Wicked fan expertly explains exactly how timeline is connected to Wizard of Oz with key twist you probably missed
Recent weeks have seen the internet littered with theories and easter eggs alluding to how exactly the new Wicked movie is linked to its sequel The Wizard of Oz - despite being released almost a century later.
With this in mind, one die-hard fan has used her intricate knowledge of the Broadway hit to set the record straight.
Warning: This article contains LOTS of spoilers...
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It's widely known now that the cinematic adaptation tells the tale of how the Wicked Witch of the West from the 1939 original was previously close with Glinda the Good, with the two actually having been roommates at university.
But with several references to Dorothy Gale's voyage to Oz scattered throughout Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande's version, many viewers are finding themselves confused.
It turns out, however, that a handful of characters from the Judy Garland flick actually appear in the latest addition to the franchise - only, with entirely different names and appearances.
And so, hoping to save fans from even more niggling questions, content creator Abbey Bonadies this week drew out two timelines in a now viral video, explaining the connection between the two.
"Think of The Wizard of Oz as the story the media wants us to know, and Wicked as the story of what actually happens," she began. "The timeline of The Wizard of Oz is like a couple of weeks within the timeline of Wicked, which is years and years long."
The Wizard of Oz
Abbey then started: "We know how The Wizard of Oz goes - Dorothy drops in, lands on the 'Wicked Witch of the East', Glinda meets her, gives her the shoes, and then she goes on a journey, on her way to meet the Wizard so she can go back home.
"She meets the scarecrow, the tin man, the lion, the Wicked Witch [of the West] that tortures her along the way.
"She eventually meets the wizard, melts the Wicked Witch and gets to go home. Happy ending. All good."
This, Abbey says, is where the story told in Wicked actually begins, with the Wicked Witch of the West having melted at Dorothy's hand.
Wicked
Both the stage and movie version of Wicked kick off with the townspeople celebrating the Wicked Witch's death, with Glinda the Good Witch appearing to reveal that the magical menace was actually called Elphaba.
"She tells how Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West was born green after her mother cheated on her father, the Governer of Munchkin Land, after drinking a green elixir," Abbey went on.
"They also have another daughter named Nessarose [the Wicked Witch of the East], and she becomes the prized possession of the family."A big chunk of the story happens during the schooling years, where the sisters and Glinda attend Shiz University together."
Elphaba and Nessarose are played by Cynthia Erivo and Marissa Bode in the brand new silver-screen version, whilst Glinda is played by Ariana Grande.
"Elphaba and Glinda are paired as roommates," Abbey continued. "They loathe each other at first, then they become friends, and there are a couple of love triangles that are important here to make some character connections."
Act One: Love triangles and animal politics
Abbey explained that this section of the play/movie sees Elphaba, Glinda and Nessarose fall in love.
"Glinda is in love with Fiyero, who is actually in love with Elphaba, and Nessarose is in love with a munchkin named Boq, who is actually in love with Glinda.
Meanwhile, another story line hears that the government in Oz is trying to stop the animals of the kingdom from speaking - including several speakers at the university - and Elphaba is an advocate against this.
"So, the first connection is that there's a lion cub in a cage in a classroom, and Elphaba frees that lion, which then becomes the Cowardly Lion from The Wizard of Oz.
"Elphaba and Glinda are invited to meet the Wizard, they learn that he is the one causing this harm, 'Defying Gravity' happens, and that is where Act One of the play ends."
This is also where the first part of the movie ends, with Part II set to land in cinemas in 2025. Worry not, however, we can fill you in on the rest using the plot of the Broadway version...
Act Two: Wicked Witches and almighty revelations
"Act Two begins years later when Elphaba goes to visit Nessa and gives her slippers super powers so she can walk again, and that is when Boq actually leaves Nessa," Abbey explains.
"So, Nessa puts an accidental spell on Boq to make him lose his heart, and that is when Boq becomes the Tin Man."
Just a fun side-note, Boq is actually played by Ethan Slater, Ariana's real-life boyfriend.
By this point in the story, however, the government in Oz - led by the Wizard - launch a manhunt for Elphaba, who by now has accumulated her harsh nickname.
"They summon a storm which causes a twister. The house falls on Nessa, kills her, and that is where the Wizard of Oz begins."
More crazy connections
Still in love with Fiyero, a devastated Elphaba puts a spell on him, which accidentally then turns him into the Scarecrow from the Wizard of Oz movie.
Interestingly, the cinematic overlaps between Wicked and The Wizard of Oz's characters isn't explicitly referenced in the first film, but we bet producers will allude to it in the second half...
"Elphaba then captures Dorothy to get her sister's shoes back, and this is really where the two timelines meet up," Abbey went on. "Dorothy melts Elphaba and the story of The Wizard of Oz ends with her dying and them celebrating by going back home. Happy ending.
"But Wicked does not end here."
It turns out that Elphaba's father was the Wizard this entire time, as discovered Glinda, who finds a hat and a green elixir where she was killed.
"And that is how she has her magical powers," Abbey explained. "The story ends with Fiyero, the Scarecrow, knocking on the door where Elphaba melted and realising that she faked her death.
"They ride off into the sunset, happily ever after, with no one ever knowing, but a completely different ending than what we learned in The Wizard of Oz."
So, there you have it!
Topics: TV And Film, US News, Ariana Grande
Rhianna Benson