List of Wicked characters

This is a list of characters that appear in Gregory Maguire’s Wicked Series

Protagonists

Elphaba "Elphie" Thropp

The protagonist of the first book, Elphaba is a green-skinned girl who later becomes known as the Wicked Witch of the West. Her birth is shocking to her parents, Melena Thropp and Frexspar the Godly, as in addition to her green skin she had razor sharp teeth (she bites the finger off of a midwife moments after her birth) so Melena refuses to breast feed her. Her father, a union minister, believes it is his fault and Elphaba’s condition is a punishment from the Unnamed God. She attends Shiz University where she meets Glinda and, although they don’t get on at first, become close friends. She also rescues the cowardly lion as a cub from a science experiment. She eventually runs away to the Emerald City to join a resistance group against the Wizard. An Animal rights activist, Elphaba is involved in an assassination attempt on Madame Morrible. She shares an illicit relationship with Fiyero, whose death causes her to abandon her revolutionary ideals. She later joins a mauntery where she apparently gives birth to Fiyero’s illegitimate son Liir, before leaving to travel to Kiamo Ko castle in the Vinkus. There she hopes to beg forgiveness from Fiyero’s wife Sarima but is unsuccessful. Instead she finds the Grimmerie, the book of magic, and hones her sorcery skills. She is apparently killed by Dorothy when the girl throws a bucket of water on her to extinguish a dress fire. Her apparent death is never made clear as only two people witnesses it; Dorothy who when questioned in Out of Oz says was immediately blinded by acrid smoke so is unsure of what happen; and Nanny who checked the parapet then locked the door. Afterwards Nanny is often heard asking if Elphaba is coming down out of her room, though most of the characters pass this off as senility. However, when Rain questions her about what she saw, she tells her quite forcefully its none of her business. There is a chapter at the end of Out of Oz that is somewhat cryptic as to her survival. Glinda, who is locked up in Southstair prison, has her prison door opened by someone she recognises as a friend, and says ‘you wicked thing’. She is named after Saint Aelphaba of the Waterfall by her father. Elphaba acquires the nickname Wicked Witch of the West more because of her sister's nickname (the Wicked Witch of the East, who was so named by her political opponents) and not for any wicked deeds. Elphaba's name is derived from sounding out the initials of Oz author L. Frank Baum's name. She is later referred to in the book as simply the Witch. Late in the book it is revealed that she is the daughter of The Wizard. In the original Broadway production of the musical, she was played by Idina Menzel. In the musical it is revealed she faked her death in order to be with Fiyero.

Liir Thropp

The protagonist of the Second book, Liir is a boy who leaves the mauntery with Elphaba for the Vinkus. It is strongly implied that Liir is the son of Elphaba and Fiyero, and he is often referred to as such. She does indeed admit that there is a year of her life she does not remember, during which she could have given birth to Liir. Extremely chubby, Liir plays with his supposed half-siblings while he and Elphaba stay with Fiyero's widow. At the end of Wicked it is stated that he intends to find a way of rescuing his half-sister Nor from her slavery. He is also the protagonist of Maguire's sequel to Wicked, Son of a Witch. In this book, Liir is found near death and brought to the mauntery. Here a Quadling girl named Candle is charged with looking after him. While in a coma, he relives his life from Elphaba’s death, when he spent many years as a member of the Emerald City home guard. He changes his name to Liir Ko to avoid any unwanted attention. He also impregnates Candle who makes love to him in an attempt to warm his cold body, which results in the birth of a green baby. This finally proves that Liir is indeed the son of Elphaba and Fiyero. Gregory Maguire has described Liir as "Elphaba's bastard son" in interviews. It's also revealed in Son of a Witch that Liir is bisexual and often pines for his male lover, Trism; despite this, Liir chooses to stay with Candle out of apparent devotion.^[1] Liir is also gifted with the ability to see the past, has he has many lucid dreams during the course of his adventure in which he sees past events which have happened within the area he is occupying. He later uses this ability, along with Candle’s musical talent and ability to read the Present, to release Princess Nastoya from her human disguise, returning her to an elephant. Ironically in Out of Oz Mombey has him turned into an elephant in order to smuggle him into Munchkinland. She then threatens to leave him this way unless he helps her use the Grimmerie for her attack on the Emerald City. This spell is later broken by Rain.

Brrr - the Cowardly Lion

The protagonist of the third book, Brrr is a lion cub saved from a science experiment in the life sciences class by Elphaba. He grows up to become the famous Cowardly Lion, one of Dorothy's eventual companions. He is the protagonist of A Lion Among Men, and is a major character in Out of Oz. His past is explored during an interview with Yackle in the Mauntery of Saint Glinda. He grew up alone in the Great Gillikin Forest with no apparent memory of his parents. He meets a soldier named Jemsey who has been caught in a trap and learns the art of conversation. When the soldier dies, mostly due to Brrr’s inability to see the seriousness of the situation, Brrr leaves the forest in an attempt to return Jemseys medal of courage to his father in Tenniken. He ends up in the wrong town, Traum, where he is involved in a riot involving trolls from the Glikkus. He plays dead in order to escape the situation which causes the trolls to follow suit and end up being arrested. This act earns his nickname the cowardly lion. Brrr explores much of Oz and gets involved in various exploits which nearly land him in prison. However the Emperor make a deal that if he can find the Grimmerie, his slate will be wiped clean. This leads him to the interview with Yackle, after which he learns the truth about her and the Emperor’s intentions for the book. He joins with the company of the Clock of the Time Dragon, and remains with them all through Out of Oz. He enters into a ‘’marriage’’ with Illianora and becomes a father figure to Rain. At the end of Out of Oz, he becomes the Throne Minister of Oz, the first Animal to hold the position in a very long time (an event that Rain thinks Elphaba would be happy to see).

Oziandra "Rain" Thropp

The protagonist of the fourth book, Rain is Liir and Candle's daughter. Liir is not, at first, convinced that he is the child's father. But after returning to Apple Press Farm, he soon discovers that Candle was telling the truth. After "cleaning up green", the baby is revealed to be emerald green of color, a trait that was passed down from Liir's mother, Elphaba. While the child's name is not stated in the novel, the upcoming fourth installment Out of Oz has Rain as a central character. She is first introduced as a broom girl to Glinda at Mockbeggar Hall and her skin is shown as being white not green, Liir later reveals he had an enchantment place upon her to hide her in plain sight. Cherrystones teaches her to read during his occupation of the hall and figures out her identity. Glinda refuses to hand her over and, with Rains help, sabotages Cherrystones dragon fleet on Lake Restwater with a spell from the Grimmerie which ‘Calls Winter onto Water’. Glinda then escapes the Hall with Rain and hands her over to the Lion and Illianora, along with the book. Rain Travels with the Clock of the Time Dragon to Quadling Country to be reunited with her parents, who are in hiding. Candle reveals her real name is Oziandra Osqa'ami during their first meeting. She also befriends a rice otter who she names Tay, after the Qua'ati word 'te' meaning friend. Rain later attends St' Prowds school in Shiz, a decision made by her parents so as to separate her from the Grimmerie in order to protect her identity once again. She changes her name to Rainary Ko and Nor poses as her mother in order to gain admission into the school. While staying at the school she meets Tip and the two develop feelings for each other. At the end of Out of Oz she, with help from the Ozmists, breaks the spell on her father, Tip and herself, turning her father back from an elephant, Tip into Ozma, and herself green again.

