Match 18635 Scarecrow vs. Scarecrow (DC Comics)

[DSkillz]

"Come this way! Quickly!" the Scarecrow exclaims as he runs with the Tin Woodman down one of the hallways of the Royal Palace of Oz.

"But where are we headed, Scarecrow?" inquires the Woodman. "I'm not sure there's anywhere safe to go now!"

"There is one place, my friend," replies Scarecrow. "But we must hurry!"

Both the Scarecrow and Tin Woodman had returned to the Palace of Oz earlier that evening after been summoned by Princess Ozma for what was only referred to as a "prestigious honor" for them both. It isn't long after they arrive, however, that the two men that are usually held in high esteem here find themselves being attacked and then chased throughout the palace itself by Ozma and the palace's inhabitants and guests. Never did they think that people that they have long considered friends would be coming for them as they are now, brandishing such tools as trimming shears and torches for the Scarecrow, and sledgehammers, chisels, and tongs for the Tin Woodman, respectively. 

The strangest part for the two heroes, however, is that just before the mob of armed and blank-faced Ozites start descending upon them, they see an unfamiliar, lanky figure standing among them. Before turning to run, the two old friends notice how the figure stands out. Not only is he the only one in the crowd to sport a twisted, maniacal grin as opposed to the cold, blank stares of the Oz citizens, but he is also wearing a straw hat, a stitched mask, and what appears to be a darker-hued and scarier version of the Scarecrow's own outfit. The sight of the man alone is enough to give them chills, almost as much as the thought and sight of their colleagues coming after them with weapons meant to destroy them. 

As both the Scarecrow and the Tin-Man are taller than most of the rest of the Ozites, their longer strides allow them to gain some ground on the apparently-murderous mob and get inside the Palace first. 

The two continue scurrying down the hallway, its bright, glamourous chandeliers, mirrored walls, and emerald-studded ceiling a fine contrast to the terror they are feeling, until they reach a room with a partially-opened door. Just as they hear footsteps, they open the door and rush inside, quickly and quietly closing the door behind them just before they are seen. Soon afterward, a colorful mob of Emerald City residents lead by Princess Ozma dashes down the passageway.

"Where did they disappear to?" asks Ozma in a strange, emotionless monotone as she holds a lit torch in hand. "I could swear I saw them head down this way."

"I'm not sure," says the Guardian of the Gates in the same monotone, wielding a scythe. "but they surely couldn't have gotten too far."

"Perhaps we should search the Royal Gardens," suggests the Soldier with the Green Whiskers just as dry a tone, holding a large hammer.

"Yes, that is a good idea," replies Ozma. "Come, let us hurry. We must not fail our master."

The group then heads off toward their next destination. Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman crack the room's door and watch as the mob reaches the end of the hallway and turns the corner.  A few moments later, the Scarecrow hears the clanking sound of metal-on-metal start to echo throughout the walls. He briefly wonders where the sound is coming from before he notices his armored friend trembling with fright, then looks down and sees the Woodman's knees knocking together. Scarecrow quickly reaches down and grabs his friend's knees to stop the noise before it gives them away.

"Why, I haven't seen you shake like this since we faced the Wicked Witch of the West," remarks Scarecrow.

"I can't help it, Scarecrow," the Tin Woodman replies. "None of the Witches have ever entranced the people of Oz like this. I mean, for Winkie and Munchkin alike to come after us like this …," starts the Tin Woodman before letting out a sad sigh. 

"I know, Tin-Man," Scarecrow calmly states, then gives his friend a reassuring smile and places a hand on his shoulder. "But we will find a way out of this. I just know it." 

The Woodman, having regained some composure, gives a small smile to Scarecrow in return. 

"You're right," the Woodman says. "We've been through plenty with Lion, Dorothy and the others. Surely we can save Oz once again, right?"

With that, the two friends exit the room and once again quietly hurry down the hall in the opposite direction of the mob. 

"I wonder who that creepy fellow was with them?" the Scarecrow quietly inquires as they move on. "He seemed to be the only one not in a haze like the others." 

"Yes, and he almost looked like ... a terrifying version of you!" the Woodman whispers. 

"Say, you're right!" Scarecrow replies. "He must be the one behind all of this. We must find a way to stop him!" 

They then hear the quick, light footsteps they recognize as belonging to Munchkins from a fair distance.

"Oh, no!" the Woodman quietly gasps as he sees the diminutive group's reflections in the wall not too far behind him and Scarecrow. "They'll spot us for sure if we don't move it!"

