Oz has been changed... For good.Academy Award nominees Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande are reprising their roles as Elphaba and Glinda in Wicked: For Good, the highly anticipated sequel coming to theaters on Friday, November 21 to the first Wicked movie directed by Jon M. Chu.Before the sequel's official title, Wicked: For Good, was announced, fans spent a while referring to it as Wicked Part Two. Thank goodness, the title did change to something a bit more specific: A well-deserved reference to "For Good," one of the most iconic songs of the Broadway musical that inspired these films.After several years waiting for these live-action movies to even come out, followed by many months of clips, teasers, first-look previews, exclusive shots, soundbites, and cryptic social media posts, the Wicked: For Good promo cycle has entered its endgame era with the release of its final trailer. As we all wait for the sequel to come out in theaters, fans have been sharing theories, Easter eggs, references, possible storylines, potential changes made to the film, quick reactions to updates concerning the project, and beyond.Scroll through to explore our comprehensive guide to the world of Oz and the unlimited possibilities of Wicked: For Good, premiering in theaters on Friday, November 21.'Wicked' is about 'choices,' whereas Wicked: For Food' is about 'consequences.'Director Jon M. Chu has explained for a while now that the first Wicked movie (2024) was about "choices," whereas Wicked: For Good is about "consequences."Even on the heels of the first film being released, Chu told GamesRadar in an interview: "In movie one, it's all about choices, and it's a big, bold choice that Elphaba has to make at the end, and Glinda is not quite ready to make that choice for herself, at least.""I think movie two is about consequences," he added. "What happens when you do make those choices? Yes, it's a great ending, to do that. But happy endings aren't just the end. Life is beautiful because it is always a to-be-continued, in a way. You have tomorrow."Chu concluded, "And what happens when the place that you love and fight for doesn't want anything to do with you? Is that still a home? This question of, 'There's no place like home.' Well, what is home? And where is your home? I think those things get to be untangled in this next movie."The endgame in Wicked For Good according to director Jon M. Chu.Even after convincing Universal Pictures that the long-anticipated Wicked movie had to be split into two parts, director Jon M. Chu confessed that he had to remind himself, at times, what this entire saga was really all about. "It's the girls, stupid," Chu told Empire, noting that this eventually became his mantra while making the film."There's no real endgame for friendship: No wedding, no baby," Chu went on. "The test for friendship is the darkness, the fight, the saving each other, and it explores all these things. Friendship often has to end in our lives, but it doesn't devalue the moment."Fiyero is spinning out of control.If Fiyero looked a bit off in the teasers, trailers, and images shared in the lead-up to Wicked: For Good, it's because the character was literally crashing out at the start of the sequel."You meet him very quietly spinning out of control, really, in a state of quiet rebellion," Jonathan Bailey told Empire. "[Fiyero's] passively going along with an establishment that he doesn't believe in, and he's using his position as head of the guard to find Elphaba, seemingly to protect Oz.""But as we know, I think, from the first film, he really wants to be close to her," Bailey mused.Setting the record straight: A tornado takes Dorothy to Oz Not a cyclone.In case you didn't know, L. Frank Baum's original novel incorrectly called the gust of wind that took Dorothy Gale to the Land of Oz as a "cyclone." Scientifically speaking, though, what we see on screen looks and moves like a tornado. This tiny detail is even pointed out by The Oz Museum:"'Cyclone' is the word L. Frank Baum chose to describe the Kansas storm in his story, although he clearly meant 'tornado.' Shortly after The Wizard of Oz book first appeared in 1900, Professor Willis L. Moore, then Chief of the United States Weather Bureau, wrote Baum's publishers to urge them to correct the inaccurate usage. He received a response from Frank K. Reilly of The George M. Hill Company, offering that the change would be made in the next edition. This, however, was never done."Considering the advancements of CGI technology in the past few years, longtime fans had really high for the 2025 version of this scene, in Wicked: For Good was one of the biggest how much CGI technology has advanced. But it should still be called a tornado, not a cyclone.Madame Morrible is indeed the person who causes the tornado that brings Dorothy's house to Oz.The Wicked musical on Broadway shows Madame Morrible saying that she created the tornado that brought Dorothy