The Murder of Madame Morrible

Elphaba travels to Shiz to confront Madame Morrible. She finds her on her deathbed and, in a fit of rage, bludgeons her to death with a trophy. The act is a culmination of years of hatred and a desire for revenge. Elphaba then visits Avaric, an old acquaintance, and confesses to the murder, hoping to spread the news. The murder is a cathartic but ultimately hollow victory. It does not bring back the dead or undo the past. It marks Elphaba's final descent into violence and her complete embrace of the identity of a 'wicked witch.'