My theory is that Cora saw Walsh coming through the EF as a magician (being transported there through some magical means).
Balloon!
Reason why Cora never mentioned Walsh – he never came back. She succumbed to love, which lead to her being brokenhearted. This, along with the events of “The Miller’s Daughter,” could have confirmed her belief that, and here it comes, “Love is weakness.”
Very nice.
Ok, I hope you’re right. And I still think that they could do it without infringing on Wicked copyright because Zelena isn’t Elphaba and the events you’re describing are different than what happens in Wicked. I know copyright can extend across themes, but none of those characters belong to Maguire. And since they are different from both Baum and Maguire, I still think lawyers can be tricky and get around it.
So…I’m still hoping this theory pans out.