Ashtyn Britt
abritt@lc.edu
- Elphaba Thropp
Elphaba Thropp is the central character of the book and musical Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, about a young woman oddly born with green skin and following her story long before Dorothy ever showed up in Oz.
The story of a misunderstood girl who is then framed as a terrorist by a dictator is definitely interesting and creates a more relatable character in Elphaba. Elphaba only wished to live her life as peaceful as possible, care for her younger sister Nessarose, and maybe eventually help the Animals who seemed to begin being oppressed in Oz.
As seeing both the musical three times and reading the entire series by Gregory Maguire, Elphaba will always hold a special place in my heart.
- Zelena
Once Upon a Time is famous for finding ways to tangle different fairy tales together, and the story of the Wicked Witch is no exception. In this show, the Wicked Witch is a farm girl named Zelena who had been given up at birth and adopted by a couple in Oz who oppose the use of magic.
As Zelena grows up, she learns that the mother who gave her up, Cora, moved on to marry and have another daughter named Regina, later known as the Evil Queen from Snow White, who received the life Zelena never had. It is Zelena’s jealousy of everything her younger sister received that literally turns her green with vengeance and jealousy. Watching Zelena be deliciously evil and face off in multiple conflicts against her sister never ceases to be entertaining.
- The Wicked Witch of the West
Who could forget a classic? The Wicked Witch of the West from the original 1939 The Wizard of Oz was the scary woman everyone loved to hate! We see her appear when the main character, Dorothy Gale, accidentally has her house land from a tornado onto The Wicked Witch of the East before Dorothy is given the dead witch’s shoes.
The West Witch doesn’t take well to this and vows vengeance to retrieve the shoes for herself. The Wicked Witch of the West has haunted children’s nightmares for decades with threats of doing whatever she must get her hands on the powerful ruby slippers. (Also, most likely dognap poor Toto, who just got stuck along for the ride!)
The Wicked Witch of the West, of course, plays as the main antagonist of the movie that Dorothy must defeat to assure the safety of Oz as well as please the Wizard enough to let her go home. It is her place in infamy and the ability to deeply frighten people to this day that earns her spot on this list.
- Theodora
If there was ever a terrible break-up, this was it. In the movie Oz The Great and Powerful, we see the origin story of the Wizard of Oz, or rather Oscar Diggs, as he finds his way to Oz and fools everyone into believing in his magical powers.
The first of his victims to fall for his charming smile is a young witch clad in red named Theodora who is played by Mina Kunis. After a short time, Oscar not only convinces Theodora that he is the prophesied great wizard who would come to save the land of Oz, but also that the two of them are soul mates.
Unfortunately for Theodora, Oscar is indeed a womanizing cad who had been using her for her beauty. While based on appearances from her clothing, as well as the contract to her sister, Evanora, who is clad in green clothing, it would seem that Theodora is the Wicked Witch of The East.
However, once Theodora learns of Oscar’s sleazy ways and is heartbroken, she eats a green apple to cure her heartache and turns into the green-skinned monster that would terrorize Oz for decades after. As a fan of Mila Kunis’s acting and an appreciator of a great backstory, Theodora was a shoe-in for this list!
- Wicked Witch of the West (Miss Piggy)
There was no way I wouldn’t include the most gorgeous muppet on this list! Miss Piggy’s performance in this 2005 fantasy film is more than worthy of recognition. The Wicked Witch not only has an all-seeing eye in this version, but she also has an awesome biker gang and her own villain song! I loved Miss Piggy’s performance as The Wicked Witch of the West when I was eight, and I love it even more at twenty-one!