They then break into a full-on sprint, racing down the hallway until they reach a door just to the right of the palace's Imperial Throne Chamber.

"In here, quickly!" says Scarecrow as he reaches the door.

"But this is yo --" the Tin-Man starts.

"I know! Come on!" Scarecrow interrupts.

The living straw-filled mannequin opens the door and rushes inside with the Tin Woodman immediately behind him. The Scarecrow then quickly shuts and locks the door before the Munchkins arrive. The two cower in the room as the mostly-miniature mob stands just outside the door and looks around. After a few moments, the group then does a search in the room right across from where the Scarecrow and Woodman are hiding, to the left of the Throne Chamber.

It is then the two hear the mob conversing in the same monotone as Princess Ozma and her group.

"There are not here," one of the Munchkins declares.

"Should we search the Scarecrow's old chamber as well?" asks another. 

The Scarecrow and Woodman both tremble after this statement, since it mentions the very place they are hiding. The Woodman holds his own knees to prevent them from knocking again, and the Scarecrow bites his tongue to keep from hollering out. 

"Or the Throne Room itself?" suggests a third Munchkin.

"No. That would be too obvious," answers yet another member of the group. "They must be elsewhere. Let us try the next hallway."

The pursued heroes then hear the Munchkins move on, and after a few moments, the two allow themselves to breathe sighs of relief, grateful for their luck thus far.

"Boy, that was too close," remarks Scarecrow. 

"You're not kiddin'!" says the Tin Woodman in agreement. "But now I'm afraid we're trapped here!" 

"No, my friend. In fact, we may have reached our salvation!" Scarecrow replies. 

"What do you mean?" 

"Here, help me move my old bed away from the wall," Scarecrow requests of his friend. The Tin Woodman gives him a perplexed look before he complies. 

"Not too long ago, I had a secret passageway built right next to my room," Scarecrow explains as they both work to pull the bed aside. "The engineers thought I was crazy to ask for this, but I managed to convince them that it may one day come in handy." 

The two move the bed until it is almost perpendicular to the wall, revealing a small doorway that barely stands lower than the bed's mattress. 

"Ah, there we are," says Scarecrow with a smile. "Behind this door is a long slide that leads to an area just outside the city grounds."

"Sometimes I forget that you were once king of Oz," remarks the Tin Woodman with a hint of ease in his voice. "We might just make it out of this yet!" 

"That's the spirit, old friend!" the Scarecrow says. "Once we get the other side, we can then -- "

Their conversation is interrupted by a loud pounding on the room's main door. The first blow causes the duo to back away and exchange frightened looks as deep cracks form on the door. A second knocks the upper hinge away from the doorway, and a final blow virtually shatters the door completely as it is knocked away. 

The next sight the two see is a very angry-looking Cowardly Lion, who growls as he menacingly stalks through the doorway, with the lanky, scarily-dressed man they saw earlier casually following closely behind. 

************

"Lion, what are you doing?" asks the Woodman.

"Lion, be a dear and secure your wayward allies, by any means necessary," says the man. The Cowardly Lion obliges and charges the duo. 

Knowing that the Lion could easily tear the Scarecrow to shreds, the Tin Woodman bravely steps up with his axe in hand to defend his old friend. Even with his metallic frame, however, he cannot hope to hold off a beast of this size and strength for long. In almost no time, the Lion pounces the man of metal and pins him to the ground under his massive frame and growling maw. 

"Lion, please stop this! We are your friends!" pleads Scarecrow.

"He can hear you, but he cannot respond except to my command," the man says with a smirk. 

"Why are you doing this?" asks the Scarecrow. "And why are you dressed almost like me?" 

"Fool, I wouldn't dare emulate such a pathetic excuse for a scarecrow," the man responds. "You, who could not even shoo away the fowls in your own cornfield. Unlike you, I am the real Scarecrow, a true bastion of terror!" 

"How do you know abou -- " 

"I know plenty about the Land of Oz and its inhabitants," the other Scarecrow responds. "The books that chronicle your adventures have been around for over a century!"  

"There ... are books about us?" the Tin Woodman grunts out, still in the Lion's grasp. 

"Oh yes, your tales are legendary in my world, if a bit fanciful for my tastes," says the other Scarecrow. "In fact, I could barely even stomach reading through the first novel as a child."

Oz's Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman are stunned at this revelation. Before they can process it further, though, a mob of almost a dozen armed Munchkins and Winkies steps into the room.

"Ah, my new subjects arrive," the other Scarecrow muses. 

