The Viral Truth Behind "Wicked Witch Of The East, Bro!": 7 Facts That Sparked The Internet's Biggest Wizard Of Oz Debate

The phrase "Wicked Witch of the East, Bro!" has transcended its origins as a line from a viral video to become a shorthand for an intense, yet ultimately silly, pop culture debate. As of December 12, 2025, this meme is experiencing a massive resurgence, thanks to a high-profile recreation that has reintroduced the legendary argument to a new generation. This article dives deep into the two separate entities that make up the phenomenon: the original, ill-fated character from *The Wizard of Oz* and the internet-famous argument that cemented the phrase in meme history.

The core of the controversy isn't just about a dead witch; it’s about the confusing lore of Oz itself. The viral video centered on a passionate argument over whether Glinda, the Good Witch of the North/South, is a "princess" or a "witch," a semantic battle that opens up the deeper, often contradictory, narratives of L. Frank Baum's original books and the 1939 film adaptation.

The Wicked Witch of the East: A Character Biography and Identity Crisis

The Wicked Witch of the East is one of the most consequential, yet least-seen, villains in all of fantasy literature. Her death is the catalyst for Dorothy Gale's entire journey, yet her screen time in the classic film is virtually nonexistent. Her identity has been retconned, expanded, and debated across multiple adaptations, giving her a surprisingly complex profile.

• The Enduring Legacy Of Haylor 5 Shocking Facts About Harry Styles And Taylor Swifts Relationship 10 Years Later Sf662

• Original Name (The Wizard of Oz): She is simply referred to as "The Wicked Witch of the East" with no personal name given.
• Film Counterpart (1939 Film): In the Kansas segment of *The Wizard of Oz*, the character is heavily implied to be the mean-spirited neighbor, Almira Gulch, who attempts to have Toto euthanized.
• The Name Gingema: In the 1939 Russian adaptation, *The Wizard of the Emerald City*, the character is named Gingema.
• The Name Evvamene: In the 1974 musical *The Wiz*, she is named Evvamene.
• The Name Nessarose Thropp: In Gregory Maguire's novel *Wicked* (and the subsequent musical), she is given the name Nessarose Thropp, the sister of Elphaba (the Wicked Witch of the West).
• Key Possession: She was the original owner of the Silver Shoes (changed to the Ruby Slippers in the 1939 film), which were magically transferred to Dorothy after the house landed on her.
• Cause of Death: Crushed by Dorothy's house after the cyclone transported it from Kansas to the Land of Oz.
• Domain: She ruled over the eastern quadrant of Oz, specifically the Munchkin Country.
• Powers: She was known for enslaving the Munchkins and, in some versions, possessing powerful magical abilities focused on domination and weather control.

The Viral Origin of "The Wicked Witch of the East, Bro!"

The specific, now-iconic phrase "The Wicked Witch of the East, Bro!" comes from a viral video uploaded to YouTube on April 3, 2018, by user Austin Parrish. The video, which has amassed over 4.2 million views, captures a heated, almost aggressive, debate between two individuals about the lore of *The Wizard of Oz*.

The argument centers on the character Glinda, the Good Witch. One person vehemently insists that Glinda is a princess, while the other shouts the correct fact: "Her sister was a witch, bro! The Wicked Witch of the East, bro!"

The raw, passionate, and slightly unhinged delivery of the line, combined with the absurdity of the argument's subject matter, immediately made it a perfect piece of internet content. It became a popular sound on TikTok and a widely used reaction meme across social media platforms, symbolizing a moment of intense, yet trivial, disagreement.

• The One Where They Tanked Jokes 15 Shocking New Secrets From The Friends Tv Show Behind The Scenes G9zdh

The video's success lies in its relatability. Everyone has a friend who is aggressively confident about a fact they may or may not have right, especially when it comes to beloved childhood movies.

The Glinda Controversy: Is She a Witch or a Princess?

The core question that fuels the meme—is Glinda a witch or a princess?—is actually a fascinating look at the discrepancies between source material and adaptation. The person in the video insisting Glinda is a princess is technically wrong, but the confusion is understandable.

The Book's Truth: Witch

In L. Frank Baum's original 1900 novel, *The Wonderful Wizard of Oz*, Glinda is explicitly identified as the Good Witch of the South. The Land of Oz is ruled by four witches: two Good (North and South) and two Wicked (East and West). Glinda is the most powerful of the good witches.

• The Untouchable Privacy 7 Secrets Of Rachel Mcadams And Jamie Lindens Life Beyond The Red Carpet E820e

The Film's Confusion: A Regal Figure

The 1939 film, *The Wizard of Oz*, introduces Glinda as a beautiful, ethereal figure in a pink ballgown, arriving in a giant bubble. This aesthetic is far more reminiscent of a fairy godmother or a Disney-style princess than the traditional, green-skinned, black-hatted witch. Furthermore, the film's dialogue is confusing:

• Glinda asks Dorothy: "Are you a good witch or a bad witch?" This confirms the title.
• Moments later, Glinda states: "Only bad witches are ugly." This creates a visual contradiction, suggesting that because Glinda is beautiful, she must be something *other* than a witch, like a princess.

The character's royal appearance and benevolent nature make the "princess" assumption a common mistake, which is exactly why the meme became so popular—it's a debate with just enough ambiguity to make both sides feel passionately correct.

The 2025 Revival: Ariana Grande and the Wicked Movie

The phrase "Wicked Witch of the East, Bro!" saw a massive, high-profile resurgence in late 2024 and throughout 2025, perfectly timed with the promotional campaign for the two-part film adaptation of the musical *Wicked*.

In a move of brilliant marketing, Ariana Grande, who plays Glinda in the upcoming film, and late-night host Jimmy Fallon recreated the viral argument during an appearance to promote the movie. The recreation was a near-perfect lip-sync of the original video's audio, instantly connecting the new film to a beloved piece of internet history.

This recreation was a masterstroke of topical marketing, immediately driving millions of views and searches for the original meme and the phrase "Wicked Witch of the East, Bro." It showed that the film's stars were aware of the pop culture surrounding *The Wizard of Oz* and its spin-offs, making the movie feel current and connected to the internet zeitgeist.

The meme's revival highlights how enduring the Oz story is, and how new adaptations, like *Wicked*, continue to spark debates and discussions about the origins of the characters, especially the four witches. The Wicked Witch of the East, despite her brief appearance, remains the central figure in the entire saga, whose demise sets the entire narrative in motion.

The Enduring Legacy of a Trivial Argument

The sheer longevity of the "Wicked Witch of the East, Bro!" meme proves that the most trivial arguments are often the most entertaining. It’s a perfect storm of pop culture obsession, aggressive confidence, and a genuinely confusing piece of movie lore.

The video serves as a cultural artifact, capturing a moment of intense fan debate over a children's classic. Whether you believe Glinda is a princess or a witch, the phrase itself is now cemented in the lexicon of internet comedy, ensuring that the Wicked Witch of the East—or at least the passionate shouting about her sister—will live on long after her ruby slippers have been claimed.