Here’s a complete Wicked timeline breakdown, with all the essential lore explained

From over the top pink and green outfits to powerful ballads, Wicked has literally taken over our lives. Every brand has done a Wicked edit and you literally can’t scroll without seeing Ariana and Cynthia holding space.

It’s a musical phenomenon that took broadway by storm, and is now inescapable. Maybe you’re a die hard fan, or you could be completely oblivious to the whole thing. If you’re the latter, you might be wondering where the movie actually fits into The Wizard of Oz timeline?

Let’s break down the story, the drama, and how a misunderstood green girl became the Wicked Witch of the West.

Where does Wicked fit into The Wizard of Oz timeline?

via YouTube

Wicked is actually a prequel to The Wizard of Oz. While Dorothy’s adventures take centre stage in the 1939 film, Wicked rewinds the clock to reveal how Elphaba Thropp (our future Wicked Witch) and Glinda (The Good Witch) went from unlikely roommates to frenemies and beyond.

The two stories overlap briefly, with the tornado that drops Dorothy’s house in Oz marking a pivotal moment. But more on that later.

Act one: No One Mourns The Wicked

via YouTube

Wicked opens right where The Wizard of Oz ends, celebrating the Wicked Witch’s death. But then Glinda reveals a surprising fact, she and Elphaba were once close friends.

Most Read

There’s a really good reason why Dorothy’s iconic ruby slippers aren’t red in Wicked

Finally, Adam has actually addressed the rumours he and Amy are dating after MAFS UK

Tulisa’s ex-boyfriend offers his take on her shocking transformation and demisexual label

Cue the flashback to Elphaba’s early life, where we discover that Elphaba’s unique hue is the result of her mother drinking a green elixir while flirting with the Mayor of Munchkinland. Scandalous. We also find out that Elphaba’s younger sister, Nessarose, was born with disabilities after their dad forced their mom to chew milkweed during pregnancy. Tragic twist: It also killed their mum.

Fast forward to Shiz University, where Elphaba’s main mission is babysitting Nessarose. But life at Shiz gets complicated.

Key moments include Elphaba and Glinda becoming best friends, and Elphaba kicking off about a new movement to silence talking animals is in full swing. This is where she frees a lion cub from captivity—yes, the Cowardly Lion.

Act two: Wicked Meets The Wizard of Oz 

via YouTube

Fast forward a year on the Wicked timeline. Elphaba is on the run, Nessarose is the governor of Munchkinland, and things are spiralling fast.

A lot of key moments happen in act two which start to overlap with the storyline of The Wizard Of Oz. We see the famous ruby red slippers, which were originally Nessarose’s and were cursed by Elphaba so that she could walk. There’s also Boq’s transformation and the tornado which controversially makes Dorothy an accidental murderer.

The final connections

via YouTube

The timelines officially overlap when to protect Fiyero, Elphaba casts a spell to make him un-killable. The catch? He becomes the Scarecrow.

And of course, when Dorothy arrives, Elphaba captures her to get Nessarose’s ruby slippers back. Dorothy retaliates with a bucket of water, and then the witch melts. But of course, the twist? Elphaba fakes her own death. She and Scarecrow/Fiyero run off together, leaving Glinda to rule Oz.

The legacy

via YouTube