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| “ | I'm not afraid. It's the Wizard who should be afraid of me. | ” |
| — Elphaba[src] | ||
Elphaba Thropp, later known as the Wicked Witch of the West, is a green-skinned woman with powerful magical abilities. As a result of this, she was scorned for most of her life by her family and peers. Elphaba gained the opportunity of a lifetime when renowned sorceress Madame Morrible noticed her power one fateful day at Shiz University, offering to personally tutor her in magic to one day serve the Wizard of Oz.
Initially an outcast at Shiz, Elphaba soon forged close bonds with her fellow students - most notably, her roommate Galinda Upland and the Winkie Prince Fiyero Tigelaar. She became aware of the struggles Animals were facing in Oz through Doctor Dillamond, which motivated Elphaba to advocate for them when she gained an audience with the Wizard. However, Elphaba quickly learnt that the Wizard and Madame Morrible were responsible for the marginalisation of Animals, and sought to use her power for that end. Unwilling to be used as a pawn in their schemes, Elphaba took to the skies and became a fugitive.
History
Early Life
Elphaba was born in Munchkinland to Mrs. Thropp, who had drank Green Elixir during a tryst she had with an unidentified man. This was responsible for Elphaba's green skin, which caused everyone present at the birth to express shock at the girl's unusual complexion. Governor Thropp ordered Elphaba to be taken away, and in this moment, her magical powers manifested for the first time; all objects in the room suddenly flew upwards and were pinned to the ceiling. Angered, Governor Thropp again yelled for Elphaba to be removed from his presence. Dulcibear cradled the infant girl and, as she walked away with Elphaba, promised to care for her.
When Mrs. Thropp fell pregnant again, Governor Thropp made her ingest milkflowers daily to prevent the child from having green skin like Elphaba. Unfortunately, this induced a premature birth that proved fatal to Mrs. Thropp. Elphaba grew up believing that she was responsible for the events that led to her mother's death, and kept the latter's bottle of Green Elixir as a momento.
Dulcibear served as a nanny to Elphaba and her younger sister Nessarose, who was born with a physical disability that required the use of a wheelchair. One day, while Dulcibear was attending to Governor Thropp, Elphaba read a story to Nessarose about how the Wizard of Oz arrived in their land. They were interrupted by a group of Munchkin children who taunted Elphaba for her green skin. As Nessarose began crying, Elphaba went to confront the children and tapped into her power, causing a few rocks at her feet to be hurled in their direction. This altercation was witnessed by Governor Thropp, who unfairly reprimanded Elphaba for it. As he comforted the crying Nessarose and wheeled her away, Dulcibear told Elphaba the Governor should not have blamed her for it. A dejected Elphaba returned to reading her book about the Wizard as Dulcibear walked away ("No One Mourns The Wicked").
Enrollment at Shiz University
Orientation Day
When the time came for Nessarose to attend Shiz University, Elphaba accompanied her sister and Governor Thropp to the institution on orientation day. As Elphaba walked ahead on the landing dock, many of the students reacted in shock at her appearance, particularly Galinda Upland. The two engaged in verbal sparring with regards to Elphaba's green skin, at which point Governor Thropp arrived in tow with Nessarose, chastising Elphaba for making a "spectacle" of herself. Elphaba stood in silence as Governor Thropp gifted Nessarose with a pair of Jeweled Shoes that had belonged to their mother.
Apologising for the scene she caused earlier, Elphaba expressed her excitement for Nessarose's new life at Shiz. As Nessarose was set to depart for an assembly in the quad, Elphaba affirmed her sister's decision to settle in at Shiz without any assistance. However, Governor Thropp insisted that Elphaba make sure Nessarose was okay, scolding her when she tried to emphasise the latter's independence. In accordance with the Governor's wishes, Elphaba followed Nessarose to the assembly.
Gallery
Promotional Photos