Secondary Characters

Galinda "Glinda" Arduenna Upland

Galinda Arduenna Upland is Elphaba's roommate at Shiz University. She hates Elphaba at first, but they later become close friends. However, the two are separated for twenty years when Elphaba goes into hiding. She later changes her name to Glinda out of respect of the late Doctor Dillamond. Glinda is part of the high society in Gillikin, Oz's northern province. She marries a wealthy Baron named Lord Chuffney and becomes the temporary throne minister after the Wizard leaves. In Son of a Witch she helps Liir get into Southstair prison to find Nor, then helps Trism escape the Mauntery of Saint Glinda. In Out of Oz she looks after Rain at Mockbeggar Hall for Liir and Candle and is placed under house arrest by Cherrystone. She then sabotages his dragon fleet using a spell from the Grimmerie and Rain's help. At the end of the fourth book she is incarcerated in Southstair prison for the aforementioned sabotage. Her last chapter in the fourth book is somewhat cryptic, her prison door is opened by someone she recognises as a friend, and says ‘you wicked thing’ which could refer to Elphaba. The Glinda in the book is parallel to her character in the musical Wicked, sometimes behaving in a snobby and mean fashion, whereas in The Wizard of Oz, as well as in the original Oz books, she is portrayed as kind and gentle. In the original Broadway production of the musical, she was played by Kristin Chenoweth.

Nessarose "Nessa" Thropp

Elphaba's younger sister, Nessarose eventually becomes known as the Wicked Witch of the East. In the novel, Nessarose is born without arms, and therefore is completely dependent on Elphaba, caretaker Nanny, and her father. This was possibly an unfortunate but ironic side effect of a remedy Melena took in an attempt to prevent her next child from having green skin. Nessarose is described as being extremely beautiful; and Elphaba, though she loves her sister deeply and goes out of her way to care for her and ensure her comfort and happiness, is jealous of her. Though Elphaba's reserved and fiercely private personality might not make it easily apparent to an outside observer, this jealousy is magnified by her father, Frex's, undisguised favoritism towards Nessarose. As a gift, Frex crafts and then gives Nessarose the sparkling, glass-covered shoes (which are known as the "Silver Shoes" in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz) which Glinda later enchants, giving Nessarose the ability to walk unaided. Nessarose inherits the title and role of Eminent Thropp of Munchkinland when Elphaba, being the eldest and therefore the rightful heiress to the office, declines it. Nessarose is a devout unionist, and many Munchkins are unhappy under her rule. She is killed when Dorothy's house falls on top of her. It is heavily hinted that Nessarose is not Frex's biological daughter, but rather the illegitimate daughter of Melena and Turtle Heart. While Nessarose's questionable paternity is readily apparent to Frex—it is even suggested at points in the novel that he accepts that Nessarose is likely Turtle Heart's daughter and not his own—he still holds her dear to his heart as a result of his own personal love for Turtle Heart, and it is suggested that he may even love her more because of it. In the musical adaptation, Nessarose is born with arms, but her legs are paralyzed; and it is Elphaba rather than Glinda that enchants the shoes. In both the novel and the musical the shoes are given to Dorothy by Glinda upon the death of Nessarose, and it is revealed that Elphaba's jealousy for her (now late) father's love and her desire to hold on to any shred of a family connection is the catalyst for her manic drive to acquire her sister's shoes from Dorothy. In the original Broadway production of the musical, the role was played by Michelle Federer.

Fiyero Tigelaar / Tiggular

Fiyero is the prince of the Arjiki tribe in the Vinkus (derogatorily referred to as Winkie Country by outsiders). He meets Elphaba at Shiz University, and later has a romance with her while she is involved in a resistance movement against the Wizard of Oz. This leads to his apparent murder by the Gale Force, the Wizard's secret police. In the musical, Elphaba saves him by casting a protection spell that inadvertently changes him into the Scarecrow, a well known character from the Wizard Of Oz, instead. His last name is spelled as "Tiggular" in the musical, whereas in the books, notably A Lion Among Men, it is "Tigelaar". In the original Broadway production of the musical, he was played by Norbert Leo Butz. Others who have played him include Kristoffer Cusick, Sebastian Arcelus, Taye Diggs, Joey McIntyre, Aaron Tveit, Andy Karl, Kyle Dean Massey, Adam Garcia, Oliver Tompsett, Lee Mead, Mark Evans, Ben Freeman, Justin Guarini, Rob Mills, Adam Lambert (understudy), Richard H. Blake, Matt Willis, Jonatas Faro, André Loddi, Steve Danielsen, Nick Adams, Ashley Parker Angel and Jonah Platt.^[2]

Boq

Boq is a Munchkin who knew Elphaba as a child and reunites with her at Shiz University. His father is Bfee the major of Rush Margins. At first, he is only interested in talking to Elphaba in the hope that it will help him to gain the attention of Galinda, his crush. However, over time Boq and Elphaba become close friends and help Dr. Dillamond with his research, along with his college mates Crope and Tibbett. Later in life, Elphaba meets Boq while she is on the hunt for Dorothy along the Yellow Brick Road. He is now married to Milla, one of Glinda's friends from the University and the two have many children. In the musical, Galinda is deeply annoyed by the constant advances of schoolmate Boq. As a way of escape, Galinda encourages Boq to invite Nessarose to the Ozdust Ballroom as a "favor" to her. Willing to do anything for her favor, he agrees; but Nessarose immediately becomes obsessed with Boq and believes that they were destined to be together forever. Upon the death of her father, Frex, she becomes the new governess of Munchkinland and enslaves all the Munchkins to her service in order to keep Boq near her. When Elphaba enchants her shoes, thus giving Nessarose the power to walk, Boq declares his intentions to leave and seek out Glinda before she marries Fiyero. Devastated at Boq's final rejection of her, she attempts to use a Grimmerie spell to make him "lose his heart" for her, but she mispronounces the words and causes Boq to literally lose his heart. Elphaba's only option to save Boq from death is to turn him into a tin man. In the original Broadway production of the musical, he was played by Christopher Fitzgerald.

Dorothy Gale

Dorothy Gale is a 14-year-old girl who lands in Oz in her tornado-propelled house, which crushes Nessarose. She takes Nessarose's shoes (the ruby slippers) under the advice of Glinda. Many see these shoes as a symbol of power over Munchkinland. During her travels, many citizens of Oz are superstitious about her because of these shoes and her name: Her first name sounds like a reversal of the name of the "king" of her land (Theodore Roosevelt). Because her name means "Goddess of Gifts" (the opposite of Theodore, "Gift of God"), it is implied that Dorothy may be the second coming of Lurline, who was also known by that title. The Gale Force fear her for her last name. The Wizard sends Dorothy to kill Elphaba, but Dorothy's intention is to ask her for forgiveness for killing Nessarose. Elphaba does not know whether to treat Dorothy with kindness or to fear her. When Elphaba demands the slippers, Dorothy pleads that, despite her best efforts, they will not come off. Dorothy accidentally kills Elphaba by pouring water on her in an attempt to put out a fire on Elphaba's dress. Dorothy returns in Out of Oz in an elevator, having been thrown back into Oz as a result of the great 1906 San Francisco earthquake during a vacation with Uncle Henry and Aunt Em. Upon her return, almost two generations later in Oz years, she's only grown about 6 years, now being 16, and is almost immediately put on trial for the "murder" of the Thropp sisters. She's portrayed as slightly flighty, but maturing as time goes on, although she retains a tendency to burst into song, which the Ozians find irritating to the point she is able to use it as a threat later in the book. The further threat of bringing down an entire city block upon her enemies also causes nervousness among the Ozians, giving her just enough respect from the very people who moments before had given her up as bordering lunacy. She becomes tentative friends with Rain, Elphaba's granddaughter, who uses a spell from the Grimmerie to send her home at the end of the book. Dorothy is present in the musical but has no lines and is never distinctly seen. It is revealed in the musical that the storm which spawned the twister was the intentional act of Madame Morrible (who has power over the weather) in a conspiratorial attempt with the Wizard to trap Elphaba.

