Elphaba

"Elphie" redirects here. For people and with fictional characters with similar names, see Elfi.

Elphaba Thropp (/ˈɛlfəbə ˈθrɒp/ ^ⓘ) is a fictional character created by Gregory Maguire as the protagonist of his 1995 novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West. She also appears in the novel's musical theatre adaptation, as well as the musical's two-part film adaptation, Wicked (2024) and Wicked: For Good (2025).

Elphaba
The Wicked Years character
Myra Ruiz as Elphaba in the Brazilian production of the Wicked musical, 2016
First appearance	Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West (1995)
Created by	Gregory Maguire
Based on	Wicked Witch of the West by L. Frank Baum
Portrayed by	Idina Menzel (musical adaptation) Cynthia Erivo (Wicked, Wicked: For Good)
In-universe information
Full name	Elphaba Thropp
Alias	Wicked Witch of the West
Nickname	Elphie
Family	Oscar Diggs (father) Melena Thropp (mother) Nessarose Thropp (half-sister) Shell Thropp (half-brother; novel only)
Significant other	Fiyero Tigelaar
Children	Liir Thropp (son)
Religion	None (atheist)
Nationality	Ozian (half-Munchkinlander)

Elphaba is a reimagining of the Wicked Witch of the West from L. Frank Baum's 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. In Baum's novel, the Witch is unnamed and little is explained about her life; Maguire's Wicked creates a backstory for her and explores events in the Land of Oz through her perspective. Elphaba's name was formulated from the pronunciation of Baum's initials ("L.F.B."), while her appearance was modeled after Margaret Hamilton's portrayal of the Witch in the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz: green-skinned, clad entirely in black, and wearing a tall peaked hat.

In Maguire's novel

Elphaba is the eldest of three children born to Melena Thropp, a Munchkinlander noblewoman. Her father is initially thought to have been Frexspar the Godly, a minister with whom Melena eloped with many years ago. In truth, Elphaba's conception was the result of Melena being seduced and impregnated by a mysterious traveler carrying a bottle of green "Miracle Elixir". Her younger half-siblings are Nessarose Thropp (who goes on to become the Wicked Witch of the East) and Shell Thropp, with the latter's birth resulting in Melena's death.

In the musical

Elphaba is one of two lead characters in the musical adaptation of Wicked, alongside Galinda Upland / Glinda the Good. The role was originated on Broadway and the West End by Idina Menzel, who won the 2004 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her performance.^[1]

Among other changes and content limitations to make the story accessible for general audiences, the musical deviates from Maguire's novel by giving greater attention to the relationship between Elphaba and Glinda. As book writer Winnie Holzman observed in an interview with Playbill, "It was Maguire's brilliant idea to take this hated figure and tell things from her point of view, and to have the two witches be roommates in college, but the way in which their friendship develops – and really the whole plot – is different onstage."^[2] Schwartz echoed Holzman's sentiment, stating: "Primarily we were interested in the relationship between Galinda – who becomes Glinda – and Elphaba...the friendship of these two women and how their characters lead them to completely different destinies."^[3] Other modifications to Elphaba's story included the removal of her time in the Vinkus, her and Fiyero's affair not resulting in Liir's birth, Fiyero becoming the Scarecrow instead of being murdered, and Elphaba's survival at the end.^[4]

Film portrayal

Cynthia Erivo, who portrayed Elphaba in the 2024 film Wicked.

Cynthia Erivo portrays Elphaba in the musical's two-part film adaptation, Wicked (2024) and Wicked: For Good (2025), while Karis Musongole portrays her as a child.^[5] For her performance in the first film, Erivo received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress.