“Something has changed within me; something is not the same.” These lyrics in Defying Gravity accurately describe the flip from the first part of Wicked to the second part. In Wicked: For Good, we see a variety of characters going through developments both good and wicked. Even the definition of the words “good” and “wicked” is progressed and developed through this second part. We are shown that what we thought to be evil and wicked can most likely just be something different or misunderstood. Good also can be misunderstood by perception.
From the common media of The Wizard of Oz, we are shown a fragment of the plot of Wicked, but through Dorothy’s point of view. To the little girl in red shoes—yes, the ones she stole off a dead woman—Elphaba seems like the Wicked Witch of the East. She is green and cruel, and she targets Dorothy for seemingly no reason. The Wizard seems mighty, and the world of Oz seems perfectly magical. However, as seen through Elphaba and Glinda’s points of view in part one and two of Wicked, we know that the roles of evil and good aren’t so easy.
Elphaba is the most easily misunderstood. People of Oz treat her like an outcast because of the color of her skin. She becomes the symbol of misjudgment from society—how society does not celebrate differences but isolates them. They call her disgusting and strange. It is only Fiyero who calls her beautiful: “It’s not lying, it’s just seeing things a different way.” Elphaba is the one bringing real change to Oz, through saving the animals and fighting oppression from the Wizard and Madame Morrible.
Glinda might be called Glinda the Good, but it takes her a while to get there. Her storyline for the first half of the movie is her living in her obliviousness and ignorance of the pain and suffering around her. She cannot resist the life of being loved and popular. It’s not until her wedding is ruined and Fiyero chooses to leave with Elphaba that something stirs within Glinda. First, she is heartbroken, but then she is angry. She supplies information to the Wizard and Madame Morrible, which leads to the death of Nessa Rose.
After that, the fight ensues. Glinda and Elphaba battle in a humorous way, in which the betrayal of losing something she never truly had—Fiyero—fuels Glinda, and Elphaba is motivated by the death of her sister. Glinda’s final moment of character development is sparked by looking in the mirror. The realization of her part in evil deeds becomes clear to her just by seeing her own reflection. Through the added song “Girl in the Bubble,” she realizes that she is not Glinda the Good. She has been living in a dream because she was unwilling to open her eyes and accept her part in cruelty. To become truly good, she must leave her bubble and step into reality.
In the end, they reconcile their friendship, realizing that there are bigger things that matter. “You’re the only friend I’ve ever had.” “And I’ve had so many friends… but only one that mattered.”
Wicked demonstrates how some societies need someone to be wicked so that there can be a hero. Everyone needs someone to believe in, but sometimes for that to happen, we have to have someone to root against. Elphaba realizes this after futile attempts to expose the Wizard for his lies and cruel deeds. Wicked: For Good demonstrates many lessons and themes, ranging from sacrifice, responsibilities, friendship, and identity.
The ending of this two-part film brings a sting of pain to viewers. Even though Elphaba and Glinda both got their biggest desires—Elphaba being loved and the animals being free, and Glinda finally being magical—those wishes cost them each other. While it might be a happy ending for Elphaba and Fiyero, it is one that Glinda will never know and never be a part of.
The film succeeds with its emotional turmoil because of its beautifully orchestrated musical numbers. Iconic songs widely known from pop culture like “As Long As You’re Mine” and “For Good” are brought to life by the powerful voices of its stars. There are also callbacks to songs from the first film that reinforce the emotional shift in the characters’ narratives. As seen through the song “I’m Not That Girl,” it is first sung by Elphaba in the first film as she yearns for Fiyero, thinking she is wishing for a dream that will never come true. Ironically, the song is reprised in the second movie as Glinda sings it at the destroyed altar where she was supposed to marry Fiyero.
The Wizard uses callbacks to the first film as well, as he tries to manipulate Elphaba to return to his side. “A celebration throughout Oz that’s all to do with you,” he sings in the song Wonderful in reference to the song “The Wizard and I.” For almost all her life, Elphaba dreamed of meeting the Wizard and being by his side. In this case, the phrase “never meet your heroes” applies because her dreams were crushed. This is symbolized through small details, like the munchkins celebrating the death of the Wicked Witch as they run across the yellow brick road and kick dirt onto it. This symbolizes the corruption of a once-idealized path and the distortion of Oz’s sense of “goodness” by staining something that was supposed to offer hope. The yellow brick road was paved by enslaved animals to make a stance against the Wicked Witch. It serves as a reminder that stories are written by those in power, not necessarily the truthful version.
The final song, For Good, brings the movie to a close emotionally. The story is done for good. It reinforces this as a final ending, cemented and undoable. All in all, Wicked: For Good reinforces the truth that everyone in Oz is both victim and participant. We see this through the characters’ developments and the friendship between Elphaba and Glinda. The power of words is exposed to be labels that collapse under the weight of circumstance, power, and sacrifice.
The ending scene is the perfect nod to the original story from the musical Wicked by showing Glinda whispering in Elphaba’s ear. The frame is a nod to the original playbook and reminds us that this story was possible because of the past performers, creators, and musicians of past performances on every stage.