to Oz. However, given that Morrible is a villain and a very unreliable narrator, audiences are left to decide if she's telling the truth or just claiming to have done something to be seen as a powerful witch.Those questions are officially squashed in Wicked: For Good. Trailers have already shown extended footage of Morrible standing right in front of a window while deliberately manipulating the infamous tornado.Elphaba's burning effigy from the first Wicked movie was made with wood from Dorothy's house.The original MGM musical film The Wizard of Oz from 1939 tells the story of how Dorothy Gale a young girl from Kansas played by actress Judy Garland was swept into the Land of Oz along with her house. (Or, to be more specific, Uncle Henry and Aunt Em's house.)It's a pretty wild and savage move to use wood from Dorothy's house which literally killed Elphaba's younger sister to then metaphorically kill Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West.Yet, director Jon M. Chu has already confirmed this theory by re-sharing an X post from @wicked_updates on X/Twitter, as you can see below.Does Wicked: For Good include Dorothy?Yes, Dorothy Gale will be featured in Wicked: For Good. However, contrary to earlier reports, it seems like Dorothy will be a "faceless" character in this 2025 sequel. "I think that's such a wonderful thing to do," Cynthia Erivo (Elphaba) told Empire when asked about the Kansas farm girl being in this movie. "Because then everyone gets to keep the Dorothy that they know."Upon landing in Oz, Dorothy is greeted by Munchkinlanders and a green witch who remains nameless throughout the entire 1939 classic musical film. Everyone in Oz only seems to know her as the Wicked Witch of the West, so she mostly just functions as an antagonist who wants to challenge and complicate Dorothy's pursuit of finding her way back home.The entire point of the Wicked novel, musical, and movies is to tell the many other sides of this story. Y'know, besides the journey of Dorothy, which was already explored in great detail in the MGM film. On the other hand, fans of the original film are surprised that one of the most beloved characters of all time will be deliberately excluded from the framing of Wicked: For Good so that the story of Elphaba can be told from start to finish, without distractions, on her own terms.And, honestly? We're kind of living for it. If the 1939 film depicted the Wicked Witch of the West as just a nameless background character in Dorothy's journey, then 2025's Wicked: For Good can depict Dorothy Gale as just a faceless background character in Elphaba's journey. Poetic justice.The library is open, and shady Glinda is coming for Dorothy.Ariana Grande, who plays Glinda (ne Galinda) in Wicked: For Good, spilled some tea about her character's relationship to Dorothy in that same Empire cover story."I love the little bit of shadiness that Glinda has towards Dorothy," Grande says, laughing. "There's a lot going on, and [Glinda] doesn't really have time to deal with this."Glinda seems to purposely tell Dorothy to walk on the Yellow Brick Road (and not take the train).Grande also commented on this perceived "plot hole" pointed out by Oz fans after watching the first Wicked movie: Why would Glinda tell Dorothy to follow the Yellow Brick Road in order to meet the Wizard if she could've just taken Dorothy to the train?"I love the little bit of shadiness that Glinda has towards Dorothy," Grande told Empire, laughing. "There's a lot going on, and she doesn't really have time to deal with this. She could have told her to take the Emerald City train! But she didn't."Grande added, "That's a little shady, Glinda! So I leaned all the way into Glinda sort of having an eye roll for Dorothy whenever she has to deal with her."Condragulations, Ariana Grande, you're the winner of this week's reading challenge.Wicked's green train is painted in pink to honor Glinda the Good.Glinda's political career explored in Wicked: For Good is thriving by the time the sequel starts. Glinda is so respected and popular that an entire train to Emerald City is painted in pink for her.You better werk (against these evil people), Glinda.The sky messages of 1939's The Wizard of Oz and 2025's Wicked For Good.The Wicked movies have embraced a few interesting deep-cut parallels with the original MGM film The Wizard of Oz. At times, those parallels attempt to course-correct something about the original story that isn't great for a movie in 2025. In most instances, though, it's just a fun callback that fans might remember from the 1939 classic.It's very exciting to see that Elphaba will send a message to Ozians and to the Wizard himself in Wicked: For Good. As seen in the final trailer, Elphaba writes "Our Wizard Lies." This is a clear parallel to a message that the Wicked Witch of the West seems to write in The Wizard of Oz, "Surrender Dorothy."The original message is a threatening call to action about Dorothy. The new