History TearJerker / Wicked

** There's only one interaction between Frexspar and Melena (Elphaba's stepfather and mother respectively) and it's Frexspar telling his wife "know that you're here in my heart when I'm out of your sight" before leaving for a one night business trip. Seems pretty nice, right? That's until you learn that not only did Melena have a one night stand with the man who would become the Wizard but Frexspar forced Melena to eat milkflowers while she was pregnant with Nessa so the baby wouldn't be born green. This resulted in not only Nessa being born crippled but Melenda dying in childbirth. Melena's one night stand, Frexspar's forcing her to eat the milkflowers and his subsequent abuse of Elphaba makes you wonder just how happy their marriage really was.

* When Elphaba first meets the Wizard, she's given the chance to read the Grimmerie aloud to test her powers. This causes not only wings to spring out of Chistery's back while he screams in agony...but for the other Monkeys the Wizard has captive. The Wizard (while singing a reprise of "A Sentimental Man") and Morrible are ecstatic because not only do they have spies at the ready to spy on those who oppose them but that Elphaba is more powerful than anticipated. While all this is going on, Elphaba looks absolutely ''crushed'' as she realizes [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone that not only she caused others pain]] but that the man she looked up to and admired (Hell, her first solo is a big "I Want" song about partnering with the Wizard, becoming respected and admired and even fantasizing about him "degreenifying" her) is not only a normal human but ''perfectly willing'' to use her to accomplish his own selfish goals. Not only that, but Morrible (probably the first person who has ever recognized Elphaba's potential and encouraged her to pursue her dreams) is also as cruel and callous as the Wizard is. It's really a wonder Elphaba didn't GoMadFromTheRevelation at that point.

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*** The latter possibility is strengthened by her line in For Good when Elphie says Glinda was her only friend, to which Glinda replies that she "had so many friends... but only one who actually mattered".

* "One Short Day" has a brief moment where Glinda and Elphaba get the glasses that cause the wearer to see everything tinted green. Elphaba puts on the glasses and says to Glinda "Do you have any idea how nice it is to not be stared at?" This is the first time she hasn't been pointed out at best and ostracized at worst. ''In her entire life''...

** It gets especially depressing when you remember how Boq ends up in this situation. Boq is deeply in love with Galinda throughout the musical (even though she constantly mispronounces his name and doesn't even give him the time of day in most scenes when they're together) and is persuaded by her to ask Nessa out to Fiyero's party. The reason Galinda does this? ''Purely to get him out of her hair''. But he continues to love Glinda to the point that when Nessa reveals that she can now walk, he tells Nessa that he needs to tell Glinda how he truly feels. This lead to Nessa accidentally shrinking his heart in an attempt to keep him near her and Elphaba being forced to transform him into the TinMan "so he doesn't need [a heart]". And after he loses his heart and humanity, he has no love left for Glinda or anyone else for that matter. Making it worse? ''Glinda doesn't notice at all''.

** During "Dancing Through Life", Galinda is persuaded by two of her sycophants to give Elphaba a hideous black hat to wear to the party as a prank, telling Elphaba "you know black is this year's pink!" What Galinda doesn't know is that Elphaba has arranged with Morrible to teach Galinda magic (which is why Elphaba was looking for Galinda when she's "gifted" the hat). When Morrible gives her the training wand, Galinda is ecstatic...until she learns that Elphaba is the reason Morrible is letting her into the class. Galinda's silence after Morrible tells her about Elphaba shows that she's never considered the consequences of her actions before and is horrified that she did something nasty to (probably) the first person who has ever done something nice for her even though said person hates Galinda's guts..

--> with just the girl in the mirror

** It gets especially depressing when you remember how Boq ends up in this situation. Boq is deeply in love with Galinda throughout the musical (even though she constantly mispronounces his name several times and doesn't even give him the time of day) and is persuaded by her to ask Nessa out to Fiyero's party. The reason Galinda does this? ''Purely to get him out of her hair''. But he continues to love Glinda to the point that when Nessa reveals that she can now walk, he tells Nessa that he needs to tell Glinda how he truly feels. This lead to Nessa accidentally shrinking his heart in an attempt to keep him near her and Elphaba being forced to transform him into the TinMan "so he doesn't need [a heart]". And after he loses his heart and humanity, he has no love left for Glinda or anyone else for that matter. Making it worse? ''Glinda doesn't notice at all''.

** It gets especially depressing when you remember how Boq ends up in this situation. Boq is deeply in love with Galinda throughout the musical (even though she constantly mispronounces his name several times and doesn't even give him the time of day) and is persuaded by her to ask Nessa. The reason Galinda does this? ''Purely to get him out of her hair''. But he continues to love Glinda to the point that when Nessa reveals that she can now walk, he tells Nessa that he needs to tell Glinda how he truly feels. This lead to Nessa accidentally shrinking his heart in an attempt to keep him near her and Elphaba being forced to transform him into the TinMan "so he doesn't need [a heart]". And after he loses his heart and humanity, he has no love left for Glinda or anyone else for that matter. Making it worse? ''Glinda doesn't notice at all''.

