The Steam Engines of Oz

The Tin Man was once Nick Chopper, a Munchkin woodsman who lost his body parts and heart due to a wicked enchantment by the Wicked Witch of the East. After becoming ruler of the Winkies, he discovered his beloved Nimmie Amee was dying. Obsessed with defying time to fix his past mistakes, he built the Great Steam Engines of Oz, eventually banishing magic and Munchkins while literally hanging up his own heart.

Earlier scenes show the Tin Man ruling over a cold, mechanical Emerald City, hinting at his abandonment of emotion.

Nimmie Amee was the Tin Man's former love, who he tried to save when she was dying in her final days. When his magic failed to revive her, he placed her in a magical sleep in the secret chamber beneath the Emerald City. In the post-credits scene, the Tin Man finally accepts her death and releases her into the afterlife.

The Tin Man's obsession with the Great Steam Engines stems from his failed attempt to save Nimmie Amee.

The Great Steam Engines of Oz are massive mechanical creations built by the Tin Man in his obsession to fix his past. They are powered by a secret chamber containing his heart and require the password 'the key lies together with love' to operate. These engines were the driving force behind his expansion of the Emerald City and his war against magic.

Locasta warns Victoria that the Emerald City's expansion threatens Oz's magic, directly referencing these engines.

After his failed attempt to save Nimmie Amee with magic, the Tin Man became disillusioned with magical solutions. He dedicated himself entirely to mechanical progress, believing technology could accomplish what magic could not. This led him to suppress magic and banish the Munchkins so he could focus on building his Great Steam Engines.

The secret chamber contains both the mechanical engines and the disassembled Scarecrow, symbolizing the Tin Man's rejection of both magic and his old allies.

Victoria confronts the Tin Man after the battle, reminding him that his actions, both successes and failures, have consequences. She urges him to accept responsibility for his past mistakes rather than running from them. This emotional appeal leads the Tin Man to reclaim his heart and end the war.

Earlier, Victoria discovers the Tin Man's heart physically hanging in the secret chamber, showing he literally removed his capacity for emotion.

The password to access the secret chamber housing the Great Steam Engines is 'the key lies together with love.' This phrase is engraved behind the throne and reveals both the engines and the chamber's hidden contents: the Tin Man's heart, the sleeping Nimmie Amee, and the disassembled Scarecrow.

The phrase hints at the film's theme that love and emotional connection are the true keys to solving the Tin Man's corruption.

The Scarecrow was disassembled by the Tin Man in a fit of rage when he tried to reason with him. The Tin Man, consumed by his obsession with the Great Steam Engines and his past, attacked his old ally and left him in pieces in the secret chamber. Victoria and her allies later find and rebuild him.

The film establishes the Scarecrow as one of the Tin Man's oldest friends from the original Wizard of Oz story, making his betrayal more impactful.

Phadrig Diggs is the younger brother of Oscar "Oz" Diggs, who is the younger brother of the original Wizard of Oz. Phadrig accompanies Victoria on her journey and helps rescue his brother Oscar from falling off an invisible bridge. He ultimately becomes the one to suggest a new ruler will be needed after the Tin Man steps down.

Phadrig's connection to the Wizard's family establishes him as a link to Oz's original history.

In the post-credits scene, the Tin Man returns to the secret chamber and releases Nimmie Amee, allowing her to pass into the afterlife. This moment signifies his acceptance of her death and his willingness to finally let go of his past, bringing closure to his decades-long quest for love and redemption.

This scene completes the Tin Man's character arc, showing he has finally healed from his obsession.

The Lions, Otho, Lucilia, and Magnus (son of the Cowardly Lion), originally ambushed Victoria's group because they were ordered to capture them as enemies of the Tin Man. However, after witnessing the Tin Man's oppressive rule and his plan to eliminate magic entirely, the Lions switched sides and allied with the Munchkins to fight against his war machines.

The Lions' initial hostility masks their eventual role as allies in the final battle against the Tin Man's forces.