Yackle

Yackle is a mysterious crone who appears frequently in Elphaba's life. Elphaba suspects that Yackle may be exerting control over her fate, and may be Kumbricia, the ambivalent goddess of Ozian myth. Her appearance is also reminiscent of a fiend called the "Yakal" which is pictured in the Grimmerie, implying that she may be a demon. Nanny first mentions her as an old gypsy woman from whom she bought the medicine, which would stop Melena’s second child being born green. Later, she appears as an old woman guarding the door to the Philosophy Club and later still, she appears as Mother Yackle, a maunt (a sort of Ozian nun) at the mauntery (a unionist convent) who takes care of the homeless Elphaba. Yackle's story is more deeply explored in A Lion Among Men, in which she is the secondary protagonist. Yackle first appears in the mausoleum under the Mauntery after attempting to die but finds she is apparently immortal. She was also blinded by Cherrystone during an interrogation to find Liir but she refused to tell him. The Clock of the Time Dragon later reveals she is an angel born from the Grimmerie and can only die if she reenters the book. Yackle also possesses the ability to see the future, which she explains is because she has no past memories to cloud her mind.

Nor "Illianora" Tigelaar

Nor is the youngest child and only daughter of Fiyero and Sarima. When first introduced, she is a nine-year-old girl who resides with her mother, siblings, and five aunts at Kiamo Ko. She is often bullied by her brother Manek; Nor and her other brother Irji often have to work together to stand up to Manek. After Manek's death, this codependent bond that had existed between Nor and Irji disappears, and Nor becomes more independent. Nor enjoys snooping around Elphaba's room and possessions, and it is she who first makes Elphaba see that her broom is magical. Towards the end of the novel, she and her family are taken captive by the Gale Force. While the others are killed out of political considerations, Nor is held prisoner (in a very cruel fashion) by the Wizard and used to blackmail Elphaba. In Son of a Witch, Liir goes in search of her and finds out she escaped from Southstair prison, he also figures out the she is the one who has been writing the message ‘Elphaba Lives’ around the Emerald City. She returns in A Lion Among Men as "Illianora". She reappears in Out of Oz as the wife of Brrr and a member of the Company of the Clock of the Time Dragon. She takes on a motherly role for her half-niece, Rain, as she returns her to her parents, Candle and Liir.

Ozma "Tip" Tippetarius

Ozma Tippetarius is the daughter of Pastorius and Ozma the Bilious. As the ruling monarchy passes down the female line, when her mother died, Ozma’s father Pastorius became the Ozma Regent, ruling Oz until his daughter is old enough to take the throne. She is just an infant about the age of Elphaba at the start of Wicked. When the Wizard usurps the thone, most people believe she was murdered with her father. Others believe she has been enchanted into a sleep of eternal youth, and is concealed within a cave where many believe she will return in Oz’s darkest hour. It is revealed in Out of Oz that Mombey kidnapped her and put an enchantment upon her to disguise her as a boy and make her age at a slower rate. As Tip, he travels to the neighbouring lands of Ix and Fliaan, with Mombey. Tip makes a brief appearance in Son of a Witch when Liir comes across him and Mombey travelling through the outback of north Quadling country. He appears in Out of Oz where Rain finds him hiding in a wardrobe in her room at St. Prowd's. He appears older than he did when Liir met him, being a similar age to Rain at the present time. Both Rain and Tip develop feelings for each other until Rain breaks the enchantment turning Ozma back to a girl. This character appears in Baum's The Marvelous Land of Oz, where his full name is given as "Tippetarius". Maguire refers to this in both novels when he refers to the ruler "Ozma Tippetarius".

Cattery "Nanny" Spunge

Nanny is a member of the Thropp family, though whether by blood or employment is never explicitly revealed. By the conclusion of the book, she has raised three generations of the Thropps, most notably having acted as chaperone to Nessarose, Elphaba, and Glinda during their years at Shiz. She is still vital well into her eighties. Her attitude reflects this, as she is stoic, speaks her mind, and holds to somewhat inflammatory 'Lurlinistic' pagan beliefs. In A Lion Among Men, Yackle reveals her full name to be Cattery Spunge. She is also the only one to have witnessed the aftermath of Elphaba’s death but refuses to reveal the truth.

Brother Frexspar the Godly

Brother Frexspar the Godly is Elphaba, Nessarose, and Shell's father (at least in the emotional and physical sense; whether he shares a genetic link with Elphaba or Nessarose is questionable). Frex is a devout Unionist priest. Nessarose was his favorite child, and to her he gave the famous jeweled slippers. It is implied that he is at least the father of Shell, as the Wizard of Oz is Elphaba's father, and it is heavily implied that Turtle Heart is Nessarose's father. It is implied that he, along with Melena, was in a threesome relationship with Turtle Heart. In L. Frank Baum's original novel, the slippers are silver. In the 1939 film, they are ruby. Maguire's novel describes the slippers equivocally, allowing either interpretation; he is careful not to describe them as either simply "silver" or "ruby". In the original Broadway production of the musical, the role of Frex was played by Sean McCourt.

Melena Thropp

Melena Thropp is the mother of Elphaba, Nessarose, and Shell. Melena comes from a high-class family, and has mostly pagan traditions, in contradiction with the beliefs of her husband, Frex. She has very loose morals—having had at least two extramarital affairs—and, despite having rebelled against them at the time, yearns for the pampered days of her youth. Melena has a taste for alcohol and pinlobble leaves (which act as a tranquiliser). She dies shortly after her son Shell is born, leaving her children to be cared for by Frex and Nanny. She has a sister Sophelia, who is deranged. Her mother is Lady Partha and her grandfather is Peerless the Eminent Thropp, who governs Munchkinland.

In the musical, Elphaba reveals to Glinda that her mother died in childbirth - a possible side effect of a remedy she took to prevent her second child, Nessarose, from being born with green skin. Shell is non-existent in the musical.

Doctor Dillamond

Doctor Dillamond is a talking goat and professor at Crage Hall in Shiz. Assisted by Elphaba, Dr. Dillamond conducts research on the genetic differences between animals and Animals (sentient animals). Not long before he comes to a pivotal point in research, Dillamond is discovered dead in his laboratory, his throat slit. The official findings of the ensuing "investigation", spearheaded by Madame Morrible, conclude that the Doctor's untimely demise is the result of an unfortunate lab accident; but these findings are contradicted by Galinda’s chaperone, Ama Clutch, who claims to have witnessed the event. Ama Clutch, though curiously not in her right mind since the "accident", asserts that Morrible's clockwork servant Grommetik murdered Dillamond, presumably to keep Dillamond from publishing the results of his breakthrough research. In the original Broadway production of the musical, Doctor Dillamond was portrayed by William Youmans.