message has nothing to do with Dorothy; it's an accusation and a warning to Ozians that they shouldn't believe this not-so-wonderful man who happens to be in power.The history of a Red Brick Road.It's pretty common to hear from fans that they do not remember any other road of any other color from 1939's The Wizard of Oz. Given that Dorothy must supposedly take the Yellow Brick Road to meet the Wizard, it makes sense why most viewers only remember that one road with that one color.After seeing a few scenes and clocking certain themes coming up between 2024's Wicked and 2025's Wicked: For Good, we all might benefit from revisiting the ever-changing depictions of these brick roads in Oz.The construction of the Yellow Brick Road might play a significant role in Wicked For Good.The Yellow Brick Road was first introduced in L. Frank Baum's original 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. In the MGM film The Wizard of Oz, audiences got to see it for themselves. By all means, it is assumed that the Yellow Brick Road that Dorothy follows to meet the Wizard of Oz is already entirely built. But that's not the case for the 1995 Wicked book at least not at first.Gregory Maguire's Wicked novel makes it clear that the Yellow Brick Road is still under construction, and that its expansion into other areas aims to "connect" all of Oz, the Wizard says. There are plenty of scenes in the final trailer of Wicked: For Good that lead us to believe that this topic might be explored in the movie, too.But you might be wondering why anyone should care about the construction of a road in Oz. WellBuilding the Yellow Brick Road causes displacement and deforestation.Living creatures being dehumanized and losing their rights. Unsustainable urban practices that lead to the destruction of natural ecosystems. Environmental degradation in pursuit of overly ambitious (and irresponsible) profits. Gentrification. Do any of those topics sound familiar?The Wicked movies have tracked Elphaba's initial defiance of the Wizard of Oz as being connected to the mistreatment of Animals like Doctor Dillamond who, as a professor at Shiz University, taught Elphaba and her classmates about a "drought" that was causing Animals and animals to die. (P.S. In Wicked lore, capitalized-initial Animals are those with the ability to speak, think, and act similarly to human beings, much like the Cowardly Lion in the classic film; whereas animals are just like the ones we know in the real world.)In the lead-up to Wicked: For Good, several photos and videos have shown the still-ongoing construction of the Yellow Brick Road in Oz, which isn't something that comes up in 1939's The Wizard of Oz, nor in the Broadway musical.However, Gregory Maguire's 1995 Wicked novel does bring up the devastating consequences of building and expanding the Yellow Brick Road a topic that resonates with audiences today and could raise the stakes in Wicked: For Good.Long story short: The Wicked novel features a character named Turtle Heart who tells a young Elphaba and her parents about his birthplace, Quadling Country, having a useless swampy soil adding that the region also sits on top of a giant (and very valuable) deposit or ruby stones.Turtle Heart denounces "workers from the Emerald City" coming to Quadling Country to sample the soil as an excuse to advance their plans of building roads and highways across the entire area. Turtle Heart explains that building these roads in Quadling Country would lead to devastating deforestation, plus the displacement of animals and Animals."Quadlings cannot convince road builders, who want to build up dikes of mud and stone, and to cut Quadling Country in pieces," Turtle Heart says in the novel. "Rubies under the water. Red as pigeon blood. Engineers to say: Red corundum in bands of crystalline limestone under swamp. Quadlings to say: The blood of Oz."In other words, Maguire's book shows Turtle Heart flat-out accusing the Wizard of lying about his real motives behind building and expanding the Yellow Brick Road.The Wizard lies about the importance of the Yellow Brick Road.In the first film, the Wizard tells Elphaba and Glinda that the Yellow Brick Road is all about progress and connecting all of Oz together. He even asks for their input on the color, though it's clear that he's already landed on yellow.With that in mind, the Wicked novel suggests that the continued expansion of the Yellow Brick Road is mostly about the exploitation of Quadling Country soil no matter how catastrophic that is to the ecosystem of the region for the very profitable mining of ruby stones.The road construction also plays a big role in the destruction and limiting of areas where animals have access to drinking water. This component is, obviously, very much in line with the Wizard and Madame Morrible's plan to dehumanize Animals, and put animals in cages, given that these creatures lose access to drinking water and must move away from their natural