As someone who also had their brain chemistry fundamentally altered by seeing Wicked live as a teenager, THANK YOU. For years it has driven me nuts when folks only see Glinda how she presents herself at the surface level. The core differences between Elphaba and Glinda in how they experience and approach the world but still recognize each other is one of the things that makes Wicked so compelling.
Yes! They both regret their choices. They were very young and didn’t have time to think things through in the moment. Now, many year later, they have both been miserable in the lives they’ve been living and they both wish they went the opposite way
Glinda has been one of my all time favourite characters for many years now, i love how complicated and flawed she is. It is tragically uncommon for a female character to be allowed to so clearly make mistakes and be in the wrong, while still being deeply sympathetic
She is just a regular selfish mean girl. The only reason why anyone finds her ”sympathetic” is because she’s pretty and knows how to manipulate people.
Oh my god…No One Mourns the Wicked isn’t about Elphaba, it’s about Glinda. She has to live with the decisions she’s made, reaping what she’s sowed. And she’s the one experiencing the loneliness they keep saying the wicked deserve because of their actions.
It's about her having to deny her friend, and watch as everyone celebrates her friend's murder. Glinda doesn't - daren't - mourn her friend. No One (publicly) Mourns the Wicked for fear of being turned on by the mob...
@@rmsgrey her lines talks about her rather than elphie "goodness knows the wicked lives are lonely" no matter how much she is "loved" by the public without those she truly cared for it wouldnt matter and that she is alone
It's a great scene acted by Ariana (and probably many other actresses but I've not seen the stage version except in clips and it's not that easy to see their faces). When it starts, she seems fine. She focuses on the crowd, and seems genuinely delighted with the Munchkins and their happiness, although there is a tinge of weariness to her. It's only when they force her to be complicit in their descration of Elphaba's image that you see her shift to barely concealed pain.
It was Ariana’s portrayal that finally let me see. The people are in glee that she’s dead and Glinda is desperately trying to show them. The wicked suffer. Her friend suffered.
Glinda is a very complicated character and I seriously wish people would understand that. People argue that she danced with Elphaba because Elphaba got her in Madame Morrible's class, but she empathizes so much with Elphaba. Personally, my theory is that Glinda decides to stay in the hopes of maybe changing things on the inside at best, but she's gonna become a bird in a gilded cage.
Tbf the madame morrible thing was a factor. She felt guilty giving her the hat in the first place but when Elphaba did a genuinely kind thing for her that guilt compounded. She felt the only way to fix this situation she caused was to sacrifice part of her own dignity.
Nothing complicated about Glinda she’s selfish always been popular and wanted to be the better witch. She definitely not a good person . Y’all keep making all these excuses up for Glinda just say what she really is.
5:50 There’s actually a deleted scene after the lion cub scene where Glinda is practicing her magic but is really struggling, and Elphaba tells her it could be because she’s so used to things coming easy to her. Kind of wish the scene had been kept, the rest of the scene with Elphaba promising to rely on Glinda if she needs help is sweet and this little moment gives even more concrete insight into her decision to stay during Defying Gravity
Gosh, I wish they'd kept that. I understand they were looking for anything that could be cut, but all else aside the way the back half of the movie is paced it feels like they go from enemies to BFFs in, like, a week. It would have benefited from a bit more breathing room.
do you mean the one where Galinda says "if you needed someone, you could've picked me?" I actually like that later half of the scene but I dislike the part you discussed at the beginning where Elphaba says that maybe she doesn't have powers since she doesn't need them because she's had it so easy all her life. it was way too heavy-handed, on the nose, and clunky. it sounded silly. that may be true but there's a better way to put it in the story than literally just saying it, I hate that dialogue so I'm glad it was cut. I wish the balloon scene had been cut, I hate it, it has no reason for being there and makes it worse. But I do wish we'd gotten a tiny more of the deleted scenes, like the interaction between glinda and Elphaba's dad and maybe a tiny bit of boq and Elphaba's scene, and the friends hanging out scene. but I'd need to rewatch them and see the second part. I absolutely loved the movie but there are some choices I don't understand AT ALL.
@@nickioleary8577 We needed that scene! We never saw Glinda try to learn magic or got to see Elphaba practice beyond that one time. There were definitely a few scenes that would have made the plot stronger! It was almost too much about their friendship. We also needed to see their ambitions a bit more so the scene with Defying Gravity was supported better. (But I still loved it. 😂)
Agree the first part of the scene. I didn’t like elphaba’s attitude. It always felt like Elphaba became Glinda’s best friend but not the other way around. @@oh.sorry.dont.mind.meeeee I.
[Part 2 spoilers] I think one of the great failures of Wicked is that it lets most of the Animal rights activism happen offscreen in the second act and never fully explores what precisely is happening with the Animals. Elphaba is framed as “helping” in some nebulous and poorly defined way, but we never find out how the Animals feel about it or how the Wizard’s policies change in response to what Elphaba is doing. Hell, I don’t think a single Animal has any spoken lines in the second act of the musical. Glinda is one of the worst casualties of this, because we ultimately never get any indication of what she’s doing behind the scenes. Is she actively helping the Wizard’s agenda? Passively going along with it? Subtly undermining him? The second act focuses so much on the personal and romantic relationships between the core human cast, so much so that you have to fill in a lot of the gaps of the politics yourself. Glinda is a character who needs to be better fleshed out in terms of her impact on the broader political landscape of Oz. She’s a complex and fascinating character in terms of what she says about performative activism and the perils of privilege, and that side of her is a lot more interesting than whatever goes on between her, Elphaba, and Fiyero romantically. I really hope that the movie improves upon this. There were some changes to flesh out the Animals in Part 1. Doctor Dillamund meeting with the other Animals rather than Elphaba for most of “Something Bad” was a positive change, and I hope we see much more of that energy in Part 2, when the cracks in that plotline really start to show. We already know that there will be new songs, which I see as a good sign.
no like literally WHAT EXACTLY IS ELPHABA DOING IN ACT 2??? nebulous is right. it's literally nuts they just have elphaba's entire thing in act 2 being. fiyero. like that is great and fun but everything else falls by the wayside of the romantic subplot. also because the text shows us glinda being essentially powerless despite her status when she tries to get the guards to not hurt fiyero and they physically pick her up and take her away, and then by the end the guards obey her when she tells them to arrest morrible. so. when did this change of authority happen? etc etc etc the stage show asks us to extrapolate which is perfectly fine, i think we can reasonably add nuance and fill in blanks. but a longer film can flesh this all out nicely
@ It’s disappointingly liberal. Very 2000s Broadway, interested in the aesthetics of “fighting the system” without actually grappling with what meaningful resistance looks like once you get down to the nitty gritty. I think that’s why the first half is so much more on point with its political commentary than the second. Act I is about identifying the problem and making the decision whether or not to make a stand, which is fairly palatable to producers/paying audiences, but then Act II has to pull back rather than go to far with what Act I set up.