Mister Boss

Mister Boss is a dwarf who claims to be an immortal sent to Oz to prevent the Grimmerie from returning to Earth. With his Clock of the Time Dragon, he seems to Elphaba to either be able to control fate or predict it. He plays a larger role in Out of Oz, becoming part of an "accidental family" for Rain, although he loses none of his blunt attitude. He eventually marries Sister Apothecaire after she leaves the mauntery, renaming her "Little Daffy". He has strong feelings towards the Clock of the Time Dragon and is deeply upset when it refuses to speak to him anymore. After its destruction in Out of Oz he becomes very silent, which most of the characters pick up on, but thanks to his wife he manages to gain a new sense of purpose. He travels with Brrr to Munchkinland to rescue Dorothy.

Chistery Nikko, Killyjoy, the bees, and the crows

Chistery Nikko, Killyjoy, the bees, and the crows are animals that accompany Elphaba on her way to Kiamo Ko by coach, and also become her familiars. The bees are taken along as a source of honey for the travelers, and it is suggested that through dormant magical talent, Elphaba unconsciously sets them upon the coach cook, whom she dislikes and who is later found stung to death at the edge of a cliff. Killyjoy, the cook's dog, takes an instant liking to Liir, who decides to keep him. Princess Nastoya gives the crows to Elphaba, and tells Elphaba to send them to her if she needs help with anything. Princess Nastoya also tells Elphaba directly that they are to be her familiars. On the way to Kiamo Ko, they run across Chistery Nikko, an abandoned infant snow monkey, whom Elphaba rescues through another unconscious act of magic (she creates ice under her feet as she runs across a pond to save him from Killyjoy). Later in the novel, Elphaba teaches him to speak, in hopes of completing Doctor Dillamond's study into the supposed connections between all lifeforms. In Wicked, he only manages to mimic what others say, although he gains the ability to speak in full, comprehensible sentences by the time readers meet him again in Son of a Witch. Elphaba sews wings onto his back—and, after the operation proves successful, onto the backs of other monkeys—using a combination of Doctor Dillamond's studies and her own practice of magic, thus creating the winged monkeys. Elphaba sets the bees on Dorothy and her friends as they attempt to reach Kiamo Ko but the Scarecrow manages to fend them off and kill them. She then sets Killjoy and his children on them but the Tin Woodsman cuts then down with his axe. Finally she sends her crows off to ask Princess Nastoya for help and the flying monkeys to pick up the Lion and Dorothy. The monkeys are successful, but the crows are attacked by nocturnal Rocs before they are able to reach the Princess. This leaves Chistery and the monkeys the only surviving familiars. After Elphaba’s death, Chistery remain at Kiamo Ko with the other monkeys and looks after Nanny. In the musical, the Wizard deceives Elphaba into reading a spell from the Grimmerie; this spell causes wings to grow from the backs of an army of monkeys. Discovering that it is the Wizard's intent to use them to spy upon the people of Oz to stamp out any resistance to his dictatorship, Elphaba immediately turns against him and vows to stop him. In the original Broadway production of the musical, the role of Chistery was played by Manuel Herrera.

Candle Osqa’ami

A Quadling girl who rarely speaks, and only in her native tongue, Qua'ati (though she understands other speech). Raised in Ovvels, she and some relatives became itinerants. She is left at the Cloister of Saint Glinda by her uncle, and ends up working in the kitchen under Sister Cook. She becomes a skilled player on the domingon, a Quadling musical instrument (pictured by Douglas Smith on the title page of the first section of the book, Under the Jackal Moon) – at one point, she has a trio of farm animals singing to her accompaniment. She also has a "talent for reading the present." After leaving the Cloister with Liir, she remains at Apple Press Farm until the end of the novel. She assists Liir in lifting Princess Nastoya’s enhcantment. Liir believes that Candle fled the farm to lead away the army from her newborn, knowing that Liir would return to take care of the baby. In Out of Oz she is revealed to be in hiding with Liir in her homeland.

Trism bon Cavalish

Trism comes from a Gillikinese farming family, and attended St. Prowd's school. He is Petty Fife in the Home Guard's musical corps when he first meets Liir and tells him how to enlist in the army. When Liir encounters him again, just before the deployment to Qhoyre, he is a Minor Menacier, involved in animal husbandry in the Development of Defense, later becoming Prime Menacier. The animals turn out to be dragons, which Trism has great skill at training (becoming chief dragon master), although he is extremely distressed at the tasks for which he trains them. He eventually helps Liir to destroy the dragons, and while fleeing from the enraged Home Guard, the two engage in a romantic relationship. He is later rescued from the mauntery by Glinda and travels to Applepress farm where something happens between him and Candle, but Candle refuses to tell Liir. Liir believes he may have fallen for Candle or have been jealous of her. In Out of Oz Liir discovers he is being forced to work for Mombey, rearing a dragon army for her to attack the Emerald City.

Sister Apothecaire

A maunt in the Cloister of Saint Glinda, and professional rival of Sister Doctor; who do not think highly of each other's medical skills. Sister Apothecaire is a Munchkin who previously acted as Matron's Assistant at the Respite of Incurables in the Emerald City. Both sisters give Liir small chance of recovery when he arrives at the Cloister. The Superior Maunt sends them on their mission in the Vinkus partly to stop them fussing over the injured Liir. She appears in ‘’A Lion among Men’’ where she locks Brrr, Yackle and the company of the clock in a room in the mauntery, before leaving with the other maunts. She later returns to free them before tripping and bumping her head. Mr Boss decides to take her with them when they leave. In Out of Oz she and Mr Boss are married and travel with Rain to find her parents, She later goes with Brrr to Munchkinland to rescue Dorothy. At Dorothy's trial, she reveals her full name as Daffodil Scully, and that she was present at the death of Nessarose Thropp.

Antagonists

Wizard of Oz

The Wizard of Oz is a human who came to Oz from Earth in a hot air balloon. He was originally seeking the Grimmerie, but became sidetracked when he discovered he could orchestrate a coup d'état and overthrow the Ozma Regent. It is heavily implied that he fathered Elphaba while her mother was under the influence of the Miracle Elixir, which may explain Elphaba's green skin, her aquaphobia, and occasional ability to read parts of the Grimmerie, which originated in the Wizard's world. He is also referred to by the name "Oscar Zoroaster Diggs". In the musical's official souvenir book of the same name it is demonstrated that the Grimmerie is known on Earth as The Lesser Key of Solomon the King - a satanic book of sorcery filled with dozens of pentagrams and spells. In the musical it is hinted that the wizard is actually Elphaba's biological father and that he gave Melena the elixer. In the original Broadway production of the musical, he was played by Joel Grey.

Madame Morrible

Madame Morrible is the headmistress of Shiz University's Crage Hall, which Elphaba and Galinda attend. Elphaba and her friends suspect Morrible to be responsible for the murder of Doctor Dillamond. At one point, she proposes that Elphaba, Galinda, and Nessarose become future behind-the-scenes rulers in Oz, a proposal that they never willingly accept. Elphaba suspects that Madame Morrible has at least some magical powers, and may have indeed controlled the fates of the three women. It is possible that she spies on Elphaba and sends messages to Liir through the carp in the well at Elphaba's home in the Vinkus, because the carp dies at about the same time as Morrible. It remains unknown whether Elphaba murdered her or if she died of natural causes minutes before Elphaba's attempt. In the original Broadway production of the musical, she was played by Carole Shelley.