** During "Dancing Through Life", Galinda is persuaded by two of her sycophants to give Elphaba a hideous black hat to wear to the party as a prank, telling Elphaba "you know black is this year's pink!" What Galinda doesn't know is that Elphaba has arranged with Morrible to teach Galinda magic (which is why Elphaba was looking for Galinda when she's "gifted" the hat). When Morrible gives her the training wand, Galinda is ecstatic...until she learns that Elphaba is the reason Morrible is letting her into the class. Galinda's silence after Morrible tells her about Elphaba shows that she's never considered the consequences of her actions before and is horrified that she did something nasty to (probably) the first person who has ever done something for her without expecting payment.

** Elphaba's answer: "I've done everything I could for you, and it hasn't been enough. And nothing ever will be." [[PartingWordsRegret Those were the last words to her sister.]] Ouch.

** It's upsetting enough when Elphaba sings it, having accepted that fate, but Glinda's reprisal after her fiance runs off with with her best friend is even more so, as she's all but crying when it happens.

* When Elphaba first meets the Wizard, she's given the chance to read the Grimmerie aloud to test her powers. This causes not only wings to spring out of Chisery's back while he screams in agony...but for the other Monkeys the Wizard has captive. The Wizard (while singing a reprise of "A Sentimental Man") and Morrible are ecstatic because not only do they have spies at the ready to spy on those who oppose them but that Elphaba is more powerful than anticipated. While all this is going on, Elphaba looks absolutely ''crushed'' as she realizes [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone that not only she caused others pain]] but that the man she looked up to and admired (Hell, her first solo is a big "I Want" song about partnering with the Wizard, becoming respected and admired and even fantasizing about him "degreenifying" her) is not only a normal human but ''perfectly willing'' to use her to accomplish his own selfish goals. Not only that, but Morrible (probably the first person who has ever recognized Elphaba's potential and encouraged her to pursue her dreams) is also as cruel and callous as the Wizard is. It's really a wonder Elphaba didn't GoMadFromTheRevelation at that point.

* This one line in a certain note Elphie receives in act two. “I only hope that you will still want me when we next meet.” Oh, Fiyero.

* Only as a RewatchBonus but "No One Mourns the Wicked." Once you know the details of Glinda and Elphaba's relationship, it becomes clear that Glinda is trying to defend Elphaba ("Are people born Wicked? Or do they have Wickedness thrust upon them? ... So you see, it couldn't have been easy (for her).") only for the Munchkins to ignore her to continue singing how glad they are that her best friend is dead. With the right actress the line "It couldn't have been easy," can be loaded with subtext you can't hear until you've watched it a second time.

* Additionally, in Kristin Chenoweth's last performance, when Elphaba invites Galinda to the Emerald City, Idina says [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzPxC1NGi2c&feature=player_embedded "Say with me. I'm going to miss you. Oz won't be the same without you."]]

** In some productions, there's a brief lighting change (generally when Elphaba begins the "one question haunts and hurts" verse until "alright, enough, so be it") which can make Elphaba's green skin appear like a more natural skin tone. If we take this change literally, it means that Elphaba (probably through her anguish) was on the cusp of "de-greenifying" herself and not only did the decision to be wicked turn her green again, but she ''didn't even notice'' how close she was to achieving something she's desired all her life.
* After this, Elphaba captures Dorothy, [[KickTheDog mocks her for crying]], and demands the shoes back, saying "[[WhatTheHellHero Squealy little brat... takes a dead woman's shoes; must have been raised in a barn!]]" Glinda shows up in the nick of time to convince Elphaba not hurt Dorothy, and Elphaba bluntly says, "I can do anything I want. I'm the Wicked Witch of the West!" Then Fiyero's letter comes, saving Elphaba from crossing the MoralEventHorizon.

* Additionally, in Chenoweth's last performance, when Elphaba invites Galinda to the Emerald City Idina says [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzPxC1NGi2c&feature=player_embedded "Oz won't be the same without you."]]

* '' "I'm limited, just look at me, I'm limited..." '' After spending the musical talking about how she could be unlimited, Elphaba starts ''For Good'' with that. If your heart doesn't break even a little bit, they're doing it wrong.

* "Dancing Through Life", while the show's HakunaMatata, is also rather gut-wrenching since from the beginning it sounds too good to be true - and within a few songs, it's indeed proven to be as shallow and unfulfilling as it seems. All the happy young adults flirting and dancing around, enjoying Fiyero's carefree lifestyle, and ultimately, the main cast will never enjoy it.

* In at least some versions of the musical, Dorothy is [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone noticeably shocked]] when Elphaba (seemingly) melts at her hand. This may also be a nod to the book, wherein Dorothy didn't intend to melt Elphaba and was trying to save her because her dress caught on fire.

** "There's a kind of a sorta... cost... there's a couple of things get... lost..."

** "I simply couldn't be happier... (''aside'') well, not simply..."

----> '''Elphaba:''' One question haunts and hurts, too much, too much to mention. Was I only seeking good or just seeking attention? Is that all good deeds are when looked at with an ice cold eye? If that's all good deeds are...maybe that's the reason why....

* Only as a RewatchBonus but "No One Mourns the Wicked." Once you know the details of Glinda and Elphaba's relationship, it becomes clear that Glinda is trying to defend Elphaba ("Is one born wicked? Or does one have wickedness thrust upon them? ... So you see, it couldn't have been easy (for her).") only for the Munchkins to ignore her to continue singing how glad they are that her best friend is dead. With the right actress the line "It couldn't have been easy for her," can be loaded with subtext you can't hear until you've watched it a second time.