Description: Just finished watching Wicked For Good (2025) and need to process that ending? Here is my complete breakdown of every Easter Egg, Wizard of Oz reference, and hidden detail in the Wicked sequel, from the Tin Man's horror origin to the secret meaning behind Glinda's final harmony.
Introduction
Welcome back to Oz, fellow Ozians! If you are reading this, you have likely just returned from the theater after watching Wicked For Good, the 2025 sequel that finally covers Act Two of the legendary musical. It has been a long year of waiting since Part One left us defying gravity, but the intermission is finally over. And if you are anything like me, you are probably an emotional wreck right now—somewhere between "I couldn't be happier" and "No One Mourns the Wicked."
But wipe those tears away, because we need to talk. Director Jon M. Chu didn't just adapt the second act of the stage show; he packed this film with an insane amount of visual storytelling, callbacks to the 1939 Wizard of Oz, and deep-cut references to Gregory Maguire's original novel that even the most die-hard fans might have missed on the first watch. From the specific year of the opening logo to the terrifying body horror behind the Tin Man, here is absolutely everything you might have missed in Wicked For Good.
The Opening: A Nod to 1939
Right from the start, the film establishes its timeline with a subtle but brilliant visual cue. Wicked For Good opens with the vintage Universal Studios logo specifically used between 1936 and 1947. This is a deliberate, meta-textual nod to the era in which Victor Fleming’s original The Wizard of Oz was released (1939). While MGM produced the original film, this Universal logo places us firmly in that cinematic headspace.
If you look closely at the globe in the logo, you can even spot a tiny tornado forming—a subtle foreshadowing of the storm to come. It is a small detail, but it tells us immediately that the storm isn't just weather; it's destiny.
Madame Morrible narrates that it has been "12 tides turned" since Elphaba stole the Grimmerie. While the stage musical is notoriously vague about the exact length of the time jump, the movie gives us visual clues that "a minute" has definitely passed. The sheer scale of the anti-Elphaba propaganda, the massive construction projects in Oz, and the visible aging of characters like the Cowardly Lion help piece together the timeline. It’s been long enough for Glinda to become a beloved icon and for Elphaba to become a myth.
The Animals of Oz and The "Skarks"
Speaking of construction, the opening shot of the Yellow Brick Road is stunning, but look at who is building it. The Wizard's Royal Guard is using animal labor to lay the bricks. Specifically, look at those large, yak-like creatures hauling the stones. I’m 99% sure those are Skarks.
For the book lovers, Skarks are fictional beasts of burden mentioned exactly 28 times in Gregory Maguire’s novel. They aren't described much in the book other than being grassy animals used to haul goods up mountain slopes, but seeing them brought to life here—resembling something like a Bantha from Star Wars—is a massive win for the lore nerds. It reinforces the central conflict of Act Two: the subjugation of Animals.
Elphaba’s Transformation & Costume Details
We need to give a massive round of applause to costume designer Paul Tazwell. Elphaba’s look in this film tells a tragic story without a single line of dialogue. She is still wearing the same tunic from the end of the first movie, and her coat is the raincoat she wore in Part One, but it’s distressed and breaking down. The black fabric is fraying, reflecting her life on the run.
Her hair is the biggest indicator of her journey. The tight micro-braids from the first film are starting to feather out and thicken. It symbolizes how she is "coming undone" under the pressure, but also how she is growing into her natural, untamed self. It’s darker, wilder, and freer.
The Recurring "Power" Move: Keep an eye out for Elphaba's hair flip. She does it early in the film, and it becomes a recurring gesture used by both lead women throughout the movie to reclaim power in moments of vulnerability.
The Title Card Difference:
Part One: Used green, natural tones for the title, signaling Elphaba's connection to the earth and her origins.
Part Two: The "Wicked For Good" title flashes in pink tulips. This signifies that while the first movie was Elphaba’s origin, this second half belongs just as much to Glinda. It is Glinda's movie now.
The Propaganda Machine: "The Wicked Witch Flies Again"
The Emerald City has gone full surveillance state. If you pause during the city scenes, you can spot the propaganda flyers that we saw leaked during production. The headlines from the Daily Ozian and Munchkin Gazette are actively painting Elphaba as a monster who "damages public property" and endangers the public.