Shell Thropp - Emperor Apostle

Shell Thropp is the youngest of the three Thropp siblings, and the brother of Elphaba and Nessarose. Their mother dies giving birth to him. Although he is never actually seen in Wicked, Elphaba says that he would have been their mother's favorite, because he was a boy. Shell plays a much larger part in the sequel, Son of a Witch, where he is seen helping Liir get into Southstair to find Nor, and is mentioned in A Lion Among Men. In both Son of A Witch and Out of Oz, it is revealed that he has declared himself an incarnation of the Unnamed God, as he was born out of an unholy, deformed family whole and perfect. It is implied he has gone insane, although he retains enough clarity to declare Rain his heir, she being the last female descendant of his family and the last remaining Eminent Thropp. Out of Oz also gives reveals Shell's full name to be "Sheltergod", chosen by his father Frex, in part as an homage to the memory of Turtle Heart (hence, "Shell"). Shell is non-existent in the musical, as Elphaba tells Glinda that their mother died after giving birth to Nessarose.

Commander/General Traper Cherrystone

Commander Cherrystone is the head of the soldiers who stay at Kiamo Ko. He returns in Son of a Witch as more of a father-figure to Liir, and again in Out of Oz, as the commander of a force that takes over Glinda's home so as to occupy a nearby lake. During his time here, he teaches Rain, Elphaba's disguised granddaughter, who was hidden at Glinda's house by her parents, how to read. By Out of Oz he has reached the rank of General and plans to use a fleet of ships pulled by dragons to capture Lake Restwater from the Free state of Munchkinland, but is foiled by Glinda and Rain. Although he appears gentleman like most times he does have a darker side. He is responsible for the death of Nor’s brother Irji by the ‘Paraffin Necklace’ as well has her mother and aunts, he blinded Yackle during an interrogation into Liir’s whereabouts after she refused to talk, and had Glinda’s chef drowned in response to the show performed by the Clock of the Time Dragon which Glinda arranged, unknowing that the clock revealed the plan to use dragons to capture the lake, a fact Cherrystone was keen to keep secret. His first name is revealed as Traper in the last book.

La Mombey Impeccata

Mombey is introduced in Out of Oz as the de facto Eminence at Colwen Grounds and governor of the Free state of Munchkinland. She is a powerful sorceress. She is described as being tall and beautiful with a compelling voice when Brrr sees her in Munchkinland, but at the end of Out of Oz it is reveales she wears a glamour to disguise the fact she is old and decrepit. She was once the adviser to the Ozma regent and is revealed to have kidnapped Ozma and turned her into a boy. She also puts Dorothy on trial for the death of Nessarose, mainly as a distraction for her plan to attack the Emerald City. She also tries to forcefully recruit Animals into the Minchkinland army by casting a spell on the bridges in Bright Lettins, which prevents the Animals from leaving, Brrr however manages to push through it when rescuing Dorothy. She turns Liir into an elephant so as to force him to translate the Grimmerie for her, and reveals she was the sorceress who placed the spell on Princess Nastoya. She is imprisoned at the end of Out of Oz after the return of Ozma. She bears a similarity to Mombi the Wicked Witch of the North, a character from Baum's original Oz series.

Grimalkin ‘’Malky’’/Shadowpuppet

Malky is Elphaba's cat in the Emerald City who is apparently made from glass. In A Lion Among Men, Brrr meets a similar cat in Shiz and takes it on as his pet naming it Shadowpuppet. It is later revealed by the Clock of the Time Dragon that he is actually a cat hired by the Wizard's government to spy on Elphaba and plays a little role in Fiyero's death. He is imprisoned in the Grimmerie by Yackle when she reenters the book.

Minor Characters

Princess Nastoya

An elephant who availed herself of a witch's charm to disguise herself in human form. While she used to be able to shift between elephant and human form, she is finding it increasingly difficult to do this, which leads her to believe she is dying. For giving her protection and a home, she agreed to become the leader of the Scrow. When she meets Liir, she explains that when Elphaba, besieged at Kiamo Ko by the Wizard's Gale Forces, sent out her crows to ask for Nastoya's help, the crows were attacked and devoured by nocturnal rocs, a circumstance of which Nastoya learned only later. Nastoya has been unsuccessfully trying to unite the tribes of the Vinkus—the Scrow, Yunamata and Arjikis—against the Wizard. Liir and Candle manage to break the spell on her, returning her to an elephant before she dies. In Out of Oz it is reveal that Mombey was the sorceress who placed the spell on her.

Avaric the Margreaves of Tenmeadows

Avaric is a friend of Boq's and Galinda's. He is of the Gillikenese nobility and is the son of, and later is himself, The Margreave of Tenmeadows. He is described as being handsome and the "perfect friend". Elphaba visits him later in the novel, after killing Madame Morrible, and they discuss the nature of evil with some of his friends. During the visit, he seems to have a selective memory, since he doesn't remember Elphaba and says he does not keep "unimportant details" in his head. Most of Avaric's characteristics are given to Fiyero in the musical, and he makes a short cameo appearance as Fiyero's driver. He makes an appearance in both A Lion among Men and Out of Oz as the manservant of Elphaba and Nessarose's brother Shell, who has dubbed himself the physical incarnation of the Unnamed God and the Emperor Apostle of Oz.

Crope and Tibbett

Crope and Tibbett are two men who attend Shiz University along with Boq. They later become members of the main group of friends that features in the second part of the book. They are both Emerald City boys, sons of a tax collector and a palace security advisor, respectively. It is subtly implied several times that they may be gay or bisexual. Towards the end of the second section of the novel, Tibbett plays a role as being chosen for the sex act that takes place at The Philosophy Club following Ama Clutch's funeral. Though the act is left unfinished by the author, it is implied that Tibbett is sodomized by a tiger. Tibbett is later mentioned in the fourth section as being brought to Elphaba's nunnery with an incurable disease. It is never revealed what this illness is or how he got it, though some speculate it was due to the aforementioned rape. His death inspires Elphaba to leave the nunnery. Crope is mentioned in the third part of the book as having become an actor and managing an arts auction house. He is later shown with Glinda shopping and having tea with Fiyero.

Ama Clutch

Galinda’s chaperone, who accompanies her to Shiz University, Ama Clutch is present throughout Galinda and Elphaba's time at the university. She "loses" her sanity in a suspicious fashion when she witnesses the murder of Doctor Dillamond. It is strongly suggested that Madame Morrible hexed Ama Clutch, afflicting her with the same crazed behaviour that Galinda (falsely) claimed was responsible for Ama Clutch's absence from the roommate negotiations; namely talking to inanimate objects like chairs, rusty nails and evening gowns as if they were people. Just prior to her death, Galinda (now Glinda) magically restores Ama Clutch's sanity for a brief period, giving her the opportunity to reveal that Grommetik was responsible for the death of Doctor Dillamond. It should be noted that Galinda made up Ama Clutch's ailment when she first privately met with Madame Morrible.

Sarima Tigelaar

Sarima is Fiyero's wife and the mother of his three legitimate children. She is first mentioned in the second and third parts of the book, but takes a major role in the fourth part. By this time, she is now the Dowager Princess of the Arjikis. When she arrives, Elphaba tries to tell Sarima the truth of Fiyero's death, but Sarima refuses to hear it, though she welcomes Elphaba into her home for the winter. She develops a friendship with Elphaba and soon reveals she believed Fiyero was having an affair with Glinda, and that Sir Chuffrey was behind his death. She is taken away by Commander Cherrystone at the end of the fourth part, and it is later revealed she was killed by an unknown assailant.