habitats that are overtaken by these brick roads.Most pieces of work set in Oz do not explore this particular storyline, which leads to an overall denial that the Yellow Brick Road could represent a golden (money) strip of pavements built across green (nature) areas of Oz without considering how much it will damage the existing wildlife in those regions. Yet, Maguire's novel does include clear discussions about the topic, and it's been a very pleasant surprise to see the movies also going down that path.Fun fact: The scene of Turtle Heart discussing these matters features baby Elphaba saying the first word she's ever said: "Horrors." She repeats it, "horrors," several times as the adults continue to speak.The Elphaba vs. Glinda duel in Wicked For Good is no joke.There's a famous dueling scene between Glinda and Elphaba in the Wicked musical that absolutely comes off as comic relief on the Broadway stage. Here we are, in the middle of chaos, and suddenly there's a duel of swords between Elphie and Glinda Except that Elphie is using her broom, and Glinda is using her non-magical scepter.The Broadway version of this scene also feels like this conflict boils down to who will get to be with Fiyero, which is frankly ridiculous given how powerful, independent, and confident these characters are. From the trailers and teasers, it seems like Elphaba and Glinda's duel will not be about Fiyero or at least not just about Fiyero. This is also cool to see given that the first Wicked movie made it a point to highlight their sword training classes at Shiz. Now, we get to watch them put it to practice.It's very exciting to see these scenes of Elphaba and Glinda fighting after they seemingly disagree over their respective approaches to trying to make a difference in Oz. Even if this scene in Wicked: For Good doesn't completely exclude Fiyero from the list of reasons why they are dueling, we're rejoicifying over the fact that this whole thing isn't just about a man, and that this scene between two friends turned into foes isn't just comic relief for the audience.Wicked For Good could be setting up a magical fight between Elphaba and Madame Morrible.Knowing that Madame Morrible actually can manipulate the weather making rain stop in the first movie and manipulating a tornado in the sequel brings us to another interesting theory among Wicked fans: The sequel's potential to include a battle between two witches, Elphaba vs. Madame Morrible, as an action-packed moment for the film.It's clear that the movies, Wicked and Wicked: For Good, are deliberately giving Elphaba the "superhero treatment" in how she displays her magical powers, how she takes flight, and how she attacks enemies. It's all very exciting given that these scenes wouldn't have been possible to do in a live performance on Broadway.The idea that Madame Morrible is the actual "Big Bad" villain of the Wicked musical and films isn't new, and the movies seem to be framing the Wizard of Oz as even weaker, even more pathetic, and even as more of a puppet not the puppeteer himself because Morrible is the one actually calling the shots.Think of Anakin Skywalker vs. Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, or literally the final battle in any superhero movie you've ever seen.Nessarose's excluded song from the Broadway album will be included in Wicked For Good.Even casual Wicked fans know, at this point, that Nessarose (played by Marissa Bode) isn't an easy character to love and root for particularly in act two of the musical, which is the basis for this sequel. Nonetheless, we're thrilled that the soundtrack album of Wicked: For Good will include "The Wicked Witch of the East" a song that's always existed on the Broadway musical but was excluded from the original cast recording album for having too many spoilers.This song includes a crucial moment for Nessarose, Boq, and Elphaba, as audiences learn that Nessarose has been feeling her fantasy as Governor of Munchkinland way too much. Moreover, her treatment of Boq would totally fall under the category of "domestic abuse." Elphaba comes to visit, and hell breaks loose.The spell cast on Nessarose doesn't make her walk It makes her fly!It's very powerful and meaningful that the Wicked movies cast an actress with lived-in experiences of using a wheelchair to play Nessarose. Bode is also so incredibly charismatic that it helps to soften up Nessa's often rigid and annoying personality from the novel and from the musical.On the other hand, many fans were curious to see how this particular moment in the story would play out. In the musical, the actresses playing Nessarose don't need to use a wheelchair. When the magic spell happens for her to walk, those actresses can just get up and walk. But what would happen in this case?The final trailer of Wicked: For Good not only answered that question, but also showed the stunning approach that they've landed on: Nessarose won't just walk as a result of the spell cast in this scene She'll fly!An inspired choice that continues to prove the level of commitment and care that this cast and crew devoted to the Wicked movies.Bonus: We passionately agree with @astrouzei on this very astute observation. (@) @astrouzei wrote on X:"They made nessarose fly in Wicked For Good so Marissa Bode doesn't have to walk OH JON M CHU THE GENIUS THAT U ARE !!!!!"And we completely agree. 