so much happened before Dorothy dropped in
"Yero," I hear you say to yourselves, "Yero, your canon looks so awesome. But the book is spectacularly difficult to find and the musical's never going to come to my city! How can I possibly get hooked up with some of that greatness?"
I'm glad you asked.
Bookverse
Wicked bookverse is the original canon (well, if you discount The Wizard of Oz, on which it is based) and is the canon from which the three characters in camp come. It's funny, heartbreaking, occasionally political, and means you will never be able to watch Wizard of Oz the same way again. Meet the odd green girl Elphaba with the sharp tongue, sharper wit, and one hell of a destiny; the little pink witch who despite herself is going to grow up to be known as Glinda the Good; Nessarose the tragically beautiful, deeply religious girl with no arms; Liir, the mysterious boy with no parentage and no future; and of course Fiyero, the diamond-tattooed prince of the Vinkus whose life and death helps drive an ordinary (if green) girl to become the Wicked Witch of the West. Folks, we have camper-appable characters, and they are all fabulous.
I love this book. I have loved this book since the moment I first read it. I love this book so much I typed the entire thing up so that everyone else could read it too.
You should read it. 10
Musicalverse
The plotline in Wicked musicalverse is...very, very different to the book. Glinda and Elphaba's characters remain largely intact, but Fiyero turns into a brainless playboy prince for the majority of the performance. This does not make it any less awesome, just slightly wtf for people who have seen him in camp.
The songs tell the story in musicalverse, of course, but there are several twists which aren't revealed unless you actually watch the show. I have tagged these as spoilers and whited them out. BEWARE SPOILERS IN THE VIDEOS.
These are all the original Broadway cast, except for Wicked Witch of the East, which is not included on the soundtrack CD and actually comes from an unidentified performance.
No One Mourns The Wicked
download! YouTube!
The citizens of Oz are rejoicing - the Wicked Witch of the West is dead! Glinda, grieving for the death of her best friend, tries to remind them that Elphaba started out as just an ordinary girl, and that it couldn't have been easy being green.
Dear Old Shiz
download! YouTube!
...and the story journeys back in time to when Elphaba and Glinda, then Galinda Upland of the Upper Uplands, arrived at Shiz University. This song is their very stately school anthem.
The Wizard And I
download! YouTube!
Madame Morrible, the headmistress at Shiz, tells Elphaba that her strange talent of magic is something that's not wrong and evil, it's actually really good - and could take her all the way to the Wizard of Oz! Young and full of optimism, Elphaba dreams of meeting the Wizard and working with him, fixing all the wrongs and injustices in the world. She's sure the Wizard is a good, kindly man, who could see past her green skin to the girl underneath. Bonus points for anyone who can spot all the deeply ironic lines in this song.
What Is This Feeling?
download! YouTube!
Elphaba and Galinda are assigned to room together, and they are Not Happy. The feeling in question is loathing. Complete, utter, total loathing, as only adolescent girls can manage.
Something Bad
download! YouTube!
Doctor Dillamond, the last Animal professor left at Shiz, tells Elphaba that something terrible is happening to the Animals in Oz - they're being silenced, and are forgetting how to speak. Elphaba doesn't want to believe it's possible, and determines she must go and see the Wizard to find out how to make it stop.
Dancing Through Life
download! YouTube part 1! Part 2!
Enter the playboy prince, Fiyero, who bears absolutely no resemblance to his bookverse counterpart at this point. He tells the students how much easier it is to live without thinking, without studying, without trying too hard at anything - if no one expects anything of you, there's no expectations to fulfil! Fiyero thinks Galinda's hot. Galinda is instantly smitten. Elphaba thinks Fiyero's an idiot. Anyone who's read the book is going 'BZUH?'
Galinda convinces Boq, a Munchkin with a crush on her, to take Elphaba's wheelchair-bound sister Nessarose to the dance so she can be free to lure Fiyero into asking her out. Nessa thinks this is an act of kindness, and tells Elphaba - who asks Madame Morrible to let Galinda join her in sorcery class, which is something Galinda desperately wants. Despite Galinda cruelly giving Elphaba an ugly witch's hat as a joke to wear to the dance, the two of them bond and go back to Shiz as friends.
Popular
download! YouTube!
...whereupon Galinda decides it would be a brilliant idea to give Elphaba a makeover.
I'm Not That Girl
download! YouTube!
