5 major changes Wicked: For Good made to the original story, including Elphaba’s darker fate

The movie Wicked: For Good is now in theaters, and much like the second half of the musical, it takes a much more serious and somber turn in the land of Oz. While the film deals with difficult events, including what happens to characters like Fiyero and Nessarose, it’s actually a lighter version of the original story, which could have been deeply upsetting for audiences.

Many people know the classic 1939 film, The Wizard of Oz, but fewer realize it came from L. Frank Baum’s original book, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Similarly, the popular musical and upcoming movies called Wicked are actually based on Gregory Maguire’s novel, Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West.

If the story of witches being crushed by falling houses or dissolved by water still isn’t grim enough, Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel is even more disturbing. Both Wicked: For Good and the original Wicked are more similar to the lighter-toned stage musical, but we’ve explored the key differences for readers curious about the book’s original, darker ending.

Missing characters

The book Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West covers the whole of Elphaba’s life, but the musical adaptation tells a more focused, two-part story. Because of this, some characters from the book didn’t make it into the musical, including Elphaba and Nessarose’s brother, Sheltergood, Madame Morrible’s mechanical helper, Grommetik, the Maunts (who act like nuns), and Fiyero’s wife, Sarima.

One of the most significant characters missing from the adaptation is Liir. The book leaves it unclear whether Liir is the son of Elphaba and Fiyero, but strongly suggests he is their child.

Though Liir, a 14-year-old character, wasn’t there when Elphaba met her fate in Wicked, he becomes deeply fascinated with her and plays a major role throughout all four novels in the series. With Ariana Grande suggesting a third Wicked movie is possible, and Liir being the central character in the second book, he could easily become a significant part of a continuing film franchise.

Madame Morrible and the Wizard

While The Wonderful Wizard of Oz often portrays Elphaba as the villain, the book and musical actually reveal the Wizard and Madame Morrible to be the true antagonists. Though the original book depicts the Wizard as a harsh ruler, the movies soften his image somewhat, presenting him as a somewhat dishonest but still sympathetic figure.

In both the book and the musical Wicked, Madame Morrible and the Wizard face consequences for their actions. The book suggests the Wizard takes his own life after going back to Oz, while the musical shows Glinda simply sending him away in his balloon.

The novel depicts Elphaba returning to Shiz to kill Madame Morrible, only to discover she’s already died and instead unleashing her anger on the body. However, the musical and film versions give Madame Morrible a different fate: she’s imprisoned as punishment for helping to create Oz’s oppressive government.

Glinda the Good Witch

In the original book, Glinda and Elphaba are simply acquaintances, but the movies portray them as close, unlikely best friends. Unlike the films, the book doesn’t involve a love triangle with Fiyero; instead, Elphaba marries an older man named Sir Chuffrey.

The novel Wicked: For Good expands on the musical by giving Glinda a new song, ‘The Girl in the Bubble,’ which highlights her realization that true goodness comes from doing good deeds, not just claiming to be good.

Okay, so the new versions of the story – the musical and movies – really changed Glinda’s arc. It turns out the Wizard is actually Elphaba’s dad! It’s a huge reveal, and Glinda actually confronts him about everything. Instead of becoming the ‘Good Witch of the North’ like in the book, she just decides to be Glinda the Good – a simpler, more genuine version of herself. It’s a cool twist, honestly.

Elphaba’s death and Fiyero’s fate

One of the most significant changes from the original story is what happens to Elphaba at the end. In the musical Wicked: For Good, her cape catches fire during a confrontation with Dorothy (played by Bethany Weaver). Dorothy tries to help by throwing water on the flames, but is horrified to discover it actually causes Elphaba to melt.

Okay, so as a huge Wicked fan, I was SO relieved to learn what really happened when Elphaba supposedly melted! It turns out it was all a clever trick. She didn’t actually die – she used a hidden trapdoor to make everyone think she did. Then, get this, she eventually gets back together with Fiyero! He comes back to where everyone thought she’d died, but he’s disguised as the Scarecrow, and lets her know it’s safe to leave. They basically escape Oz together and get their happy ending, which is amazing!

Okay, so in the book, Fiyero has a really tragic end – he’s tortured and killed by the Gale Force. It’s a huge turning point for Elphaba, driving her to the edge. But honestly, the movie does something way more creative! Instead of killing him, Elphaba tries to save him with a spell from the Grimmerie, but it goes wrong and she accidentally turns him into the Scarecrow. I think it’s a much more compelling twist than just having him die.

In the novel, Fiyero isn’t actually the Scarecrow. Elphaba believes the Scarecrow is a reborn version of Fiyero. When the flying monkeys destroy him, they discover he’s just filled with straw.

The downfall of Oz

The book’s ending is already quite sad with Elphaba’s death, but it’s made even more poignant by the fact that Glinda isn’t present – they’ve grown apart by that time.

In Wicked: For Good, Glinda and Elphaba’s friendship strengthens when Glinda discovers the truth about Madame Morrible and the Wizard. They have an emotional farewell at Kiamo Ko, where Elphaba asks Glinda to protect herself. Hidden nearby, Glinda watches as Elphaba appears to die when Dorothy arrives.

In Maguire’s take on the land of Oz, corruption is widespread and the Wizard’s departure causes political chaos, which sets the stage for a series of increasingly grim follow-up stories. Unlike the original book, Glinda is given a storyline focused on earning redemption and ultimately rises to lead Oz.

For more on Wicked: For Good, check out:

Here’s a look at recent coverage of Wicked: For Good: reviews, cast details (including who plays Dorothy), streaming release information, how the movie addresses a key problem with the stage musical, gift and merchandise ideas, and a surprising fact about the ruby slippers.

Wicked: For Good is out now in cinemas.

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2025-11-23 10:20