Spoilers for Wicked: For Good ahead. Elphaba and Glinda have parted for the last time. On Nov. 21, the long-awaited second Wicked film, Wicked: For Good, premiered in theaters, finishing the origin story of Cynthia Erivo’s Elphaba (aka the Wicked Witch of the West) and Ariana Grande’s Glinda the Good Witch.
Fans of the original 2003 Broadway musical know the ending has always been a little ambiguous, and thanks to the movie, new viewers are asking the same question: Does Glinda know that Elphaba is actually still alive?
At the end of Wicked: For Good, Glinda informs Elphaba that she’s in danger and begs to let her clear her name so she can return to Oz peacefully. However, Elphaba believes Glinda can make more progress on her own, as Oz-ians need “someone wicked” to hate. Therefore, after one last tear-filled duet, she lets Dorothy “melt” her to death as Glinda watches while crying from behind the door, knowing that it would be the last time that she ever sees Elphaba.
It’s soon revealed that Elphaba faked her death, using magic to hide under a trapdoor when she appeared to be “melting,” so she and Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey) could run away together in peace. However, it’s unclear whether Glinda is aware that her BFF is still alive.
Does Glinda Know Elphaba’s Alive?
While Elphaba wishes that she could let Glinda know that she and Fiyero are still alive, some signs indicate she already knows. Before they part for the last time, Elphaba reassures Glinda that everything will be fine. While she cries as Elphaba “melts,” Glinda may just be emotional about her friend permanently exiling herself from Oz, while still taking Elphaba’s word that she will be well.
It’s also established at the beginning of the movie that Glinda and Fiyero know Elphaba won’t die by simply getting water poured on her, as Oz is made to believe. Fiyero even comments on the small-mindedness of his fellow Oz-ians, showing how much he’s changed and progressed intellectually.
However, Glinda likely thinks Fiyero is dead. During their last encounter, Chistery brings Elphaba a torn piece of Fiyero’s clothing, which makes Glinda think that he’s dead. Elphaba slyly affirms her fears without specifying he’s dead, telling her it’s the last time they’ll see his face (because she saved his life by turning him into a scarecrow).
Therefore, while she may not know the full extent of Elphaba and Fiyero’s plan, Glinda may be aware deep down that Elphaba isn’t actually dead. If she doesn’t know, then she might find out if a third Wicked movie actually happens, which Grande and director Jon M. Chu said could happen in the distant future.