Iskinaary

Iskinaary is a grey goose who is a member of the Conference of Birds. He follows Liir back to Apple Press Farm after the Witch formation over the Emerald City. He is beautiful, vain and, by his own estimation, intelligent. At one point, he refers to himself as Liir's "Familiar." In ‘Out of Oz’ he becomes something of a protector of Rain, going so far as to follow her out of Oz, finding her food and water as she tries to reach the mythical sea.

The Scarecrow

The Scarecrow is one of Dorothy’s companions along the Yellow Brick Road. This character has a more substantial role in Son of a Witch than the Tin Man or the Cowardly Lion. He searches out Liir after having seen the Wizard to warn him that Dirt Boulevard, the slum he is living in, is about to be 'cleaned up' by the authorities, and helps him escape from the purge. He brings Elphaba's broom to Liir, which Palace officials were going to throw out. Before he and Liir part ways, he tells Liir that he is not planning to remain in the Emerald City, explaining: "One day you're a celebrity, the next day you're hauled off to jail." The Scarecrow that later appears at Glinda's induction into the Order of the Right, is, according to Liir, "an obvious impostor." This impostor has an "unfortunate accident involving a beaker of lighter fluid", which leads to Shell becoming the Emperor Apostle.

The Tin Man

The Tin man is one of Dorothy’s companions along the Yellow Brick Road. He has no substantial role in the series unlike the Scarecrow and Lion. His real name is revealed to be Nick "Boq" Chopper. He was under a spell by Nessarose. At the request of his former fiance's employer, an enchantment placed on his axe that was supposed to take off one of his arms; instead, it made him tin.

Turtle Heart

Turtle Heart is a wandering glassblower from Quadling Country. He comes upon Melena's home while Frex is out preaching. Melena and Turtle Heart have an extended affair, and it is implied that Frex had intimate relations with him, as well (he and Melena sharing him equally). It is also strongly suggested that he is the father of Nessarose, though a family timeline at the beginning of A Lion Among Men lists Frex as Nessarose's father. It is mentioned he was killed at Colwen Grounds on the day that Nessarose was born, as a human sacrifice to bring rain to Munchkinland (which throughout the novel experiences extreme, economically crippling droughts). His death is what convinces Frex and Melena to travel to Quadling Country to convert people to Unionism.

Lord Shem Ottokos

An old Scrow who acts as Princess Nastoya's chief translator and major domo. He studied at Shiz University, which gives him a facility with other Ozian languages. After Nastoya's death, he becomes the leader of the Scrow.

Sisters Doctor

A maunt in the Cloister of Saint Glinda, and professional rival of Sister Apothecaire; who do not think highly of each other's medical skills. Sister Doctor is described as beefy, with questionable credentials, but is an excellent diagnostician. Both sisters give Liir small chance of recovery when he arrives at the Cloister. The Superior Maunt sends them on their mission in the Vinkus partly to stop them fussing over the injured Liir. She becomes one of the members of the Triumvirate who will preside over the mauntery along with the Superior maunt and Candle.

Irji Tigelaar

Irji is the son of Fiyero and Sarima. He is the brother of Manek and Nor, and it is implied that he is the half-brother of Liir. Irji is the eldest of Fiyero and Sarima's three children, and is next in line to be the Prince of the Arjiki tribe (though his aunts believe that his brother Manek would be better-suited for the job). Throughout the novel, Irji grows as a character both physically and mentally. Mentally, he becomes more strong-willed and open like his brother. Physically, he experiences puberty. It is noted in one chapter that the sight of Liir's naked body being greased causes him to 'feel very funny in his trousers', implying that he is homosexual. Beyond that, not much is shown about Irji throughout the rest of the novel, aside from the occasional mention of his increasing holiness (toward the pagan/Lurline religion). When his family is captured, he is murdered publicly with the "Paraffin Necklace." Irji does not appear in the musical adaptation of Wicked. This is because Sarima was not introduced in the musical; thus, Fiyero and Sarima never were married, and Irji was never born. or else, they did exist, but were already arrested and out of the picture by the time the musical's finale occurs at Fiyero's castle.

Manek Tigelaar

Manek is the son of Fiyero and Sarima. He is a trouble-maker and borderline sociopathic, and he frequently engages in licentious activities. For instance, he tricks his brother, Irji, and Elphaba's implied son, Liir, into urinating off the wall as a sport while his sister, Nor, is watching. He also makes Liir take off his trousers to see if his genitals are green like Elphaba's skin. Manek is very strong-willed and is considered by his aunts a better choice as prince of the Arjiki tribe than Irji, the heir. In the novel, he is killed by a falling icicle, charmed (possibly accidentally) by Elphaba as punishment for Manek's tricking Liir into being trapped in the fishwell and almost dying, and then keeping it a secret while the rest of the household was searching for the missing Liir. Manek, his mother, siblings, and aunts do not appear in the musical adaptation of Wicked.

Two, Three, Four, Five, and Six

Two, Three, Four, Five, and Six are Sarima's sisters. Because Sarima is the eldest and must be married before them, her widowhood means that they cannot marry and so they resent her. They seem to do most of the work around the castle. They try to set up Sarima and Commander Cherrystone because a remarriage of Sarima would mean they could marry as well, but it fails. They are reported as being killed by an unknown soldier.

Milla, Pfannee, and Shenshen

Milla is a Shiz girl of Galinda's social class, though she appears much less frequently than Pfanee and Shenshen, who have much more dialogue during the girls' school years. She is later unhappily married to Boq, and frequently attempts suicide. Pfannee is one of Galinda's friends. She is a Munchkinlander of diminutive size. She invites Elphaba to Lake Chorge as a joke, she also makes a brief appearance at the end of Out of Oz. Shenshen is another of Galinda's friends, she makes an appearance in Out of Oz as a teacher at St' Prowds school in Shiz where Rain is attending.

Doctor Nikidik

Doctor Nikidik is Dr. Dillamond's replacement, as well as the teacher who seems to be responsible for taking the lion cub, Brrr, from his mother, which enrages Elphaba.

Miss Greyling

Miss Greyling is a professor of Sorcery at Shiz University, she teaches Glinda how to be a sorceress. She is described as incompetent, but friendly and her failures inspire the girls to be willing to try their own magic. She is mentioned in A Lion among Men where she was asked to translate the reverse side of the Grimmerie page on Dragons the Wizard took from Elphaba. In Out of Oz, the company of the clock meet her in the outback of Quadling country where she reveals that the Emperor has banned magic in Oz. Rain mistakes her for a bird woman because of her clothing. She is then interrogated and tortured by Emerald City soldiers as to the where abouts of the clock but manages to send Dosey the wren to warn them. Her first name is Grayce. When Brrr asks if her last name is spelt with an "a" or an "e", she says it is interchangeable but has changed her last name to Graeling to be more consistent.

Oatsie Manglehand

A woman who runs a horse-and-coach caravan that transports passengers along the Grassland Trail through the Vinkus. Her driver is named Nubb. She transports Liir and Elphaba to Kiamo Ko in Wicked and finds the injured Liir and brings him to the Cloister of Saint Glinda in Son of a Witch.

Sir Chuffrey

He is a Paltos baron who is Glinda's husband. Not much is said of him, but it is known that he is a very wealthy business man and that he is infertile, as implied by Glinda.

