Dorothy frees the Winkies, who celebrate and help her recover her friends. The Winkies repair the Tin Woodman and restuff the Scarecrow after recovering his clothes from a tree. Dorothy finds the Golden Cap and later uses it to summon the Winged Monkeys to escape being lost on the return trip. The Monkey King explains the Cap’s origin and the rule that the charm only works three times. They arrive back at the Emerald City quickly.

Dorothy is forced into hard labor while the Witch tries to break the Lion by starving him. Dorothy secretly feeds the Lion at night and keeps his spirit alive. The Witch steals one Silver Shoe with a trap, but Dorothy fights back in anger. Dorothy throws water on the Witch and melts her completely, freeing everyone in the castle.

The travelers head west into rough country with no real road. The Wicked Witch attacks with wolves, crows, and bees, but the Tin Woodman and Scarecrow defeat them using their strengths. With her usual weapons spent, the Witch uses the Golden Cap to summon the Winged Monkeys. The Monkeys capture the Lion, wreck the Tin Woodman, scatter the Scarecrow, and carry Dorothy to the Witch’s castle.

Dorothy is brought before Oz and sees him as a terrifying great Head. She asks to go home, but Oz demands she kill the Wicked Witch of the West first. The others each meet Oz in different forms and receive the same condition. The group realizes Oz is powerful, but also controlling and transactional. They leave with one grim task between them and everything they want.

The travelers reach the Emerald City and meet the Guardian of the Gates. He locks green spectacles onto them, claiming the city’s brightness would overwhelm unprotected eyes. They enter the dazzling city and are taken to the palace. They learn Oz will see them, but only one visitor per day.

The Tin Woodman saves a mouse from a wildcat, and she turns out to be the Queen of the Field Mice. The Scarecrow asks for help saving the Lion from the poppy field. The mice use a wooden truck and teamwork to pull the Lion to safety. The chapter shows that even the smallest allies can change the outcome.

The Lion tows the raft to shore, and a stork helps rescue the stranded Scarecrow. The group wanders into a field of poppies whose scent puts Dorothy and Toto to sleep. The Lion also collapses from the fumes, too heavy to carry. The Scarecrow and Tin Woodman manage to drag Dorothy out, but the Lion remains trapped in the field.

They camp in the forest and struggle to find food, but keep moving. A huge ditch blocks the road, so the Lion helps everyone cross with powerful leaps. Later they face deadly Kalidahs and escape by dropping them into the gorge using a chopped tree bridge. They build a raft to cross a river, but the current sweeps them away and strands the Scarecrow on a pole.

A Lion tries to intimidate them but quickly reveals he is afraid of everything. Dorothy calls him out, and he admits he wants courage more than anything. He joins the group, hoping Oz will fix what he thinks is broken in him. The travelers now have four different wishes tied to one destination.

The travelers discover a Tin Woodman rusted solid in the woods. Dorothy oils his joints and brings him back to life. He tells his story and explains he wants a heart so he can love again. He joins the trip to Oz, and the group becomes three.