Warning: This article contains spoilers for Wicked, the Broadway musical, and potentially 2025’s movie Wicked: For Good.Wicked: For Good will showcase the second half of the Wicked Broadway soundtrack — plus some original songs written for the movie — including the tune that is the emotional pathos of the entire story. The recently released Wicked: For Good trailer teases the next stage in Elphaba and Glinda’s journey, where they are pitted against each other more than ever.
Oscar nominees Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande return to these lead roles, as Elphaba is relentlessly tarnished by the regime as she alone fights the Wizard’s (Jeff Goldblum) rule, while Glinda is used as a counterimage and spokesperson. Though many imagine these two as enemies, they started on a different arc long ago.
Elphaba and Glinda’s friendship is damaged not only by the political situation but also by Glinda’s fiancé Fiyero’s (Jonathan Bailey) confession that he is actually in love with Elphaba. However, the moment where Elphaba and Glinda reconcile in Wicked‘s ultimate ending is arguably the most thematically important scene in the whole production.
“For Good” Is Wicked’s Most Emotionally Important Song
Elphaba & Glinda Reflect On Their Relationship & Say Goodbye
In Wicked‘s final act (per the Broadway show), Glinda goes to tell Elphaba that she needs to free Dorothy and flee because a violent mob is coming for her. When they receive word that Fiyero is ᴅᴇᴀᴅ moments later, Elphaba agrees to surrender and turns over the Grimmerie to Glinda, leading to the song that is their farewell to each other.
Neither knows if Elphaba will survive nor if she will ever be able to safely see Glinda again, so they are ᴀssuming that this is it, and expressing how much they have shaped each other. It is a deeply cathartic moment, and the entire show hinges on it when the friendship is at the center of the story.
The song “For Good” is one of Stephen Schwartz’s masterpieces, and the trailer has already revealed some sections of Erivo and Grande masterfully performing it. We were also treated to snippets of the beautifully-acted bittersweet humor at that moment, indicating that it is going to be an essentially perfect scene in full.
Wicked: For Good Can Disprove A Common Musical Criticism
People Are Expecting Wicked 2 To Be A Bit Of A Let-Down Musically
Wicked: For Good would seem to be at a disadvantage when many of the show’s most popular songs are in the first half; at least, there are more ensemble numbers in the first act. However, the parts we have heard of Erivo and Grande’s “For Good” are a reminder that multiple strong contenders for some of Wicked‘s best songs are to come.
“Defying Gravity” is the best song in the show, but the nuance and layering of “For Good” is a close second. “No Good Deed” is also a showstopper, and “Wonderful” playfully contemplates the show’s biggest moral dilemmas. There are also Glinda and Elphaba’s new solos to look forward to.
Wicked: For Good might inherently be less spectacle than its predecessor, but it still has some very bombastic moments and pivots the story into something darker and more character-driven. Ultimately, the lyrical work is just as good, and no one should ᴀssume that it will be the lesser half.
