Notice! This article contains spoilers for Wicked: Part 1.
Wicked: Part 1The ending of includes a major villain twist, revealing that a previously benevolent character has secretly been working for The Wizard of Oz the whole time. The end of Wicked: Part 1 sees the film’s two protagonists, Elphaba and Galinda, travel to the Emerald City to meet the legendary Sorcerer. Some differences between Evil films and musicals are found here, from exploring the origins of the Wizard in Oz to cameos by Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, the original actresses of the Broadway play in which Evil is based.
Just before EvilThe fantastic soundtrack ends with the chilling “Defying Gravity”, the film reveals many twists and turns that push Elphaba and the newly named Glinda further down the path to becoming the Wicked Witch of the West and the Good Witch of the North respectively. These twists surround the manipulations that are most explored in The Wizard of Ozfinal, with the true nature of the titular character being discovered. Additionally, it is revealed that The Wizard of Oz has a sidekick, a character who appears throughout Wicked: Part 1 as a seemingly benevolent helper.
Wicked’s ending confirms that Madame Morrible is a villain
Elphaba’s magic teacher is working with the wizard
The character in question is Madame Morrible, played by Michelle Yeoh in Evilcast. Morrible is introduced early in the film, taking the blame for one of Elphaba’s inadvertent magical explosions. Morrible is very fond of Elphaba, stating that she will accept her as a student, which is a rare commodity at Shiz University. Throughout the film, Morrible helps Elphaba unlock her potential in an attempt to get an audience with The Wizard of Oz.
Morrible never wished to see Elphaba realize her potential and instead prepared her, developing the latter’s powers so that she could perform spells that would solidify the power of the Wizard of Oz…
Initially, all of these helpful acts appear to be exactly as they are presented. However, once Elphaba arrives in the Emerald City and the Wizard of Oz, Morrible reveals his true intentions. Morrible never wished to see Elphaba fulfill her potential and instead groomed her, developing the latter’s powers so that she could perform spells that would solidify the Wizard of Oz’s power over his eponymous land. These revelations drive Elphaba away from the Emerald City, leading Morrible to reinforce his villainy by painting his former student as the Wicked Witch of the West..
Why Madame Morrible is working with the wizard in Wicked
What is Madame Morrible’s goal?
Madame Morrible’s true motivations will undoubtedly be further explored in Wicked: Part 2the story, still Wicked: Part 1 provides some insight into why she was working with the Wizard. How was it explored in The Wizard of Ozthe titular character is a fraud who uses his skills as a con artist and magician to trick the people of Oz into believing he is an all-powerful deity. EvilPrequel status means the Wizard is still trying to work out the details of this trick to establish his secure rule over Oz.
To do this, the Wizard begins subjugating the kingdom’s talking animals and then states that the best way to unite people is to give them a good enemy. This ties into the reasoning behind framing Elphaba for the subjugation of Oz’s talking animals, as it will consolidate the Wizard’s rule given his opposition to this new enemy. As far as Madame Morrible is concerned, she and the Wizard have a close friendship and she is working with him for power.. Likewise, it is suggested that Morrible does not like talking animals, further explaining his villainous motivations.
How Wicked’s Morrible Villain Twist Compares to the Book and the Musical
Evil is based on the musical of the same name, which in turn was based on a 1995 book Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West. As for how the film translates both aspects of the source material, Madame Morrible’s villain twist is different. In the original book, Madame Morrible is fully confirmed as the villain, something that remains consistent throughout. Evil: Part 1.
Morrible’s deeds are even darker in the book, with the character murdering Dr. Dillamond, Elphaba’s goat professor at Shiz University. In the film, Dillamond is simply arrested.
However, the musical is less overt about Morrible’s villainy. Instead of Morrible being manipulative and conniving like she is in the book and Wicked: Part 1the musical’s story only provides hints about Morrible’s ulterior motives. Although she is eventually confirmed as the villain, her fate is different in the book and the musical, which audiences will have to wait and see play out when Wicked: Part 2 opens in theaters on November 21, 2025.
What Madame Morrible’s Villain Twist Means for Wicked 2
Finally, Madame Morrible’s villain twist Wicked: Part 1 not only does it give the film a solid villain for its final act, but it also provides the same for Wicked: Part 2. As alluded to, Evil is a prequel to The Wizard of Ozmeaning the latter’s titular character cannot be the final villain to be bested by Glinda and Elphaba in Wicked: Part 2, as its ending occurs through Dorothy’s eventual story. Thanks to Madame Morrible, however, Wicked: Part 2 has a central villain for the story to focus on.
With Elphaba on the run and Glinda seemingly under Morrible’s protection at the end of Wicked: Part 1the second film positions Morrible as an interesting figure. Not only will she likely be a source of Elphaba’s anger and rebellion, but she could also serve as a way to create a greater rift between Elphaba and Glinda. This means that although The Wizard of Oz is still present in Wicked: Part 2the main villain Wicked: Part 1The sequel will be Madame Morrible, stemming from the film’s villain twist and aligning with Morrible’s character arc in the Broadway musical.