10/10. No notes.Which character becomes the Tin Man in Wicked For Good?Nessarose becomes obsessed with Boq and literally entraps him inside what is supposed to be their home as a couple. One day, Boq gathers up the courage to beg Nessarose to let him go, arguing that he still has feelings for Glinda, but not for Nessa, which doesn't make him a great partner for her anyway.Even though Boq's admission must've hurt Nessarose's feelings, this was a desperate man trying to escape a home that essentially became a prison for him. And instead of reacting like a regular heartbroken person, Nessa decided that the best solution was to cast a magic spell on Boq forcing him to love her at any cost. (Don't tell her we said anything, but Nessa isn't exactly a great witch.)Nessarose's miscast spell ends up shrinking Boq's heart so much that he comes close to dying. Elphaba sees what's happening and rushes to find any other spell in the Grimmerie to spare Boq's life. The one she finds is to turn him into a Tin Man who could go on and survive without a heart. Even though this literally saves Boq from dying, he has a hard time accepting this fate and holds a huge grudge against Elphaba for doing this to him.Which character becomes the Scarecrow in Wicked For Good?Fiyero's love for Elphaba never changes. Even after the (basically forced) marriage with Glinda and enlisting himself to work as a guard on behalf of the Wizard of Oz, Fiyero is making moves the entire time to reunite with Elphaba and protect her at all costs, no matter what.Much like Boq becoming the Tin Man, Elphaba also accidentally turns Fiyero into the Scarecrow in a tense moment when other guards would probably imprison and murder him. With that said, there's something very odd about the way Fiyero has been shown as the Scarecrow in the trailers for this new movie. Unlike the Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion, there hasn't been a single shot of Fiyero's face as the Scarecrow.Are Fiyero and the Scarecrow be two different characters in Wicked For Good?One of the most persistent theories in the Wicked fandom speculate that the Fiyero we've come to know in the first Wicked movie doesn't actually become the Scarecrow even though that's always been his journey in the Wicked musical, and he was arguably the character who received the most foreshadowing (that would eventually become the Scarecrow) out of everyone else.The speculation surrounding two Fiyeros hasn't made that much sense, so we're still convinced that the promo materials are just concealing Bailey's face for as long as they can.Does the Cowardly Lion speak?The Cowardly Lion in 1939's The Wizard of Oz speaks. The original movie doesn't have differentiators like Animals and animals, and the storyline that they're under threat is also not a factor in that classic musical film.Audiences are certainly expecting to meet a Cowardly Lion who's similar to the one in The Wizard of Oz: One who speaks, which is how he expresses his desire to be brave. So far, there are no reports regarding which actor has been cast to voice the Cowardly Lion in Wicked: For Good unlike the widely reported casting news that Peter Dinklage would voice Doctor Dillamond in the first Wicked film.Elphaba gets a new original song, 'No Place Like Home,' in Wicked For Good."There's no place like home" is one of the most famous quotes in the history of cinema. The particular line was delivered by the character of Dorothy Gale, played by Judy Garland, in 1939's The Wizard of Oz. Considering that the Wicked Witch of the West is the main villain of the original MGM film, it's certainly interesting to see Elphaba getting a brand-new song in Wicked: For Good titled "No Place Like Home."The Empire cover story featuring Erivo and Grande included discussions about this new song. "It's a number she sings, effectively, to herself an expression of her biggest feelings," the article reads."She has to question why she wants to continue to save Oz, or save the animals in it, even though this place doesn't necessarily want her," Erivo told the publication. "It is a discovery as to why she can continue. That is where the story gets started for her."The actress added, "I was really aware that if the words 'no place like home' are in her mouth, they have to mean something. It has to be really special."Glinda has a new original song, 'The Girl in the Bubble,' in Wicked For Good.Grande has also gotten a new original song in Wicked: For Good. This one, aptly titled "The Girl in the Bubble" feels totally on-brand for