History Literature / Wicked

** Fiyero, and the people of the Vinkus, seem to be victims of racism as well. One of the first things one of the characters mention about Fiyero is that he has skin "the color of shit." Furthermore, upon hearing the suggestion that she once conducted an affair with Fiyero, Glinda states one of the reasons the rumor is nonsense is because he was "dark skinned," implying that she would never sleep with a man of color. Fiyero's ethnicity is never actually mentioned, he is simply referred to being dark, or ochre in colour, which could mean yellow-brown (olive) skin, right through to reddish-brown skin. , like Nor who was turned into a sex slave and was abused so much that she sewed her vagina shut.

* UnableToCry: One of the reasons why she grew up to be such a distant, cold, and antisocial was because of water burning her skin, causing her to be unable to cry without her tears painfully burning her face like acid.

The book inspired a LighterAndSofter [[Theatre/{{Wicked}} musical adaptation]] in 2003, which became one of Broadway's biggest hits. The musical version will receive a film adaptation in 2021 from Creator/{{Universal}}.

* ActuallyPrettyFunny: How Nanny describes Elphaba's homing pigeon impaling itself on a weather vane.

* YaoiGuys: Crope and Tibbet in the first book.

* FilkSong: Music/HannahFury has made a few of them.

* UnfortunateNames: Melena is the medical term for bloody stool.

* NotSoDifferent: In the final section of the book, Elphaba realizes that Dorothy reminds her of her younger self.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/wicked_7207.jpg]]

''Wicked'' describes how Elphaba is born with green skin after her mother had an encounter with a travelling businessman. Her mother gives birth to an armless child, Nessarose, and then later [[DeathByChildbirth dies giving birth]] to Elphaba's third sibling, her brother, Shell. When Elphaba is older, she goes to school at Shiz, and is roomed with the pretty, popular Galinda. At first Galinda is ''not'' happy about this.

''Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West'' (not to be confused with a creepy Australian kids' book series), a 1995 novel by Creator/GregoryMaguire, is the story of Elphaba, who will one day become ''[[Literature/TheWonderfulWizardOfOz that]]'' Wicked Witch of the West. The original novel was expanded into a four book series entitled ''Literature/TheWickedYears''. ''Son of a Witch'' revolves around Elphaba's possible son Liir, ''A Lion Among Men'' around the Cowardly Lion, and the fourth and final book ''Out of Oz'' around Liir's daughter Rain.

* AdaptationalVillainy: The Wizard. Rather than a mere conman a la the original stories, he's here the main antagonist.

Things change, however, when Professor Dillamond, their TalkingAnimal teacher, is found dead, soon after Animal hate speech started being promoted by faculty members prompting Galinda to change her name to Glinda in honour of him. Elphaba and Glinda become close compatriots and the former rescues a Lion cub brought in by his replacement, and gains a passion for fighting for Animal rights. Elphaba goes to the Emerald City to speak to the wizard of this, and her life changes forever. Events push the two friends along their paths towards becoming the Good Witch of the North and the Wicked Witch of the West.

''Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West'' (not to be confused with a creepy Australian kids' book series), a 1995 novel by Creator/GregoryMaguire, is the story of Elphaba, who will one day become ''[[Literature/TheWonderfulWizardOfOz that]]'' Wicked Witch of the West. The original novel was expanded into a four book series entitled ''Literature/TheWickedYears''. ''Son of a Witch'' revolves around Elphaba's possible son Liir, ''A Lion Among Men'' around the the Cowardly Lion, and the fourth and final book ''Out of Oz'' around Liir's daughter Rain.

* BiTheWay: Liir, Elphaba's father Frex, and Turtleheart are the most obvious, but you can say that everyone is open for interpretation.

The book inspired a LighterAndSofter [[Theater/{{Wicked}} musical adaptation]] in 2003, which became one of Broadway's biggest hits. The musical version will receive a film adaptation in 2021 from Creator/{{Universal}}.

* SantaClausmas: Lurlinemas comes from an old pagan religion. The Unionist government of the Emerald City only celebrates it because it brings on money.

* ProtagonistJourneyToVillain: Elphaba starts out sympathetic, but turns ''batshit insane.''