The Pop-Up Book Easter Egg: In the first movie, there was a deleted scene where Elphaba looked at a pop-up book of the Wizard with genuine wonder, holding his little paper hand. In this movie, the tragedy comes full circle: we see her own pop-up book being sold at the "WizMart," but now she is depicted as a green monster terrorizing children. It is a heartbreaking parallel that shows just how far her public image has fallen—she went from admiring the hero to becoming the villain in the same style of storybook.
Elphaba’s Hideout Map: A Treasure Trove of Lore
We get a glimpse of a map in Elphaba’s treehouse (shoutout to the rebel animals for the housing). This map is way more detailed than Dr. Dillamond’s from Part One, and if you pause, you can read the tragic state of affairs in Oz:
The North: Labeled as home to Shiz University (and Glinda’s home).
The Left: Notes an investigation into "Owl’s Disappearance." This refers to a disbarred owl lawyer who the authorities claim ran away. (Spoiler: He didn't run. He's in a cage. We see him later.)
The Center: A target over the Emerald City.
The Margins: Texts like "Simeon Union abolished" and "Goats lose appeal to highest judge." It shows that Elphaba isn't just hiding; she is tracking a systematic genocide of Animal rights.
Glinda’s Bubble and The "Popular" Reprise
Glinda’s entrance is pure spectacle. She performs a reprise of "Popular" while the guards chant along. But listen closely to the musical arrangement. The guards aren't just chanting random notes; they are chanting the melody of Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture synced to the rhythm of "Popular."
Why is this brilliant? The 1812 Overture is a war anthem associated with cannon fire and military victory. By mixing it with the bubbly pop of "Popular," the film musically represents Glinda's role: she is the smiling face of a military regime.
The Bubble Wand: Glinda’s new wand is designed to look like a bubble bursting. This fits the movie’s recurring visual motif: Glinda is constantly framed in mirrors, spirals, and circles, reminding her that she is just "the girl in the bubble"—pretty to look at, but trapped.
The Childhood Flashback: We see a flashback to Glinda's childhood birthday where she waves a wand and a rainbow appears. While the first film suggested she had no magic, this ambiguous moment hints that perhaps Glinda does have innate power, or at least a connection to the "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" longing for something better.
The "Feldspar" Cameo
During the "Thank Goodness" number, we get a good look at Fiyero’s horse. This is Feldspar, a horse mentioned by name in the script. And yes, this is a direct nod to the "Horse of a Different Color" from the 1939 film. While he sadly doesn't change colors every few seconds in this version, his presence connects the "Gale Force" directly to the whimsical logic of the original Oz.
Nessa, Boq, and The Horror of the Tin Man
This section of the movie leaned hard into the horror elements, giving us a gothic, almost The Shining-esque sequence in Munchkinland. Nessa is now the Governor, and her office is packed with details, including the old radio horn from the first movie where she first heard the news about her sister.
The Mirror: Nessa slams a mirror down on her desk. Later, Elphaba’s magic cracks this mirror. This is a recurring motif—Elphaba cracks the glass in Glinda’s dorm in Part One, and the window in the Wizard’s office. It represents her inability to control her raw power when she’s emotional; she literally shatters reflections.
The Shoes: In the stage show, the spell allows Nessa to walk. In the movie, they make a fascinating choice: the silver shoes (yes, silver, like in the original book!) make her float. She never actually walks on two feet. It highlights the tragedy that the magic is artificial; when she drifts back down, she’s still disabled. It’s a cruel, temporary fix that only heightens her despair.
The Tin Man Transformation: When Elphaba tries to save Boq by turning him into the Tin Woodman, it is straight-up terrifying. We don't just see him turn silver; we see the objects around him integrate into his body. The movie shows the silver platter and tea set he was holding literally wrapping around his limbs to form his new exoskeleton.
The Detail You Missed: Look at his wrists and chest. The "squiggly" pattern from Boq’s Munchkin guard uniform is etched into the tin of his new wrists. The "M" monogram from his uniform is etched into his metal chest. It is a gruesome, permanent reminder of who he used to be, forever trapping the Munchkin boy inside the machine.
The Wizard, The Wedding, and The Swing
Jeff Goldblum’s "Wonderful" number is a masterclass in sleight of hand. He balances the earth like a ball, then deflates it—symbolizing that he views the world as nothing but hot air. He is a con man to the core.
The Birdcage Metaphor: During the dance, Elphaba and the Wizard sit on a swing. But look at the design—it’s not a playground swing. It looks like a perch in a birdcage. The symbolism is screaming at us: The Wizard isn't offering her partnership; he’s trying to cage another animal.