@@5x5Takes My best take on why the guards listen to Glinda is that Morrible leaned too hard into being the power behind the Wizard’s charisma, to the point where the guards were never fully clear on what her role or level of authority were. The guards are “people,” and once the Wizard is gone, Glinda’s “people person” skillset trumps Morrible’s magic within the Emerald City. But then again Morrible is literally the press secretary, so she’s not nearly as hopeless with people as Elphaba is, so… I don’t know. Make it make sense.
@ Here here! Just the fact that Part 1 acknowledged that the Animals are already organizing and doing demonstrations independent of Elphaba gives me hope that Part 2 will stick the landing. Just as long as Glinda’s new song is about her role in the Wizard’s administration rather than just being about the love triangle.
Glinda in my brain is like an Effie Trinket type character. Fashion aside, both characters mean the best through their actions, but recognize their limits so they allow the system to be convinced that they are one of them when they not only despise the system they’ve grown up in, but they attempt to work from the inside to dismantle it. This is most evident in Mokingjay/the last few scenes of wicked. They work with what they know best. They play a social game rather than straight up vocal activism.
I think one of THE BIGGEST talking points for Glinda’s character that keeps getting swept over AND under the rug is how big of a people pleaser she really is. This video explains perfectly how and why which is why I find it interesting her people pleasing tendencies & how she internally challenges them weren’t brought up at all.
Code Geass is also basically this conversation: Do you destroy the system or work within it to change it, even if it means you are complicit in harm. It's one of my favorite tropes.
Now that you mention it, the two have interesting parallels. Elphaba and Lelouch are children of power figures. Both have sisters in wheelchairs that mean the most to them. Both of them have a similar ending.
Destroying the system from the outside ALSO makes you complicit in harm in a way. Let’s say you stay an “insider” in the system and are able to reduce the harm from like 200 to 175. The harm isn’t gone but it is less. Now let’s say you’re “destroying” the system: until you succeed, that harm is staying at 200. Not to mention if you fail, nothing changes. It may feel more noble, but is it? I dunno I think both approaches work in tandem. Often the “insiders” need the “destroyers” to move things at a reasonable pace. And often the “destroyers” will use the “insiders” to gain the leverage, information, or whatever else they need to make big changes.
I often find that people, in their treaties about Glinda, sometimes dismiss Elphaba as someone that was just impulsive and couldn't think long term. But, truthfully, Elphaba has seen people's cruelty LONG TERM. And she would be able to realize that changing systems from within would not necessarily work because THE PEOPLE she has encountered were not really up for the task of doing that work. She knows how fickle people are. She would have seen it during that same school year. Those kids HATED her before Galinda stepped in. She just wouldn't have that great a view of people's motivations and actions. We understand that Elphaba is coming with the baggage of her lived experience. Elphaba likely has TRIED to do things to get people to like her her entire life. Maybe she thought being studious would get her father's approval? Or that being EXTRA kind to Munchkins would get them to look past her appearance? This is the behavior of a lot of POCs when they face discrimination. They lean on respectability politics to get others to accept them. How can you dislike me for my skin tone when I am SO GOOD, SO SMART, etc.? This is why Morrible's point that, IF she meets these certain expectations, she would be able to have an in with the Wizard. And when the Wizard meets her, he will see all the wonderful things she is and can look past the skin. So all she needs to do is be perfect in those other aspects. Imagine her having that same sort of inner voice and approach for years and then learning that, not only does it not work that way, but the person you were hoping to be your vehicle to acceptance is a fraud. As long as the system is built and propagated by people, she knows that it can't be trusted. But this is why, her conclusion at the end of the play is interesting. The only person she ever trusted was Galinda. And so, I think she can leave happy knowing that while other people can not be trusted to exact change, Galinda will. I would also point out that, essentially, Elphaba is a walking weapon. She hurt those monkeys without meaning to because she was manipulated. That she doesn't truly understand her full power. Being left around as a tool at the Wizard and Morrible's disposal is far too harmful in the end. She is the weapon. She is the physical manifestation of magical power that would have ultimately given the Wizard and Morrible what they wanted to achieve so easily. And because of that, she needed to be removed from the situation. She is also TOO YOUNG to know how to control these other people around her that had basically been manipulating her for the entire school year (Ms. Morrible). So she needed to be removed from the situation for the sake of the Animals and the other potentially innocent people that she would have been used as a weapon against. The situation is untenable. Elphaba could not stay and it is more than just because of the morals and convictions. She can not stay BECAUSE of the type of power she possess.
Everything you said I agree with. Ppl being Glinda apologizers and putting Elphaba down as impulsive and stupid for even thinking about fighting for her cause outside the system is a very weird take I’ve been seeing, like we know Elphabas back story and it makes sense why she’s responding the way she is and yet ppl are being weird abt it…
Agreed. Galinda’s method of changing the system wouldn’t have worked since the people running it (the wizard) are truly bad and won’t change long term. Elephaba would know this due to how she’s seen how people can be bad in the long term I’m not sure why Galinda would believe the wizard would change?
I fully agree. Just because she was led by her emotions doesn’t mean that she didn’t think it through. As soon as she realized that she changed all the monkeys, she knew she needed to leave or this would continue to happen. But also, leaving for the sake of her morals would also be justified and the hate she gets for that is unacceptable.
Oh sure. We see evidence of that in the childhood sequence with Nessa and her father. Elphie is a very sweet person at core, very sensitive. And very smart. Look at "The Wizard and I." The lyrics tell you everything you need to know about Elphie's sense of hope--the Wizard and Madame Morrible were the ONLY people who she thought had ever seen the real her and appreciated it. Then it all comes crashing down. She has run out of patience and time.
Yes to all of this. Because Elphaba's magic appears when she is feeling frustrated or angry and emotionally volatile - and quite stereotypically, every time she is just justifiably angry or emotionally volatile it is dismissed as impulsive and inappropriate. On the other hand anytime someone is not showing emotion or acquiescing/ conforming they are considered professional and "shrewd "to quote popular. Elphaba did not know how to fly before she had to - she had to learn to fly because she had to escape for her life - we don't know what Galinda could do if she really had to - she never puts herself at enough risk to really have to see what she is made of. I don't believe that she is selfish for that, and I don't believe that she is naïve for that. However, I find it very strange that people call her so smart for staying but say its smart because she is unmagical, less powerful or otherwise would've been useless if she left with Elphaba ...
