Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Wicked!
The Wizard of Oz’s first death is iconic, but the story ofWickedmakes this scene so much more tragic than before.Wickeddoes a lot to flesh out theworld of the Land of Oz, with it exploring many events that took place before and during the original story as well as providing additional context for some ofThe Wizard of Oz’s biggest moments. WhileWickedchanges how fans seeThe Wizard of Ozin some big ways, the effect that it has onThe Wizard of Oz’s first death is absolutely the biggest.
L. Frank Baum’s originalOzstories have been adapted in many different ways, making the canon status ofWickeda bit confusing.Wickedis not technically a prequel to 1939’sThe Wizard of Ozmovie, as the film that made the Land of Oz iconic is still owned by Warner Bros., whereasWickedwas made by Universal Pictures. So,whileWickedlifts some elements from 1939’sThe Wizard of Oz, such as some of the famous iconography, it is technically only a prequel to L. Frank Baum’s original bookThe Wonderful Wizard of Ozand its sequels.
The Wicked Witch Of The East’s Death Is So Different Knowing She’s Nessarose
Making Dorothy’s First Kill So Much More Tragic
When Dorothy first arrives in Oz inThe Wizard of Oz, the first thing that she does is accidentally kill the Wicked Witch of the East. Upon entering Munchkinland,Dorothy realizes that her house has accidentally landed on the Witch, to the excitement of many Munchkins. However, the Wicked Witch of the West appears shortly after, furious that Dorothy killed her sister.The Wizard of Oznever explores the dynamic between these two sisters after this moment, with this being one ofWicked’s biggest changes, as the musical reveals that the Wicked Witch of the East is Nessarose.
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InWicked,Nessarose is Elphaba’s sister, with her being the reason that Elphaba is at Shiz University in the first place. The firstWickedmovie doesn’t make it explicitly clear to those unfamiliar with the musical that Nessarose is the Wicked Witch of the East, with the only hints being the fact that they are siblings as well as Nessarose’s silver shoes. In act two of the musical, however, it is revealed that Nessarose is the one who Dorothy crushes with her house upon arriving in the Land of Oz, with this reveal completely changing one ofThe Wizard of Oz’s biggest moments.
Wicked Makes The Wicked Witch Of The East An Easy Character To Love
But This Will Change In Act Two
Nessarose’s death inWicked Part Twowill be tragic, as the firstWickedmakes the Wicked Witch of the East an easy character to love. In the first movie, Nessarose has virtually no flaws, with her being kind to everyone around her. The sisterly bond between Elphaba and Nessarose is one of the emotional cores of Elphaba’s character, with her just wanting to protect Nessarose while at Shiz.Nessarose’s relationship with Boqalso makes the character more sympathetic, as Boq’s secret yearning for Glinda makes audience members feel bad for Nessarose.
So, while Nessarose may be called the Wicked Witch of the East,the firstWickedmovie doesn’t really give any reason for her to be wicked. Nessarose will make some choices inWicked Part Twothat will make her a little less sympathetic, setting the stage for her death. However,Wicked’s treatment of Nessarose in Act Two has always been one of the biggest criticisms of the original musical, meaning that there is potential forWicked Part Twoto make some changes to her arc.
Wicked 2 Is Going To Be Heartbreaking Thanks To Nessarose’s Death
She Is A Pawn In The Villains' Plans
Nessarose gets a much bigger focus in Act Two ofWicked,meaning thatWicked Part Twois going to be even more heartbreaking thanks to Nessarose’s death. After the time jump in the sequel, it will be revealed that Nessarose has become the governor of Munchkinland, although her rule has become a bit too authoritarian for the liking of many of the Munchkins. However, Nessarose is one of the few people in Oz who Elphaba still loves, with her enchanting Nessarose’s silver shoes so that she can walk.
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Because the epic story is split into two parts, Wicked: Part 2 will include many exciting moments from the magical 2003 Broadway musical.
Later,Glinda, the Wizard, and Madame Morribleuse Nessarose to lure Elphaba out of hiding, with them causing her death so that Elphaba will appear in Munchklinland. This has an incredibly emotional impact on Elphaba, with the fact that Nessarose was used as a pawn making her death even more tragic. Despite Nessarose being a bigger player in the nextWickedmovie, she won’t be around for long, with this story completely recontextualizing Dorothy’s first kill inThe Wizard of Oz.
Wicked
Cast
Wicked adapts the Broadway musical into a two-part film, following the unlikely friendship between Elphaba, born with green skin, and Glinda, a popular aristocrat, in the Land of Oz. As they navigate their contrasting paths, they evolve into Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.
