In the 2024 movie musical Wicked, Glinda and Elphaba get to choose the color of the Wizard’s iconic Yellow Brick Road, yet the scene implies that one color would have been way better than yellow. It is no secret by now that Wicked offers an interesting mix of prequel and spinoff from the legendary 1939 movie, The Wizard of Oz. As much as audiences are following the new story of Elphaba and Glinda’s budding friendship, they also see how Oz became the city that Dorothy fell into. Yet, Wicked has a funny way of twisting Oz’s history.
One perfect example of how Wicked and The Wizard of Oz merge is the Wizard himself. In The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy discovers that the Great and Powerful Oz is nothing more than a con artist. Wicked does not change this concept, and goes even further. Elphaba and Glinda learn that the Wizard is not only trying to profit off of Oz but he is also hurting innocent people in the process. Elphaba and Glinda’s confrontation with the Wizard offers quite a lot of meaning that audiences can analyze before the release of Wicked: For Good.
Wicked Lets Glinda & Elphaba Choose The Brick Road’s Color
What The Brick Road Is In Wicked
A particularly meaningful scene in Wicked is when the Wizard allows Elphaba and Glinda to pick the color of the Yellow Brick Road. Before Elphaba learns of the Wizard’s schemes, he impresses her with his plans for Oz. He shows her the road on a 3-D map of Oz, and instructs her to pick what color it should be. The Wizard sifts through several colors, while Elphaba and Glinda deliberate. They eventually settle on yellow, courtesy of Glinda, who clearly has an eye for color and style.
Of course, the road seems to represent a newfound sense of community in Oz, connecting all the different lands, but in reality, the Wizard is using it more as a means of control.
Allowing Elphaba and Glinda to pick the brick road’s color is incredibly meaningful, not just for audiences who recognize the road, but for the characters themselves. Elphaba’s goal throughout Wicked is to make a difference in Oz, and though this is just one small decision, the Wizard gives her a glimpse at the power she has always craved. Of course, the road seems to represent a newfound sense of community in Oz, connecting all the different lands, but in reality, the Wizard is using it more as a means of control. Thus, the Yellow Brick Road earns a darker meaning.
Wicked Already Had Glinda Explain Why The Brick Road Should’ve Been Pink
The Symbolism Of The Brick Road’s Color In Wicked
Although Glinda ends up picking yellow for the color of the brick road, Wicked hints at a different fate for the iconic landmark. Earlier in the movie, Glinda explains how pink and green go very well together. In context, she is talking about herself and Elphaba, but this does not mean that her point is wrong. Pink and green do mesh well together, which means that making the Emerald City’s main road pink would be a strong aesthetic choice. Plus, Glinda’s favorite color is pink, so it’s shocking she doesn’t pick it simply for that reason.
Of course, Glinda does not pick pink for the brick road’s color, and though it defies some logic, it also makes sense for the story. If the brick road were pink, then it would point towards Elphaba and Glinda’s friendship seeping into the world of Oz, making it better. But of course, the end of Wicked shows that their bond does not change the Wizard’s plans. In this way, yellow is a better representation of Wicked because it symbolizes the Wizard’s greed. The Emerald City is green like money, while the brick road is yellow, like gold.
The Wizard Of Oz Made It Impossible For Wicked To Change The Brick Road
Wicked’s Future Is Defined By The Wizard Of Oz
Symbolism aside, Wicked could not have changed the color of the Yellow Brick Road, even if it wanted to. Because Wicked exists within the world of The Wizard of Oz, there are certain rules that the story must follow. Dorothy will come to Oz, Glinda will become the good witch, and the brick road will be yellow. In this way, Wicked’s brick road scene hints at a different conclusion, but ultimately moves forward with what was already written by L. Frank Baum and portrayed in The Wizard of Oz movie. This is a somewhat disappointing limitation, but it keeps both stories uniform.
The Yellow Brick Road is not the only barrier present in Wicked. Although the tale is able to make Elphaba and Glinda friends and rewrite the stories of well-known characters, The Wizard of Oz is still part of the canon. In this way, the end of Wicked should come as no big surprise to viewers. Just as the Wicked Witch of the West is melted by Dorothy’s bucket of water, Elphaba will melt away by the end of Wicked.
