Marissa Bode teases Nessa’s darker turn in Wicked: For Good. Nessarose Thropp, also later known as the Wicked Witch of the East, is the younger sister of Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) and daughter of the Governor of Munchkinland. She is portrayed as the opposite of her sister, who, though protective of her, often ends up embarrᴀssing her with the use of magic. Wicked has given a glimpse into their conflicting relationship, showing the different paths that Nessa and Elphaba have chosen to embrace since they started school at Shiz University.

At the Critics Choice Awards, Bode talks to ScreenRant about Nessa’s story arc in Wicked: For Good. Without giving out too much, Bode teases Nessa being motivated by something else and magic being different in the upcoming sequel, and a change in her overall motivations. Check out what she said below:

Nessa’s motivations have changed a little bit. They have shifted. The magic within the second film is still there, but it’s a little bit different. And I think that’s all I can say!

What This Means For Nessa In Wicked: For Good

The First Movie’s Ending Served As A Pivotal Point

At the end of Wicked, Nessarose witnesses her father’s death from a heart attack, potentially setting the stage for her to take over her father’s role as the Governor. At the same time, Elphaba decides to take a stand against The Wizard of Oz (Jeff Goldblum), indicating that a war of magic might be on the horizon. While Nessa, at the beginning of Wicked, is far from who she’ll eventually become, Bode’s comment points to the movie’s ending setting her on a different path.

In the musical, Nessa becomes the Governor and starts removing all the rights of the Munchkins to ensure her own tyrannical rule, which eventually turns all Munchkins against her. Her ᴀssociation with Elphaba leads to her nickname, the Wicked Witch of the East. Bode’s comment sheds light on the emotional impact Wicked‘s ending has on Nessa and how it may serve as a pivotal moment in her character arc. With the conflict between Elphaba and The Wizard of Oz escalating in Wicked: For Good, the second part might see magic being used very differently.

Our Take On Nessa’s Dark Turn In Wicked: For Good

Nessa Might Be Completely Unrecognizable

In Part 1, Nessa is almost purely motivated by exploring life beyond her disability and away from her sister. She’s mostly harmless, though on occasions, displays some dark traits, including taking others’ side over her sister. If Nessa’s story in Wicked: For Good stays faithful to the musical, it means that she might be unrecognizable in the upcoming film. With her motivation being different, there’s also the possibility for Nessa to team up with Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh) and The Wizard of Oz.

Wicked has made it clear that Elphaba and Madame Morrible are the only two who have magic. However, as illustrated at the beginning of the movie, Glinda (Ariana Grande) doesn’t need real magic to fool others into believing that she has magic. Similarly, The Wizard of Oz also uses trickeries to maintain his status. There’s a good chance that Wicked: For Good will further explore what magic means and what magic could do for malicious purposes.