Through some plot that doesn't have songs attached, Elphaba's developed a little crush on Fiyero - and he's not acting quite as brainless as he did before. Maybe he has feelings too...? Elphaba firmly reminds herself that it's not the odd green girl that gets the boy - it's the pretty blonde. Wishing for a handsome prince is just stupid.
One Short Day
download! YouTube!
Elphaba is invited to go meet the Wizard in the Emerald City, and asks Galinda - now, in honor of their departed professor Doctor Dillamond (who could not pronounce her name), calling herself just Glinda - to join her. Glinda's never been anywhere so cosmopolitan. Elphaba's never been anywhere so green. They both think it's fantastic.
A Sentimental Man
download! YouTube! (slideshow of photos)
The two girls meet the Wizard, who tells them both how he's been waiting for someone with talents like Elphaba's to come along. Madame Morrible, his new press secretary, has been promoted for helping him find Elphaba. He wants to make Elphie and Glinda both rich and famous, too - all they have to do is help him, just a little bit. Elphaba just has to read his book, the Grimmerie, and help his little monkey Chistery fly with the birds. Elphie does it - and Chistery grows wings. The Wizard explains that all the monkeys will be spies, and help keep the Animals subdued. Horrified and unable to believe she's helped destroy the Animals she loves, Elphaba runs.
Defying Gravity
download! YouTube!
Glinda is furious that Elphie wouldn't just compromise and go along with the Wizard. Elphaba can't believe Glinda could possibly pretend that the cruelty to the Animals isn't happening. As they argue, they hear Madame Morrible making an announcement - there's a Wicked Witch about, who's mutilated the poor monkeys and is out to kill all of Oz. She's recognizable by her green skin...
Desperate and furious, Elphaba enchants a broom and begs Glinda to flee with her, to come and fight the Wizard from outside. Too frightened of rebelling, Glinda refuses, and is captured by the guards and the Wizard as Elphaba makes her escape.
This is the absolute showstopper number in Wicked.
Thank Goodness
download! YouTube!
Act 2. Fiyero and Glinda's engagement party. The citizens are alarmed because the Wicked Witch of the West is still on the loose. Fiyero's the captain of the guards sent to hunt her down, but he hasn't succeeded yet. Glinda and Madame Morrible reassure the citizens.
Fiyero can't stand hearing everyone say horrible things about Elphaba, and storms off - without Glinda, who doesn't understand why he can't just ignore it like she does. Glinda starts to ask herself if she's really actually happy...but under the influence of Madame Morrible, she manages to pull herself together and pretend everything's okay.
The Wicked Witch of the East
download! YouTube!
This whole song is a spoiler. [Nessarose has grown up to become the Governor of Munchkinland, the Wicked Witch of the East, with poor Boq as her miserable servant. Elphaba comes home to ask for her help - Nessa refuses, and angrily tells Elphaba that she's never done anything to help her sister, she spends all her time trying to free the Animals. Elphaba realizes she could help - she could cast a spell so Nessa can walk. So she does. Nessa summons Boq to show off, and Boq immediately realizes Nessa doesn't need him any more. He tells her he's going back to beg Glinda not to marry Fiyero - he's loved her since the moment he first saw her. Furious, Nessa tries to cast a spell to keep Boq with her, but it backfires and his heart begins to shrink. To save his life, Elphaba turns him into the Tin Man.]
Wonderful
download! YouTube!
Elphaba returns to the Emerald City, to confront the Wizard and free the monkeys. The Wizard tries to persuade Elphaba that they can work together - he's a good guy! And if she only joins him, why, she could be known as the Wonderful Witch! Wouldn't that be wonderful? Strangely enough, Elphie's not really convinced. Fiyero appears and forces the Wizard to let Elphaba go free - and when Glinda turns up, tells her he's leaving with Elphaba.
I'm Not That Girl (reprise)
download! YouTube! (with As Long As You're Mine)
Glinda, abandoned and betrayed, sings the reprise of Elphaba's song in the first act. For a change, the bubbly, glittery outward persona is gone, and the real Glinda is revealed.
As Long As You're Mine
download! YouTube! (with I'm Not That Girl (reprise))
Elphaba and Fiyero's dark, beautiful love song. Neither of them can quite believe it's happened, and all of Oz is trying to hunt Elphaba down - their time together may be over before it can even begin. If you download nothing else, download this song.
No Good Deed
download! YouTube!
