Tag Wicked

Why I’m a Huge Fan of Wicked (the Films and the Broadway Musical)

drstaceynaito 1 Comment

If there’s one story that has captured my heart across every version—the Broadway musical and the two film adaptations—it’s Wicked. What makes Wicked so special to me goes far beyond its stunning visuals, unforgettable music, and emotional storytelling. At its core, Wicked is a powerful character-driven tale about friendship, identity, and what it truly means to be “good” or “wicked.”

The Characters and What Makes Them Compelling

Elphaba – The “Wicked” Witch of the West

Elphaba is the emotional heart of the story. Born with green skin and misunderstood from the start, she grows up labeled as strange or dangerous, even though she’s intelligent, compassionate, and principled. Her journey is about learning to embrace who she is rather than who others expect her to be.
What I love about Elphaba is that she stands her ground; she refuses to stay silent when something is wrong. She is one of the most morally driven characters in Oz—even though the world paints her as a villain.

Glinda – The Good Witch

Glinda begins as everything Elphaba is not: bubbly, privileged, popular, and deeply invested in what others think of her. What makes Glinda fascinating is that she isn’t purely “good” from the start; she grows into it. We see her struggle with vanity, guilt, responsibility, and how hard it is to choose the right path when it costs something.

Glinda’s arc shows that goodness isn’t about perfection—it’s about change, empathy, and difficult choices.

Fiyero

Fiyero begins as the charming, carefree prince-type, but as he grows closer to Elphaba, we see past the façade. He becomes braver, more thoughtful, and ultimately someone willing to sacrifice everything for love and integrity. His relationship with both women adds emotional depth and shows that people can evolve beyond their reputations.

The Bonds Between the Characters

Elphaba & Glinda: One of the Most Beautiful Friendships in Musical Theatre

Their relationship is the soul of Wicked. They start off as rivals—complete opposites who can hardly stand each other. But as the story unfolds, they bring out the best in one another.

  • Glinda helps Elphaba experience acceptance and joy.
  • Elphaba teaches Glinda about honesty, moral courage, and compassion.

Their friendship becomes a transformative force in both their lives. Even though the world tries to push them apart, their bond remains one of respect, heartbreak, and deep, genuine love. The emotional peak of Wicked is not romantic—it’s the moment these two friends acknowledge how much they’ve meant to one another.

Elphaba & Fiyero

Fiyero’s love for Elphaba is powerful because it’s based on seeing who she truly is, not how she looks or what others say about her. Their bond highlights one of the story’s biggest themes:
being loved not for your reputation, but for your heart.

Glinda & Fiyero

Their relationship serves as a contrast—sweet and charming, but ultimately surface-level. Glinda’s heartbreak when Fiyero chooses Elphaba is handled with sincerity and maturity, grounding her growth.

How Wicked Connects to The Wizard of Oz

One of the most ingenious parts of Wicked is how it reimagines the classic Wizard of Oz narrative from an entirely fresh perspective.

  • Elphaba isn’t a villain—she’s a misunderstood rebel fighting corruption.
  • The Wizard is no longer a whimsical hero; he becomes a symbol of manipulation and propaganda.
  • The events we know from The Wizard of Oz—the ruby slippers, the flying monkeys, the green elixir, Dorothy’s arrival—are cleverly reframed with deeper meaning.

Wicked doesn’t contradict the Oz story; it enriches it. Suddenly, every moment from The Wizard of Oz feels different—more bittersweet, more complex—because we now understand the people behind the myths.

Why the Two Wicked Films and the Musical Mean So Much to Me

All versions of Wicked share the same emotional core, but each medium brings something special:

  • The Broadway musical gives us iconic performances, soaring music, and live emotional intensity.
  • The two films offer visual spectacle, expanded world-building, and a more intimate look at the characters’ inner lives.

What stays the same across all three is the message:
that people are more than the labels society gives them, and that true friendship can change the world—even if history forgets it.

That message—and the unforgettable characters who bring it to life—is why Wicked will always have a special place in my heart.

Wicked Has Made Green Cool Again

drstaceynaito 1 Comment

123rf.com Image: ekina ID 139588183

Thanks to the release of Wicked, the color green (evoked by light which has a dominant wavelength of roughly 495–570 nm) is very much in style, which is fantastic for someone like me who has always adored most tints of the color family. To top it off, emerald green in particular has been one of my favorite hues, especially if the item is somehow faceted or sparkly. I have enjoyed seeing a plethora of items for sale right now which feature the verdant shade, because this is a color which rarely gets center stage. Of course, when the second act of Wicked is released next November, there will be another surge of green things popping up, which is absolutely fine with me.

Suddenly, the green designer leather handbags, clothing items, makeup, and even luggage that I have longed to be able to find are popping up everywhere. In perfect keeping with Wicked, that also means that pink has made a strong comeback, almost on the heels of the Barbie Movie craze which popularized the bubble gum hue. Since I absolutely abhor the color pink, this is a downside I must endure, especially because the rosy shades that are popping up are rather pastel and girly, and certainly nowhere on my list of preferred tones. Yet Glinda is known to say, “Pink goes good with green!”, and I know that if my mother were still alive, she would agree with Glinda’s assessment of the two shades beside each other.

I’ll just stick with the green.