The best glinda analysis I've ever heard. She is so complex, nuances that are tricky to convey onstage, no one mourns the wicked made me bawl in the cinema.
As someone who’s a old Wicked fan who had it reignited by the movie, I adore this analysis. I always related to Elphaba because she’s an obvious allegory for any ‘outsider’ but as I’ve gotten older Glinda’s outlook has become a lot more understandable as a chronic people pleaser. Being likable and getting along with people is *power* but it’s a double edged sword. Sometimes when you have a moment to yourself you realize you don’t know what you want because you’ve given so much of yourself to others. Having Glinda being someone who *knows* that this is her power and trying to do her best to use it without bringing Elphie down shows how she’s clever and observant in a way that I’ve very rarely seen in media, finished with a sparkly pink candy coating. I just love her, she was born to be a hype woman/PR girlie and both her and Elphaba deserved a better world
I have already seen videos that defend Glinda, but this is the only one I’ve seen that goes all the way to the ending to show how they’ve grown. I never thought about how Glinda eventually wishes to make the other choice or that Elphaba chooses the other choice as well. I didn’t think about the character arc by the end of the entire story. Great job on putting this together!
thanks for watching and so glad you enjoyed! it’s less “defend” because, yk, this is a fictional character. more so, it’s worth engaging in good faith with the ideas and emotions in a story. like i said, one of the greatest things about stories is how they can allow us to practice empathy towards ourselves and a hypothetical other person. we are all capable of being deeply sincere and loving and kind AND of reiterating lifelong patterns, fears, self interest, myopia, etc. characters, like us, are rarely all-or-nothing :-) also this is a piece of extra dramatic media aka musical theatre, so everyone makes extreme choices because. that’s how the medium goes. that’s what makes it intense and heightened and fun!
Glinda does end completing what elphaba was working for. She was able to banish the wizard, repel the ani-Animal laws, she also protects elphaba’s son and granddaughter, as well as finally able to find Ozma (who is the true ruler of Oz) and puts Ozma back on the throne. Plus I have a theory that Glinda was able to use her power in politics to helps hide elphaba’s actions and possible keep morrible and the wizard from finding her. But I love how you analyzed Glinda and decided her for everyone else.
I hope there is some divine twist of fate that the Wicked cast (particularly Ariana) watch this, because it is - hands down - the best character breakdown and analysis I have seen.
that is a very kind thing of you to say! frankly i've loved how invested she is in understanding the character, i've really enjoyed her insights from living in glinda's skin as well. wish i could tag her on here
I did listen to a podcast with Ariana (Bowen Yang's Culturistas) where she defended Glinda's decision to stay as also strong. I know she spent a lot of time thinking about this character. We don't get to see all that in the movie, but I think she did portray lots of internal conflict especially during No One Mourns the Wicked and Defying Gravity.
Oh my god. I had thought about many of these things but not the fact that she thought Elphie would leave alone “where are your wings” MY HEART?!?!? Ahhhhhhh😭
About Ozdust - the youtuber Banned From Theatres described the scene as "Glinda's Defying Gravity" and I 100% agree. This was the true beginning of her redemption, she risked EVERYTHING she held valuable to reach out to Elphaba and recognised the true worth of the person she had been mistreating all that time. It's so good.
"the irony is that in staying, se becomes the glinda that might have left ... and because she left, she becomes the elphaba that might have stayed" WOW
I think it’s interesting to think about WHY Glinda was willing to risk her social standing for Elphaba at the Ozdust ball. It’s because Elphaba risked her dreams for Glinda. She threatened to quit training alongside Morrible just to get Glinda a spot alongside her. This showed Glinda that sometimes the risk is worth it. But in the palace, the cost was just too great. For both Glinda and Elphaba. They had to go there separate ways.
Consider my to socks to have been blown off, because this video was simply great. Good to see you finally managed to defeat the copyright strikes/claims, too. This was an incredible analysis that pretty much sums up some of the most interesting aspects of Wicked for me, and even if you didn't outright say you love the show, it's very clear when looking at the way you talk about the story and the characters.
i did not defeat the claim yet! it just gets unblocked after 48 hours and i published it and then immediately took it back bc it’s still demonetized and they might reinstate it, so i’m waiting until the dispute expires in 5 days to make it public :( but u lucky few nabbed it before i shut it down and i can’t fault u for that heehee also-thank u so much. i worked very hard on this so that’s awesome to hear. and yes, if the 9 stage show viewings were not clear: i adore the show. it’s very special to me. glad it shows 🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻💖💖💖
She’s said in the video she’s seen the show 8 times…. I think saying she loves it is a bit of an understatement lmao (like for most in this fandom lol)
I see the real tragedy as that they couldn't walk the same path together because that's when they are at their most powerful, drawing strength off each other. If Elphaba had stayed, changing the system from within could have been easier with Glinda's social skills backed by the threat of Elphaba's magic. Likewise if Glinda had left, their rebellion could have been stronger as she had the power to give it the good PR that Elphaba lacked alone. 💔
Let's be real, most people thinking Glinda is bad actually do the same. Look at all the atrocities happening now. Resistance is dangerous and it's perfectly human and normal to be afraid. We're afraid we'll fail if we resist and die or lose everything with nothing to show for it. Unlike Elphaba, Glinda had no power. She went the way where she did have some power, and she was right in that she gained enough political power to save the animals. They both went the ways they were more used to. Neither choice is "wrong." They both did their best with what they could at the time. That's what makes this story so good and honest. Glinda is a honest reflection of people who try to be good but don't have the capacity to be perfect. Not with our fears and preconceptions. What we need is grace for these characters and grace for each other.
ive watched this probably 10 times over and it makes me cry by the end every time. I think you captured glinda so perfectly, everyone who considers her “the villain” of wicked needs to watch this so badly.
My favourite moment, as someone who deeply relates to Glinda, was shortly before Glinda found the makeshift cape for Elphaba. I personally read her looking through those clothes and fussing over their placement on the rack and their condition as a desperate attempt to do *something* within her power. Like she's resorting to one of the only things she believes she's good at; Appearances.
this is probably one the most beautiful videos that I have seen for wicked. I was that close to cry in the end. Honesty, what a beautiful video you created!
Wow, you did an outstanding job explaining the complexities of these two characters. I love it! Your passion for understanding storytelling is beautiful to witness 🥹
THIS was the wicked video i was waiting for. you had some amazing takes and really provided the reminder that true things can be true at once, and how truly nuanced these characters are. fantastic work!!!
