‘Wicked: For Good’ Shows Why Goodness Often Looks Like Villainy
The final chapter reveals that sometimes the greatest act of love is choosing to accept being the villain in someone else's story
Part 2 of the critically acclaimed Broadway play makes its way to theaters everywhere November 21, and fans of the play and film will not be disappointed. Wicked: For Good completes the story of Elphaba and Glinda (formerly Galinda) after they discover that the wizard has no real powers—thus, he and Madame Morrible turn all the citizens of Oz against Elphaba with Glinda, whose hands are tied, at the tip of the corrupt spear.
And the final chapter of Wicked shows you exactly what happens when perception becomes more powerful than the truth.
Glinda Bears the Weight of Performative Goodness
For Good centers around Glinda’s guilt and remorse in the fallout of branding Elphaba the Wicked Witch of the West. She must, at all times, represent hope, happiness, and goodness to those who may not otherwise have any other reason to feel so. In this, Ariana Grande is no stranger. The global superstar experiences this weight and magnitude of stardom day in and day out—having to swallow feelings of angst, anxiety, and uncertainty to appease fans. It is no wonder that her portrayal of Glinda feels both authentic and melancholic.
While For Good showcases the darker side of the Wizard and Madame Morrible’s decisions, Ariana still hits her comedic moments with Glinda. Her physical and musical cadence come together in the perfect marriage that makes this version of Glinda all her own. Perhaps the best parts of Ariana’s performance were the quiet moments she did not perform for an audience. In the quiet of her innermost thoughts and feelings, Glinda was her most honest and powerful—vulnerability and self-doubt perfectly portrayed to convey all the things she could never bring herself to voice.
Elphaba Defies Perceptions Assigned to Her
Although For Good takes the perspective of Glinda and how she handles the consequences of her inaction, Cynthia Erivo’s power and presence as Elphaba continues to breathe new life into the film adaptation. On the run, Elphaba struggles with going down a path of exposing the truth to the citizens of Oz who actively choose to paint her as a villain simply because she is different, making her an easy target of their ignorance and their vitriol. This story is not far off from things Cynthia experiences throughout her own life. These very challenges and tribulations have been transformed by her and forged into a superpower—giving us quite possibly the best Elphaba to ever exist.
Cynthia’s prowess as a performer shines the brightest in her rendition of “No Good Deed.” The way Elphaba conveys her message, not just through song but with her entire being, leaves you utterly speechless, breathless, and in tears. Anyone who has ever felt unheard, unseen, ugly, and unloved will feel empowered beyond reason during this cinematic experience. But in the darkness, even in the exhaustive fight, there is a sweet innocence within Elphaba that makes the audience continue to believe in hope and to, ultimately, believe in the power of goodness.
And for Elphaba, sometimes goodness will still look like villainy in the eyes of those who refuse to understand.
The Greatest Magic Lies in the Power of Friendship
Wicked: For Good is a tale of 2 unlikely friends, different in every way, who choose to love each other in spite of everyone around them telling them to let the other go. It is a test of friendship and loyalty scrutinized by the public—outside voices threatening to infiltrate the bonds created in the privacy of their own bubble.
This message is punctuated beautifully in the final act of the film and echoed throughout the cast’s two-year press tour.
Whether you are team green, team pink, or something in between, the stories of Elphaba and Glinda—and the ideals of what it means to be good and wicked—live in our own lives and conversations, impacting how we treat one another based on perception and on reality. That is, ultimately, the tale of Wicked.
Wicked: For Good is in theaters everywhere Friday, November 21. Check your local theater listings for showtimes.
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Kivonshe—founder of So There’s That—is a film & TV critic who explores compelling storytelling, fandom relationships, character psychology, and the impact of entertainment media through film reviews, episodic recaps, and in-depth theme analysis.