Wicked: Part One, released in November 2024 and directed by Jon. M. Chu, adapted the first half of the Broadway musical, focusing on themes such as self-identity and friendship. This adaptation, featuring Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda, blended the dance and music styles of theatre with the special effects of film to create a powerful and touching film that was not only well-received by long-time fans but also attracted a whole new fan base to the Land of Oz.
The film begins with the song “No One Mourns The Wicked,” which is about Elphaba’s life growing up. She was born with green skin and unknown powers; consequently, she struggled to be accepted by others. We are then teleported to the beginning of the story, when Glinda and Elphaba meet at Shiz University. They start on the wrong foot as roommates, but eventually, the two learn that they can be good friends. The movie continues with them going to school together, and focuses on how the animals, like Doctor Dillamond, are starting to be silenced with messages like, “Animals should be seen, not heard.”
Elphaba is invited to the Emerald City to meet the Wizard, who she hopes will help her use her powers for good as well as grant her wish of no longer being green. Glinda tags along for the journey, and the two have a great time exploring the city and have an amazing first encounter with the Wizard. The Wizard and Madame Morrible go on to ask Elphaba to try reading from The Grimmerie, which is when Elphaba realizes The Wizard’s true intentions, and that he is behind all the harm to the animals. At this moment, Elphaba has to choose between power and morals, and runs away. Glinda, looking for Madame Morrible’s validations, runs to get Elphaba back.
The move ends with the song “Defying Gravity,” which in the musical is known as the finale of Act One. The song shows Glinda trying to persuade Elphaba to go back to the Wizard and have her dream about working by his side come true, but Elphaba, knowing she can never accept his true cause, denies and asks Glinda to run away with her. The movie ends with Elphaba fleeing as rumors are spread about her, saying she is a “wicked witch,” instilling fear and hate against her in everyone’s minds. We see Elphaba fly into the sky, and the screen switches to say, “to be continued.”
Now that we know the main plot of Elphaba and Glinda’s stories, let’s review a couple of important supporting characters that you might need to remember to understand the full picture.
One main character to remember for the second movie is Fiyero. Prince Fiyero is introduced into the musical as a new student at Shiz. Glinda is very excited about his arrival and makes it her mission to get to know him, unlike Elphaba, who has no interest at all. Fiyero is best known in Act One for his song “Dancing Through Life,” after which he begins a relationship with Glinda, but there are later hints at a possible future for him with Elphaba.
The other character good to know is Elphaba’s sister Nessarose. Nessarose was initially the only sister enrolled in Shiz, which is why Elphaba ended up there in the first place. We see Nessa start a relationship with Boq, a shy and awkward Munchkin who initially wanted to be with Glinda. Nessarose is not seen too much in Act One, but it can be good to keep her in the back of your mind for the second part.
Wicked: Part One presents a visually rich and emotionally charged reimagining of many characters from Oz. With powerful performances and musical numbers, it sets the stage for an even more powerful end to the story in part two.
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