Wicked is an incredible adaptation of the stage musical of the same name, and there are a few intriguing theories that will totally change how you perceive the movie. In 2024, Wicked dominated cinemas, something that the upcoming sequel, Wicked: For Good, will likely do, too.

It’s worth noting that the Wicked stage musical is actually an adaptation in itself, and is based on Gregory Macguire’s 1995 novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West. However, because not everything from the book made it into the musical, this gives audiences even more potential theories to ponder.

Following the release of Wicked: For Good‘s final trailer recently, many of us are coming up with new theories, and because the musical and book already differ, there are all manner of possibilities in the movie franchise. Whether they end up being correct or not, these fascinating Wicked theories will definitely make you rethink your outlook on the whole story.

Glinda Knows The Truth About Elphaba’s Fate

While we’ll have to wait until the release of Wicked: For Good to find out, there’s a chance that the ending to the movie franchise may differ from its source material. In the stage production and book, Glinda believes Elphaba is ᴅᴇᴀᴅ after succumbing to Dorothy’s ᴅᴇᴀᴅly bucket of water, and the people of Oz rejoice at the Wicked Witch’s demise.

However, earlier this year, the Brazilian production of Wicked introduced a knowing glance between Glinda and Elphaba at the end of the final sequence. This implies that Glinda actually knows Elphaba is actually alive, and while it seems strange that this stage production change would impact the upcoming movie, this doesn’t mean that this theory should be dismissed.

Stephen Schwartz, who wrote Wicked‘s music and lyrics, personally supervised the Brazilian production, and it has been confirmed that elements of the 2024 movie have been implemented into it, too. While this could simply be a creative choice, we also can’t rule out the possibility that Schwartz was teasing audiences with a potential look at the ending of Wicked: For Good.

The Full Impact Of The Wizard’s Elixir

One of the differences between the Wicked movie and the musical is Elphaba’s backstory. Through a flashback, we learn more about Elphaba’s upbringing in the Wicked film, specifically how the Wizard seduces her mother, Melena, using a strange green elixir. Melena later dies from complications while giving birth to Nessarose, who is born with partial paralysis as a result.

The musical heavily implies that Nessarose’s disability is caused by the Wizard’s elixir, but this theory is so much more than that. It’s possible that the elixir slowly kills Melena from the moment that she consumes it, but because Elphaba is conceived on the same night, the pregnancy somewhat protects her.

As Nessarose and Elphaba are relatively close in age, it would also make sense that Melena is able to hold on, but sadly not long enough to meet her second daughter. In the play, the girls’ father forces Melena to eat milk flowers so that Nessarose will not be green like Elphaba.

In the novel, Melena purposely seeks out an alternative, unknown medicine because of Elphaba’s Wicked green skin instead. However, perhaps these actually help Melena remain strong enough to see the rest of her pregnancy out. It’s also worth considering whether Melena knows about her upcoming demise, and we aren’t aware of this because Wicked is told from the point of view of an unknowing Elphaba.

Madame Morrible Manipulates Elphaba & Nessarose’s Relationship From The Beginning

Of course, every version of Wicked relies on political themes to push its overall message, and Elphaba and Nessarose’s fates as the Wicked Witches of the East and West represent the social divide in Oz. However, just one small change to their living arrangements at Shiz triggers a series of events that result in the pair becoming the faces of the opposing sides.

In the play, Morrible quickly shows favoritism towards Nessarose and lets her stay in her own quarters, and Glinda accidentally offers Elphaba, who has no arrangements, a place in her suite. However, in the movie, Elphaba is only given a place at Shiz and ᴀssigned to a room with Glinda after Morrible takes a special interest in her magical abilities.

Nessarose isn’t immediately forgotten about by Morrible in the movie, but she quickly becomes less interesting to Shiz’s Dean as time goes on. Eagle-eyed audiences will notice that in the film, Elphaba lives in the West Wing and Nessarose the East. The East of Oz also represents Elphaba’s troubled past, something she clearly wants to move on from.

However, it’s suggested that Morrible’s placement of Elphaba and Nessarose is what triggers the beginning of the breakdown in their relationship. Elphaba goes West for several reasons, like the important moment from part two of the Wicked musical in which Fiyero sends her to his castle, but she’s also turning her back on the past.

Naturally, Nessarose is gutted by her sister abandoning her. Morrible quickly notices there is more to Elphaba than meets the eye and pushes her in the direction of the Wizard, but perhaps she knows more in these earlier scenes than we realize.

There’s a chance Morrible warps Nessarose’s opinion of Elphaba in the way she treats them both, which she knows will make it easier to turn Nessarose against her later. This also works the other way around, as Morrible initially plans to use Elphaba’s deep-rooted need to care for Nessarose to trick her, an idea that is formed by Glinda’s same knowledge of the two sisters.

“Animals Should Be Seen And Not Heard”

The mystery surrounding who wrote the cruel animal note to Dr. Dillamond in Wicked is one that the source material itself doesn’t answer. However, this doesn’t mean that there won’t be any clarification in the upcoming Wicked: For Good. The words “Animals should be seen and not heard” are astounding, and it’s apparent that the animals of Oz are no longer safe.

There are several potential suspects behind the big red letters sprawled across the chalkboard in Dillamond’s classroom, especially as the public’s response to animals, especially those that speak, is getting more and more aggressive. However, one theory suggests that Madame Morrible is the one to scribble these hate-fueled words in the open for her colleagues and students to see.

While we don’t find out that Morrible is a villain in the Wicked movie until later on, we do know that all of her past actions are made with the Wizard’s agenda in mind. Plus, with her access to Shiz’s classrooms, it makes her an obvious candidate.

However, there’s a deeper layer to this. Although the Wicked musical never confirms who wrote the note, avid readers of the original book will know that Morrible recites these same words during a poetry reading, which is a great way to demonstrate that the character is, and always has been, hidden in plain sight.

Later on in the Wicked musical, Morrible also makes a comment about feeling sad over Dillamond’s fate, which, upon reflection, could be more sincere. While this is supposed to be in regard to the goat being forcibly removed from his classroom, perhaps Morrible’s remark is actually about the note that kicks everything off.

Glinda’s Failed Magic Training Will Kill Nessarose

Once again, it’s worth noting that until the release of Wicked: For Good, we won’t know which elements of the story will be different from the musical or even the original book. However, certain details from the first movie suggest that parts of the narrative will differ from the source material in the sequel.

Wicked establishes early on that Elphaba’s magical talents are unique, and very few possess the same type of powers she does. Glinda can’t do magic in Wicked, but the film also teaches us that someone can be somewhat trained in it, even without natural abilities, and this is a possibility she desperately clings to.

However, it’s clear that those who are taught magic are nowhere close to the same standard as those born with it. It’s also near impossible to be successful in it without the help of genetics, but this doesn’t seem to be a huge concern for Glinda.

ᴀssuming Morrible still takes Glinda under her wing in the five years after Elphaba’s departure, it’s possible that Glinda’s training doesn’t go to plan, and she causes the house to fall on Nessarose. In the musical, Morrible causes the tornado, but perhaps Wicked: For Good will divert from the original story.

Of course, this doesn’t mean Glinda kills Nessarose on purpose. While she’s jealous of Elphaba’s abilities, Glinda’s feelings about magic are far from a priority by the end of Wicked part 1. As it’s Glinda’s idea to trick Elphaba so she’ll return, maybe the future Good Witch takes things too far by herself, and without any supervision, the results are disastrous.