When Elphaba uncovers the truth—finding the hidden room of silenced animals, including a heartbreakingly silent Dr. Dillamond—she snaps. She uses her broom to choke the Wizard. It’s a callback to her surfing the broom in the opening; she is turning a cleaning tool into a weapon of war.
"As Long As You're Mine" & The Cyclone
The romance between Elphaba and Fiyero gets its moment in the "As Long As You're Mine" sequence. This is the "sexy" song of the show, and the movie delivers, ending with Elphaba levitating them both to the bed.
Lyrics that Matter: The line "Maybe I'm brainless, maybe I'm wise" is heavy foreshadowing. He is about to become the Scarecrow (brainless) and see the world through "two different eyes" (painted on a sack).
Elphaba's New Song: We also get the new track "No Place Like Home," where Elphaba sings about her love for Oz despite its rejection of her. The irony of the title—using Dorothy's famous catchphrase—is palpable.
Enter Dorothy: Madame Morrible summons the cyclone (notice her tornado earrings and hair styled like a storm cloud). We see the house fly in, and we catch a glimpse of Dorothy (played by Bethany Weaver).
Costume Detail: The curtains in the Gale farmhouse are made of the exact same blue gingham fabric as Dorothy’s dress. It implies Aunt Em made Dorothy’s dress from the spare curtains. That is top-tier production design that grounds the fantasy in rural reality.
The Castle Kiamo Ko & The Scarecrow
Fiyero’s family castle, Kiamo Ko, is reimagined as a gravity-defying structure with a "mouth" in the middle. This architecture allows for the Flying Monkeys to crawl in and out of the "teeth," adding a creepy, organic feel to the location.
The Scarecrow Transformation: Fiyero’s transition is elemental. We see straw literally bursting out of his skin in flashes. When we see him fully transformed later, the texture on Jonathan Bailey’s face is incredible—it looks like a canvas bag, but it’s still distinctly him.
The Trap Doors: The castle is filled with trap doors, which serves as a clever setup for how Elphaba eventually escapes the melting scene.
"For Good": The Lyric Breakdown
We have to talk about that song. "For Good" is the emotional core of the movie, and the film respects the musical theory beautifully.
The Metaphors:
Glinda's Lyrics: She compares herself to things altered by gravity ("Like a comet pulled from orbit," "Like a stream that meets a boulder"). She was on a fixed path until she met a force of nature.
Elphaba's Lyrics: She compares herself to things set free ("Like a ship blown from its mooring," "Like a seed dropped by a skybird"). She was stuck, and Glinda was the wind that let her move.
The Harmony Shift: In the stage show, the actresses usually battle for the high note, or switch off. In the movie, Glinda takes the lower harmony on the final "I have been changed for the better." It signifies her maturity. She doesn't need to be the center of attention anymore; she is grounding the moment, supporting her friend one last time.
The Ending Explained: A Sequel Tease?
The ending of Wicked For Good deviates slightly from the book (thankfully, Elphaba survives here) and the stage show.
The Witch Hunters: We see the Tin Man (Boq) steaming with rage—literally releasing steam from his chest cavity.
The Departure: Elphaba and the Scarecrow leave through a trap door (foreshadowed by the monkeys earlier) and head West toward the desert.
The Twist: As Elphaba leaves, she looks back at Glinda. At Glinda's side, the Grimmerie book glows and comes to life.
Is this implying Glinda now has magic? Throughout the film, we are told Glinda has no real power—she uses tricks and wands. But the rainbow at her childhood party and this final shot suggest that maybe, just maybe, Elphaba’s magic "rubbed off" on her. Or perhaps, Glinda had the potential all along but needed Elphaba to unlock it.
The Final Shot: The movie ends with a flashback to the two of them at Shiz, perfectly recreating the iconic Broadway poster image (Glinda whispering to Elphaba). It leaves us with a mystery: What did Glinda whisper? We will never know, and honestly? It’s perfect that way. It keeps the intimacy of their friendship sacred, a secret just for them.
Conclusion
Wicked For Good managed to do the impossible: it honored the stage show while expanding the lore in ways that felt fresh and cinematic. Whether it was the hidden details in the costumes, the terrifying reality of the Tin Man, or the subtle nods to a potential "Wicked Cinematic Universe," this was a film made for the fans.
**What was your favorite detail? Did you catch any
No comments:
Post a Comment