**This article contains spoilers for Wicked: For Good**
Do you think the Land of Oz is all about magic and charm? Think again. Underneath the magic lies manipulation and fear caused by the “Wonderful” Wizard of Oz.
In Wicked, Elphaba isn’t “bad” for what she’s done. She’s considered bad to those who have power because she won’t be silenced. The Wizard uses spectacle to distract the people from his true intentions, while keeping dissenting voices silent.
The animals are a scapegoat used by the Wizard to create an environment of oppression and silence, so there’ll always be a climate of fear in place.
The Wizard of Deception
The Wizard is a perfect demonstration of political manipulation. He uses grand statements and elaborate displays of power to make the people of Oz think he’s a good leader, and to silence anyone who might challenge his perceived authority.
The Wizard said, “The best way to bring folks together is to give up a real good enemy.” Oz proves that fear is a lot easier to sell than facts. For the people of Oz, the animals represent the enemy. Framing them as an enemy makes the public support them, taking away their voices and limiting their rights.
In Oz, perception is reality, and the Wizard knows how to manipulate it to direct the animals’ fear towards himself, furthering his own interests and hiding the fact that he has no real magical abilities. He isn’t magical, but he’s mastered the power of deception.
The Wicked Rumors
Elphaba didn’t want to become a rebel. She just wanted to do the right thing: expose the Wizard’s deception, protect the animals from the Wizard’s abuse, and stop the lies from spreading. In fact, what’s considered “right” isn’t always accepted by those in positions of power.
“Why do I love this place that has never loved me?” When the propaganda against Elphaba begins, people don’t just merely accept the rumors; they embrace them.
When Elphaba attempts to begin a rebellion to free the animals and show the public the true face of the Wizard, even the animals push back. Those who fight against oppression are often seen by society as expendable. It’s not that the Wizard sees Elphaba as wicked; he views her as a threat because she won’t be silenced.
The Wizard’s Fear and Deception
The Wizard’s manipulation of the animals has created an “us vs. them” mentality in Wicked. The citizens of Oz are educated to believe they’re the “loyal, good people of Oz,” with all the rights and freedoms afforded to them. The animals, however, have been reduced to nothing more than a suspicious “other.” They’ve lost all their rights and can’t speak out for themselves anymore.
In the aforementioned words of the Wizard: “The best way to bring folks together is to give up a real good enemy.” The Wizard, through his transformation of the animals into enemies, provides a false sense of security and a moral justification for the citizens of Oz’s actions toward the animals.
Fear has taken over, and the public willfully participates in the oppression of the animals. The Wizard’s government then begins distributing what he calls “the necessary information” regarding the supposed danger posed by the animals, thereby transforming the propaganda into the public’s perception of the truth.
The Wizard acts as if taking away the rights of the animals is merely a “precaution” and that anyone questioning his policies is “anti-safety for Oz.” This type of rhetoric allows the Wizard to create a society in which prejudice and discrimination feel rational and even heroic. In addition, the way the animals are treated reveals the central political theme of Wicked.
Elphaba’s Courage
Fear doesn’t make the Ozians safer. Rather than protecting them, fear conditions them. That’s how unjust systems grow, not through the cruelty of the few but through the silence of many.
Don’t be just another bystander in the world; be the next Elphaba, the one who speaks up, the one who defends the weak, and the one who won’t allow fear to define who deserves respect.
Changed for Good
Glinda’s journey in Wicked: For Good is a journey of self-awakening and discovery of what’s right and wrong. Glinda finally confronts the Wizard and shows him that Elphaba is his biological daughter. Glinda uses this information to force the Wizard to leave Oz forever. Glinda sees through Madame Morrible’s manipulations and ensures she’s imprisoned.
With both main manipulators gone, Glinda takes on her role as a leader and uses her influence to protect the oppressed and restore the trust of the citizens and the animals. In the end, Glinda ended up living up to her name, because she knew Elphaba, Glinda has been changed for good.
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