Spoilers: [The house comes crashing down on Nessarose, the Wicked Witch of the East, and as Elphaba runs to help her sister she is captured. Fiyero lets himself be taken into custody so that Elphaba can escape. He is taken to a field and tortured 'until he tells us where the witch went!' But Fiyero refuses to tell. Trying to save him, Elphaba casts a spell through this song.]
This is Elphaba's transformation into the Wicked Witch of the West. She's been driven over the edge, and vows that since everything good she has ever tried to do has gone horribly wrong, she's never going to do anything good again. They call her wicked, so that's what she is going to be.
March of the Witch Hunters
download! YouTube! (slideshow)
The citizens of Oz set out to track down the Wicked Witch. She's dangerous; she can't be allowed to live. Spoilers: [Along with Boq the Tin Man, we now learn that a Lion cub Elphaba saved at Shiz has become the Cowardly Lion - because she didn't let him fight his own battles when he was young, he's become timid and afraid...]
For Good
download! YouTube!
Glinda finds Elphaba hiding out in Kiamo Ko, and warns her that the Ozians know where she is and are coming to kill her. Spoilers: [One of Elphaba's monkeys brings her a note; she almost breaks down, telling Glinda that they will never see Fiyero's face again]. Elphaba decides that all she can do now is surrender, and asks Glinda to carry on her work for the Animals. Glinda swears she'll clear Elphaba's name, she'll tell all of Oz that Elphie was wronged, but the green girl won't let her. She tells Glinda to lie, and Glinda unwillingly promises. For Good is their goodbye as the mob storms Kiamo Ko, when they know they will never see each other again.
Finale
download! YouTube!
The Wicked Witch of the West is dead, and Oz is safe. Glinda promises her citizens that she will try to be what they need - she will try to be Glinda the Good.
Spoilers: [The last member of the Tin Man/Lion/Scarecrow trio is revealed. Fiyero, who was transformed into the Scarecrow by Elphaba's spell, comes to Kiamo Ko, and finds her hat - and her, hidden in one of the secret passageways. She never died; it was a trick, to make everyone - including Glinda - believe she was gone. She and Glinda, up in her bubble and thinking her best friend has died, sing a soft refrain of For Good before Elphaba and Fiyero leave Oz together, leaving Glinda alone.]
Or if you want to watch the whole thing...
I haven't gone through all the videos, but this looks like all of it.
I believe the traditional thing to say is NOW APP MY CANON, but I won't.
ENJOY MY CANON, GUYS. ♥
I'm glad you asked.
Bookverse
Wicked bookverse is the original canon (well, if you discount The Wizard of Oz, on which it is based) and is the canon from which the three characters in camp come. It's funny, heartbreaking, occasionally political, and means you will never be able to watch Wizard of Oz the same way again. Meet the odd green girl Elphaba with the sharp tongue, sharper wit, and one hell of a destiny; the little pink witch who despite herself is going to grow up to be known as Glinda the Good; Nessarose the tragically beautiful, deeply religious girl with no arms; Liir, the mysterious boy with no parentage and no future; and of course Fiyero, the diamond-tattooed prince of the Vinkus whose life and death helps drive an ordinary (if green) girl to become the Wicked Witch of the West. Folks, we have camper-appable characters, and they are all fabulous.
I love this book. I have loved this book since the moment I first read it. I love this book so much I typed the entire thing up so that everyone else could read it too.
You should read it. 10
Musicalverse
The plotline in Wicked musicalverse is...very, very different to the book. Glinda and Elphaba's characters remain largely intact, but Fiyero turns into a brainless playboy prince for the majority of the performance. This does not make it any less awesome, just slightly wtf for people who have seen him in camp.
The songs tell the story in musicalverse, of course, but there are several twists which aren't revealed unless you actually watch the show. I have tagged these as spoilers and whited them out. BEWARE SPOILERS IN THE VIDEOS.
These are all the original Broadway cast, except for Wicked Witch of the East, which is not included on the soundtrack CD and actually comes from an unidentified performance.
No One Mourns The Wicked
download! YouTube!
The citizens of Oz are rejoicing - the Wicked Witch of the West is dead! Glinda, grieving for the death of her best friend, tries to remind them that Elphaba started out as just an ordinary girl, and that it couldn't have been easy being green.
Dear Old Shiz
download! YouTube!
...and the story journeys back in time to when Elphaba and Glinda, then Galinda Upland of the Upper Uplands, arrived at Shiz University. This song is their very stately school anthem.
The Wizard And I
download! YouTube!
