Now that the Wicked: For Good trailer is finally out, you’re definitely not alone if you’re impatiently waiting for it to hit theaters in November. We want to see how the story ends ASAP, too! If you’ve seen Wicked the Musical, you probably have a good sense of what will happen in the second Wicked film — though we know it’s not exactly the same as the stage musical. But if you want to spoil it all and find out how Wicked the Musical ends, look no further. (Consider this your spoiler warning if it weren’t already obvious!)
The Wicked Witch of the West is NOT Dead
Whether you’ve seen Wicked in any capacity, we’re pretty much all familiar with the Wicked Witch of the West. She’s culturally famous as the green witch who dies by melting after Dorothy throws a bucket of water on her in The Wizard of Oz. But that’s not quite the case in Wicked the Musical.
Yes, Dorothy throws a bucket of water on Elphaba. But it doesn’t kill her. Water doesn’t melt her like Madame Morrible tried to suggest in the first Wicked movie. It’s all a facade. But it’s planned. Elphaba wants everyone to think she’s dead.
So what actually happens to Elphaba at the end of Wicked the Musical? There’s a trap door in Kiamo Ko, where Dorothy “melts” her, which she uses to escape. She secretly runs away with Fiyero to live a less-than-ideal happily ever after away from Oz.
Glinda the Good Witch
At the end of the stage musical, Glinda is where we saw her at the start: Glinda the Good descending into Munchkinland by bubble. Wicked the Musical, and likely Wicked part one, are circular narratives, ending where they begin. The people of Oz, and particularly Munchkinland, all love and adore the Ozian public figure as she delivers the good news that Elphaba is dead.
What’s not known until the end of the stage adaptation is that Glinda banishes the Wizard of Oz for his deceitful and fraudulent behavior and throws Madame Morrible in prison. Anyone who knows anything about the Wizard in pop culture knows he’s a fraud, so it’s no surprise Glinda forces him to suddenly leave Oz. As for the former Shiz University headmistress, it’s no secret she’s been dubious from the start. But starting a tornado to throw a house at Nessarose and kill her is cruel.
Fiyero and Boq literally look different at the end of Wicked the Musical
As we mentioned when discussing Elphaba, Fiyero runs off to live a new life with the witch. But he doesn’t quite look like the prince we’ve come to know and love. Here’s a big spoiler that is actually foreshadowed: Fiyero is the Scarecrow from The Wizard of Oz story.
The Winkie Prince mistakenly becomes a scarecrow because of a spell Elphaba does to protect him. We hear a preview of his fate in the brilliance of “Dancing Through Life” when Fiyero sings about being brainless.
Last, but not least, is Boq. The musical doesn’t lay out a clear path for him, and where he goes from there. But he’s not dead. Boq is the Tin Man, the heartless fellow who needs oil to prevent rusting and squeaking. (Remember in the first Wicked movie when Boq said he cries a lot? That’s more genius foreshadowing.)
How did the mere Munchkin become the Tin Man? A spell, of course! After Nessarose attempts to read the Grimmerie, the spell nearly kills Boq. That wasn’t Nessa’s intent, but the spell does take away his heart. So Elphaba helped save Boq from dying by turning him into the Tin Man — someone who could live without a heart.
What surprised you most about the end of Wicked the Musical? What do you hope Wicked: For Good expands upon in these characters’ fates? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!
Wicked the Musical is in an open run on Broadway at the Gershwin Theatre and also touring across North America. Wicked: For Good hits theaters Friday, Nov. 21.
