You probably think you know the story of the Wicked Witch of the West. Green skin, flying brooms, a weird obsession with a pair of shoes. But the musical Wicked, based on Gregory Maguire’s 1995 revisionist novel, completely flips that script. It’s not just a prequel. It’s a total teardown of Ozian history. If you're looking for a wicked synopsis with spoilers, you're in the right place, because the ending isn't the "melting" you remember from the 1939 film.
The story starts at the end. Or what we think is the end. Glinda the Good floats down in her bubble to tell the citizens of Oz that the Wicked Witch is dead. The crowd cheers. It’s a party. But there’s a secret. Glinda knew Elphaba—the "Wicked" witch—better than anyone. They were best friends. Actually, they were roommates.
The Shiz University Days: How Elphaba and Glinda Met
The bulk of the first act takes us back to Shiz University. Elphaba arrives as an outcast. She’s green. Not "pale olive" or "subtle forest," but bright, shocking emerald. Her father, the Governor of Munchkinland, clearly hates her. He only cares about her sister, Nessarose, who uses a wheelchair.
Elphaba is there to watch over Nessa. But then she meets Galinda (who later changes her name to Glinda). Galinda is the peak of popularity. She’s blonde, rich, and painfully self-absorbed. Through a series of mishaps and a shared dorm room, the two become an unlikely duo.
It wasn't love at first sight. Honestly, they hated each other. There’s a whole song about it. But they bond over a lion cub. In a biology class led by Doctor Dillamond—a Talking Goat—the students are shown that Animals (capital A) are losing their ability to speak. They're being caged. Elphaba, who has a fierce sense of justice and raw, untapped magical power, is horrified. When Dillamond is hauled away, Elphaba and Fiyero (the local "bad boy" prince) rescue a lion cub from an experimental cage. This cub, by the way, is implied to be the Cowardly Lion from the original story.
The Wizard is a Fraud
Elphaba gets the chance of a lifetime: an invite to the Emerald City to meet the Wizard. She thinks he’s the key to stopping the Animal oppression. She takes Glinda with her.
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They meet the Wizard, and he’s... charming? Sorta. He asks Elphaba to prove her magic by making his monkey servants fly using a book called the Grimmerie. She does it. But the "spell" is actually a transformation. The monkeys sprout painful, leathery wings. Elphaba realizes the Wizard has no magic of his own. He’s just a man with a bunch of machines who wants to use her power to control the masses. He's the one behind the Animal cages. He needs a common enemy to keep the people of Oz in line.
Elphaba refuses to join him. She steals the Grimmerie and bolts to the top of the palace. Glinda begs her to apologize and play along. Elphaba won't. This is the "Defying Gravity" moment. She flies away on a broom, branded as a "Wicked Witch" by the Wizard’s press machine, while Glinda chooses to stay behind and climb the social ladder of the Wizard’s administration.
Act Two: The Rise of the Wicked Witch
Years pass. Elphaba is a resistance fighter. Glinda is the public face of the Wizard’s regime, now known as "Glinda the Good."
Nessarose is now the Governor of Munchkinland. She’s become a tyrant. Why? Because Elphaba tried to help her walk by enchanting her silver shoes (yes, they were silver in the book and the play, not ruby). The spell worked, but it made Nessa even more obsessive over her servant, Boq. When Boq tries to leave her, Nessa accidentally casts a spell that shrinks his heart. To save his life, Elphaba turns him into a man made of tin. He has no heart now. Spoiler alert: That’s the Tin Man.
The Dorothy Factor
Then the house falls. You know the one.
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Dorothy Gale arrives via cyclone, and the house lands squarely on Nessarose. Elphaba is devastated. She just wanted her sister's shoes back—not because of the fashion, but because they were a gift from their father. Glinda, trying to protect Dorothy (or perhaps just spite Elphaba), gives the shoes to the girl from Kansas.
This sets Elphaba on a warpath. She captures Dorothy later (off-stage, mostly) to get those shoes back. Meanwhile, Fiyero, who has been dating Glinda but secretly loving Elphaba, finally switches sides. He runs off with Elphaba.
The Wizard’s guards catch them. To save Elphaba, Fiyero surrenders. He’s taken away to be tortured. In a desperate attempt to save him from feeling pain, Elphaba casts a spell. She thinks it failed. She thinks she’s "Wicked" because every time she tries to do good, it ends in disaster.
The Ending: What Actually Happened at Kiamari Castle?
This is the part of the wicked synopsis with spoilers that people usually get wrong if they've only seen the 1939 movie.
Elphaba is at her castle. Dorothy is there. The "melting" happens. Dorothy throws a bucket of water, Elphaba screams, and she disappears down a trapdoor.
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She isn't dead.
Elphaba faked her death. The water was a distraction. She used the trapdoor to escape the guards and the public eye. Glinda finds a small bottle of green elixir among Elphaba’s things—the same elixir Elphaba’s mother drank, which caused Elphaba to be born green. Glinda realizes the truth: the Wizard is Elphaba’s biological father. He unknowingly drove his own daughter into exile.
Glinda banishes the Wizard from Oz and arrests Madame Morrible. She then assumes full control of Oz, promising to lead with "goodness," though she carries the heavy grief of her friend's "death."
In the final moments, we see a Scarecrow approach the trapdoor. It’s Fiyero. Elphaba’s spell worked—it didn't save him from the guards, but it transformed his body into something that couldn't feel the pain of their spears. He’s the Scarecrow. He opens the hatch, and Elphaba emerges. They are both alive, but they can never return to Oz. They leave together, forever outcasts, while Glinda stands alone in her bubble.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Newcomers
Understanding the nuance of the Wicked plot changes how you view the entire Oz franchise. Here is what you should keep in mind if you're diving deeper into the lore:
- Watch the Movie vs. Play Differences: The 2024 film adaptation split the story into two parts. Part one ends at "Defying Gravity," so if you're watching the first movie, don't expect the "melting" scene yet.
- The Political Subtext: Notice how the Wizard uses "propaganda" to turn the public against Elphaba. It’s a direct commentary on how leaders create "monsters" to distract from their own failings.
- The "Good" vs. "Wicked" Paradox: Pay attention to Glinda’s choices. Is she actually "good" if she stays with a corrupt government for the sake of her reputation? Is Elphaba "wicked" for fighting for Animal rights? The story suggests that these labels are often assigned by those in power, not by character.
- The Origin Stories: Keep an eye out for the "easter eggs" regarding the Lion, the Tin Man, and the Scarecrow. Each one is a direct result of Elphaba’s attempts to help, which she perceives as failures.
If you're heading to the theater, look closely at the "Chistery" character (the lead flying monkey). His transformation is the catalyst for Elphaba's rebellion. Understanding that her "villainy" is actually a failed attempt at heroism makes the ending far more poignant than a simple fairy tale.
The real tragedy isn't that Elphaba died—it's that she had to let the world believe she was a monster just to survive.