Glinda knew they needed someone on the inside. Vapid. Vain. Conditioned. Yes. But above everything I do believe she is a good person. She does eventually become a freedom fighter.
wow, what a beautiful evaluation of Glinda! I love it and agree wholeheartedly! My kids are getting into Wicked now and it's such a great conversation starter about so many things, including the difference between being nice vs good. Your video explores that dynamic in Glinda's arc with such empathy and consideration. Really, really good
this needs way more views than it currently has! PHEW, i love seeing people actually understanding glinda's character, you find the perfect words for her. i really wish act 2 of wicked was more focused on the animals, glinda's status towards elphaba's cause. i'm a newer fan of wicked so seeing the movie during opening weekend blew me away, then watching and listening to act 2 had me so confused, where did the plot go? why is so centered towards a love triangle, it has always pushed me the wrong way. they very well make up for that during the end of act 2 but i wish it was more different. i hope jon chu takes the story a bit differently for part 2
This was the single most beautiful, thoughtful and breathtaking character analysis I've ever seen. The understanding, willingness to see these characters in all their forms. Your art is truly astounding. I eagerly await the Elphaba breakdown if it's on the way
I was actually moved to tears watching this. I think you did an amazing job delving into the complex character of Glinda who is quite often overlooked as a layered character in favour of her comic relief or simply Elphabas counterpart.
THIS VIDEO IS SO AMAZING! You expanded so much the "While elphaba has nothing to lose, Glinda has everything" concept of them and made such a deep analysis of the characters, I simply loved this video.
This video is excellent, and I also really love how you compared Glinda to Peeta - they really are quite similar/play some similar roles in their stories. Also, I’m super crazy excited to see Ariana’s version of thank goodness. It’s one of my favorites from the musical, and I know she’s gonna do it justice as the #1 Glinda Stan. I’m also crazy hyped to learn more about the new song she’s gonna sing.
Glinda has always envisioned herself at the "right hand" of power. She wants proximity to Morrible (and later the Wizard) not to outshine them, but to be connected to them and augment her sense of "goodness" by extension. The "if we work in tandem" line means that she expects Elphaba to do all the magic, while she effectively handles the PR, convincing Oz that helping the Animals is good. Galinda was successful getting the students to stop ostracizing Elphaba and was admired for changing her name in Dillamond's "honor." So she really assumes she can help in that instant. But it's when Elphaba reminds her of the threat of falling from grace that she recoils.
I like how you put it, and it also works in reverse. The Elphaba we see in Act 2 might have considered "being wonderful" for a moment, while the one in act one could never, but only because of her experiences after making that choice in Act 1
Thank you so much for giving Glinda justice in an accurate, emotional and concisely articulated character study. Congratulotions on an exceedingly job well done.
Yesss!!! Amazing analysis. In the end, it’s both approaches that were needed to make change. It is Glinda who ousts Morrible and the Wizard and is in a position to help the Animals, because she spent years working within the system. But those changes wouldn’t have happened if she hadn’t met Elphaba and been taught to feel empathy and compassion. They need each other! That’s the whole meaning behind For Good. Ones not right and ones not wrong, just like ones not Good and ones not Wicked. Change wouldn’t have occurred without both of them and the bond they formed
thank you for ACTUALLY having a real spoiler alert for Act 2. you wouldn’t believe how many content creators just reveal so many plot points without any warning
the film is getting released in two parts! so i’m aware many people are seeing this for the first time in this particular way (two films a year apart). i think it’s worth it to go in knowing the full story, but for those who would rather wait, i would take no joy in spoiling :)
Tactical or naive was such a perfect title! They're both naive in their own way and that's why they're perfect foils. Arianna played the nuance in no one mourns the wicked so well its easy to miss if you're not aware of the story
I think the entire movie (I haven't seen the play) is about superfical appeal vs substantive character. Elphaba either sees theses as oppossed or at the very least she sees them as unrelated, she has only ever been objectified negatively so she only wants to consider herself as a subject that chooses and takes actions, knows her competence and sees herself as better than her peers in this frame, but secretly she desperatly wants to be accepted, even if she cannot admit this is important to her. (Until she is later given an option to enjoy acceptance through Galinda, before finally choosing to give this up as the integrity of her character still is more important to her) The prince is the mirror opposite of Elphaba, he is rich, hot, and has sociatal status in spades. He is completely aware that how people view him has nothing to do with the quality of him as a person. So he loudly denounces substance in favor of the easy consequence free life where he can do whatever he pleases. Secretly though, he finds this empty and meaningless, and he actually wants to be a good person. Galinda however, seems initially to see these as one and the same thing. Everyone says she is good so she must be, this means that everyone also likes her because she is good, and she should therefor proclaim her goodness loudly to everyone so that people will like her for it, and as long as people like the things she does, she need not worry if she doing anything bad. This circular logic propably requries a decent bit of self deception, but it is also convienient enough to be worth that. Then during the ball she breaks this pattern by taking a stand and affecting what is considered to be good by sheer force of her appeal. This shows that what people like isn't necessarily the same as what is good, but it also reinforces that her appeal is a tool that she can utilize to do good with. I really loved watching this movie, all of it was such a fun good time, not just for the character arcs, but also for the excitement of hearing these songs for the first time, for being brought into the emotion through the dance choreography and also just because how good looking all the set, and all the costumes where. For a movie about the tension between form and substance, it really had its style down well.
Oof sorry for the following essay but your video inspired me to put into writing some thoughts I've had for a while hahah. Enjoy! So I can imagine this being a very unpopular opinion (and I hope I'm wrong), but other than exploring further what Glinda and Elphaba are doing behind the scenes in Act 2 regarding animal activism and dismantling the wizard's hold on society as another commenter pointed out, one major change that I actually wouldn't mind seeing is an open end where Glinda realises or gets to know that Elphaba and Fiyero are alive and only has to keep up the lie because it supports their cause. Although I do realise that this is partly me simply wishing a happier ending for two characters I've grown fond of, I do believe that we've reached a saturation point in media where we've started to glorify sacrifice as the ultimate heroic thing to do and the only resolution a complex character can reach (which also gives added points for drama). I love the way the Wicked characters' arcs play out, but I can also see an ending that is exactly the same to the original with an added detail that allows Glinda to suspect that her best friend is alive (like Elphaba sending her a green vial, since that was her "secret" in the scene before Popular). I am extremely cautious of narratives that (consciously or not) imply that you can only find joy after suffering or giving away part of yourself (as Elphaba gives up Glinda to find peace and have a life with Fiyero) and from a literary analysis pov I think an ending like that would allow Glinda some grace could still retain the same intent that Wicked has to highlight the intricacies of existing within and outside of systems of power while also painting both protagonists as capable figures with strength of character to keep up the necessary appearances. It may be a bit less tragic than believing your best friend and another person you cared about are dead partly because of you, but I don't think that it completely removes the tragic element from the ending, which imo is more the fact that they had to reach that point in the first place and that in the end they are at the mercy of the society they are trying to change, which would still be applicable.
