A ‘Thrillifying’ Recap in Preparation for ‘Wicked: For Good’

The countdown to the release of the highly anticipated “Wicked: For Good” is almost over. Set to release in theaters Nov. 21, a year after acclaimed part one “Wicked” premiered, the sequel has high expectations to meet.  

The eponymous musical the films are based on is a condensed version of Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel, “Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West,” a darker and more politically complex version that provides the origins of the characters of Oz, and context to what they were like before Dorothy’s arrival.

While the musical is an all-around lighter tale, concepts of propaganda, abuse of power and civil resistance are still present.

In order to fully appreciate “Wicked: For Good,” viewers must understand what happened in the original “The Wizard of Oz” and remember the events of the first “Wicked” movie. Here’s a breakdown of crucial events to refresh your memory before making your way to theaters over Thanksgiving break.

The first film installment begins with an announcement of the death of the Wicked Witch of the West, which will play out in “Wicked: For Good.” The film follows the life of Elphaba, played by Cynthia Erivo, a natural witch unfortunately born green who undertakes a journey of self-discovery and acceptance. Along the way, she befriends Ariana Grande as Galinda, a scorned roommate who shows her kindness, though is often misguided by a need to be liked. 

The charismatic Wizard, portrayed by Jeff Goldblum, whom the pair meet on a fateful trip to the Emerald City, will also have a greater role to play. At the climax, after uncovering his lies, Elphaba flees from the Wizard while Galinda — now shortened to Glinda — stays. The film ends with a message to all of Oz — beware the green witch.

“Wicked: For Good” covers the second act of the “Wicked” musical, beginning after Elphaba’s escape from the Emerald City. The second act overlaps with major plot points from “The Wizard of Oz.” As those events will be happening in the background, it’s important to understand Dorothy’s journey and who she comes in contact with during her time in Oz.

In “The Wizard of Oz,” when Dorothy lands in Munchkinland after being swept up in a tornado, her house falls on the Wicked Witch of the East, sister to the Wicked Witch of the West — “Wicked’s” Nessarose, played by Marissa Bode, and Elphaba, respectively. 

Soon after, Dorothy meets Glinda, the Good Witch of the North, as well as the Wicked Witch of the West who’s come for her dead sister’s ruby slippers. Her attempt to retrieve the shoes is thwarted as Glinda magically transfers them to Dorothy’s feet.

In the new film, the slippers will be silver instead of ruby – an homage to the 1900 book’s original description of the slippers. “The Wizard of Oz” popularized the ruby slipper depiction because the use of color in films was new and improving at the time of its creation, and the creators wanted to showcase the new technology, according to the National Museum of American History.

Glinda then sends Dorothy on a journey to visit the Wizard of Oz in the Emerald City, so he can send her home to Kansas. On her adventure, Dorothy befriends the Scarecrow, Tin Man and Cowardly Lion. 

These characters are all hinted at in the 2024 film but not yet explicitly given those names. “Wicked: For Good” will dive deeper into how each character ends up in the forms they appear in “The Wizard of Oz.” 

To understand the allusions, thematic elements and integrated characters the movie is incorporating, audiences should know their original importance: Dorothy got the slippers from the Wicked Witch of the East, Scarecrow wants the Wizard to bestow him with a brain, Tin Man desires a heart and Cowardly Lion longs for courage. 

After meeting, it’s the Wizard who sends Dorothy to the castle of the Wicked Witch of the West to retrieve her broomstick. It’s here Dorothy melts the witch with a bucket of water, opening up questions of Elphaba’s true fate for “Wicked: For Good” to explore. 

When Dorothy and her friends take her broomstick back to the Wizard, they discover he’s a fraud and unable to fulfil his promise to grant them what they each desire.

At the end of the movie, it’s Glinda who tells Dorothy how to get home — all she must do is tap the heels of her ruby slippers together three times and say “there’s no place like home.”

“Wicked: For Good” will pick up where “Wicked” left off, exploring the journeys of Elphaba and Glinda in a behind-the-scenes look at the hidden nature of events in “The Wizard of Oz.”