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The upcoming film ‘Wicked: For Good’ has a lot to say about Elphaba’s life when she is exiled, the insights being the fact that she has secluded herself in a magical treehouse where no one can find her. The treehouse seems to be a double-edged sword: on the one hand, it is a place of solitude, and on the other, it is a place where she fights for her rights in Oz. The story beyond the stage opens a new world to the audience and the visuals of the character are nothing but new.
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A completely different perspective of the Oz world has arisen, and it is centered entirely on its most misunderstood resident. The official ‘Wicked: For Good’ story has released a production clip that gives the audience a tour of Elphaba’s new habitat in Oz. One cannot help but feel very close to Elphaba in the video as it is very impactful and shows the green-skinned heroine of Cynthia Erivo getting to the point of being wrongfully accused and forced to hide and stay out of sight.
The video presents the new setting as the most ‘wonderful treehouse that you will ever see.’ Her new home is very high in the trees, so she can see and also be invisible at the same time. The sparkling place she lives in is where she can keep her magic and creativity, but it is also where her super loneliness is most pronounced. The person in the featurette mentions, ‘It is a very lonely path to have ethical courage, and we see it in Elphaba the one who fights for justice.’
Visual representations are very expressive. The narrator remarks that ‘In Oz, everything is round,’ but ‘Elphaba, with her pointed hat and her edges, is sort of the Z in Oz.’ She is depicted as the one who disturbs the tranquility, the one who cuts through the perfect ring. The character’s internal conflict is exposed: she really wants to be good, to be loving, but she knows that to do so, she must pull back from the public entirely. She has to realize that for the baton to be passed, she has to let go.
The netizens immediately and very emotionally reacted to this revelation. The majority of the people who were surprised, said that it was due to the powerful visuals along with the new storyline for the character. One user on social media wrote, ‘she’s going home and we are crying’ which precisely conveyed the mixed feeling of Elphaba finding a place of her own, though it is in exile.
Another person beautifully summed up the character’s main motivations saying, ‘Her love for animals, Fighting for what she loves, Wants everything to be perfect 💚🥺 Remembering Glinda.’ This sentiment embodies the core of the ‘Wicked’ story—an overlooked character fighting for a better world.
The phrase ‘She’s the Z in OZ’ was a strong sentiment for many. One person simply responded with, ‘… wow 🥺💚,’ and another went on to say, ‘Ironically also the Omega!’ This perception places Elphaba not as a villain but as the final, ultimate word—the catalyst of change in a dormant land.
Among the major things that gained attention was the unveiling of Elphaba’s world to the public beyond the stage. A user shared their excitement with the comment, ‘Wow this is so exciting! To see Elphaba’s world come to life beyond the stage is just magical.’ The comment spawned a small conversation, with other people noting that the stage production never depicted her treehouse. One person even said, ‘her treehouse reminds me of the fairies’ realm in Maleficent 2. It’s amusing because I love both Wicked and Maleficent,’ thus visually connecting to the other narrative of a misunderstood, powerful woman.
The strong emotionality of the featurette was perceptible. ‘I HAVE CHILLS. can’t wait!!! 💚💚💚,’ one viewer exclaimed. Another quite openly admitted, ‘right okay so I can’t stop crying,’ showing how effective the preview was in reaching the core of the story. The phrase, ‘”It’s a very lonely road to have moral courage.” ❤️👏🏻,’ was highlighted by another user, acknowledging the immense weight of the burden the character carries.
However, there were also those who were praising the film and others who were demanding the filmmakers to justify how this new vision is related to the original ‘Wizard of Oz’ story. One person asked the question, ‘So the wicked witch does not have the castle like in the original OZ?’ while another wondered, ‘A question that I have been thinking a lot about is did Elphaba teleport like in the original?’ These questions reflect “a” rather “engaged” audience keen to know how the new film will weave its storyline with classic elements.
Despite this, the final judgement was always unanimously in favor – the new angle was overwhelmingly accepted. A user celebrating the moment said, ‘I love that we are getting another new movie it’s not Act II it’s a whole new imagination and I love all of it.’ The confidence in the production was so high, comments like, ‘You guys did sooooo so good with this movie.’ and similar ones were quite frequent. One very enthusiastic person who considered Cynthia Erivo’s performance to be Oscar-level said, ‘give her the oscar today.’ The marketing for the film has been impressive, including Ariana Grande‘s new makeup line.
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This new perspective on ‘Wicked: For Good’ has succeeded in exciting and hyping up the audience by intensifying the emotionality of the character of Elphaba. It doesn’t present Elphaba as a wicked witch but as a lonely, ethically strong person whose exile has led her to a beautiful, secret refuge. The social media reaction indicates that the viewers are willing to accompany her on this lonely but necessary journey, especially after seeing the final trailer.
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