10 More Happy Movie Endings That Ignored One Devastating Thing
8. Toto Is Still Toast - The Wizard Of Oz
At the end of The Wizard Of Oz, Dorothy has learned of her importance to the world and come through an adventure in which she vanquished fictionalised versions of real “villains” in her life.
It’s literally all just escapism, but as far as Dorothy’s personal and psychological growth goes - as well as the more simple conclusion of her returning home - it’s certainly presented as a happy ending.
But Wait...
Nothing Dorothy did in Oz had any impact on the real world besides her ability to deal with things a bit better.
The problem with that is that Dorothy doesn't run away to Oz with some notion of finding something that's missing, like the others in her strange little party. She doesn't need a heart or a brain or courage, she just sort of vaguely needs to know her value. But what ACTUALLY leads her to Oz is her dog Toto biting Miss Gulch and being condemned to euthanasia as a response.
Yes, she beats the Wicked Witch in Oz, who is a sort of stand-in for Miss Gulch, but none of that imapcts the real world and when she returns, Toto will still be for the chop. She solved nothing.