Wicked begins to tie into The Wizard of Oz, and the film will include some new musical numbers to make that transition smoother.

Wicked's composer Stephen Schwartz has revealed that his new songs in Wicked: For Good will be solo numbers for both Elphaba and Glinda, letting the audience into their minds during some of the story's most pivotal moments. There's been plenty of speculation about where these new songs could fit into the movie, but Schwartz has a vision for these characters that's slightly different from the original story. With plenty of pressure riding on Wicked 2 to adapt the story correctly, these songs are undoubtedly the most exciting and fascinating additions to the sequel.

Glinda's New Song In Wicked Could Make Her The Main Character

Glinda's New Song May Render Her More Relatable

The decision to give Glinda and Elphaba additional solo musical numbers in Glinda song in Wicked: For Good could be an indication of her increased importance in the story.

An edited image of Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda in Wicked with a gold background.

Wicked 2's New Songs Set Up A Cythnia Erivo & Ariana Grande Awards Competition Next Year

The reveal that Wicked: For Good will include new songs sung by Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande could create some friendly competition between them.

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Ariana Grande has recently spoken about the new song and what role it will play in Wicked: For Good, claiming that "it's a pivotal moment in Glinda’s journey" (via The ending of Wicked perfectly sets up this moral conflict within Glinda, and it's seemingly going to play a major role in the sequel.

Glinda's Role Was More ing In Wicked: Part One

The Movie Slightly Changed Glinda's Role In The Story

One of the biggest changes that Wicked makes from the Broadway musical is the way it sidelines Glinda's character for much of the first movie. This is clearly Elphaba's story, and the film makes no attempt to hide that. From her increased screen time in "Defying Gravity" to her extended sequences with Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh), Elphaba is obviously the protagonist of the first movie. However, this isn't necessarily the case in the Broadway musical. In that version, the characters more arguably occupy t lead roles.

Thankfully, this major change works well in Wicked as the increased focus on Elphaba's character arc makes the grand finale even more emotional. However, with Elphaba now absent from Shiz University and the Emerald City, there's plenty of room for Glinda to step into the spotlight and adopt the lead role. This would be a very interesting change, giving each character the opportunity to lead their own movie instead of stealing screen time from each other.

Justifying Glinda's Actions Will Completely Change Wicked's Ending

There's A Reason Glinda's Character Isn't Completely Redeemed

If Glinda does end up being the protagonist of Wicked: For Good, the writers will likely change her narrative to make her a more redeemable and likable character — which somewhat goes against the ending of the original musical. In the Broadway production, Glinda is complicit in the Wizard's oppressive regime and perpetuates the idea that Elphaba is "wicked" in order to maintain her status and popularity. This is her character's fatal flaw, and Elphaba suffers because of it.

Her character arc is ultimately just as tragic as Elphaba's, and with a clearer focus on her internal conflict through this new song, she could easily be made more redeemable.

It's difficult to imagine the writers adhering to this narrative if Glinda becomes the sequel's main character. Instead, it’s possible that Wicked: For Good is using this new song to justify Glinda's actions and make the audience understand why she's unable to stand up to the Wizard and Madame Morrible. Her character arc is ultimately just as tragic as Elphaba’s, and with a clearer focus on her internal conflict through this new song, she could easily be made more redeemable. Wicked's Glinda is a very familiar character in many ways, but the sequel could set out to redesign her.