"How did you get such control over them?" Oz's Scarecrow inquires. 

"Ah, yes, the important question. Fitting for the 'brains' of the outfit," says the other Scarecrow. "Very well." 

"I was traveling through the Midwest to continue my experiments on terror when a tornado swept me away and I found myself at the fabled land of Oz," the villain starts as he walks toward them. "From there I ran into all this wonderfully whimsical characters. Blissfully carefree, and excellent subjects for my patented fear gas. 

"I then traveled down the Yellow Brick Road and came across this creature," he continues as he stops next to the Cowardly Lion and strokes his mane. "As you can imagine, his mind contained a virtual cornucopia of fears, just as I recalled from the story. He made the perfect subject upon which I could enhance the potency of my formula. With this, my subjects became so paralyzed with fear, I began to gain a certain control over them."

"Oh, that's terrible, just horrible!" says the Woodman, holding back tears as not to get rusted stiff. 

"Terribly delightful," the villain says with a grin. "From there, I made my way here to Emerald City and spread my wonderful gas among its citizens. I then found a projector that the Wizard left behind and showed my new subjects frightful images that catered to their worst fears. Combined with the enhanced gas, they became so enthralled with terror, they are now permanently under my servitude."

"Permanently? Why, you're insane!" exclaims Oz's Scarecrow. 

"Of course, with you being a bundle of straw and you a man of tin, you do not need air, and are thus immune by my gas," the other Scarecrow states as he motions his head to each. "Therefore, you are loose ends that need to be dealt with." 

While overhearing all of this, the Tin Woodman suddenly has an idea. He slowly starts bringing his axe down in front of him to his waist with his forearms. 

"With you out of the way, nothing can stop my ascent to a higher plane, as Jonathan Crane, the Scarecrow, God of Fear!" the villain proclaims with a laugh.

"No, you're wrong!" Oz's Scarecrow shoots back as he backs toward the wall. "There is still a way to stop you!"

"Bah, inane ramblings from a heap of straw!" scoffs the other Scarecrow. "Now, finish them, my subjects! Deal with my inferior doppelgänger with extreme prejudice!" 

The villain steps aside as the Munchkins and winkies move menacingly toward the duo with their tools. The Woodman knows the time to make his move is now or never. 

"I'm sorry, my friend." 

Summoning up the heart that he is known for throughout the land, the Tin Woodman shifts his forearms upward, bonking the Cowardly Lion on the nose with the top of the axe's head. The blow stuns the Lion, causing him to emit a low growl as he stumbles back, then bowls over and falls on top of the supervillain and mesmerized mob. The Tin Man gets to his feet and runs in the direction of Oz's Scarecrow as they both head toward the small door on the wall. 

"Off, off, you bumbling feline!" orders the villain. The Lion staggers to his feet as he shakes off the stinging pain in his nose. "After them, you fools!" 

The Cowardly Lion quickly gains ground on the heroes and knocks the Tin Woodman aside just as the good Scarecrow opens the door to the secret passageway. The Woodman quickly recovers and reaches around the Lion from behind, placing the handle of his axe sideways in the Lion's mouth and pulling hard to hold him back. 

"Go, Scarecrow!" shouts the Tin Man. 

"But I can't just leave you here!" the straw-filled figure protests. 

"Like you said, there is a still a chance to end this madness! Now hurry!" 

At that moment, the Lion breaks free and sprints after the Scarecrow. The former king of Oz dives into the passageway just as the growling and roaring beast reaches its door. The Lion crashes into the small passage's doorway, with only his head and front paws able to fit inside.  

"Move out of the way, you clumsy beast!" yells the supervillain. As the Lion squeezes his way out, the evil Scarecrow looks to the Munchkins and Winkies, who have wrestled the Tin Woodman to the ground.

"Retrieve the pretender to my throne and bring him to me," the villain orders to the other Ozites. A few of them break away from the Woodman and jump into the passageway. 

"Now, Lion, you know these two misfits well," says the villain. "What was the masquerader speaking of when he said there was a way to stop me?" 

"No, don't tell him, Lion!" the Tin Woodman shouts. "Fight his control!" 

Remembering the love he has for his friends and Oz, the Cowardly Lion hesitates, then growls and grunts in an attempt to resist the Scarecrow's command. 

"Tell me now, or your current fears will be a daydream compared to the nightmares to come!" the villain warns. 

"Th --, th --, the Magic Belt," the Lion finally blurts out. 

"'Magic Belt'?" the supervillain repeats. 

