does elphaba die in wicked for good

In the Musical and the Film Adaptation

In the popular Broadway musical, Wicked: The Untold Story of the Witches of Oz (and its two-part film adaptation, Wicked: Part One and Wicked: For Good), Elphaba does NOT die.

  • She and Fiyero (who has been transformed into the Scarecrow) devise a plan for her to fake her death when Dorothy throws water on her.

  • She escapes through a trap door hidden on the floor, leaving behind only her hat and the melted puddle.

  • The final scene shows Elphaba and Fiyero leaving Oz together, alive and free. Glinda remains in Oz, believing her friend is dead, which allows Elphaba’s sacrifice to bring about positive change.

In the Original Novel

In the novel, Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire, Elphaba does genuinely die when Dorothy throws the water on her. This version is much darker and does not include the happy ending of Elphaba surviving and running away with Fiyero.

So, for most people who know the story from the musical or the movie, the good news is: Elphaba lives!