You’ve sat through the vibrant pinks of Glinda’s bubble, the dark, steampunk grit of the Emerald City, and enough high-belting to shatter every glass in Munchkinland. Then, the screen goes black. If you walked into the theater expecting a neat bow on the story of the witches of Oz, you probably left the cinema with a racing heart and a lot of questions. Because let’s be real, how does the Wicked movie end isn’t just a question about a plot point; it’s about a massive, cinematic pivot that splits one of Broadway’s most iconic stories right down the middle.
It’s bold. It’s loud. And it’s only half the story.
Jon M. Chu’s adaptation takes the first act of the stage musical and stretches it into a sprawling, three-hour epic. This isn't just a movie; it's an event. By the time the credits roll, Elphaba Thropp has fully shed her identity as the misunderstood, green-skinned outcast of Shiz University. She has become the Wicked Witch of the West. But the path she takes to get there—and the way the film leaves her suspended in the sky—changes everything we thought we knew about her "villain" origin story.
The Moment Everything Changes at the Emerald City
To understand the finale, you have to look at the train ride. Elphaba and Glinda (then still "Galinda" with a silent 'ga') arrive at the Emerald City thinking they are about to meet a hero. Elphaba believes the Wizard is the key to stopping the systemic oppression of the Animals in Oz. She thinks he's a savior.
He isn't.
The confrontation in the Wizard’s palace is the emotional fulcrum of the entire film. When Jeff Goldblum’s Wizard reveals he has no actual magic—just a bunch of "humbug" machinery and a desperate need for a scapegoat—the illusion shatters. He needs Elphaba’s innate power to make his "Gale Force" spy-monkeys fly. When she reads from the Grimmerie and the wings sprout from the monkeys' backs, she realizes she’s been used. She isn't the Wizard’s successor; she’s his greatest threat because she has the one thing he lacks: genuine power.
Defying Gravity: The Final Ascent
The climax of the film is, predictably and spectacularly, "Defying Gravity." But the movie handles this differently than the stage show. In the theater, Elphaba stands on a lift and rises ten feet above the stage. In the film, this sequence is a desperate, high-stakes escape through the attic of the Wizard’s palace and out into the night sky of Oz.
It starts with a choice. Glinda is offered everything she ever wanted: popularity, a position of power, and the love of the Ozians. Elphaba is offered a life as a fugitive.
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The most heartbreaking part of the ending is the goodbye between the two women. They aren't enemies yet. They are best friends who realize their paths are diverging forever. Glinda chooses the "status quo" because she doesn't know how to be anything else. Elphaba chooses the "unknown" because she can't live a lie.
As the guards burst in, Elphaba takes the broom—which, in this version, feels less like a prop and more like a sentient conduit of her rage—and leaps. She doesn't just fly; she tears through the roof. She soars over the Emerald City, her black cloak billowing like a storm cloud.
The Final Shot
The movie ends with a split-screen feeling, even if it's not literally split. We see Glinda, draped in white and gold, being presented to the citizens of Oz as their new symbol of hope. She looks terrified. She is trapped in a lie. Meanwhile, Elphaba is silhouetted against the moon, screaming her defiance. The last thing we see is the title card for Wicked: Part Two (set for release in 2025), leaving the audience in a state of suspended animation.
Why the Ending Leaves Out the Scarecrow and Dorothy
If you are a fan of the original 1939 Wizard of Oz, you might be wondering where the girl in the gingham dress is. She’s not here. Not yet.
The reason how does the Wicked movie end feels so abrupt to some is that it strictly covers "Act One." In the structure of Gregory Maguire’s original novel and the Stephen Schwartz musical, there is a significant time jump after Elphaba flies away. The movie ends right at that gap.
We haven't seen the melting. We haven't seen the ruby slippers. We haven't even seen Fiyero’s ultimate fate. By ending here, the film focuses entirely on the dissolution of a friendship rather than the plot mechanics of Dorothy’s arrival. It’s a character study masquerading as a fantasy blockbuster.
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The Political Undercurrents You Might Have Missed
Look closely at the final frames. The Wizard and Madame Morrible have already begun their propaganda campaign. As Elphaba flies away, they aren't just trying to catch her; they are rebranding her.
- The "Wicked" Label: The ending shows the birth of a fake news cycle. Morrible tells the public that Elphaba is a "wicked witch," turning her act of rebellion into an act of terrorism.
- The Animal Plot: The ending leaves the fate of Doctor Dillamond and the other Animals in the dark. We see them being caged and silenced, a grim foreshadowing of the police state Oz becomes in the second half of the story.
- Glinda’s Complicity: The movie ends with Glinda realizing that by staying, she is becoming a puppet. Her "happy" ending is actually a tragedy.
What Happens Next?
Since this is only the first half, the story is far from over. If you can't wait until 2025 for the sequel, the roadmap is already laid out in the stage play.
The "ending" of this film is actually the beginning of the "Witch Hunt." The next chapter will cover the years of Elphaba living as an outlaw, the tragic transformation of Fiyero, and eventually, the arrival of a certain house falling from the sky.
The biggest takeaway from the finale of the first Wicked film is that Elphaba didn't turn evil. She just stopped trying to be "good" by the Wizard's standards. She accepted her power, even if it meant being alone.
Actionable Insights for Fans
If the ending left you buzzing, there are a few things you can do to bridge the gap until the next movie drops:
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- Listen to the "Part 2" Broadway Cast Recording: Songs like "No Good Deed" and "For Good" will give you the emotional beats of what happens after the screen goes dark.
- Read the Original Gregory Maguire Novel: Be warned—it’s much darker, more political, and less "magical" than the movie, but it provides incredible depth to the Wizard’s tyranny.
- Watch the 1939 Original: Re-watching The Wizard of Oz after seeing the end of Wicked completely changes how you view the "Wicked Witch." You start to see her as a revolutionary rather than a monster.
- Track the Part 2 Production: Keep an eye on the official Wicked movie social channels, as the second film was shot concurrently with the first, meaning trailers for the conclusion will likely appear sooner than expected.
The end of the Wicked movie is a masterclass in the "Midpoint Climax." It leaves the protagonist at her highest physical point—literally flying—and her lowest emotional point, having lost her friend and her home. It’s a cliffhanger that demands a sequel, but it also stands as a powerful testament to finding one's own voice in a world that wants you to stay quiet.