Winged monkeys facts for kids
Winged monkeys are famous fictional creatures from the magical world of Oz. They were created by American author L. Frank Baum in his children's book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900). These monkeys have special bird-like wings. They are often called "flying monkeys" in movies and TV shows.
Many people remember them from the popular 1939 musical film by MGM. Since then, these monkeys have become a well-known part of popular culture. They are often mentioned in funny or ironic ways, usually when talking about something scary or evil.
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Winged Monkeys in Classic Oz Stories
The First Appearance in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900)
In the original book, the winged monkeys lived freely in the jungles of the Land of Oz. They were playful and a bit mischievous. One day, their king played a prank on a man who was about to get married. He threw the man into a river, ruining his fancy wedding clothes.
The man's fiancée, Princess Gayelette, was a powerful sorceress from Gillikin Country. She was very angry. As punishment, she used a special item called the Golden Cap to make the monkeys her slaves. Anyone who wore the Golden Cap could make the monkeys do three things.
Later, the Wicked Witch of the West found the Golden Cap. She used it to make the monkeys help her take over the Winkie Country. She also made them help her enslave the local Winkies. When the Wizard of Oz tried to stop her, she used the monkeys to drive him away.
After Dorothy Gale defeated the Wicked Witch, she found the Golden Cap. Dorothy did not know its power at first. When she learned about it, she used the monkeys to carry her and her friends to the Emerald City. Dorothy then asked them to take her back to Kansas, but the monkeys could not leave Oz. This used up her second wish. For her third wish, Dorothy asked them to carry her and her friends over the dangerous mountains where the Hammer-Heads lived.
Dorothy eventually gave the Golden Cap to Glinda, the Good Witch of the South. Glinda used the monkeys to take Dorothy's friends back to their homes in Oz. Then, Glinda told the monkeys to stop bothering people and playing pranks. She gave them the Golden Cap, which broke the curse and set them free forever.
The Winged Monkeys in The Wizard of Oz (1939 Film)
In the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz, the monkeys are smart enough to follow orders, but they do not speak. In the book, they could talk. In the movie, they capture Dorothy and her dog Toto. They also take apart the Scarecrow. However, they leave the Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion alone. This allows Dorothy's friends to put the Scarecrow back together and rescue her.
The film does not mention the Golden Cap having three wishes. This makes it seem like the monkeys serve the Wicked Witch all the time. Nikko, the leader of the winged monkeys, is seen several times with the Witch.
The Golden Cap only appears briefly in the film. The Witch is seen holding it after Glinda breaks a spell she cast. The Witch throws the cap away in anger. A scene that was cut from the movie showed the Witch trying to use the cap to summon the monkeys to take Dorothy's Ruby Slippers. However, she never got the chance.
Winged Monkeys in Pop Culture
Winged monkeys have appeared in many other movies, TV shows, and books since the original Oz stories.
- In Disney's 1996 movie The Hunchback of Notre Dame, a character shouts, "Fly my pretties, fly!" to pigeons. This is a clear nod to the 1939 Wizard of Oz film.
- The 1976 film The Wiz shows the flying monkeys as a motorcycle gang. Their metal wings are part of their motorcycles.
- In Gregory Maguire's books Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West and Son of a Witch, the flying monkeys were created by Elphaba (the Witch) as part of her science experiments.
- In The Muppets' Wizard of Oz, the winged monkeys are played by various Muppets. They are a group of "motorcycle enthusiasts" who are controlled by the Wicked Witch's Magic Biker Cap.
- The 2007 TV show Tin Man shows bat-winged monkeys called "mobats." These creatures are like pets to the sorceress Azkadellia.
- In the comic book series Fables, a winged monkey named Bufkin works as a librarian. He is smart and helps other fairy-tale characters.
- Winged monkeys have been mentioned or appeared in TV shows like The Simpsons, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Two and a Half Men. They have also been in films like Wayne's World and Jumanji.
- In the 2012 film The Avengers, Nick Fury calls some hypnotized characters "flying monkeys." This makes Thor confused because he doesn't know the Wizard of Oz story.
- The winged monkeys appear in Oz the Great and Powerful. Oscar Diggs becomes friends with a talking winged monkey named Finley. The film also shows fierce Winged Baboons that serve the evil witches.
- In the TV series Once Upon a Time, the Wicked Witch of the West sends winged monkeys to collect blood samples. One winged monkey even takes the form of a man named Walsh.
- The flying monkeys appear in the Lego Dimensions video game. They are controlled by the Wicked Witch of the West.
- In The Lego Batman Movie, the flying monkeys make a quick appearance alongside other villains in the Phantom Zone.
- The Flying Monkeys also appear in Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz. Some of them work for the Wicked Witch of the West's niece, Wilhemina.
- In the 2017 series Emerald City, the Flying Monkeys are mechanical robots used by the Wizard to spy on people.
- In the Amazon Video series Lost in Oz, the Flying Monkeys are regular monkeys with robotic jetpack wings.
