Wicked: For Good

Elphaba earns the title after returning to Oz and freeing the animals enslaved by the Wizard's regime. She swoops in to rescue the creatures forced to work on the Yellow Brick Road construction, attacking the soldiers and defying the Wizard's authority. This act of rebellion, combined with Morrible's propaganda painting her as a dangerous threat, solidifies her reputation as the Wicked Witch across Oz.

Glinda rises to power alongside the Wizard and Morrible, partially because she believes working within the system can bring change. However, the timeline reveals she privately struggles with this path. Her childhood flashback shows her insecurity about having no real magic, which drives her ambition to appear powerful. Throughout the film, she maintains her position while quietly supporting Elphaba when possible.

A flashback reveals young Glinda received a magic wand but discovered she had no real magical ability, foreshadowing her reliance on political power rather than genuine magic.

The Grimmerie is an ancient spellbook containing powerful magic that responds only to those born with green skin. Elphaba uses it to cast spells beyond ordinary magic, including enchanting Nessarose's ruby slippers to grant flight and later attempting to save Fiyero from bleeding. The book remains sentient, eventually awakening for Glinda at the end, suggesting it recognizes her as a worthy keeper.

When Elphaba uses the Grimmerie to enchant Nessarose's ruby slippers, Boq stands in the way of her leaving. Nessarose, desperate to keep him close, casts a counter-spell that backfires catastrophically. The magic drains something from Boq and transforms him into the Tin Woodman. Elphaba's departure leaves Boq vengeful, setting him on a path toward opposing her.

Fiyero's engagement to Glinda is largely a political arrangement meant to placate public opinion. Though publicly linked, both Fiyero and Glinda privately fear what Elphaba's return means. During the chaos at the wedding ceremony, Fiyero ultimately chooses his true feelings for Elphaba over the political facade. Glinda herself encourages him to help Elphaba escape, showing their shared loyalty transcends the engagement.

Morrible unleashes a devastating storm as part of her scheme to destroy Elphaba. The tornado pulls a house from another world into Oz, which crashes down on Nessarose, killing her. This catastrophic event brings Dorothy Gale to Oz, while Morrible manipulates the chaos to advance her own power and eliminate Elphaba permanently.

After Nessarose is killed when the house crushes her, Glinda retrieves Nessarose's magical ruby slippers and gives them to Dorothy. Glinda then directs Dorothy toward the Emerald City, effectively using the young girl as a pawn in the larger political conflict between Elphaba and the Wizard's regime.

Elphaba surrenders to the mob to protect her friends from further harm. When Dorothy throws water on her, Elphaba appears to melt and die. However, this is actually part of a plan, Glinda and Elphaba coordinate to fake her death so Elphaba can escape with Fiyero to live freely. The green elixir Chistery gives Glinda later hints that Elphaba's legacy continues beyond this apparent demise.

When Glinda confronts the Wizard with Elphaba's green elixir, she discovers the truth: the Wizard is Elphaba's biological father. This devastating secret explains his obsession with her and why Morrible was so invested in controlling or destroying her. The revelation compels Glinda to depose the Wizard and take leadership of Oz herself.

After learning the Wizard's secrets and witnessing the chaos caused by Morrible's manipulations, Glinda confronts and defeats them. She takes over as the new ruler of Oz, tempered by the truths she's learned about the Wizard's lies and the cost of Elphaba's sacrifice. She promises to return animals and magic to Oz, ruling with wisdom earned through grief and friendship.

When Fiyero is severely wounded and bleeding out, Elphaba desperately uses the Grimmerie to save him. The spell works but transforms him into the Scarecrow, a man made of straw who cannot be hurt. This transformation allows him to accompany Dorothy on her journey to the Emerald City while remaining protected from harm.

After faking her death, Elphaba and Fiyero slip away together to begin a quiet life in the desert, far from Oz's political chaos. Their love, which developed through years of conflict and sacrifice, finally allows them freedom. Their survival remains a secret known only to Glinda, who protects their legacy while ruling Oz with the memory of her friend's courage.