Professor Lenx and Mister Mikko

Professor Lenx is a boar who teaches math. He joins Doctor Dillamond in storming out when Madame Morrible recites a poem that insults Animals. Mister Mikko is an ape who teaches history. Both reappear briefly in A Lion Among Men, in which they are living in the outskirts of Munchkinland. In Out of Oz, Brrr meets Mister Mikko in a reading room in Bright Lettins. He reveals that Professor Lenx died some years ago, he helps the Lion to rescue Dorothy.

Rhinoceros

Rhinoceros is a librarian at Three Queens. He was a bit of an absent boss, as he failed to notice Boq, Crope, and Tibbett (who were supposed to spend their summer working for him) shirking their work duties to help Elphaba and Doctor Dillamond's work.

General Kynot

The short-tempered cliff eagle who is the President of the Conference of Birds. He is seem as a strong leader who thinks Birds are superior to other Animals. He often tells Dosey the wren off for being too polite to Liir. He offers to help Liir find Nor if Liir can get Elphaba's broom back and defeat the dragons, who prevent the Birds from flying safely over Oz. In Out of Oz he asks Dosey the wren to find the company of the clock and tell them about Dorothy's return. He also witnesses Liir's transformation into an elephant and assumes he has been murdered. He informs Candle and helps her fly into the Emerald City to find Rain after the dragon attack.

Dosey

A motherly wren at the Conference whose arguments persuade Liir to help the Birds. She appears in Out of Oz where she comes to warn the company of the clock about the pursuing emerald city soldiers. Later she appears before Liir and Brrr to inform them of Dorothy's return to Oz.

Sillipede

An old cabaret performer who Liir and Trism see perform at the "Cherry and Cucumber". She performs a risqué (and potentially treasonous) monologue that satirizes the Emperor Apostle, to her audience's discomfort. (Sillipede is referred to in Wicked, in the "City of Emeralds" section, when Glinda recounts to Fiyero her recent spotting of Nessarose and Nanny in the Emerald City, at Sillipede's fourth comeback tour concert).

Chyde

The under-mayor of Southstairs. He is described as sallow and has a fondness for jewels—all his fingers and both thumbs are loaded with rings. His assistant Jibbidee, an elf, later escapes from Southstairs and ends up serving drinks at a tavern in Strumpet Square.

The Superior Maunt of the Cloister of Saint Glinda

The Superior Maunt during Elphaba's seven-year stay at the Cloister. She is originally from the Pertha Hills in Gillikin. During the siege of the Cloister, she abdicates as sole authority of the mauntery and establishes a triumvirate consisting of herself, Sister Doctor, and the absent Candle.

Muhlama H’aekeem

Muhlama is an ivory tiger and the princess of the Ghullim. Her father is Uyodor H’aekeem. Brrr stumbles upon them while travelling through the Madeleines in A Lion Among Men. He is recruited into the pride of tigers develops feelings for Muhlama and ends up sleeping with her, an act which has him kicked out of the pride. Muhlama is portrayed as being feisty and a free spirit longing to get away from life as a princess. It is implied that she used Brrr in order to get her wish. She makes an appearance in Out of Oz, in which she leads the company of the clock to Liir and Candle.

Cubbins and the bears

Cubbins is the youngest member of a group of bears who live in the Great Gillikin Forest. Brrr meets him while journeying to Tenniken in A Lion Among Men. The bears are ruled by their queen, Ursaless, and although they can speak, they are unable to remember facts for very long. Cubbins explains that as they get older they lose interest in the past and only live for the present. As Cubbins is the youngest he is charged with remembering the bears' history. He becomes friends with Brrr and is interested in the books he carries. He also tells Brrr about the ‘Cloud Swamp’ which is actually the Ozmists. When Brrr stumbles across them, Cubbins comes racing in to help him speak to them. However Cubbins ends up upsetting them and he and Brrr are attacked by insects. He later appears in Out of Oz as the owner of an antique shop in Shiz, where the defunct Grommetik resides.

Po "Puggles" Understar

Puggles is Glinda's butler in Out of Oz. He is one of the members of staff at Mockbeggar Hall whom Glinda chooses to stay when Cherrystone places her under house arrest. He is severely injured during a scuffle with some of Cherrystone's men who throw him off a parapet. When Glinda hands over Rain to Brrr, she tell them she is returning to Mockbeggar Hall to care for him. He appears at the end of Out of Oz, still as Glinda's butler in Mennepin Square in the Emerald City.

Ig "Chef" Baernaereanaesis

One of the members of staff at Mockbeggar Hall whom Glinda chooses to stay when Cherrystone places her under house arrest. He prefers to be called Chef as his full name is difficult to say, but Glinda executes it perfectly when she first addresses him. Cherrystone has him drowned in retaliation to the performance by the Clock of the Time Dragon.

Miss Murth

Miss Murth is Glinda's lady in waiting and one of the members of staff at Mockbeggar Hall whom Glinda chooses to stay when Cherrystone places her under house arrest. She spends most of her time looking after Rain and is the only person who takes the girl seriously. She has the ability to forge Glinda's signature (a talent Glinda exploits frequently when replying to Cherrystone's letters) and uses this to escape the Hall when Cherrystone informs Glinda he must relieve her of another member of staff. Her fate is left uncertain though Glinda believes she may have met a similar fate to Chef.

Proctor Gadfry Clapp

Proctor Gadfry Clapp is the Headmaster of St Prowd's school in Shiz where Rain undergoes her schooling in Out of Oz. He is the brother of Miss Ironish. He is called up to fight for Loyal Oz during Rains stay at the school. She later meets him in the Emerald City acting as a guard for the palace, where he is reveals to have lost a leg. He is killed during the dragon attack on the city.

Miss Ironish Clapp

Miss Ironish Clapp is the deputy headmistress of St Prowd's school in Shiz. She is the sister of Proctor Gadfry and is described as a stern woman, who is not afraid to speak her mind. She often tells her pupils the negative views in their behaviour as she believes it will help build character better than praise. She appears at the end of Out of Oz as a consort to Princess Ozma.

Scarly

Scarly is a scullery maid at St Prowd's School. Rain first meets her in the attic which Scarly says used to be her room but has been ordered out so that Rain has somewhere to stay. She becomes close friends with Rain, who teaches her how to read. She later appears at the end of Out of Oz assisting Miss Ironish with the care of Princess Ozma.

Deities and Sentient Objects

Grommetik

Grommetik is a tik-tok creature – a robot of sorts – who is a servant of Madame Morrible. It is strongly implied that he is involved in a sinister plot orchestrated at least in part by his mistress. Ama Clutch witnessed Grommetik kill Doctor Dillamond. From what is described in the novel, he bears a similarity to Tik-Tok, a character from Baum's original Oz series. Rain and Tip find him in an antiques shop in Shiz no longer functioning. Rain also discovers his secret drawer containing a blood stained knife and a map of Oz.

