WARNING: SPOILERS FOR WICKED: FOR GOOD BELOW
In a film filled to the brim with easter eggs, the scrap of fabric that lead flying monkey guard Chistery gives to Elphaba during the climax of Wicked: For Good is getting the most attention.
The scrap, which is visibly a piece of Fiyero's uniform as captain of the Wizard's guard, is delivered to Elphaba immediately before the "For Good" sequence, after Glinda has ridden (on Fiyero's horse) to Elphaba's aide. Upon seeing the scrap, Glinda bursts into tears as Elphaba plainly states that "we've seen his face for the last time," implying that the man they loved was dead.
But what exactly is on the scrap? A note from Fiyero of course! Perhaps it contained the specifics of his transformation? Or instructions on where to find the hidden trap door in his family's castle? Maybe even a warning that The Wizard had sent a child with instructions to kill her and steal her broom?
While director Jon M. Chu has been cagey about the specifics of what his Fiyero said to Elphaba via the note, in the Wicked stage show, Elphaba is handed an unsigned note from Fiyero on paper by Chistery that sports the following message.
Dearest Elphaba,
Miraculously, I've managed to escape thanks to the spell you've cast on me. I've had to pay a great price, but my love is still strong for you. I only hope that you will still want me when we next meet. I have a plan for us, and I will come to you and explain it. Tell No One I am still ALIVE! My only hope — OUR ONLY HOPE IS FOR ALL OF OZ TO THINK I'M DEAD."
Not very specific, huh?
While this likely isn't the exact same message as is given to Elphaba on screen, chances are whatever she received from Chistery was equally vague. As Chu put it in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, "It's important to know that I think there is correspondence to know that he's showing up there. Otherwise, why would she go down there?... That piece of clothing has a note on it. We didn't want to do a close-up on that because it would've been too much too soon. We need, as an audience, to believe in the story that's being told. I think she does know that he's alive, of course, and that he's become this thing. But I don't think she's seen who he is for sure until she looks at him there. It's a different idea of knowing that he's turned into the thing and then seeing him."
Unfortunately it appears that the specifics of Chu's note from Fiyero to Elphaba will remain unknown, but hey: that's what fanfiction writers are for!