************

Meanwhile, Oz's Scarecrow reaches the end of the passageway's slide at the edge of the Palace grounds. He quickly looks around and sees a flying Gump parked nearby. 

"Gump, are you ... still you?" he asks as he approaches the creature. 

"Of course, I'm me! Why would I be anything else?" the Gump responds an annoyed tone. 

"There he is!" yells out a voice in monotone. 

The Scarecrow and the flying Gump turn their heads as they hear the yells of the entranced Ozites, who have followed the straw-filled mannequin down the passageway slide and are now dashing toward their position. 

"I need you to take me as far away from here as possible!" Scarecrow anxiously tells the Gump as he hops on his sofa body. 

"Why should I?" the Gump gripes. "That crowd isn't angry at me." 

"I'll explain on the way! Just please hurry!" Oz's Scarecrow pleads as the mob draws closer. 

"Hmph, very well. But you will owe me some candy when we land," the Gump grumbles. 

The Flying Gump takes off with the good Scarecrow in tow. Some members of the mob toss some lit torches after them, starling the Gump as they narrowly miss his sofa body. They quickly distance themselves from the crowd, though, and disappear into the night. 

 

[Callisto]

Learn More About
Scarecrow
Read more about Scarecrow at Wikipedia
Official Site: Public Domain Links: Wikipedia The Wonderful Wiki of Oz Comic Book DB

Scarecrow (DC Comics)
Read more about Scarecrow (DC Comics) at Wikipedia
Official Site: DC Comics Links: Wikipedia- Scarecrow Unofficial Guide to DCU Superhero Database: Scarecrow

[DSkillz]

Alright, here it is. My first CBUB Official Match in over nine years and my first entry in a contest of any kind in over a decade. Wow! Long time coming. 

Anyways, here are the stipulations. Resident Batman villain Scarecrow has taken control of the citizens of Emerald City as well as many of the other citizens of Oz he ran into along the way with a special batch of his fear gas and enhanced that control further via subliminal messaging by showing them terrifying imagery. Both techniques have crippled the Ozites with fear to the point that Scarecrow has a complete, hypnotic control over them. This is much like the plan he enacted in the Knighfall comic storyline. He has also taken the Tin Woodman hostage, who is immune to his gas, and wants to eliminate the Scarecrow of Oz, who he thinks makes a mockery of a scarecrow's true purpose.  

Meanwhile, Oz's Scarecrow has escaped and is now on the search for the Magic Belt, which grants a single wish a day to its wielder, to undo Scarecrow's hypnotic control over the Ozites. DC's Scarecrow has control over Emerald City's most important occupants, including Princess Ozma herself, and has some limited knowledge of Oz himself from reading the first Wizard of Oz novel. However, Oz's Scarecrow was once king of the land, so he knows Oz better than most, and has a rough idea of where the Magic Belt is as well as a good headstart searching for it. 

Who wins?

[Mercenaryblade]

What a wonderful crossover idea. Nice job on the story DS!

[DSkillz]

4 hours ago, Mercenaryblade said:

What a wonderful crossover idea. Nice job on the story DS!

Thanks, Merc! 

Who did you have winning this pursuit?

[Mercenaryblade]

1 hour ago, DSkillz said:

Thanks, Merc! 

Who did you have winning this pursuit?

Oz Scarecrow for me

[Twogunkid]

I'm leaning towards Oz Scarecrow over DC Scarecrow.

 

Considering Oz Scarecrow even with his fear of fire is able to stay somewhat rational while on fire, plus his willingness to face Doom to save Doroty, means he has the willpower to pull the win.

[DSkillz]

3 hours ago, Twogunkid said:

I'm leaning towards Oz Scarecrow over DC Scarecrow.

 

Considering Oz Scarecrow even with his fear of fire is able to stay somewhat rational while on fire, plus his willingness to face Doom to save Doroty, means he has the willpower to pull the win.

Thank you, Twogunkid! 

Yeah, Scarecrow's relative level-headedness would likely be a factor here. He didn't tend to get over-emotional like the Woodman or cower like the Lion did early on. Scarecrow's still potentially has an army of fear-motivated Ozites to evade, though. 

[Callisto]

Match Final Results

Member Ratings:
5.00 - StormChaser
4.70 - Boratz

FPA Calculation:
2 Total Votes cast
9.70 Total Combined Score
9.70 / 2 = 4.85 Final Rating on the match

MATCH SCORE
Scarecrow: 3
Scarecrow (DC Comics): 1