Warning: this article contains spoilers for the Wicked film and Broadway musical
Wickedwas one of the most successful films of 2024, telling the story of Glinda the Good Witch and the Wicked Witch of the West when they were simply known asGalinda and Elphaba. The film is based on the Broadway musical of the same name, which was loosely adapted from a 1995 book by Gregory Maguire, inspired by the originalWizard of Oznovel and movie.Wickedhas received rave reviewssince its release, with a lot of the praise being directed at the film’s excellent songs.
TheWickedmusical had plenty of iconic songs, and the film has put many of them back at the forefront of everyone’s minds, with pieces like “Popular” and “Dancing Through Life” being some of the bigger hits. However,one song has remained the story’s defining track —“Defying Gravity,“the song at theend ofWicked. Now, withpart 2 officially titledWicked: For Good, there is clearly one song that is going to achieve the same for that film as “Defying Gravity” did for its first installment.
Wicked 2’s “For Good” Title Confirms Which Song Will Take The Place Of “Defying Gravity”
The Second Part Is Named After Another Iconic Wicked Song
“Defying Gravity” is theWickedsong that has always been the most popular. Even with theWickedmovie’s changes to the song, the second movie was always going to struggle to keep up musically with what many consider to be the musical’s biggest triumph. However, the second part is already trying toposition the song “For Good” as “Defying Gravity’s” replacement. Similarly, it appears near the very end of the original Broadway musical.
“For Good” Is Arguably The Wicked Musical’s Most Important Song, Not “Defying Gravity”
“For Good” Has A Lot Of Emotional Significance To The Story
“For Good” acts as the final goodbye between Elphaba and Glinda, when they’ve made their peace with each other and their choices, and part from each other for the final time. Obviously, being the musical’s big emotional climax between the two leads makes “For Good” one of the most important parts of the story. However, it is often overshadowed by"Defying Gravity,” with its emotional significance to Elphaba, not to mention it simply being a great composition. However, “For Good” arguably has more emotional significance to the story and its characters.
Wicked: For Goodis set to be released on August 24, 2025, almost exactly one year afterWicked.
“For Good” comes in the musical when Elphaba is at her lowest, havinglost Nessarose after the events ofThe Wizard of Oz’s first act and being furious at Glinda for giving her shoes to Dorothy. The song is the culmination of everything these characters have been through, and through this final goodbye, they are able to find closure in their relationship with one another, finally achieving true peace. While “Defying Gravity” is great for showing Elphaba’s transition from part 1 to part 2 ofWicked, “For Good” is the emotional endpoint for their entire story.
Wicked
Cast
Wicked adapts the Broadway musical into a two-part film, following the unlikely friendship between Elphaba, born with green skin, and Glinda, a popular aristocrat, in the Land of Oz. As they navigate their contrasting paths, they evolve into Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.
