WICKED: Every Witch And Their Magical Powers Explained!

In the weeks following the release of Wicked, I can't help feeling drawn back to the Land of Oz and its vast cast of characters. While there are many with distinct quirks and backgrounds, I find the witches of Wicked to be the most interesting. As there are so few of them, it seems like their abilities are not only unique, but few and far between. It's made clear throughout the first film that many want the chance to study sorcery, but not everyone at Shiz has what it takes to graduate from the program. Regardless, the people of Oz hold witches and wizards in high esteem, with many of them taking on leadership roles and becoming prominent public figures. The witches shown in Wicked are no exception, which is why I want to use today's video to evaluate their individual motivations, abilities, and future potential. Wicked follows the story of Elphaba Throb, who is destined to become the notorious Wicked Witch of the West. The Wicked Witch is a character known worldwide and is a classic villain from film and television. In The Wizard of Oz, there's no denying that the Wicked Witch is evil and needs slaying, as she constantly tries to prevent Dorothy from returning to Kansas. However, her activities beg the question, why did she become evil in the first place? Wicked aims to answer this question by showing the Wicked Witch as a young Elphaba Throb, who has had a lifetime full of unfair experiences. The stage production and now the film show that Elphaba was pushed into becoming the Elphaba is the eldest daughter of Governor Throb, but due to her mother having an affair and regularly drinking her partner's coveted green elixir, Elphaba was born with green skin. Her unique appearance caused her to become ostracized by her family and peers alike, leaving Elphaba to act as the perfect daughter only to receive minimal love in return. As an adult, she does everything she can to care for her younger sister, Nessa, which places her in Madame Morrible's sights. Elphaba never planned to become the prodigy apprentice to the headmistress of Shiz, but doing so allows her to harness her innate magical abilities. Elphaba's abilities are significantly tied to her emotions. If she feels an injustice has transpired, her magic will manifest in mysterious ways. From massive explosions to lulling her aggressors to sleep, while Elphaba doesn't learn how to manage these outbursts, her historic knowledge and pure strength lead her to the Wizard of Oz. The Wizard had always been Elphaba's idol, and she dreamed of working alongside him without judgment. Yet when he tricks her into painfully transforming his fleet of monkeys into ones that can fly, she realizes that he was never capable of magic in the first place. Elphaba uses her connection with the Grimmery to escape the Wizard, even though doing so makes her an enemy of everyone in Oz. She embraces the role as she would rather fight for the mistreated creatures of Oz than abandon her morals. With her flying broomstick and an army of flying monkeys at her back, Elphaba flees into the western skies, where she'll likely continue practicing magic and harnessing the Grimmery. 2. Glinda Upland Everyone knows Glinda as the Good Witch of the North, but her character is more nuanced than that. When we first meet Glinda in Wicked, she's a newly arrived student at Shiz who dreams of being accepted into Madame Morrible's sorcery program. She believes that, as a member of the elite Upland family, she'll be accepted into the program without a problem. Her dreams are quickly dashed when Morrible avoids her approach and begins to personally train Elphaba, an act that adds fuel to the fire in regard to the pair's feud. Glinda lacks many traits of a proper witch. For starters, she believes that studying and hard work are unnecessary to achieve her goal, claiming that anyone of merit is successful because they're popular. Her shallow worldview means that Glinda cares little for her studies at Shiz and puts more of her effort into a relationship with Fiyero and attending social events. She also lacks natural talent. Unlike Elphaba who summons magic the moment she is born, Glinda doesn't perform a single Instead, she receives a training wand from Madame Morrible, but only on Elphaba's behalf. Later, Glinda fails to use the training wand and refuses Elphaba's help. We know from the opening of the film that Glinda will become the Good Witch, a notable icon that the people of Oz idolize. However, the only spell she performs in this scene, set in the future, is creating a bubble strong enough to carry her wherever she pleases. She also relies on a wand to create this bubble, when Elphaba can cast spells without intention alone. As Wicked Part 1 ends with Glinda in the company of Madame Morrible, it's safe to assume she becomes the other woman's passion project, including intense lessons about practical magic. Glinda may not be a powerful sorceress like Elphaba, but her understanding of people makes her an asset to the Wizard. As she's in her back pocket, it's no wonder that she's finally taught the bare minimum of magic and spreading propaganda about the Wicked Witch. She is evil. Number 3. Madame Morrible The secondary antagonist in Wicked, Madame Morrible is a powerful witch who assumed control over Shiz University from the animal professors. She's a notable figure at Shiz, as the incoming student body welcomes her with open arms and clamor for her attention. However, Morrible has little interest in the general student body. Instead, she puts all of her time and effort into training Elphaba, who she believes will become an important part of the Wizard's plans. Unlike the Wizard, Morrible does have magical abilities, a trait that changed from the original novels to the stage production. While Morrible can likely do many great things with her magic, her specialty is the weather. In a scene where a storm causes a downpour at Shiz, Morrible clears the skies to prevent Elphaba from getting wet. Given that Morrible is the only character, aside from Elphaba, who can perform genuine feats of magic, it's no surprise that she allies herself with the Wizard. They're two of the most powerful characters in the film based on influence alone, as they each crave more control over Oz. I fully suspect that Morrible will take Glinda under her wing and pursue revenge on Elphaba. Part of that revenge, whether she intends it or not, is summoning the Twister that inevitably drops a house atop Nessa Rose. You! Come with me. Of course. Not you. You. 4. Nessa Rose Thropp The younger sister to Elphaba, Nessa Rose was treated very well in her family. Wheelchair-bound due to a disability, Nessa's father often spoiled her and has a strong desire to protect her, which is a significant contrast to his relationship with Elphaba. Despite being her father's favorite and facing ridicule for her connection to Elphaba, Nessa genuinely loves her sister and the pair maintained a strong bond, until Elphaba began to threaten Nessa's new life at Shiz. Throughout the first part of the film, the audience witnesses their bond beginning to fray, especially when Elphaba faces ridicule at the Oz Dust Ballroom. Nessa is present during the heartbreaking scene but does nothing to comfort her sister. Nessa's primary story arc focuses on her relationship with Bok, a munchkin who originally asked her out at Glinda's behest. Although Nessa cares for Bok a great deal, he has feelings for Glinda, a fact which haunts their relationship. Nessa is with her father when they learn of Elphaba becoming the Wicked Witch and witnesses her father's resulting death firsthand. Anyone who has watched The Wizard of Oz knows that Nessa will become the Wicked Witch of the East, complete with striped socks and shining slippers. Peculiarly, Nessa never mentions studying sorcery or practicing magic in the first part of the film. It's likely that her magical abilities will manifest later in life. In the original stage play, Nessa shares in Elphaba's ability to read from the Grimmery, using one of the spells to enchant Bok, forcing his heart to shrink before he can confess his love to Glinda. Go with her. What? If anything should happen to her... She'll be fine. It's clear that the witches in Oz are influential enough that they make waves that shape their society. Glinda becomes an idol for everyone to follow, Madame Marble convinces the world that people like the Wizard should be in power, and the Thropp sisters become pariahs due to circumstances and unwillingness to endorse those in the wrong. Those four women change history for everyone in Oz, be they a hero or a villain in the narrative. They're incredibly important characters, and will become the most relevant when Wicked Part II comes to theaters next year. The child has something very, very special, absolutely remarkable. Thanks for watching. If you enjoyed this video, hit that like button, subscribe to our channel, and turn on notifications to stay updated on our uploads. To prepare you to expect the unexpected here at S.H.I.E.L.D.