How Many Times Wicked: For Good Says “Clock-Tick” (The Actual Number Is Surprising)

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Be warned, this post contains spoilers for Wicked: For Good! The phrase “Clock-Tick” has become particularly noticeable since the movie came out. While Wicked: For Good features a lot of unique sayings from the land of Oz, “Clock-Tick” has really caught on with fans – some even feel it was overused in the film.

The recent discussion about the phrase “clock-tick” started because it wasn’t used much in the first Wicked movie. That makes its frequent appearance in For Good stand out. However, many online now believe Wicked: For Good includes a “clock-tick” moment in almost every scene, so we started documenting them.

Wicked: For Good Uses The Phrase “Clock-Tick” More Than Once

There’s been a lot of talk online, particularly on platforms like TikTok and X, about the phrase “clock-tick” in the musical Wicked. Many people have noticed it’s repeated frequently – some say dozens of times throughout the show – and it’s become a running joke and popular topic for memes and reaction videos.

It’s true that the movie unexpectedly starts using a particular Oz term, ‘Clock-Tick,’ which makes it noticeable, as several characters repeat it throughout the film.

It appears the “clock-tick” sound became more prominent simply because it was used much less in Wicked: Part One – it only played once, at the very beginning during a flashback to Elphaba and Nessa’s childhood, originating from Dulcibear.

How Many Times Wicked: For Good Uses “Clock-Tick” (And Where)

Here’s every time the phrase “clock-tick” is heard by the end of 2025’s Wicked: For Good:

  • During the Yellow Brick Road opening ceremony, Fiyero and Glinda head off-stage to speak in private, with Glinda telling the crowd that they’d only be “a clock-tick“. This is where Fiyero voices his frustrations about the lies being told about Elphaba, and his desire to find her.
  • When Boq questions whether Nessa will enact new laws restricting animals’ rights in Munchkinland, she tells Avaric to give them a “clock-tick” to be alone. Avaric was a fellow student at Shiz University in Wicked: Part One, who now looks to have become a member of Nessa’s staff after she became Munchkinland’s new governor following the death of her and Elphaba’s father.
  • Preparing for her wedding to Fiyero, Glinda is aided by two white bats before telling them to give her a “clock-tick” before she meets with Elphaba on the balcony.
  • Following Nessa’s death via Dorothy Gale’s flying house, Glinda accuses Elphaba during their Munchkinland confrontation of stealing Fiyero, prompting Elphaba to tell Glinda: “Now you just wait a clock-tick.”

Although people online have talked about the phrase “clock-tick” a lot, it actually appears surprisingly few times in Wicked: For Good – only four times throughout the whole movie. It seems the feeling that it’s overused comes from its repeated use, especially since it wasn’t featured much in Wicked: Part One.

Even though the phrase didn’t appear much in the actual show, as a huge Wicked fan, I was amazed by how quickly it became a hilarious inside joke online! It really took off once people started sharing clips and edits all over social media – it was everywhere!

Why The People Of Oz Use “Clock-Tick” (What It’s Referencing)

In the world of the musical Wicked, the phrase “clock-tick” is used to create a distinctive Ozian culture. It’s a casual way for people in Oz to say “just a moment,” and it feels more fitting alongside other invented words like “thrillified,” “obsessulated,” and “rejoicify.”

Beyond being a catchy phrase, “clock-tick” has significant roots in the larger story of Wicked. It’s a reference to the Time Dragon, a key figure in Gregory Maguire’s original Wicked novels. This Time Dragon is a mechanical fortune-teller closely linked to Elphaba’s destiny, suggesting her life unfolds as a predetermined story.

The movies only briefly suggest how important the Time Dragon is, but the books establish it as a central part of the story’s mythology.

In the first Broadway production, a large, mechanical clock shaped like a dragon was prominently displayed above the stage. This ‘Time Dragon’ Clock visually framed the entire show and, more specifically, Elphaba’s story, though its presence was less significant than in the original novels.

The clocks and the dragon imagery around the stage are designed to make it look like you’re watching a puppet show within the story’s world, similar to the Time Dragon performances described in the books.

The made-up slang in the movie Wicked helps create the feeling that Oz operates by its own set of rules, separate from our world. This playful language also strengthens Oz’s distinct culture and adds to the film’s whimsical feel. While terms like “clock-tick” might seem strange, that’s intentional – it contributes to the overall charm and immersive worldbuilding, just like other unique words and phrases (“Scandalacious”).

Wicked: For Good is now playing in theaters.

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2025-11-29 04:31