I agree that glinda's power is people and since she had no magical powers, she probably felt insecure about how much she'd be able to contribute to elphaba's cause. so it makes sense that she stayed. BUT. I think it's important to note that she was wrong to think so - just look at elphaba's other allies: does fiyero have magic? do the animals have social status? no, but they still chose to stand against the wizard. glinda may have felt helpless, yes, but she wasn't.
I am crying so hard. 05:50 this hit home so deeply within. I am the youngest, always catered to and cared for by my family, protected by my father, brothers, uncles, and cheered on and celebrated by my mother, sisters and aunts. Then, I went to school and I never knew what bullying or being bullied was until much later because my brain saw the world in this INSANE light where everyone was just "friends" with each other, especially me. Then I met my boyfriend at the age of 16 and he always protected me. My family didn't care if I studied or not, made a career or whatever. I was like my mother, a sweet girl and a mother to be. Then that boyfriend at 21 turned abusive and I sought safety in my friends, new boyfriends, my family. I am NOT strong. I wish I was an Elphaba but a big voice who says: If I fly solo, at least I'm flying free. I am no one without other people and I have to work on that.
Fabulous analysis. I just saw the show tonight for my birthday, and I was really appreciating the change in Glinda during the 2nd act, and this is just such a great perspective of the character! Bravo! ❤
I really love this take! my 6 year old daughter asked me (during our second watch through of wicked) why glinda isn't going with elphie. i couldn't really put it into words. well done!
The Wicked analysis was so good, I forgot what channel I was watching for a second, and then you pulled out the Angel season 5 parallel. Great character analysis all around!
This video is so brilliantly done! I can tell you put much thought and effort into it. Your analysis of the story and characters is spot on and has a depth that most storytellers/creators do not have. You also pose many thought provoking questions and aptly apply moments in the story to our real lives and the choices we make, and how they’re influenced by the things we have experienced since birth. Great job, and you have a new subscriber/fan!
When Glinda says ‘I hope you’re happy that you’ve hurt your cause forever’ I interpreted that to mean just to be with the Wizard. That was what Elphaba bought into when she sang the Wizard and I, and Glinda’s horizons simply stop at societal validation, which is met by meeting and being with the Wizard, even if he’s corrupt and possesses no magic.
Really good points of is it better to make change while still being part of the problem even by association vs. completely trying to deconstruct the system from the outside - you shined a different light on Glinda’s psyche that I didn’t take into consideration before!
I've seen several video essays about Glinda's character, usually speaking about her negative qualities and why she is the antagonist of the story--but yours is the first one that in my opinion really gets her. The script, the lyrics, clearly dwell on Glinda's complexities as well as Elphaba's. Someone ought to give Glinda and Elphaba a Myer's-Briggs exam, Elphaba is clearly an Introverted Intuitive; Glinda is probably an extraverted senser.
I really love your commentary on this. A lot of people have been lacking nuance when it comes to understanding why Glinda does the things she does, even seen a video calling her "The Villian" which I can't even understand how someone comes to that conclusion.
rachel!!! thank you for your support throughout this ordeal and :) im so freaking glad you enjoyed this. this show is my blorbo i could talk about it forever. appreciate you
What a phenomenal video essay with absolutely the most brilliantly nuanced analysis of Glinda's character I've ever seen. It was so fantastic, I even took notes throughout!
You’re making me cry over a media I’ve not even seen. Well done :) Always appreciate seeing your dissections of stories and how they connect to us as people :)
Very, very well done. You hit the nail on the head so many times regarding the similarities and differences between these two main characters. I stand applauding!
This video is very well written and structured. I understood every point of your analysis. I haven’t looked at this from your perspective before and I never understood why Glinda didn’t leave with Elphaba. So, this is great!
they did not! I posted it for a second and then made it unlisted again. they haven't withdrawn it, it's just unblocked 48 hours after you appeal. but it's still demonetized so I'm going to wait to publish until the claim is withdrawn
Historically, most major movements required both Elphabas and Glindas to accomplish their goals. Without an outside agitator, the insiders would get passive and become complicit. Without insiders, the agitators can be shut out of the process and mostly ignored by the system they fight. While this isn’t the way the story goes, because it had to lead into the eventual Wizard of Oz canon, it would have been interesting to see a more cunning approach to the conflict from the two of them using their own positions and skill-sets.
I've always understood Glinda's staying back to work for Elphaba from the inside. I'm hoping Part 2 further emphasizes this, as I think the play wasn't clear as to whether Glinda worked with Elphaba in the end.
36:35 adding as a comment . . . I read the book ages ago and completely forget if this maybe was a plot point in the book, but I have better memory of the play and I always believed that Glinda KNEW and helped Elphaba facilitate the fake death. I've seen the play so many times and always left with this feeling that Glinda knew Elphaba and Fiyero escaped and ran away together.
in the book, elphaba actually dies. in the show, glinda is not aware and it ends with elphaba asking if they can tell glinda she's alive, and fiyero saying no, not if we want to be safe. they leave oz and glinda stays, believing them both dead, to carry on elphaba's mission
I’m going to be watching this a couple of times!!! From the play to the movie I’ve always held a pretty negative opinion of Glinda… certain things like Popular “…..just not quite as popular as me” and Defying Gravity “……you’re having delusions of grandeur” “so where are your wings?” always made me view Glinda as not truly believing in Elphaba and wanting to make sure that Elphaba “knew her place” and didn’t think too highly of herself. This always made me see Glindas deciding to stay as her way of ensuring that she was still thought of of more highly than Elphie. Your videos givien me a lot more to think about and other ways to see it. THANKS!!!
What a fantastic video. I was thinking something along those lines after I watched the movie, but so see it laid out with tons of other ideas, nuance and depth added really drove the conflict Glinda was facing home. Also I think it's funny that Avatar sneaks into so, so many media analyses that I watch. Certainly going to check out some of your other videos as well!
I used to strongly dislike Glindas character because I couldn't see things from her point of view, and you brought up so many valid points 😭😭😭😭 GREAT JOB!
Thank you! Glinda is my favorite character because of the journey and the character arc that she does. Because she is so nuanced and she is the character that grows the most throughout the musical. She has layers that a lot of people don't see and she is so much more complex than the shallow surface that she presents to others.
As someone who also had their brain chemistry fundamentally altered by seeing Wicked live as a teenager, THANK YOU. For years it has driven me nuts when folks only see Glinda how she presents herself at the surface level. The core differences between Elphaba and Glinda in how they experience and approach the world but still recognize each other is one of the things that makes Wicked so compelling.
