The following article contains spoilers for Wicked: Part Two
The results are in and Wicked has cast a spell on nearly anyone who lays their eyes on it. Not even the most jaded come out of the theater with dry eyes.
The adaptation of the 2003 musical — which itself was an adaptation of the Gregory Maguire revisionist novel — fires on all cylinders. Tony award-winning Cynthia Erivo and pop star Ariana Grande flourish under Jon M. Chu’s direction. There is something for everyone in the film, but more than anything, something for the musical fans. Wicked is chock-full of Easter eggs ranging from big to small ones designed to pull at the heartstrings. Fans on X (formerly Twitter) noted one obscure detail that hints at Fiyero’s (Jonathan Bailey) future in Wicked: Part Two.
The first part of the duology shows Fiyero dancing through life in a billowy shirt which portends a grim fate. The wheat embroidered on his shirt connects to his future as the straw-stuffed Scarecrow of The Wizard of Oz fame.
A classic origin story, Wicked shows how many notable characters got to where they are when Dorothy comes around. Fiyero’s story is one of the most tragic, as he changes in more ways than one. Fiyero begins as a pampered prince who only intends to enjoy fun times. He catches the eye of Glinda (Grande) but through his experiences, starts to yearn for a more complex relationship. Wicked: Part One does not show a resolution to this dynamic, but it will return in full force in Part Two.
Fiyero starts to distance himself from Glinda and turns his eye to Elphaba, who is less concerned with appearances. If the second part of the film follows the show’s events, Fiyero will sacrifice himself for his love of Elphaba. After she is named the Wicked Witch of the West by the Wizard, she becomes enemy number one. In order for Elphaba to escape the clutches of the Wizard, he lets her go, which in turn, gets him captured. To save Fiyero from indescribable torture, Elphaba casts a spell so he will feel no pain. The magic turns him into the Scarecrow that ends up helping Dorothy down the Yellow Brick Road. Elphaba initially doesn’t think the spell works and curses her abilities. This moment turns her down her darkest path, unaware of what happened to Fiyero.
Fiyero’s fate is up for debate in Wicked sources
Fiyero is only one of many characters from Elphaba’s life that does double-duty in Dorothy’s journey to the Emerald City. However, he is one of the most beloved. Fiyero undergoes a powerful character arc whereby he starts as a vapid prince, and ends up sacrificing his own body for the sake of the woman he loves. In Gregory Maguire’s book, Fiyero appears to have a much more tragic ending. Though Elphaba suspects that his spirit is contained in the straw, this is never confirmed.
Wicked: Part Two will have a more uplifting ending, if it follows the events of the stage show. Elphaba endures her new moniker, the death of her sister, and the theft of her shoes just to be melted by water. Or at least, that’s how it appears. The coda in the show reveals that Elphaba faked her death so she could run away with her strawman lover. The Wicked musical is much more upbeat than Maguire’s book, and this fits in with the themes of the show. Fans will have to wait until Wicked: Part Two comes out to discover Fiyero’s end.