With Wicked reigning on the field workplace this week, fans are losing their Shiz over which villain is most chargeable for the fallout between Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) and Glinda (Ariana Grande). Blame is being squarely positioned on the sister with the bejeweled footwear. However with different huge bads revealed by the tip of the two-part musical epic’s first installment, are the claims that Nessarose (Marissa Bode) has it coming (“it” being Dorothy’s home touchdown on her) legitimate?
The Depraved Witch of the East—Nessarose’s destined identification—being squashed by Dorothy’s farmhouse is the canon occasion that’s been the primary fixture of each adaptation of The Wizard of Oz. The Kansas twister carries the home over the rainbow; it falls on the witch with solely her toes peeking out, enabling Dorothy to assert her famed slippers. That units off the chain of occasions which results in the Depraved Witch of the West’s loss of life by water melting.
Now we all know that actually evil Madam Morrible (Michelle Yeoh) has energy over the climate (Tornadoes) and that the Wizard (Jeff Goldblum) is a fraud, however how does Depraved arrange the notion that Depraved Witch of the East is Nessarose—and that her footwear are principally power-less for now?
The hints are in how Nessarose treats Elphaba all through the movie. As TikTok commentator (like @aspoonfulofchae under) have comedically identified, “I’m on the facet of the home, the home did nothing flawed,” studying Nessa for filth in her scorching take.
The factors have been made. Nessa handled Elphaba as poorly as their dad did—and might we additionally level out she couldn’t wait to get away from her at Shiz for a contemporary begin with out her assist, till Morrible overruled their father’s very odd choice to solely let Nessa go to school? I imply, what was he having Elphie do in Munchkinland whereas he lorded over issues as Mayor? Was he simply actively hiding her? She clearly had expertise and Nessa was pissed when it jumped out with a view to shield her and gained her particular admission to Shiz with Morrible as her mentor. She wasn’t glad for her sister in any respect, and that’s bizarre!
Then there’s Nessa’s thirst for Boq and giving Glinda credit score for setting them up on the Ozdust ballroom; regardless that she knew the entire time “it’s as a result of I’m on this chair and also you felt sorry for me,” she proceeds to let him accept her, knowingly. So as to add on to her displaying her hand because the extra Depraved Witch from the bounce, when Elphaba reveals up and interrupts her date with Boq she does nothing to face up for her when the entire membership ostracizes her sister. HER SISTER! The pettiness runs deep right here and it’s no surprise their mom’s footwear grow to be the sticking level in Depraved Half Two when Dorothy takes them.
To not go an excessive amount of into spoilers for Depraved Half Two, Nessarose’s footwear do grow to be enchanted in a approach that contributes to her rise because the Depraved Witch of the East earlier than Dorothy’s arrival, that’s a given. The musical’s second act jumps into the longer term a bit and can decide up on Nessa as she presumably takes over management from her father in Munchkinland—and primarily based on how the glad they have been in The Wizard of Oz at her demise, units up a much bigger villain flip. They actually don’t just like the Thropp household and possibly their happiness at being free of it stems from their horrid father, too.
There’s so much to be mentioned about Nessarose and Elphaba catching the smoke from their folks when not even their mom appreciated their father sufficient to be devoted. They’re each othered their entire lives. Nessa’s function within the story goes past ableist tropes permitting her to be a completely realized character outlined past her incapacity, and her narrative performs with that self-deprecation about her incapacity in the best way that Elphaba’s ostracization performs with themes of racism. Every lady’s relationship with society, stemming from these roles, is what finally transforms them via magic in Half Two. That’s the place the story reveals how true wickedness can come from all too human flaws anybody is allowed to have.
And, we have to give house to see that Nessarose fell into line together with her father’s narrative about Elphaba and the way he’s the true unhealthy man right here too. We’re glad he dropped useless when he noticed Elphaba rise to her energy throughout “Defying Gravity;” Nessa, in the meantime, appeared pissed their household’s status was ruined.
Regardless of Depraved not being an official prequel to The Wizard of Oz movie, these character variants actually really feel dimensional and provide you with a lot to root for (and towards) in its interpretation of what actually occurred main as much as Dorothy killing the Depraved Witch of the West.
Elphaba is most positively not the dog-hating Mrs. Gulch/Depraved Witch of the West from the 1939 Oz movie (as portrayed by the enduring Margaret Hamilton). Reasonably, she’s very similar to a Marvel-style variant whose story unfolds as a hero with sure mounted factors, together with her need for her sister’s footwear as soon as Nessarose is deservedly pancaked by Dorothy’s home.
Really, although, main props to Marissa Bode for an incredible job appearing and sowing these Depraved Witch of the East seeds—as a result of even after her inescapable destiny, her presence lingers, inflicting all of the drama between Elphaba and Glinda over these sparkly heels when a baby snatches them.
Depraved is now in theaters and Depraved Half Two opens Thanksgiving 2025.
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