BC THEYRE TWO SIDES OF THE SAME COIN!!!! THEYRE SO SIMILAR AND THATS WHY THEYRE SO MAGNETICALLY DRAWN TO EACH OTHER
"because while this is the glinda that might've gone, it's also the elphaba that might've considered staying." sobbing
yeah that hit me. right in the feels.
Yes! They both regret their choices. They were very young and didn’t have time to think things through in the moment. Now, many year later, they have both been miserable in the lives they’ve been living and they both wish they went the opposite way
Glinda has been one of my all time favourite characters for many years now, i love how complicated and flawed she is. It is tragically uncommon for a female character to be allowed to so clearly make mistakes and be in the wrong, while still being deeply sympathetic
Yes! Yes! Yes! I could not agree more!
And Wicked gives us not just one, but two, because that applies to Elphaba too!
She is just a regular selfish mean girl. The only reason why anyone finds her ”sympathetic” is because she’s pretty and knows how to manipulate people.
I can’t stand her. She’s so fake and flip floppy 😂😂 love Arianna downnnnnn tho
No @@Katierenee_10
Oh my god…No One Mourns the Wicked isn’t about Elphaba, it’s about Glinda. She has to live with the decisions she’s made, reaping what she’s sowed. And she’s the one experiencing the loneliness they keep saying the wicked deserve because of their actions.
It's about her having to deny her friend, and watch as everyone celebrates her friend's murder. Glinda doesn't - daren't - mourn her friend. No One (publicly) Mourns the Wicked for fear of being turned on by the mob...
@@rmsgrey her lines talks about her rather than elphie "goodness knows the wicked lives are lonely" no matter how much she is "loved" by the public without those she truly cared for it wouldnt matter and that she is alone
It's a great scene acted by Ariana (and probably many other actresses but I've not seen the stage version except in clips and it's not that easy to see their faces). When it starts, she seems fine. She focuses on the crowd, and seems genuinely delighted with the Munchkins and their happiness, although there is a tinge of weariness to her. It's only when they force her to be complicit in their descration of Elphaba's image that you see her shift to barely concealed pain.
It was Ariana’s portrayal that finally let me see. The people are in glee that she’s dead and Glinda is desperately trying to show them. The wicked suffer. Her friend suffered.
I read this a month ago and im still wrecked 😂
Glinda is a very complicated character and I seriously wish people would understand that. People argue that she danced with Elphaba because Elphaba got her in Madame Morrible's class, but she empathizes so much with Elphaba.
Personally, my theory is that Glinda decides to stay in the hopes of maybe changing things on the inside at best, but she's gonna become a bird in a gilded cage.
absolutely. purposefully obtuse, bad faith takes get us nowhere. they disconnect us from stories, and ourselves
Tbf the madame morrible thing was a factor. She felt guilty giving her the hat in the first place but when Elphaba did a genuinely kind thing for her that guilt compounded. She felt the only way to fix this situation she caused was to sacrifice part of her own dignity.
Nessa didn't dance with her sister. No one is going after her.
@gaymerjerry no absolutely!
Nothing complicated about Glinda she’s selfish always been popular and wanted to be the better witch. She definitely not a good person . Y’all keep making all these excuses up for Glinda just say what she really is.
5:50 There’s actually a deleted scene after the lion cub scene where Glinda is practicing her magic but is really struggling, and Elphaba tells her it could be because she’s so used to things coming easy to her. Kind of wish the scene had been kept, the rest of the scene with Elphaba promising to rely on Glinda if she needs help is sweet and this little moment gives even more concrete insight into her decision to stay during Defying Gravity
i almost included talking about that! but i didn’t want to derail the video too much. but absolutely on both counts. great scene
Gosh, I wish they'd kept that. I understand they were looking for anything that could be cut, but all else aside the way the back half of the movie is paced it feels like they go from enemies to BFFs in, like, a week. It would have benefited from a bit more breathing room.
do you mean the one where Galinda says "if you needed someone, you could've picked me?" I actually like that later half of the scene but I dislike the part you discussed at the beginning where Elphaba says that maybe she doesn't have powers since she doesn't need them because she's had it so easy all her life. it was way too heavy-handed, on the nose, and clunky. it sounded silly. that may be true but there's a better way to put it in the story than literally just saying it, I hate that dialogue so I'm glad it was cut. I wish the balloon scene had been cut, I hate it, it has no reason for being there and makes it worse. But I do wish we'd gotten a tiny more of the deleted scenes, like the interaction between glinda and Elphaba's dad and maybe a tiny bit of boq and Elphaba's scene, and the friends hanging out scene. but I'd need to rewatch them and see the second part.
I absolutely loved the movie but there are some choices I don't understand AT ALL.
@@nickioleary8577 We needed that scene! We never saw Glinda try to learn magic or got to see Elphaba practice beyond that one time. There were definitely a few scenes that would have made the plot stronger! It was almost too much about their friendship. We also needed to see their ambitions a bit more so the scene with Defying Gravity was supported better. (But I still loved it. 😂)
Agree the first part of the scene. I didn’t like elphaba’s attitude. It always felt like Elphaba became Glinda’s best friend but not the other way around. @@oh.sorry.dont.mind.meeeee I.
[Part 2 spoilers]
I think one of the great failures of Wicked is that it lets most of the Animal rights activism happen offscreen in the second act and never fully explores what precisely is happening with the Animals. Elphaba is framed as “helping” in some nebulous and poorly defined way, but we never find out how the Animals feel about it or how the Wizard’s policies change in response to what Elphaba is doing. Hell, I don’t think a single Animal has any spoken lines in the second act of the musical.
Glinda is one of the worst casualties of this, because we ultimately never get any indication of what she’s doing behind the scenes. Is she actively helping the Wizard’s agenda? Passively going along with it? Subtly undermining him? The second act focuses so much on the personal and romantic relationships between the core human cast, so much so that you have to fill in a lot of the gaps of the politics yourself. Glinda is a character who needs to be better fleshed out in terms of her impact on the broader political landscape of Oz. She’s a complex and fascinating character in terms of what she says about performative activism and the perils of privilege, and that side of her is a lot more interesting than whatever goes on between her, Elphaba, and Fiyero romantically.
