Ranking The Characters Of ‘Wicked’ From Good To Downright Wicked

When Wicked: Part I was released in theaters, it took viewers a few watches to understand the nuances of the good and evil within each character. Like most of the best stories, Wicked follows complex characters, which is what paved the way for the actors’ awards-worthy performances.

Because Wicked is the backstory of two women who we only knew as the Wicked Witch of the West and the Good Witch of the North before the 1995 prequel, the themes of good versus evil and their perceptions are central to the story. Early in the film and musical, Galinda asks, “Are people born wicked or do they have wickedness thrust upon them?” Wicked sets out to answer this question through multiple complex characters who vary on the scale of good to “wicked,” so we’ve ranked them from the most benevolent to the most evil.

Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo)

Since we’re kicking it off with ranking the characters based on their stories from Wicked, Part I alone so as to not give away spoilers, Elphaba easily falls into the category of the most good. Someone who is “good” stands up for what’s right, and Elphaba is the only character who stands up for the rights of animals, sacrificing her own dreams and potential for power. The only truly selfless character, Elphaba is painted as “wicked” by Madame Morrible for going against the law. But when the laws come from fascist ideology and an inhumane power grab, defying them is a true act of goodness. Throughout the film, her empathy shows through her care for her sister, her inclusion of Galinda, and the way she doesn’t play into social politics. By “Defying Gravity,” it’s clear that Elphaba is good, and the laws of Oz are evil. 

Doctor Dillamond (Peter Dinklage)

A true victim of Oz’s immorality, Doctor Dillamond doesn’t have many options. He works hard to keep the animals safe, but he doesn’t go as far as Elphaba to change the world’s perception of animals. At the same time, he has more to lose — if he stands up for his own rights, he could lose his life. Elphaba has more power and influence, so Doctor Dillamond has to work within the system to do what is right. 

Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey)

Some Wicked fans have suggested that Fiyero does the most good of any character, but let’s not forget he was kicked out of multiple schools as a philandering delinquent before enrolling in Shiz, where he woos Galinda despite his potential feelings for Elphaba. Morally, he is definitely on the good side of the scale as he stands by Elphaba and seems to genuinely care about the animals. However, he’s still Oz’s version of a f–kboy, and while that irresistible charm is part of why we love him, it has also caused several broken hearts. He doesn’t always think about how his actions impact the people around him, often seeing the big picture of what’s right over how that can still hurt people.

G(a)linda (Ariana Grande)

At the end of Wicked, Part I, many people argued that Galinda was the villain all along. But that’s not the point of Wicked, which follows Galinda and Elphaba’s friendship. The story does not try to assert that Galinda was actually wicked while Elphaba was actually good. In Act II, we can see that their ethics are much more complex than a simplistic good versus evil. However, in Part I, Galinda ends the movie right in the middle of the moral spectrum. At first, it seems like all she cares about is being popular, but in fact, she does care more about “doing good.” Unlike Elphaba, however, she doesn’t have actual magical powers. Her power comes from her popularity and her influence over others. So while she made some misguided “wicked” comments early in the film, she uses her power for good as she befriends Elphaba. She learns from Elphaba that being popular is a means to an end, so she tries (and sometimes fails) to do good … in her own way.

Nessarose (Marissa Bode)

Nessarose is a bit more wicked than Galinda in Wicked, Part I, although that could easily change in the second film. For now, she is the epitome of a bystander. Despite all of the times Elphaba stood up for her sister, Nessarose fails to do the same. For example, in “Dancing Through Life,” she “can’t watch” as Elphaba seemingly embarrasses herself. Galinda, on the other hand, joins Elphaba. Nessa has always felt like an outsider to the system, but instead of joining Elphaba to overthrow it, she constantly just tries to fit into it, caring more about fitting in and feeling loved than “making good.”

Boq (Ethan Slater)

Boq’s wickedness is more obvious than Nessa’s in Wicked, Part I. He only dates Nessa because Galinda says he should. His unrequited love for Galinda, which Nessa can see, drives him to break Nessa’s heart. But instead of being honest with Nessa, he manipulates her into loving him just to feel better about himself. Feelings are feelings, yet Boq lets his feelings for Galinda dictate his life in a way that’s both smarmy—he nearly stalks her as she makes it clear she’s not interested—and hurtful to those around him.

The Wizard (Jeff Goldblum)

“I am Oz, the Great and Terrible,” the Wizard says in every iteration of the story from 1939’s Wizard of Oz to 2024’s Wicked, 85 years later. This is a clue into the fact that the Wizard is a morally muddy character, but it is also a mask to the fact that he is neither great nor terrible. In fact, he is a fraud. From lying about his credentials to using animals as scapegoats so that he can hold onto his seat as the Wizard of Oz, the Wizard is a stand-in for many men in power. But like every character in Wicked, his backstory provides a sentimentality — he always wanted to be a father, so the citizens of Oz are like his children. We also learn that he filled the vacuum of power accidentally. He never intended to be evil and he does want to make people happy. He just goes about this in a wicked way, mostly influenced by those with more political know-how, such as Madame Morrible.

Governor Thropp (Andy Nyman)

To us, Governor Thropp is easily more wicked than the Wizard because he intentionally abuses Elphaba verbally and emotionally throughout her life. He treats her as less than, blaming her for his other daughter’s immobility. The fact that a parent could treat their child so terribly from the moment they are born makes him a monster, especially when that child is our very “good” protagonist. When Elphaba is outcast from society, he does nothing to even try to help her despite holding a position in office, leaving his eldest daughter in the dust. Even his love for Nessa is possessive and overbearing, a clear sign of a controlling abuser rather than an empathetic parent.

Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh)

Definitely the most wicked character of Wicked, Madame Morrible pulls all the strings that cause the animals to lose their voices. Beyond that, however, it’s possible that she could have puppeteered the Wizard into power in the first place. We learn through Doctor Dillamond that a great drought is what caused much of the unrest in Oz and we also know that Madame Morrible controls the weather. Not only could she have stopped the drought, but she may have caused it to create a circumstance in which she could control the figurehead of Oz. While this is just a theory, her actions throughout the movie are duplicitous, selfish, and frankly rude to those around her. The only people she’s ever kind to are Elphaba and the Wizard because she knows they can further her position. But despite her status as a revered sorceress, she’s unkind to those who revere her, which makes her … wicked.