The Untold Truth: 7 Shocking Ways 'Wicked' Rewrites 'The Wizard Of Oz' Forever

The enduring mystery of the Wicked Witch of the West has captivated audiences for generations, but it wasn't until the 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire, and the subsequent Broadway phenomenon, *Wicked*, that the truth of her story was finally revealed. As of today, December 12, 2025, the connection between *Wicked* and L. Frank Baum's classic, *The Wonderful Wizard of Oz*, is more topical than ever, thanks to the highly anticipated two-part film adaptation starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, *Wicked: Part I* and *Wicked: For Good*.

The musical and the upcoming films are not merely prequels; they are a complete re-imagining that runs parallel to the original story, fundamentally altering the perception of every character you thought you knew. *Wicked* uses the framework of *The Wizard of Oz* as a launching point to explore deeper political, social, and ethical themes, revealing that the "wicked" witch, Elphaba Thropp, was merely a misunderstood activist fighting a corrupt regime led by the Wizard himself.

The Core Characters and Their Dual Roles

The most direct connection between *Wicked* and *The Wizard of Oz* lies in the origin stories of the main characters. *Wicked* establishes a complex, shared history for the figures who would become central to Dorothy Gale's journey. This list details the dual identity of the key players:

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• Elphaba Thropp: The green-skinned protagonist of *Wicked*, a passionate but misunderstood sorceress who fights injustice. She is the woman who will ultimately become The Wicked Witch of the West.
• Galinda/Glinda Upland: Elphaba’s roommate at Shiz University and eventual best friend. She is vain and popular at first, but grows into a powerful figure. She becomes Glinda, the Good Witch of the North (and later, the South).
• Nessarose Thropp: Elphaba’s younger sister, who is confined to a wheelchair. She becomes the tyrannical Governor of Munchkinland and is revealed to be The Wicked Witch of the East—the witch whose death by Dorothy’s house sets the original *Oz* story in motion.
• Fiyero Tigelaar: A charming Winkie prince and Elphaba’s love interest. His fate is directly linked to one of Dorothy's companions, as he is transformed to save him from the Wizard's guards, becoming the Scarecrow who seeks a brain.
• Boq: A Munchkin student at Shiz who is desperately in love with Glinda. A magical accident involving Elphaba's spell to save him from death inadvertently turns him into the Tin Man, who is left without a heart.
• The Lion Cub: A young, caged animal freed by Elphaba and Fiyero in an act of protest against the suppression of Talking Animals. He is the very same animal who will grow up to be the Cowardly Lion seeking courage.

The Political Conspiracy: The Wizard and Madame Morrible

While *The Wizard of Oz* frames the Wizard as a harmless, if slightly fraudulent, man from Kansas, *Wicked* portrays him as the true villain of Oz, a corrupt political charlatan who is actively suppressing the rights of the Ozian people.

The Suppression of Talking Animals: The central conflict that turns Elphaba into a fugitive is the Wizard’s campaign to strip the rights and intelligence of the "Talking Animals" of Oz. This horrific policy is first revealed to Elphaba by her beloved professor, Dr. Dillamond, a Talking Goat who is slowly losing his ability to speak. Elphaba's passionate fight against this injustice is what earns her the title of "Wicked."

Madame Morrible’s True Role: The Headmistress of Shiz University, Madame Morrible, is initially Elphaba's mentor, recognizing her potential for great magic. However, she is revealed to be the Wizard's co-conspirator and press secretary, using her own power to control the weather and spread propaganda against Elphaba. Morrible is instrumental in creating the terrifying public image of the "Wicked Witch" to distract the citizens of Oz from the Wizard's corruption.

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The Overlapping Timeline: How Dorothy's Arrival Fits In

The timeline of *Wicked* is structured to lead directly into and overlap with the events of *The Wizard of Oz*, providing context for the very moments we see in the classic film. The two stories are not entirely separate; they are two sides of the same coin.

The House and the Ruby Slippers: Dorothy Gale's arrival in Munchkinland, carried by a Kansas cyclone, is the catalyst for the second act of *Wicked*. When Dorothy's house crushes the Wicked Witch of the East (Nessarose), Glinda arrives to present Dorothy with the iconic Ruby Slippers, which Glinda magically transferred from Nessarose's feet. In *Wicked*, the slippers are highly significant magical artifacts that Elphaba desperately wants back, as they belonged to her deceased sister and may hold the key to her own power, explaining the Wicked Witch of the West's obsession with them in the original story.

The Quest for the Wizard: Dorothy's journey to the Emerald City to see the Wizard is also Elphaba's journey. Elphaba goes to the capital hoping to expose the Wizard's fraud and stop the oppression of the Talking Animals, but she is manipulated and ultimately driven out, becoming a fugitive. The companions Dorothy meets—the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion—are the transformed victims of the political turmoil Elphaba was fighting against, and they are unknowingly helping the Wizard keep Elphaba at bay.

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The Final Scene: The Melting and the Grimmerie

The most famous scene in *The Wizard of Oz*—the melting of the Wicked Witch—is given a tragic and surprising twist in *Wicked*.

Elphaba's "Death": In the musical, the final confrontation shows Elphaba, weary and defeated, seemingly melting after Dorothy throws a bucket of water on her. However, the scene is shown in shadow, and the final moments of *Wicked* reveal that Elphaba's death was a brilliant ruse. She used a powerful spell from the ancient book of magic, The Grimmerie, to fake her demise and escape Oz with Fiyero (now the Scarecrow). This ending completely re-contextualizes the original story, suggesting that the Wicked Witch was never truly defeated, but simply chose to disappear from a world that refused to understand her.

The Legacy of the Witches: *Wicked* is ultimately a story about female friendship, political power, and the nature of good and evil. It posits that the "Good Witch" (Glinda) and the "Wicked Witch" (Elphaba) were once inseparable friends, driven apart by political forces and the choices they made. Glinda, who stays in Oz and becomes a beloved leader, agrees to perpetuate the myth of the "Wicked Witch" to protect Elphaba and maintain peace in a fragile Oz.

The connection between *Wicked* and *The Wizard of Oz* is a masterful piece of narrative weaving, taking the beloved elements of the classic tale—the companions, the slippers, the melting, and the Wizard—and using them to tell a deeper, darker, and more relevant story about power, propaganda, and the cost of being different. The upcoming film adaptations promise to bring this complex, emotional backstory to a new generation, ensuring that the Land of Oz will never look the same again.