Glinda (or at least in the way that Glinda likes to present herself to the public). In an exclusive preview, Empire described Grande's new song as a "moment of reflection for Glinda that propels her forward."Grande told the publication, "We get to see [Glinda] decide, 'I'm going to change the course of Oz. I'm going to become deeply, truly good and make a safe space for people. She earns her title for real, and we get to see that self-discovery. I'm so grateful for that song, because she deserves it as a character.""It's traumatic event after traumatic event after traumatic event," Grande added, commenting on Glinda's story in Wicked: For Good. "And they're all shaping her and propelling her into her actual goodness, that has quietly been there all along, but she wasn't ready for it yet."The actress concluded, "Even in the first film you get to see those layers slowly peeling away, but in this film, it's rapid and urgent. It goes even deeper than imaginable."Why was Wicked Part Two named after the song 'For Good'?The cast and crew of 2024's Wicked spent months referring to it as the first of two parts. Naturally, Wicked Part Two became a very common title used to discuss the sequel. Generally, fans couldn't really pin-point or guess what the sequel would be called. With that said, the announcement of Wicked: For Good as the sequel's official title made perfect sense.On the other hand, newer fans of Wicked didn't understand where the title came from. They could see that there was a song called "For Good" in act two of the musical, but that track was never as big as "Defying Gravity," or as famous as "Popular," or even as catchy as "What Is This Feeling?"The placement of "For Good" as the second to last song in the Wicked Original Broadway Cast Recording album got the show as close as possible to having another "Defying Gravity" at the very end of the saga. It's another duet, another emotional climax, and another opportunity for the two actresses playing Elphaba and Glinda to deepen the connection between them even further.As with most things Wicked, however, there's a catch. There's always a catch!Why is the actual last song of the Broadway musical, 'Finale,'not listed in the Wicked For Good soundtrack?The Wicked musical on Broadway doesn't end with "For Good." It ends with track 19, "Finale," which is nowhere to be found in the list of songs from Wicked: For Good The Soundtrack.Given that certain tracks were shuffled around and two brand-new songs were added, the online fandom has spent more time hyper-focusing on those surprising changes and exciting new pieces of music. However, the absence of "Finale" has already been clocked by fans who are all wondering: Is Wicked: For Good not featuring "Finale" at all?Yes, we know that "Finale" isn't as thrilling as "Defying Gravity" as a closer for act one. It is also not as emotional as "For Good," which gives fans that one-on-one intimate closure between Elphaba and Glinda. But that doesn't mean that "Finale" has no merit or importance. Most of all, "Finale" is a chance for the audience to say goodbye to this overall story and its ensemble of characters. It is also soothing, and slows down the pacing of an otherwise chaotic and frenetic act two.Given that "Finale" is nowhere to be seen in the soundtrack, it's possible that it was incorporated into "For Good." But, if that were the case, it feels like the tracklist would've reflected that merger, just like it did with "Thank Goodness / I Couldn't Be Happier." Another theory is that "Finale" will just play over the credits but not end the movie itself which is plausible, but still doesn't explain why the songs isn't listed at the end of the soundtrack.Category is: Ozian oddity.Does Elphaba actually die in Wicked For Good?The Wicked Witch of the West melts away and dies in 1939's The Wizard of Oz. The character's fate changes in the Wicked musical on Broadway, as Elphaba fakes her own death and gets a happy ending with Fiyero (as the Scarecrow). But that hit musical was inspired by the 1995 Wicked novel by Gregory Maguire, which flips the script on The Wizard of Oz to create a new story that centers Elphaba, but still ends with Elphaba's death nonetheless.While it's hard for fans to accept the fact that Elphaba's ending in the Wicked novel is pretty tragic, the character is indeed allergic to water in the source material, and she actually dies when Dorothy throws a bucket of water on her.As evidenced by this list, Wicked: For Good is a bold new chapter in the overall Oz canon, and fans should feel at ease to embrace whichever ending is chosen for the sequel.Given how many theories, potential changes, nods to a different direction, and the footage that we've seen so far, it feels way too daunting to guess how Wicked: For Good will end. But we will be there on opening night, excited to experience the conclusion to this saga, no matter how it goes.Wicked: For Good opens in theaters on Friday, November 21.