Madame Morrible, the headmistress at Shiz, tells Elphaba that her strange talent of magic is something that's not wrong and evil, it's actually really good - and could take her all the way to the Wizard of Oz! Young and full of optimism, Elphaba dreams of meeting the Wizard and working with him, fixing all the wrongs and injustices in the world. She's sure the Wizard is a good, kindly man, who could see past her green skin to the girl underneath. Bonus points for anyone who can spot all the deeply ironic lines in this song.
What Is This Feeling?
download! YouTube!
Elphaba and Galinda are assigned to room together, and they are Not Happy. The feeling in question is loathing. Complete, utter, total loathing, as only adolescent girls can manage.
Something Bad
download! YouTube!
Doctor Dillamond, the last Animal professor left at Shiz, tells Elphaba that something terrible is happening to the Animals in Oz - they're being silenced, and are forgetting how to speak. Elphaba doesn't want to believe it's possible, and determines she must go and see the Wizard to find out how to make it stop.
Dancing Through Life
download! YouTube part 1! Part 2!
Enter the playboy prince, Fiyero, who bears absolutely no resemblance to his bookverse counterpart at this point. He tells the students how much easier it is to live without thinking, without studying, without trying too hard at anything - if no one expects anything of you, there's no expectations to fulfil! Fiyero thinks Galinda's hot. Galinda is instantly smitten. Elphaba thinks Fiyero's an idiot. Anyone who's read the book is going 'BZUH?'
Galinda convinces Boq, a Munchkin with a crush on her, to take Elphaba's wheelchair-bound sister Nessarose to the dance so she can be free to lure Fiyero into asking her out. Nessa thinks this is an act of kindness, and tells Elphaba - who asks Madame Morrible to let Galinda join her in sorcery class, which is something Galinda desperately wants. Despite Galinda cruelly giving Elphaba an ugly witch's hat as a joke to wear to the dance, the two of them bond and go back to Shiz as friends.
Popular
download! YouTube!
...whereupon Galinda decides it would be a brilliant idea to give Elphaba a makeover.
I'm Not That Girl
download! YouTube!
Through some plot that doesn't have songs attached, Elphaba's developed a little crush on Fiyero - and he's not acting quite as brainless as he did before. Maybe he has feelings too...? Elphaba firmly reminds herself that it's not the odd green girl that gets the boy - it's the pretty blonde. Wishing for a handsome prince is just stupid.
One Short Day
download! YouTube!
Elphaba is invited to go meet the Wizard in the Emerald City, and asks Galinda - now, in honor of their departed professor Doctor Dillamond (who could not pronounce her name), calling herself just Glinda - to join her. Glinda's never been anywhere so cosmopolitan. Elphaba's never been anywhere so green. They both think it's fantastic.
A Sentimental Man
download! YouTube! (slideshow of photos)
The two girls meet the Wizard, who tells them both how he's been waiting for someone with talents like Elphaba's to come along. Madame Morrible, his new press secretary, has been promoted for helping him find Elphaba. He wants to make Elphie and Glinda both rich and famous, too - all they have to do is help him, just a little bit. Elphaba just has to read his book, the Grimmerie, and help his little monkey Chistery fly with the birds. Elphie does it - and Chistery grows wings. The Wizard explains that all the monkeys will be spies, and help keep the Animals subdued. Horrified and unable to believe she's helped destroy the Animals she loves, Elphaba runs.
Defying Gravity
download! YouTube!
Glinda is furious that Elphie wouldn't just compromise and go along with the Wizard. Elphaba can't believe Glinda could possibly pretend that the cruelty to the Animals isn't happening. As they argue, they hear Madame Morrible making an announcement - there's a Wicked Witch about, who's mutilated the poor monkeys and is out to kill all of Oz. She's recognizable by her green skin...
Desperate and furious, Elphaba enchants a broom and begs Glinda to flee with her, to come and fight the Wizard from outside. Too frightened of rebelling, Glinda refuses, and is captured by the guards and the Wizard as Elphaba makes her escape.
This is the absolute showstopper number in Wicked.
Thank Goodness
download! YouTube!
Act 2. Fiyero and Glinda's engagement party. The citizens are alarmed because the Wicked Witch of the West is still on the loose. Fiyero's the captain of the guards sent to hunt her down, but he hasn't succeeded yet. Glinda and Madame Morrible reassure the citizens.
Fiyero can't stand hearing everyone say horrible things about Elphaba, and storms off - without Glinda, who doesn't understand why he can't just ignore it like she does. Glinda starts to ask herself if she's really actually happy...but under the influence of Madame Morrible, she manages to pull herself together and pretend everything's okay.
