How Wicked: For Good Puts an Emotional New Spin on the Classic Characters From The Wizard of Oz

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I was absolutely thrilled to see how much success the 2024 stage production of Wicked had – over $750 million worldwide is incredible, making it the most successful Broadway-to-film adaptation ever! Everyone’s anticipating the second movie will be huge, potentially earning over $112 million just during its opening weekend. But honestly, I don’t think we’d have this amazing story brought to life on screen if it weren’t for the classic Wizard of Oz movie that captured everyone’s hearts in the first place. It’s wonderful to finally see the untold stories of the Wicked Witch and Glinda!

The new movie, Wicked: For Good, finishes the stories of Elphaba and Glinda, connecting their experiences to the familiar events of The Wizard of Oz. It offers a fresh take on the classic tale, originally based on L. Frank Baum’s 1900 book, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The story inspired Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel, Wicked, which then became the hugely successful 2003 Wicked musical. The movie is adapted from that stage show, completing the long journey of this beloved franchise from book to stage to screen.

Picking up after the first intermission of the popular Broadway musical, this story takes place a few years after Elphaba and Glinda meet the Wizard (Jeff Goldblum) in the Emerald City. By now, their lives have gone in very different directions. Elphaba is fighting against the Wizard and Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh), who she sees as corrupt, and is considered an enemy of Oz. Glinda, on the other hand, is presented as the Wizard’s trusted supporter and a symbol of goodness. The sequel also explains how Dorothy Gale of Kansas (Bethany Weaver) and her companions fit into this version of the Wicked story.

As a huge movie fan, what really excites me about this film is how it brings these two different worlds together. It’s something I, and I think a lot of us, have been hoping to see for ages!

Who are the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion in Wicked?

As a huge fan of Wicked, I always loved the moment in Act II where it’s revealed that the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion weren’t just created in Oz. The show cleverly hints that we actually met them earlier in the story – we just didn’t realize who they were before they became the iconic characters we know and love from The Wizard of Oz.

The Cowardly Lion, voiced by Colman Domingo, is actually the grown-up cub of Elphaba and Fiyero. He was originally rescued from a cage at Shiz University in the first film. Though he believes Elphaba caused his fear by setting him free, his lack of courage actually comes from the trauma he suffered while being held captive and his struggle to survive on his own after being rescued.

Ethan Slater plays Boq, who becomes the Tin Man because of actions taken by Elphaba’s sister, Nessarose (Marissa Bode). After their father dies, Nessa becomes the Governor of Munchkinland, but rules as a harsh leader—earning the title “Wicked Witch of the East”—because she fears Boq will leave her and is upset that he loves Glinda. When Elphaba visits, Nessa tries to use a spell from Elphaba’s book to make Boq fall in love with her. But, because she’s not skilled in magic, the spell goes wrong and causes Boq’s heart to disappear. To save his life, Elphaba casts a new spell, turning him into the Tin Man, who no longer needs a heart. Despite Elphaba’s efforts, both Nessa and Boq wrongly blame her for everything that happened.

The most devastating moment in the story still centers around the Scarecrow. After Elphaba and Fiyero run off together, Glinda, heartbroken, suggests using Nessarose to lure Elphaba out of hiding. While Glinda doesn’t want Nessa harmed, it’s heavily implied that Madame Morrible causes the tornado that brings Dorothy to Oz and tragically kills Nessa. When Elphaba arrives to get her sister’s shoes and confronts Glinda as Dorothy begins her journey, she realizes she’s been tricked. Fiyero appears to defend her, allowing her to escape, but he’s captured by the Wizard’s guards. Knowing Fiyero will be tortured, Elphaba casts a desperate spell to protect him from pain, hoping to make him invulnerable. The spell works, but with a terrible side effect: it transforms Fiyero into a scarecrow. Elphaba, believing he’s dead, is overcome with grief.

What about Dorothy?

Director Jon M. Chu explained to People that he deliberately kept Dorothy’s face hidden in Wicked: For Good to let audiences maintain their own image of the iconic character. Despite this, Dorothy remains crucial to the story’s conclusion. Chu stated he didn’t want to interfere with viewers’ pre-existing ideas of Dorothy, emphasizing that the film ultimately focuses on the relationship between Elphaba and Glinda, with Dorothy acting as a key piece in their journey.

Once Dorothy reaches the Emerald City, the Wizard tells her she can go home if she defeats the Wicked Witch of the West and brings back her broom as proof. Around the same time, Boq stirs up the people of Oz against Elphaba. Separately, Fiyero is disguising himself as a brainless Scarecrow, hoping to avoid detection while he tries to reconnect with Elphaba.

Dorothy eventually finds Elphaba hiding at Kiamo Ko, Fiyero’s family castle. Elphaba captures her, hoping to get back the silver shoes that once belonged to Nessa. After making peace with Glinda and sharing an emotional farewell, Elphaba comes up with a plan. She decides to use the story that water will destroy her to her benefit, secretly faking her death. She allows Dorothy to throw water on her, then disappears through a hidden trapdoor, creating the illusion that she melted. After Dorothy returns to the Emerald City and goes home to Kansas, Fiyero, now a Scarecrow, goes to Kiamo Ko to find Elphaba. Together, they escape Oz and venture into the unknown lands beyond.

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2025-11-21 16:07