Wickedwas one of the most successful movies of 2024, an adaptation of the 2003 stage musical of the same name, which was adapted from a book which itself was based on the originalThe Wizard of Ozfilm.Wickedhas received excellent reviewssince its release, with the majority of the praise centered around the characters and the performances, with even the smaller roles becoming some of the most beloved aspects of the film.Wicked characters like Nessarose, Boq, Dr. Dillamond, and Madame Morrible quickly became some of the most intriguing parts of the entireWizard of Ozfranchise.
However, asWickedintroduced so many charactersthat were never seen or even mentioned in the original film, the question arises as to what these individuals were up to during the events of the original story.Madame Morrible is one such character inWicked, assomeone who has such a close relationship with the Wizard of Oz being completely absentfrom the film named after him is an interesting wrinkle in the franchise’s story. Thankfully,the second half ofWickedreveals what she is doing, and how she connects to the original story.
Wicked’s Act 2 Reveals Where Madame Morrible Was During The Wizard Of Oz
She Is Integral To The Story Of Wicked Act 2
The first film goes over everything that happens in the first act of the musical withWickedendingwhere the act break would be, but the second act is where things get interesting, as much of it occurs at the same time that the originalThe Wizard of Ozdoes. During the events ofThe Wizard of Oz, we see Morrible continuing to scheme with the Wizard, withher first act being to position Glinda as the lead spokesperson for the Wizard, and eventually announces her surprise engagement to Fiyero, much to his dismay.
Wicked’s sequel has been titledWicked: For Good, referencing the Broadway musical song that serves as Elphaba and Glinda’s final goodbye.
However, her biggest contribution toThe Wizard of Ozis that Morrible brought Dorothy to Oz, using herweather powers to summon the tornado that ripped her house from Kansas. Even though Morrible’s intention was actually just to kill Nessarose, who had become the Wicked Witch of the East, in order to draw out Elphaba, she is still responsible for Dorothy’s introduction. Eventually, she does get her comeuppance, as she is arrested by Glinda at the end of the story for her role in Nessarose’s death, leaving her to live out the rest of her days in prison.
Why Madame Morrible Wasn’t In The Original Wizard Of Oz
Morrible Only Exists In Wicked, Not In The Original
The most obvious reason that Morrible wasn’t in the original film is that she also wasn’t in the book; she simply didn’t exist yet, as she was a unique creation of theWickedstage musical. The original book and movie were pretty full of characters and plot points, and have a great balance of both, meaning that even more characters would potentially take away from what is there. However, when these other projects come along to expand the universe,it makes much more sense to create these brand-new characters to inhabit the world.
She could be seen as nothing more than the Wizard’s lackey, but this aspect of her character makes her more important to the plot.
While this kind of addition can feel cheap, and sometimes it makes the original story less interesting, Morrible is a great addition to the play, and an even better addition to the film.Wickedis an interesting prequel because of the way itdirectly ties in withThe Wizard of Oz, andMorrible’s connection with that film makes her character feel much more important, especially in the musical. She could be seen as nothing more than the Wizard’s lackey, but this aspect of her character makes her more important to the plot.
Wicked Makes Madame Morrible Fully Responsible For The Wizard of Oz
Morrible Is The One Who Brings About The Wizard Of Oz’s Inciting Incident
The fact that Morrible is the one who summoned the tornado means that she is the person who is most responsible for theevents inThe Wizard of Oz. This change to the original book means thatDorothy wasn’t just accidentally thrown into Oz by pure chance, her arrival was forced by this character not even in the original story. Without Morrible, Dorothy would’ve stayed in Kansas, never even knowing that Oz existed, and the rest of the history of Oz could have played out very differently.
Wicked Cleverly References Its Two Part Story Split With This Line
Wicked is part one of a larger story, and one line is a subtle and clever reference to the fact that there is another half to the story.
This part of Oz’s history alone makes Morrible a very interesting part of theWizard of Ozuniverse, as she is now the one responsible for the entirety of the first story, even though she wasn’t even in it. Obviously,Wicked: For Good, which will cover the second act of the musical, could change things around, but with how closelyWickedadhered to the first act, it is likely that the sequel will follow suit, and Morrible bringing about the events of the initial film will finally be seen on the big screen.
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.
