guide to Amy Gumm

Displaced by Dorothy

Historically connected to The Wizard

Once the Good Witch, Glinda is now Dorothy's chief ally and puppet. She wears a magically fixed "perma-smile" that hides a cruel disposition, enforcing Dorothy's will by enslaving Munchkins and destroying entire villages. She continues to wear beautiful gowns and wield pink magic while committing atrocities.

Key Relationships

Ally of Dorothy

Twin sister of Glamora

Former captor of Indigo

Supporting Characters

Before Dorothy's rise to power, Gert was the witch of the north. Now part of the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked, she presents a round, kindly appearance that masks a pragmatic approach to war. She guides Amy through early magic lessons, proving willing to use painful emotional manipulation if it yields tactical results.

Key Relationships

Instructor to Amy Gumm

Co-leader with Mombi

Co-leader with Glamora

Mombi is one of the oldest witches in Oz and a central leader of the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked. Characterized by her heavily wrinkled face and coal-black eyes, she recruits Amy into the resistance. She actively guides tactical operations and fields missions against Dorothy's enforcers.

Key Relationships

Recruiter of Amy Gumm

Mentor to Nox

Co-leader with Gert

Co-leader with Glamora

Glamora is the twin sister of Glinda and the third leader of the witch rebellion. She trains Amy in Ozian culture and deportment, teaching her how to blend in. Glamora hides a facial scar given to her by Glinda, keeping it concealed with magic as a constant reminder of the war between them.

Key Relationships

Twin sister of Glinda

Instructor to Amy Gumm

Co-leader with Gert

Co-leader with Mombi

Once an ordinary man from the outside world who learned true magic from the witches, the Wizard is an aging, handsome figure whose allegiances remain ambiguous. Dorothy and Glinda tolerate his presence out of wariness, while the rebels question his true motives in the ongoing conflict.

Key Relationships

Distrusted associate of Dorothy

Counselor to Tin Woodman

Cryptic advisor to Amy Gumm

The Scarecrow has mutated from a jovial companion into a deranged, terrifying scientist. Obsessed with harvesting intelligence, he conducts horrific experiments in a hidden laboratory beneath the palace aviary. He uses unnatural, lifelike buttons for eyes and works to create biomechanical enforcers for Dorothy's army.

Key Relationships

Subordinate to Dorothy

Captor of Ollie's Sister

Temporary master of Amy Gumm

Rebuilt as a cobbled-together war machine with weaponized limbs, the Tin Woodman operates as Dorothy's chief enforcer. He commands an army of mechanical soldiers and executes Dorothy's cruelest punishments. His devotion stems from a deep, unrequited love for Dorothy that overrides his own morality.

Key Relationships

Enforcer for Dorothy

Captor of Amy Gumm

Advisee of The Wizard

A hulking beast with grotesque muscles and a filthy mane, the Lion terrorizes the citizens of Oz. He feeds directly on the fear of captured villagers to artificially bolster his own courage. He serves as the primary muscle of Dorothy's oppressive government, conducting brutal nighttime raids.

Key Relationships

Muscle for Dorothy

Opponent of Amy Gumm

Attacker of Nox

A goth-styled girl who escaped enslavement in Glinda's magic mines. She reluctantly allows Amy to travel with her toward the Emerald City, displaying deep cynicism about the current state of Oz. She hopes to find a way to escape to Amy's world entirely.

Key Relationships

Travel companion of Amy Gumm

Former slave of Glinda

Brief ally to Ollie

A Wingless One, Ollie is a monkey who removed his own wings to avoid being magically controlled by Dorothy. After Amy rescues him from a brutal punishment, he becomes a dedicated, resourceful ally who risks his life to infiltrate the palace and save his captive sister.

Key Relationships

Rescued by Amy Gumm

Brother of Ollie's Sister

Rebel against Dorothy

The head maid in Dorothy's palace, Jellia outwardly presents as a perfectly compliant and terrified servant. She manages the other palace maids and works hard to remain in Dorothy's good graces, demonstrating the intense fear the dictator instills in her staff.

Key Relationships

Servant to Dorothy

Supervisor to Amy Gumm

Amy's mother struggles with addiction and severe emotional lows following a car accident and her husband's departure. Her neglect and harsh words have deeply shaped Amy's cynical worldview, leaving Amy to manage their Kansas household largely on her own.

Key Relationships

Mother of Amy Gumm

A pregnant, popular girl at Amy's high school. Madison relentlessly bullies Amy for living in a trailer park, contributing significantly to Amy's anger and lack of self-worth before her journey to Oz.

Key Relationships

Bully of Amy Gumm

A skilled, seasoned fighter in the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked. Melindra deeply resents Amy's sudden importance to the rebellion and frequently taunts her during training, serving as a formidable physical rival.

Key Relationships

Rival to Amy Gumm

Fellow rebel of Nox

Sparring partner of Annabel

Amy's mother's pet rat. Star travels with Amy to Oz, proving to be an unexpectedly loyal and intuitive companion. He is capable of sensing danger and helps Amy navigate complex magical obstacles.

Key Relationships

Pet of Amy Gumm

A young witch in the rebellion who trains alongside Nox and Melindra. She participates in rigorous sparring sessions as the witches prepare to overthrow Dorothy.

Key Relationships

Fellow rebel of Melindra

Fellow rebel of Nox

A Wingless One who is captured by Dorothy's regime and subjected to the Scarecrow's terrifying experiments. She relies on her brother's infiltration efforts to escape the palace.

Key Relationships

Sister of Ollie

Rescued by Amy Gumm

Prisoner of The Scarecrow