These concluding chapters resolve the novel’s conflicts through a cascade of magical revelations. The Malleability of Identity finds its ultimate thematic expression in Tip’s transformation into Princess Ozma. This event moves the character from a state of artificial construction to one of inherent, rightful identity. Tip’s initial resistance, crying that “[I] don’t want to be a girl!” (193), articulates the conflict between a lived identity and a latent one. His eventual acceptance signifies a reconciliation with his true nature, suggesting that identity, while seemingly fluid, has an essential core. The Scarecrow mirrors this concept. When his straw is lost, he’s restuffed with money, becoming physically valuable yet intellectually unchanged. His insistence that his “[b]rains are still composed of the same old material” (159) reinforces the separation of essence from substance. Mombi’s series of transformations from a rose to an ant to a Griffin provides a counterpoint, illustrating the use of malleable identity for deception, a corrupt use of magic that contrasts with the restorative magic that reveals Ozma.

The resolution of Jinjur’s rebellion brings The Absurdity of Societal Obsession Over Gender Roles and Power to a nuanced thematic conclusion. Satirizing early 20th-century anxieties about women’s suffrage, the novel depicts Jinjur and her Army of Revolt as incompetent to rule and motivated by vanity. However, the novel doesn’t restore the male Scarecrow to power. Instead, it replaces both the male king-by-circumstance and the female usurper with the legitimate female heir, Princess Ozma, who prioritizes justice and cooperation. This resolution rejects the premise that gender alone should determine power; authority is vested not in masculinity or femininity, but in rightful lineage and fitness to rule. The actions of Glinda the Good and her highly disciplined, all-female army directly contrast those of Jinjur’s forces, presenting an alternative model of female power based on wisdom and order. By installing Ozma, the novel critiques Jinjur’s chaotic rebellion while endorsing a matriarchal system founded on established principles of justice.

The novel’s exploration of The Moral Ambiguity Inherent in Artificially Creating Life culminates in the philosophical dilemma posed by the Gump. Assembled from disparate objects, it represents the apex of utilitarian creation. It serves its purpose, yet its consciousness is a “conglomerate personality” it finds unbearable. Its final request to Ozma is for dissolution, stating, “[P]lease take me to pieces. […] I am greatly ashamed of my conglomerate personality” (201). This plea establishes that an artificial being can possess self-awareness and experience existential suffering, obligating its creators to consider its well-being. The respectful disassembly of the Gump honors its agency and acknowledges the moral responsibility inherent in giving life. This contrasts with the fate of the Saw-Horse, another artificial being, whom Ozma integrates into the Emerald City’s social fabric as her royal steed. Together, the fates of the Saw-Horse and the Gump illustrate two possible destinies for artificial life: honorable service or dignified release, both predicated on the recognition of their personhood.

Structurally, these final chapters use magical contrivances as narrative catalysts. The Wishing Pills, discovered in the Jackdaws’ nest, are a classic deus ex machina. The one who finally solves the riddle for their use, “count seventeen by twos” (148), isn’t the educated Woggle-Bug but the unassuming Saw-Horse, subverting intellectual expectations. Once the pills facilitate the Gump’s repair, they’re conveniently lost, preventing them from becoming an overly simplistic solution. Similarly, Glinda’s pursuit of Mombi is a dynamic chase sequence that demonstrates Glinda’s superior power while systematically stripping Mombi of her deceptive abilities. Glinda counters each of Mombi’s transformations until she’s exhausted and captured, making her vulnerable to Glinda’s truth-compelling magic. This sequence is essential for the final revelation about Ozma, transforming the broader conflict from a political struggle into a personal story of identity recovery.

The concluding chapter synthesizes the novel’s primary motifs, framing them within a discourse on true value. The final dialogue between the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman revisits their original quests for brains and a heart. The Scarecrow, now made of money, dismisses wealth in favor of intellect, while the Tin Woodman champions emotion. Princess Ozma provides the ultimate synthesis, reframing their debate by defining true wealth as something internal. She tells her friends, “[Y]ou are both rich […] and your riches are the only riches worth having—the riches of content!” (204). This concluding assertion is the novel’s final moral statement, elevating satisfaction and self-acceptance above external attributes. It’s a philosophy that reflects Ozma’s own journey from an artificially constructed boy to a self-actualized princess. Her contentment is the resolution of her identity crisis, suggesting that peace is found not in what one has, but in the acceptance of one’s authentic self.