This Weird Wicked Theory Changed Everything I Knew About the Wizard of Oz

One of the biggest hits of 2024 was Wicked, breaking box office records and gearing audiences up for part two – Wicked: For Good – with an ending that left everyone buzzing. For fans of The Wizard of Oz, the story of the two iconic witches from the fictional Land of Oz makes a bit more sense given the backstory. However, even though the adaptation, inspired by the musical and Gregory Maguire’s novel, isn’t technically Oz canon, there’s a theory that could totally flip the script on what fans have believed for years. We’ve always seen Elphaba as the wicked witch, while Glinda was basically treated like a fairy, but thanks to this theory, now I’m not so sure.

Glinda might have been the real villain all along, cleverly deceiving us the entire time. Could it be that the “good” witch had her own secret plan that no one ever suspected? Did Dorothy unknowingly fall right into Glinda’s trap? After revisiting the 1939 classic following the release of Jon M. Chu’s film, I noticed several subtle moments involving Glinda’s actions that we all might have overlooked. This feels like one of those classic cases where a character – Elphaba – striving for justice, willing to do whatever it takes, gets labeled as the enemy. But let’s not forget – the most dangerous villains are often the ones who don’t seem to have a trace of wicked in their hearts.

Is Glinda the Real Wicked Witch in The Wizard of Oz?

In The Wizard of Oz, Glinda is supposed to help Dorothy get back home, but really, she does nothing except tell the girl to follow the yellow brick road to find the Wizard – the only one who can supposedly get her back to her farm in Kansas. I wonder why, since not only is she a witch, but she could’ve made it so much easier just by handing over the Wicked Witch of the East’s ruby slippers and nothing more. The Wizard ends up being just an ordinary man who got to Oz by accident, so he doesn’t actually have any powers to send Dorothy back. With that in mind, I’m left wondering why Glinda sent her to him. Plus, when she pushes Dorothy on her journey, she’s essentially putting her in danger. Oz is a place she knows nothing about, and Dorothy’s still just a naive girl.

In terms of The Hero’s Journey (a classic storytelling structure), Glinda is supposed to be the mentor figure. She’s the one who should encourage Dorothy, while also warning her about the dangers along the way. The Good Witch of the North is meant to be someone Dorothy can trust, but she doesn’t really show this by leaving her on her own. The theory might fall apart if you think about how Dorothy was still watched over from a distance, like when she was saved from the poppy field, for example. But in the end, it seems like Glinda just didn’t want to do the dirty work herself, so she sent the girl to take care of her enemy, Elphaba.

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Besides, Glinda also makes it clear that the protagonist must never take off the ruby slippers, because she “will be at the mercy of the Wicked Witch of the West.” The question I have is: would taking off the slippers really make Dorothy unprotected or somehow drive Elphaba away? After all, the green witch just wants her magic slippers back because they belonged to her sister, Nessarose, and if Glinda wants to defeat Elphaba, then she’d need her rival’s attention on Dorothy pretty often. The plot of The Wizard of Oz is pretty straightforward, but it seems to me almost as if she manages to manipulate the viewer into not questioning the true meaning behind her actions.

To prove this even more, as soon as Dorothy finally reaches the Wizard, she’s sent by him to Elphaba’s castle to get her broom. To do that, she’d have to kill the green witch. Did Glinda know this would happen? I don’t doubt it. The Wizard and all of Oz always wanted to get rid of the Wicked Witch, and she knew that. Glinda is the “good” one and seen as a wise figure by the people, so she couldn’t have faltered like that. Another interesting point is the kiss she gives Dorothy as a symbol of protection. But isn’t there more to this gesture? To me, something else comes to mind. We should remember that Glinda may dress like a fairy, but she’s still a witch and can cast spells. Why didn’t she just cast a spell?

In the end, it makes a lot of sense from my perspective that Glinda acted out of selfishness, using the protagonist without really caring about her. With Wicked, this becomes even clearer to me, as we get to see her background and personality in more detail. Glinda and Elphaba may have become great friends, but the question is: were they really?

How Does this Theory Apply in Wicked?

The stories of Wicked and The Wizard of Oz are deeply intertwined, which helps us understand a lot of Glinda’s actions, especially when we consider how they reflect her relationship with Elphaba. At the start of the 2024 adaptation, both characters hate each other, with the green witch facing relentless prejudice because of her color. Glinda holds a lot of power at Shiz University, something highlighted in the song “What Is This Feeling?”, where the other students quickly choose to side with her in the rivalry, without giving it a second thought. On top of that, Glinda is also responsible for making Elphaba believe that wearing a black hat was “cool,” when in reality, it was a very manipulative and treacherous move.

Of course, there is a redemption arc for her in Wicked, but I don’t think it’s enough, especially when you consider The Wizard of Oz. Everything she does feels mostly like a result of the events that unfold in the second act of the story. Part 2 of the witches’ tale is where we really see all the details that led Dorothy to the city of Oz. From the first movie, it’s already clear that although Glinda and Fiyero end up together, he starts to develop feelings for Elphaba. I have to say, this is a big reason in my eyes why the good witch also wants to “get even,” since she fell head over heels for the prince at first sight and now her “friend” is in the way.

Still, if that doesn’t sound like a good enough reason, let me remind you that Glinda is ambitious and jealous. At the start of Wicked, her biggest dream is to be mentored by Madame Morrible, but when it’s Elphaba who catches the headmistress’s attention at Shiz University, it sparks Glinda’s bullying of her rival. Another example is with Nessarose, when Boq (who is in love with Glinda) takes her to the ball only because the witch asked him to. What seems like a genuine act turns out to have hidden motives, since she knew that Boq wanted to invite her. The Good Witch of the North doesn’t want anything or anyone getting in the way of her romance with Fiyero, which is why she takes actions like this.

The Wizard of Oz offers a different perspective compared to Wicked, especially since in one story, Glinda is the “good guy,” while in the other, Elphaba takes on that role. The green witch is the one who stands up for the animals and opposes the Wizard as soon as she meets him. Her friend, Glinda, on the other hand, acts in the opposite direction. Of course, the good witch doesn’t come across as evil for simply having a different opinion from the Witch of the West at the end of the first part of the musical, but I definitely think she’s not someone who thinks of others first. Her actions often suggest self-interest, and she doesn’t put others’ well-being ahead of her own and I don’t think I’ll ever see The Wizard of Oz the same way again.

Wicked is in theaters now.