The Grimmerie

The Grimmerie (derived from 'grimoire' and 'gramarye'): A book of magic that originated on Earth but was taken to Oz by a wizard to prevent it from being used for evil. It is sought by the Wizard of Oz, and is the reason he traveled to Oz. In the book Sarima tells Elphaba that she was given the book by a wizard who turned up at the castle one day and asked her to keep it safe, before giving the book to Elphaba. In the musical Madam Morrible gives Elphaba the book to see if she has the ability to read it. While in the musical adaptation it is suggested that the Grimmerie is a sole book with no others of the same title, in Gregory Maguire's original Elphaba describes it as being 'a' Grimmerie, meaning that Grimmerie is probably an Ozian word for a book of magic and that it most likely has a more distinguishing title. The book appears to have its own consciousness and will only display information to people it deems worthy of reading it, even then it will only display certain information. Elphaba is the only one who appears to be able to read the book at will. Brrr also describes the book as smelling of sex. Before he leaves Kiamo Ko, Liir looks for it in the Witch's room, but cannot find it. When resting on his trek back to Kiamo Ko after deserting the Seventh Spear, Liir, in a "waking dream" similar to an out-of-body experience, sees "a man in a cloak of purple-rose velveteen, holding a staff and a book of some sort. He was emerging in the air as one seen coming through a fog. He seemed to be off balance at first, and tested the ground with his staff until he found his feet. Setting his funny hat straight on his brow, he pulled at his eyebrows as if they bothered him...” Upon waking, Liir realizes that the book the man had was Elphaba's Grimmerie. Trism tells Liir that the Emperor Apostle showed him a page torn out of a book that was indecipherable, but that had been translated by the Wizard: "On the Administration of Dragons". This is the page that Elphaba had torn from the Grimmerie to show the Wizard in Wicked. The Grimmerie was revealed to have been taken from Kiamo Ko by Glinda, whereas in the musical Elphaba gave her the book. Mr Boss later recovers the book from Glinda. The book does not make another appearance until the end of A Lion Among Men. In Out of Oz, Mr Boss gives the book back to Glinda for safe keeping. Glinda disguises it as a copy of Gone with the Wind, but Rain appears to be able to see its true form. Glinda gives to book back to Brrr and Illianora after escaping Mockbeggar Hall. The book also appears to respond to Rain presence because she is Elphaba’s granddaughter. Mombey also reveals she met the original wizard who brought the book to Oz and has known about its existence for years. At the end of Out of Oz, Rain takes the book to the mythical sea with the intention of drowning it so it can no longer do any harm.

The Clock of the Time Dragon

A traveling show, which contains many magicked tik-tok puppets that act out prophetic scenes. At the top of the tower-like container that holds the show, there is a painted clock, hands perpetually at one minute to midnight and above that, a tik-tok dragon so lifelike as to strike awe in the hearts of all who see it. It is the center of the pleasure faith religion and is accompanied by the dwarf. Elphaba is born inside the Time Dragon, and attempts to tell her that the Wizard is her father. Many of the characters in the Dragon's shows are later hunted down and killed or at least harassed, including Elphaba's parents and Turtle Heart. The clock has a more substantial role in the final two books of the series. The clock is looked after by the dwarf Mr Boss who is its caretaker. When the clock is not in use it remains hidden until it’s time for it to travel again. In A Lion Among Men it reveals Malky’s betrayal of Elphaba and Yackle’s origins. It is also revealed that the clock is used as a keep safe for the Grimmerie. In Out of Oz it reveals the Cherrystone’s plan to use dragons to capture Lake Restwater; as well as the fate of Ozma. The clock is usually pull by a group of seven boys, who make up the majority of the company of the clock. When the boys leave the company, Brrr is charged with pulling the clock as he is the only one strong enough. Mr Boss also reveals the clock has a secret plaque behind the stage which it uses to convey important information to its caretaker. Rain also manages to get the clock to fly down the Yellow brick road when they are pursued by soldiers and escape. The clock develops a dislike towards Rain because it predicts its own demise due to her. While travelling in the Sleeve of Ghastille, Brrr attempts to rescue Rain from apparent danger, forgetting he is tethered to the clock. The clock is severely damaged and the clock hands, perpetually set at one minute to midnight, strike midnight, which Mr Boss reveals only happens when it predicts its own death. After this event the clock refuses to house the Grimmerie. It also makes its final prophecy in the form of a still scene showing an earthquake. Although the characters interpret this as the ruin of Oz itself, it is actually the clock informing them of Dorothy's impending return to Oz. The clock is finally destroyed when Brrr attempts to save Rain once again, causing the clock to plunge into the poisoned Lake Kellswater, where it is lost forever.

In the musical, the entire stage is designed to look like the clock. The main stage represents the clock face which opens up to reveal various backdrops. The dragon also looms above the set, breathing smoke and moving its head and wings periodically throughout the performance. The clock is depicted at having thirteen hours and several references by the characters suggests it keeps correct time instead of being perpetually set to one minute to midnight. Glinda also says that Elphaba was defeated on the stroke of the thirteenth hour.

The Ozmists

The Ozmists are a collection of deceased souls of Oz which speak using swarms of insects. They first appear in A Lion Among Men when Brrr stumbles into the ‘Cloud Swamp’. Cubbins tells Brrr the Ozmists require an offering before they will speak and gives them a honey comb. The Ozmists can give information on the past but require something about the present in exchange; they explain to Brrr that the present is a future that is beyond their sight. If they are defied the knowledge they seek they can become very aggressive; as is what happens when Cubbins asks the question all bears make the mistake of asking ‘Is Ozma alive?’ but cannot answer a question about the present. The Ozmists do answer the question that she is alive but disperse and cause the insects to attack the two Animals. They next appear in Out of Oz as the company of the clock travel back to the Restwater with Rains parents. The Ozmists are also limited in their knowledge, when asked if Elphaba is dead they hesitate and do not give a straight answer which Brrr reads as they ‘don’t know’. They also see the truth about Rain and come to her aid when she blows her conch shell, first by shrouding the Emerald City in fog to protect it from the dragon attack; and second helping her lift the enchantment on her father; as well as Tip and herself.

Lurline and Preenella

Lurline is the fairy queen deity of the royalist religion in Oz. She is said to have found Oz as an oasis in an endless desert and fallen asleep in the Gillikin. When she awoke to relieve herself she created the Gillikin River, any animals said to have swum the river gained the ability to speak and became Animals. Her assistant is the fairy Preenella and both are celebrated in a holiday similar to Christmas where Lurline rides a sleigh to deliver presents to the people of Oz, similar to Santa Claus.

The Unnamed God

The all powerful deity of the unionist religion, the unnamed god is said to have created everything in Oz. His tears we also said to have brought a flood to Oz which caused animals who survived to gain the ability to speak.

The Time Dragon

The Time dragon is part of the Pleasure faith religion, he is said to sleep in a cave under Oz, dreaming all life into existence. He is the inspiration behind the clock of the time dragon.

The Kumbricia Witch

The Kumbricia Witch is another deity in Oz. A picture about her is found in the Shiz University library by Boq who gives it to Elphaba. The image shows her stood on two mountain peaks above a flood, cradling a suckling boar to her breast. Elphaba believes this could represent how magic was used by ancient sorcerers to give animals the power to speak. The Kumbricia’s pass in the Great Kells of the Vinkus is named after her. Yackle is often thought to be her reincarnation, and the Kellswater lake is said to be her dwelling because of its negative qualities.

References

1. Merritt, Byron; Interview with Gregory Maguire (2004-11-01). "An interview with wizard-like author Gregory Maguire". fwomp.com. Retrieved 2007-01-15. Cite uses deprecated parameter |coauthors= (help)
2. http://www.broadway.com/buzz/181737/rachel-tucker-and-jonah-platt-set-to-star-in-wicked-on-broadway/