I really hope that the movie improves upon this. There were some changes to flesh out the Animals in Part 1. Doctor Dillamund meeting with the other Animals rather than Elphaba for most of “Something Bad” was a positive change, and I hope we see much more of that energy in Part 2, when the cracks in that plotline really start to show. We already know that there will be new songs, which I see as a good sign.
no like literally WHAT EXACTLY IS ELPHABA DOING IN ACT 2??? nebulous is right. it's literally nuts they just have elphaba's entire thing in act 2 being. fiyero. like that is great and fun but everything else falls by the wayside of the romantic subplot.
also because the text shows us glinda being essentially powerless despite her status when she tries to get the guards to not hurt fiyero and they physically pick her up and take her away, and then by the end the guards obey her when she tells them to arrest morrible. so. when did this change of authority happen? etc etc etc
the stage show asks us to extrapolate which is perfectly fine, i think we can reasonably add nuance and fill in blanks. but a longer film can flesh this all out nicely
@ It’s disappointingly liberal. Very 2000s Broadway, interested in the aesthetics of “fighting the system” without actually grappling with what meaningful resistance looks like once you get down to the nitty gritty. I think that’s why the first half is so much more on point with its political commentary than the second. Act I is about identifying the problem and making the decision whether or not to make a stand, which is fairly palatable to producers/paying audiences, but then Act II has to pull back rather than go to far with what Act I set up.
@@5x5Takes My best take on why the guards listen to Glinda is that Morrible leaned too hard into being the power behind the Wizard’s charisma, to the point where the guards were never fully clear on what her role or level of authority were. The guards are “people,” and once the Wizard is gone, Glinda’s “people person” skillset trumps Morrible’s magic within the Emerald City. But then again Morrible is literally the press secretary, so she’s not nearly as hopeless with people as Elphaba is, so… I don’t know. Make it make sense.
@ that’s why i excitedly look forward to part 2 of the film. lots more time, new elphaba and new glinda song, lots to expand on
@ Here here! Just the fact that Part 1 acknowledged that the Animals are already organizing and doing demonstrations independent of Elphaba gives me hope that Part 2 will stick the landing. Just as long as Glinda’s new song is about her role in the Wizard’s administration rather than just being about the love triangle.
Glinda in my brain is like an Effie Trinket type character. Fashion aside, both characters mean the best through their actions, but recognize their limits so they allow the system to be convinced that they are one of them when they not only despise the system they’ve grown up in, but they attempt to work from the inside to dismantle it. This is most evident in Mokingjay/the last few scenes of wicked. They work with what they know best. They play a social game rather than straight up vocal activism.
I thought she had tinges of another movie character but I could not place who, reading your comment helped me pin it!
I think one of THE BIGGEST talking points for Glinda’s character that keeps getting swept over AND under the rug is how big of a people pleaser she really is. This video explains perfectly how and why which is why I find it interesting her people pleasing tendencies & how she internally challenges them weren’t brought up at all.
People pleasing plus compulsory heterosexuality...
Code Geass is also basically this conversation: Do you destroy the system or work within it to change it, even if it means you are complicit in harm. It's one of my favorite tropes.
Interesting observation.
I haven't seen the whole musical, but it'll be interesting to see whose strategy, Elphaba's or Glinda's, ultimately works.
same goes with Tales of Vesperia
Now that you mention it, the two have interesting parallels. Elphaba and Lelouch are children of power figures. Both have sisters in wheelchairs that mean the most to them. Both of them have a similar ending.
Destroying the system from the outside ALSO makes you complicit in harm in a way.
Let’s say you stay an “insider” in the system and are able to reduce the harm from like 200 to 175. The harm isn’t gone but it is less.
Now let’s say you’re “destroying” the system: until you succeed, that harm is staying at 200. Not to mention if you fail, nothing changes. It may feel more noble, but is it?
I dunno I think both approaches work in tandem. Often the “insiders” need the “destroyers” to move things at a reasonable pace. And often the “destroyers” will use the “insiders” to gain the leverage, information, or whatever else they need to make big changes.
I often find that people, in their treaties about Glinda, sometimes dismiss Elphaba as someone that was just impulsive and couldn't think long term. But, truthfully, Elphaba has seen people's cruelty LONG TERM. And she would be able to realize that changing systems from within would not necessarily work because THE PEOPLE she has encountered were not really up for the task of doing that work. She knows how fickle people are. She would have seen it during that same school year. Those kids HATED her before Galinda stepped in. She just wouldn't have that great a view of people's motivations and actions. We understand that Elphaba is coming with the baggage of her lived experience. Elphaba likely has TRIED to do things to get people to like her her entire life. Maybe she thought being studious would get her father's approval? Or that being EXTRA kind to Munchkins would get them to look past her appearance? This is the behavior of a lot of POCs when they face discrimination. They lean on respectability politics to get others to accept them. How can you dislike me for my skin tone when I am SO GOOD, SO SMART, etc.? This is why Morrible's point that, IF she meets these certain expectations, she would be able to have an in with the Wizard. And when the Wizard meets her, he will see all the wonderful things she is and can look past the skin. So all she needs to do is be perfect in those other aspects. Imagine her having that same sort of inner voice and approach for years and then learning that, not only does it not work that way, but the person you were hoping to be your vehicle to acceptance is a fraud. As long as the system is built and propagated by people, she knows that it can't be trusted. But this is why, her conclusion at the end of the play is interesting. The only person she ever trusted was Galinda. And so, I think she can leave happy knowing that while other people can not be trusted to exact change, Galinda will.
I would also point out that, essentially, Elphaba is a walking weapon. She hurt those monkeys without meaning to because she was manipulated. That she doesn't truly understand her full power. Being left around as a tool at the Wizard and Morrible's disposal is far too harmful in the end. She is the weapon. She is the physical manifestation of magical power that would have ultimately given the Wizard and Morrible what they wanted to achieve so easily. And because of that, she needed to be removed from the situation. She is also TOO YOUNG to know how to control these other people around her that had basically been manipulating her for the entire school year (Ms. Morrible). So she needed to be removed from the situation for the sake of the Animals and the other potentially innocent people that she would have been used as a weapon against. The situation is untenable. Elphaba could not stay and it is more than just because of the morals and convictions. She can not stay BECAUSE of the type of power she possess.
Everything you said I agree with. Ppl being Glinda apologizers and putting Elphaba down as impulsive and stupid for even thinking about fighting for her cause outside the system is a very weird take I’ve been seeing, like we know Elphabas back story and it makes sense why she’s responding the way she is and yet ppl are being weird abt it…
Agreed. Galinda’s method of changing the system wouldn’t have worked since the people running it (the wizard) are truly bad and won’t change long term. Elephaba would know this due to how she’s seen how people can be bad in the long term
I’m not sure why Galinda would believe the wizard would change?
I fully agree. Just because she was led by her emotions doesn’t mean that she didn’t think it through. As soon as she realized that she changed all the monkeys, she knew she needed to leave or this would continue to happen. But also, leaving for the sake of her morals would also be justified and the hate she gets for that is unacceptable.
Oh sure. We see evidence of that in the childhood sequence with Nessa and her father. Elphie is a very sweet person at core, very sensitive. And very smart. Look at "The Wizard and I." The lyrics tell you everything you need to know about Elphie's sense of hope--the Wizard and Madame Morrible were the ONLY people who she thought had ever seen the real her and appreciated it. Then it all comes crashing down. She has run out of patience and time.