The Wicked Witch of the East
download! YouTube!
This whole song is a spoiler. [Nessarose has grown up to become the Governor of Munchkinland, the Wicked Witch of the East, with poor Boq as her miserable servant. Elphaba comes home to ask for her help - Nessa refuses, and angrily tells Elphaba that she's never done anything to help her sister, she spends all her time trying to free the Animals. Elphaba realizes she could help - she could cast a spell so Nessa can walk. So she does. Nessa summons Boq to show off, and Boq immediately realizes Nessa doesn't need him any more. He tells her he's going back to beg Glinda not to marry Fiyero - he's loved her since the moment he first saw her. Furious, Nessa tries to cast a spell to keep Boq with her, but it backfires and his heart begins to shrink. To save his life, Elphaba turns him into the Tin Man.]
Wonderful
download! YouTube!
Elphaba returns to the Emerald City, to confront the Wizard and free the monkeys. The Wizard tries to persuade Elphaba that they can work together - he's a good guy! And if she only joins him, why, she could be known as the Wonderful Witch! Wouldn't that be wonderful? Strangely enough, Elphie's not really convinced. Fiyero appears and forces the Wizard to let Elphaba go free - and when Glinda turns up, tells her he's leaving with Elphaba.
I'm Not That Girl (reprise)
download! YouTube! (with As Long As You're Mine)
Glinda, abandoned and betrayed, sings the reprise of Elphaba's song in the first act. For a change, the bubbly, glittery outward persona is gone, and the real Glinda is revealed.
As Long As You're Mine
download! YouTube! (with I'm Not That Girl (reprise))
Elphaba and Fiyero's dark, beautiful love song. Neither of them can quite believe it's happened, and all of Oz is trying to hunt Elphaba down - their time together may be over before it can even begin. If you download nothing else, download this song.
No Good Deed
download! YouTube!
Spoilers: [The house comes crashing down on Nessarose, the Wicked Witch of the East, and as Elphaba runs to help her sister she is captured. Fiyero lets himself be taken into custody so that Elphaba can escape. He is taken to a field and tortured 'until he tells us where the witch went!' But Fiyero refuses to tell. Trying to save him, Elphaba casts a spell through this song.]
This is Elphaba's transformation into the Wicked Witch of the West. She's been driven over the edge, and vows that since everything good she has ever tried to do has gone horribly wrong, she's never going to do anything good again. They call her wicked, so that's what she is going to be.
March of the Witch Hunters
download! YouTube! (slideshow)
The citizens of Oz set out to track down the Wicked Witch. She's dangerous; she can't be allowed to live. Spoilers: [Along with Boq the Tin Man, we now learn that a Lion cub Elphaba saved at Shiz has become the Cowardly Lion - because she didn't let him fight his own battles when he was young, he's become timid and afraid...]
For Good
download! YouTube!
Glinda finds Elphaba hiding out in Kiamo Ko, and warns her that the Ozians know where she is and are coming to kill her. Spoilers: [One of Elphaba's monkeys brings her a note; she almost breaks down, telling Glinda that they will never see Fiyero's face again]. Elphaba decides that all she can do now is surrender, and asks Glinda to carry on her work for the Animals. Glinda swears she'll clear Elphaba's name, she'll tell all of Oz that Elphie was wronged, but the green girl won't let her. She tells Glinda to lie, and Glinda unwillingly promises. For Good is their goodbye as the mob storms Kiamo Ko, when they know they will never see each other again.
Finale
download! YouTube!
The Wicked Witch of the West is dead, and Oz is safe. Glinda promises her citizens that she will try to be what they need - she will try to be Glinda the Good.
Spoilers: [The last member of the Tin Man/Lion/Scarecrow trio is revealed. Fiyero, who was transformed into the Scarecrow by Elphaba's spell, comes to Kiamo Ko, and finds her hat - and her, hidden in one of the secret passageways. She never died; it was a trick, to make everyone - including Glinda - believe she was gone. She and Glinda, up in her bubble and thinking her best friend has died, sing a soft refrain of For Good before Elphaba and Fiyero leave Oz together, leaving Glinda alone.]
Or if you want to watch the whole thing...
I haven't gone through all the videos, but this looks like all of it.
I believe the traditional thing to say is NOW APP MY CANON, but I won't.
ENJOY MY CANON, GUYS. ♥