🦁 Episode 4: The Journey to Emerald City – The Difficult Road Dorothy, the Scarecrow, and the Tin Woodman continue along the Yellow Brick Road, their bond growing stronger. Each carries their own longing: Dorothy for home, the Scarecrow for a brain, and the Tin Woodman for a heart. Yet the road ahead grows darker, winding through forests and wild lands that test their courage.
The Cowardly Lion
As they pass through a dense forest, a great roar shakes the trees. A Lion leaps onto the path, terrifying Dorothy and her companions. In the anime, the Lion’s introduction is softened with humor, but Baum’s novel preserves the darker edge: the Lion is fierce, his roar echoing with primal power. Yet when Toto barks at him, the Lion admits his secret — he is a coward, afraid of everything despite his strength.
Dorothy, moved by his honesty, invites him to join their journey. The Lion longs for courage, believing the Wizard of Oz can grant it. Thus, the group becomes four: a girl seeking home, a straw man seeking thought, a tin man seeking love, and a lion seeking bravery. The Difficult Road
Together, they face trials along the way:
Treacherous forests: The path grows dim, branches clawing at them as if alive.
Wild beasts: Strange creatures lurk, testing the Lion’s courage and the Tin Woodman’s resolve.
Weariness: Dorothy grows tired, her longing for Kansas deepening as the road stretches endlessly.
The anime frames these dangers with adventure and companionship, while Baum’s novel adds a darker undertone — Oz is beautiful but perilous, and every step reminds Dorothy that she is far from home. Companions in Hope
Despite the hardships, the four travelers support one another. The Scarecrow’s cleverness, the Tin Woodman’s kindness, the Lion’s strength, and Dorothy’s determination carry them