The movie version of Wicked came out this year (well, Part 1, at least) with huge success. This is based on the musical of the same name, based on the book of the same name by Gregory Maguire, based on The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum. Clearly it’s okay to borrow ideas.
What was different about Wicked (all versions) from the original book was that it was written from the perspective of the villain, the Wicked Witch of the West. It turned her from an evil caricature into a real, flesh-out person. So let’s try that too.
Story Prompt: August 4, 2025
Write a story from the antagonist’s point of view.
There are two ways to do this. One is still make them bad but humanized (you never want your main character to be completely unlikeable). The other way is to show that the stereotypical “good guy” is actually the bad one and the “bad guy” is actually in the right.
If you write a story with this prompt, send me a link to your story on your own site, either in the comments or at info@greenwalledtreehouse.com. You can also submit your story here for a chance to have it published on the site next week.
The Green-Walled Treehouse 
Every baddie has a mom who loves them. Even the Wicked Witch was once cooing like a little dove. That softens things in my opinion.
Always look forward to what MUSE has to say. 🙂
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yes, that’s a good way to look at it. We were all innocent babies at one point and we’re all human at the end. It makes a villain more interesting as well, to know why they do what they do.
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Imagine Charlie Manson’s mother shaking her head…where did I do wrong???
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Here’s my story, David:
https://theelephantstrunk.org/2025/08/09/final-descent/
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Loved the poem. Thanks for participating!
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