Elphaba
Elphaba is the green-skinned protagonist of Gregory Maguire's novel *Wicked* (1995) and its musical adaptation, reimagining the Wicked Witch of the West from *The Wizard of Oz* as a misunderstood outcast.
The name has become shorthand for sympathetic villain narratives or characters judged unfairly by appearance: She's giving Elphaba energy—everyone thinks she's the problem but she's actually right.
Cleaning tool's handle
- spellcastingPerforming magical incantations
- flyingMoving through air
- pointed hatTapered headwear with apex
- black dressDark formal women's garment
cauldron · magic · sorcery · enchantment · incantation · grimoire · familiar · cackle
Malevolent female magic-user
- protagonistStory's central figure
- antiheroMorally ambiguous main character
- outcastShunned, rejected person
- misunderstoodIncorrectly comprehended
green skin · birthmark · origin story · Oz · transformation · redemption · complexity · backstory
Shunned, rejected person
- vilifiedSpoke evil of
- scapegoatUnfairly blamed person
- misjudgedAssessed incorrectly
- stigmatizedMarked with social shame
marginalized · alienated · wronged · prejudice · persecution · injustice · propaganda · feared
Body's outer layer
- emeraldGreen precious beryl
- verdantLush with plants
- distinctiveReadily identifiable, set apart
- unnaturalContrary to normal order
cursed · marked · different · elixir · birth defect · pigmentation · striking · iconic
Oz prequel on Broadway
- BroadwayManhattan theatrical district
- duetPiece for two
- Tony AwardBroadway excellence recognition
- West EndLondon theatre district
Idina Menzel · curtain call · ensemble · choreography · flying · harness · standing ovation · showstopper
broomstick
Cleaning tool's handle
- spellcastingPerforming magical incantations
- flyingMoving through air
- pointed hatTapered headwear with apex
black dress · cauldron · magic · sorcery · enchantment · incantation · grimoire · familiar · cackle · melting
Wicked Witch
Malevolent female magic-user
- protagonistStory's central figure
- antiheroMorally ambiguous main character
- outcastShunned, rejected person
misunderstood · green skin · birthmark · origin story · Oz · transformation · redemption · complexity · backstory · motivation
outcast
Shunned, rejected person
stigmatized · marginalized · alienated · wronged · prejudice · persecution · injustice · propaganda · feared · hated
skin
Body's outer layer
- emeraldGreen precious beryl
- verdantLush with plants
- distinctiveReadily identifiable, set apart
unnatural · cursed · marked · different · elixir · birth defect · pigmentation · striking · iconic · makeup
Wicked
Oz prequel on Broadway
- BroadwayManhattan theatrical district
- duetPiece for two
- Tony AwardBroadway excellence recognition
Idina Menzel · West End · curtain call · ensemble · choreography · flying · harness · standing ovation · showstopper · belting
ElphabaDorothy Gale