The Shocking Truth: 5 Ways The Wicked Play Ending Defies Everything You Know About Oz

For over two decades, the Broadway sensation Wicked: The Untold True Story of the Witches of Oz has enthralled audiences with its unique prequel story to L. Frank Baum's classic tale, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. As of December 12, 2025, the musical's iconic, bittersweet ending remains one of the most discussed and debated conclusions in modern theater, primarily because it delivers a shocking twist that completely redefines the fate of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, and Glinda the Good.

The play's final moments are a masterclass in emotional payoff, friendship, and political commentary, culminating in a powerful, secret escape and a heartbreaking sacrifice. If you've ever wondered how the green-skinned girl's story truly concludes, prepare to have your long-held assumptions about the Land of Oz completely turned upside down.

The Untold True Story: How The Wicked Musical Really Ends

The musical's finale, set during the climax of the original *Wizard of Oz* story, is a carefully orchestrated deception. The audience witnesses the culmination of Elphaba and Glinda’s complicated, powerful friendship, ultimately revealing that the "Wicked Witch" is not truly gone, but has achieved a form of freedom and survival that contrasts sharply with the popular narrative.

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The final sequence begins in the Witch’s Castle, where Elphaba is cornered by Dorothy Gale and her companions, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion. Glinda arrives, intending to save her friend. In the musical's most famous final number, "For Good," the two women acknowledge how their bond has irrevocably changed them, embracing the dual meaning of the song’s title: changed forever, and changed for the better.

The Ultimate Twist: Elphaba's Fake Melting and Escape

The moment that ties the musical directly to the classic film is also the moment of its greatest divergence. In a pivotal scene, Glinda hides behind a screen as Dorothy throws a bucket of water onto Elphaba. The green witch appears to melt, leaving behind only her hat and the empty bottle of the Wizard's elixir.

• The Deception: This melting is a complete fabrication. Elphaba, using a trapdoor she created earlier, feigns her death. Glinda is the only other person who knows the truth, making her an accomplice to the escape.
• Fiyero's Fate: The most heartwarming part of the twist is the reveal of Elphaba’s true love, Fiyero. Earlier, to save him from being tortured by the Wizard's guards, Elphaba used a spell to turn him into the one thing that could not be harmed: the Scarecrow. In the final moments of the play, Fiyero, now the Scarecrow, appears at the trapdoor. He is no longer straw, but a man made of wood and heart, and he and Elphaba escape together to a "land beyond Oz."
• The Symbolism: By faking her death, Elphaba sacrifices her reputation, choosing to be remembered as the villain, the "Wicked Witch of the West," in exchange for freedom. This act ensures that Glinda can return to the Emerald City and begin the work of reforming Oz without being associated with the perceived evil witch.

This powerful conclusion recontextualizes the entire *Wizard of Oz* story. The Wicked Witch never truly died; she simply chose to go into exile, allowing the world to believe a convenient lie. The ending is a meditation on reputation, sacrifice, and the enduring nature of true friendship, even when it must be kept secret.

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Glinda's Sacrifice and Rise to Power

While Elphaba's ending is a secret escape, Glinda's conclusion is a public, political ascension fueled by personal sacrifice. Her journey from the popular, bubbly Galinda of Shiz University to the revered Glinda the Good is completed in the final scenes.

After Elphaba's "melting," Glinda emerges to confront the Wizard of Oz and Madame Morrible. She realizes that the Wizard is nothing more than a charlatan and that Madame Morrible, the manipulative Headmistress, was the true orchestrator of the propaganda against Elphaba and the Animals of Oz.

• Banishing the Villains: Glinda uses her newfound moral strength and political influence to expose the Wizard and Madame Morrible. The Wizard is sent away in his balloon, and Madame Morrible is stripped of her power and arrested.
• Becoming Glinda the Good: Glinda returns to the Emerald City, accepting the title of "Glinda the Good" and promising to rule Oz with fairness and integrity, a mission inspired by Elphaba’s fight against oppression. She is now the sole keeper of Elphaba’s secret, a burden of truth that ensures her friend’s survival. This is her ultimate sacrifice: living a life of public perfection while carrying a private, painful truth.
• The Theme of Identity: The ending is a powerful statement on how people are labeled. Elphaba, the genuine activist, is labeled "Wicked," while Glinda, who once cared only for popularity, becomes "Good" through her devotion to her friend and her commitment to justice.

The musical’s final image is of Glinda looking at the place where Elphaba vanished, a poignant moment that confirms their unbreakable bond and the secret they share. The entire narrative of the "Wicked Witch of the West" is revealed to be a political smear campaign that both women ultimately subvert.

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Wicked Book vs. Musical Ending: A Much Darker Fate

To truly appreciate the hopeful, redemptive nature of the musical’s ending, it is essential to compare it to the source material: Gregory Maguire's 1995 novel, *Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West*. The book's conclusion is significantly darker, reflecting a more cynical and tragic vision of the world.

The musical, with its iconic songs like "Defying Gravity" and "For Good," is a loose adaptation that changes the core plot to appeal to a broader audience, injecting themes of hope and romance.

Key Differences in Elphaba's Fate:

In the novel, Elphaba's fate is tragic and final. There is no secret escape with Fiyero, and no trapdoor.

• Elphaba's Real Death: In Gregory Maguire's original story, Dorothy actually kills Elphaba. The melting is real and unintentional. Dorothy throws the water on Elphaba as a desperate act of defense, and Elphaba is genuinely melted away, dying alone and unredeemed in the eyes of the public.
• Fiyero's Tragic End: In the book, Fiyero is not transformed into the Scarecrow, nor does he survive. He is brutally beaten and killed by the Wizard's guards, leaving Elphaba heartbroken and alone. The musical’s decision to turn him into the Scarecrow is a major romanticized change.
• Glinda's Role: While Glinda is still a political figure in the novel, her relationship with Elphaba is more strained, and the final, intimate, and forgiving "For Good" goodbye is a creation of the musical’s writers, Stephen Schwartz (music and lyrics) and Winnie Holzman (book).

The musical deliberately chose a more optimistic, though still bittersweet, ending. It allows Elphaba and Fiyero to have their "ever after," while also maintaining the continuity of the *Wizard of Oz* narrative, where the Wicked Witch is believed to be dead. This blend of tragedy and triumph is what keeps the Wicked play a perpetual favorite on Broadway and the West End, and what makes the upcoming two-part film adaptation, *Wicked: Part One* and *Wicked: For Good*, such a highly anticipated event.