| Elphaba | |
|---|---|
| The Wicked Years character | |
 Myra Ruiz as Elphaba in the musical theatre version of Wicked, Brazil 2016 | |
| First appearance | Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West (1995) |
| Created by | Gregory Maguire |
| Based on | Wicked Witch of the West by L. Frank Baum |
| Portrayed by | |
| In-universe information | |
| Full name | Elphaba Thropp Third Descending |
| Alias | Wicked Witch of the West, Fae, Sister Saint Ælphaba, Auntie Witch |
| Nickname | Elphie, Fabala |
| Family | Oscar Diggs (biological father) Melena Thropp (mother) Frexspar The Godly (step-father) Nessarose Thropp (half-sister) Sheltergod "Shell" Thropp (half-brother) Rain (granddaughter) |
| Significant other | Fiyero Tigelaar |
| Children | Liir Thropp (son) |
| Religion | None (atheist) |
| Nationality | Ozian Munchkinlander of American descent |
Elphaba Thropp (/ˈɛlfəbə ˈθrɒp/ ⓘ) is the protagonist of Gregory Maguire's 1995 novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, the novel's musical theatre adaptation, and the musical's two-part film adaptation, Wicked (2024) and Wicked: For Good (2025). She is a reimagining of the Wicked Witch of the West from L. Frank Baum's 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
In the Baum novel, the Witch is unnamed and little is explained about her life; Wicked creates a backstory for her and explores the world of The Wizard of Oz from her perspective. Elphaba is modeled after Margaret Hamilton's portrayal in the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz: green-skinned, clad entirely in black and wearing a tall peaked hat. Maguire formulated the name "Elphaba" from the pronunciation of Baum's initials—"L.F.B.". In-universe, she is also nicknamed "Elphie", mostly by Glinda Upland.