* TokenMinority: The culture surrounding the inhabitants of the Vinkus is a mix-and-match of Romani, Middle Eastern, Indian and possibly African influences. However the POC are “uncivilised” in these books (even if said Savages have a society that seems more palatable than the cruelty of the Emerald City). Fiyero's ethnicity is never actually mentioned, he is simply referred to being dark, or ochre in colour, which could mean [[https://i.pinimg.com/736x/2f/c6/aa/2fc6aac0a547fa59faf0b0515a11acae--middle-eastern-makeup-middle-eastern-models.jpg yellow-brown]] (Olive) skin, right through to [[https://i.pinimg.com/736x/84/e2/3e/84e23e988050caefbbfb214752ac2c7f--gypsy-women-gypsy-girls.jpg reddish]] [[http://cdn2.stylecraze.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Dark-Skin-Beauties1.jpg brown skin]]. The problem is that most of them end up dead (Fiyero, Sarima, Manek, Irji, Sarima's Sisters, Nor, Nastotya) or end up having extremely difficult lives, like Nor who was turned into a sex slave and was abused so much that she sewed her vagina shut; and while they are alive they are viewed as savages and barbarians – and prejudice against them is regarded mildly as “snobbery.” The flip side is that, in a book full of rather unpleasant characters, the POC tend to be some of the very few that are genuinely decent people.
** Talking about Fiyero
*** Avaric: What's he wearing such [[https://i.pinimg.com/736x/56/26/02/56260255ae6e849d28bce2189057c5b0--beauty-spa-the-beauty.jpg silly paint]] for? He only draws attention to himself. And that skin. I wouldn't want to have skin the color of shit.\\
Elphaba: What a thing to say, if you ask me, that's a shitty opinion.''
*** Glinda turned yellow-pink. "My dear," she said, "I was fond of Fiyero and he was a good man and a fine statesman. But among other things, you will remember he was [[http://sanslimitesn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/sa-beaute-est-une-menace-pour-les-dames-il-est-expulse-darabie-saoudite6.jpg dark]][[https://i.pinimg.com/736x/84/e2/3e/84e23e988050caefbbfb214752ac2c7f--gypsy-women-gypsy-girls.jpg -skinned]]. Even if I took up dalliances-an inclination I believe rarely benefits anyone-you are once again being suspicious and cranky to suspect me and Fiyero! The idea!”\\
And the Witch realized, sinkingly, that this was of course true; the ugly skill at snobbery had returned to Glinda in her middle years.
-->-- ''Wicked: The Life And Times Of The Wicked Witch Of The West''

''Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West'' (not to be confused with a creepy Australian kids' book series), a 1995 novel by Creator/GregoryMaguire, is the story of Elphaba, who will one day become ''[[Literature/TheWonderfulWizardOfOz that ]]''[[Literature/TheWonderfulWizardOfOz Wicked Witch of the West]]. It was [[Theatre/{{Wicked}} adapted into a hugely popular musical]]. The original novel was expanded into a four book series entitled ''Literature/TheWickedYears''. ''Son of a Witch'' revolves around Elphaba's possible son Liir, ''A Lion Among Men'' around the the Cowardly Lion, and the fourth and final book ''Out of Oz'' around Liir's daughter Rain.

[[http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/universals-wicked-movie-adaptation-gets-903598?facebook_20160616 A film adaptation is slated for 2019]].

* CliffhangerCopout: The first book ends with a quote from a fairy tale told by Sarima earlier in the book: “And there the wicked old Witch stayed for a good long time.” “And did she ever come out?” “Not yet.” This seems to imply that Elphaba will, somehow, return in a future installment. But ultimately, three sequels later and the quadrilogy complete, Elphaba stays dead and gone despite the occasional vague remark that may lead one to think otherwise.

* CliffhangerCopout: The first book's ends with a quote from a fairy tale told by Sarima earlier in the book: “And there the wicked old Witch stayed for a good long time.” “And did she ever come out?” “Not yet.” This seems to imply that Elphaba will, somehow, return in a future installment. But ultimately, three sequels later and the quadrilogy complete, Elphaba stays dead and gone despite the occasional vague remark that may lead one to think otherwise.

* Cliffhanger : The first book's ends with a quote from a fairy tale told by Sarima earlier in the book: “And there the wicked old Witch stayed for a good long time.” “And did she ever come out?” “Not yet.” This seems to imply that Elphaba will, somehow, return in a future installment. But ultimately, three sequels later and the quadrilogy complete, Elphaba stays dead and gone despite the occasional vague remark that may lead one to think otherwise.

* Cliffhanger: The first book's ends with a quote from a fairy tale told by Sarima earlier in the book: “And there the wicked old Witch stayed for a good long time.” “And did she ever come out?” “Not yet.” This seems to imply that Elphaba will, somehow, return in a future installment. But ultimately, three sequels later and the quadrilogy complete, Elphaba stays dead and gone despite the occasional vague remark that may lead one to think otherwise.

** Fiyero, and the people of the Vinkus, seem to be victims of racism as well. One of the first things one of the characters mention about Fiyero is that he has skin "the color of shit." Fiyero's ethnicity is never actually mentioned, he is simply referred to being dark, or ochre in colour, which could mean yellow-brown (olive) skin, right through to reddish-brown skin. , like Nor who was turned into a sex slave and was abused so much that she sewed her vagina shut.

* BodyHorror: Ilianora has her vagina ''sewed shut.'' Dear god.
* CantGetInTroubleForNuthin: Elphaba [[spoiler:murders Madame Morrible]] and then goes to a dinner party and talks about it. The guests refuse to judge or call the police--they're too entertained by the novelty of the situation and the opportunity to debate the meaning of good and evil. Slightly subverted; the reason nobody calls the authorities is because they think it ''is'' a novelty; none of them believe she really killed her

* EveryoneIsBi: In the book Oz seems to be a pretty sexually liberated world, and it's usually safe to assume a character is bisexual until proven otherwise.

* ForegoneConclusion: Elphaba will become the Wicked Witch, her sister will be squashed by a farmhouse, the Wizard will leave...