‘Wicked’: Elphaba’s Real Father, Explained

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Set to premiere on November 21, 2025, Wicked: For Good is expected to be the biggest movie of the Thanksgiving holiday. The film follows Elphaba Thropp (Cynthia Erivo) as she remains a fugitive, hiding in the forests of Oz. Now known as the Wicked Witch of the West, Elphaba still fights for animal rights and seeks help from her former friend, Glinda the Good (Ariana Grande), to find her purpose and ultimately become a force for good.

Family plays a significant role in Elphaba’s story as she discovers her past and future. In the popular musical, she initially believes she was the result of an affair and doesn’t know who her father is. While the novel reveals his identity, this secret will likely be a major focus in the upcoming movie, Wicked: For Good. But will it be? Luckily, fans won’t have to wait long to find out who Elphaba’s father truly is.

Spoiler Alert: Wicked: For Good spoilers ahead

‘Wicked: For Good’ Continues Elphaba’s Coming-of-Age Story


Universal Pictures

Wicked: For Good continues the story after the end of Wicked, where Elphaba and Glinda say goodbye to each other. Before their farewell, Glinda suggests Elphaba try to resolve things with Madame Morrible, the head of Shiz University, and the Wizard of Oz. However, Elphaba ignores this advice, and Madame Morrible instead warns the people of Oz that Elphaba is a dangerous “wicked witch,” sending soldiers to capture her.

The musical Wicked ends with Elphaba escaping the city and her sister, Nessarose, learning of their father’s sudden death. Elphaba flies away on her broomstick, parting ways with Glinda. In the story Wicked: For Good, Elphaba continues to hide in the forest, evading a group trying to capture her because they believe she is wicked. At the same time, Glinda gains a reputation as Glinda the Good, all while being monitored by Morrible and the Wizard.

Elphaba is on the run from Morrible’s followers and needs to find Glinda. Together, they hope to change how people see Elphaba and protect those she cares about, like Nessarose and Prince Fiyero, as well as Boq. When Dorothy Gale unexpectedly arrives in Oz from Kansas, she’ll also be a key part of the story, connecting to the original 1939 film. However, the biggest mystery is still: who is Elphaba’s father?

Who Is Elphaba’s Biological Father in ‘Wicked’?


Universal Pictures

In the original Broadway musical Wicked and the 2024 film, the Governor’s wife, Melena, passed away while giving birth to Nessarose Thropp. Because Elphaba believed Nessarose was her sister, she naturally thought Governor Thropp was also her father.

That statement is completely false. Although Frexspar Thropp is Elphaba’s stepfather, her biological father is actually The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Before becoming the Wizard, he was known as Oscar Zoroaster Diggs, a traveling salesman who had a relationship with Melena some time ago. Both in the musical and the movie, Elphaba doesn’t know Oscar is her father, and she’s also unaware that Nessarose is her half-sister.

Elphaba’s unusual green skin, which causes people in Oz to treat her poorly, is a result of a secret relationship between her mother, Melena, and a Wizard. Melena was given a green potion that erased her memory of the affair, and this also caused Elphaba to be born with the green skin that leads to her being judged and ostracized.

As a huge movie buff, I’ve always found the connection between the Wizard and Elphaba fascinating. In the Wicked film, Jeff Goldblum’s Wizard has this really subtle moment when Elphaba arrives in Emerald City – it’s like he feels something, a deep connection with her. It’s a brief pause, but it hints at something more. But here’s the thing: the story only reveals the true nature of their relationship at the very end, and Glinda tells it after Elphaba is gone. So, while the Wizard seems to sense something early on, he doesn’t actually know about their connection until much later in the tale.

Will Elphaba Discover Who Her Real Father Is in ‘Wicked: For Good’?


Universal Pictures

Based on the first part of Wicked, the movie Wicked: For Good appears to be sticking closely to the stage production. A key detail is that Elphaba never discovers the Wizard of Oz is her father, or that Nessarose is her half-sister. The Wizard only finds out she’s his daughter near the end of the story, too late to tell her and reconnect with her as a family.

Based on the stage musical, the movie Wicked: For Good will likely keep Elphaba in the dark about her real father, believing Governor Thropp is her biological parent. Although the Wizard might discover he fathered Elphaba, this hasn’t been officially confirmed. Revealing this connection would be a surprising twist for fans and could deepen Elphaba’s journey of self-discovery. However, even without that reveal, the story will primarily center on Elphaba and Glinda accepting their roles as the Wicked Witch and Glinda the Good.

As Elphaba matures and strives to do what’s right, the details of her father’s identity become less important to her personal development. Despite a complicated and confusing past, Elphaba is determined to improve the land of Oz in the upcoming movie, Wicked: For Good. Her eventual meeting with Dorothy Gale and reconnection with Glinda will significantly impact Oz and Emerald City. Through these experiences, Elphaba will forge her own path and define herself, independent of her family history. Wicked: For Good will be released in theaters on November 21.

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2025-11-07 05:03