Yes to all of this. Because Elphaba's magic appears when she is feeling frustrated or angry and emotionally volatile - and quite stereotypically, every time she is just justifiably angry or emotionally volatile it is dismissed as impulsive and inappropriate. On the other hand anytime someone is not showing emotion or acquiescing/ conforming they are considered professional and "shrewd "to quote popular.
Elphaba did not know how to fly before she had to - she had to learn to fly because she had to escape for her life - we don't know what Galinda could do if she really had to - she never puts herself at enough risk to really have to see what she is made of. I don't believe that she is selfish for that, and I don't believe that she is naïve for that. However, I find it very strange that people call her so smart for staying but say its smart because she is unmagical, less powerful or otherwise would've been useless if she left with Elphaba ...
The best glinda analysis I've ever heard. She is so complex, nuances that are tricky to convey onstage, no one mourns the wicked made me bawl in the cinema.
As someone who’s a old Wicked fan who had it reignited by the movie, I adore this analysis. I always related to Elphaba because she’s an obvious allegory for any ‘outsider’ but as I’ve gotten older Glinda’s outlook has become a lot more understandable as a chronic people pleaser.
Being likable and getting along with people is *power* but it’s a double edged sword. Sometimes when you have a moment to yourself you realize you don’t know what you want because you’ve given so much of yourself to others. Having Glinda being someone who *knows* that this is her power and trying to do her best to use it without bringing Elphie down shows how she’s clever and observant in a way that I’ve very rarely seen in media, finished with a sparkly pink candy coating. I just love her, she was born to be a hype woman/PR girlie and both her and Elphaba deserved a better world
I have already seen videos that defend Glinda, but this is the only one I’ve seen that goes all the way to the ending to show how they’ve grown. I never thought about how Glinda eventually wishes to make the other choice or that Elphaba chooses the other choice as well. I didn’t think about the character arc by the end of the entire story. Great job on putting this together!
thanks for watching and so glad you enjoyed! it’s less “defend” because, yk, this is a fictional character. more so, it’s worth engaging in good faith with the ideas and emotions in a story. like i said, one of the greatest things about stories is how they can allow us to practice empathy towards ourselves and a hypothetical other person. we are all capable of being deeply sincere and loving and kind AND of reiterating lifelong patterns, fears, self interest, myopia, etc. characters, like us, are rarely all-or-nothing :-) also this is a piece of extra dramatic media aka musical theatre, so everyone makes extreme choices because. that’s how the medium goes. that’s what makes it intense and heightened and fun!
Glinda does end completing what elphaba was working for. She was able to banish the wizard, repel the ani-Animal laws, she also protects elphaba’s son and granddaughter, as well as finally able to find Ozma (who is the true ruler of Oz) and puts Ozma back on the throne.
Plus I have a theory that Glinda was able to use her power in politics to helps hide elphaba’s actions and possible keep morrible and the wizard from finding her.
But I love how you analyzed Glinda and decided her for everyone else.
I hope there is some divine twist of fate that the Wicked cast (particularly Ariana) watch this, because it is - hands down - the best character breakdown and analysis I have seen.
that is a very kind thing of you to say! frankly i've loved how invested she is in understanding the character, i've really enjoyed her insights from living in glinda's skin as well. wish i could tag her on here
I did listen to a podcast with Ariana (Bowen Yang's Culturistas) where she defended Glinda's decision to stay as also strong. I know she spent a lot of time thinking about this character. We don't get to see all that in the movie, but I think she did portray lots of internal conflict especially during No One Mourns the Wicked and Defying Gravity.
Oh my god. I had thought about many of these things but not the fact that she thought Elphie would leave alone “where are your wings” MY HEART?!?!? Ahhhhhhh😭
Hm?
About Ozdust - the youtuber Banned From Theatres described the scene as "Glinda's Defying Gravity" and I 100% agree. This was the true beginning of her redemption, she risked EVERYTHING she held valuable to reach out to Elphaba and recognised the true worth of the person she had been mistreating all that time. It's so good.
"the irony is that in staying, se becomes the glinda that might have left ... and because she left, she becomes the elphaba that might have stayed" WOW
I think it’s interesting to think about WHY Glinda was willing to risk her social standing for Elphaba at the Ozdust ball. It’s because Elphaba risked her dreams for Glinda. She threatened to quit training alongside Morrible just to get Glinda a spot alongside her. This showed Glinda that sometimes the risk is worth it. But in the palace, the cost was just too great. For both Glinda and Elphaba. They had to go there separate ways.
Consider my to socks to have been blown off, because this video was simply great. Good to see you finally managed to defeat the copyright strikes/claims, too. This was an incredible analysis that pretty much sums up some of the most interesting aspects of Wicked for me, and even if you didn't outright say you love the show, it's very clear when looking at the way you talk about the story and the characters.
i did not defeat the claim yet! it just gets unblocked after 48 hours and i published it and then immediately took it back bc it’s still demonetized and they might reinstate it, so i’m waiting until the dispute expires in 5 days to make it public :( but u lucky few nabbed it before i shut it down and i can’t fault u for that heehee
also-thank u so much. i worked very hard on this so that’s awesome to hear. and yes, if the 9 stage show viewings were not clear: i adore the show. it’s very special to me. glad it shows 🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻💖💖💖
She’s said in the video she’s seen the show 8 times…. I think saying she loves it is a bit of an understatement lmao (like for most in this fandom lol)
I see the real tragedy as that they couldn't walk the same path together because that's when they are at their most powerful, drawing strength off each other. If Elphaba had stayed, changing the system from within could have been easier with Glinda's social skills backed by the threat of Elphaba's magic. Likewise if Glinda had left, their rebellion could have been stronger as she had the power to give it the good PR that Elphaba lacked alone. 💔
Let's be real, most people thinking Glinda is bad actually do the same. Look at all the atrocities happening now. Resistance is dangerous and it's perfectly human and normal to be afraid. We're afraid we'll fail if we resist and die or lose everything with nothing to show for it. Unlike Elphaba, Glinda had no power. She went the way where she did have some power, and she was right in that she gained enough political power to save the animals. They both went the ways they were more used to. Neither choice is "wrong." They both did their best with what they could at the time. That's what makes this story so good and honest. Glinda is a honest reflection of people who try to be good but don't have the capacity to be perfect. Not with our fears and preconceptions. What we need is grace for these characters and grace for each other.
Beautifully said!!!
And ultimately, at the end of the day, Glinda is the one left in a position to make a lasting difference.
They’ll all remain narcissist and uphold a society structured for that evil.
ive watched this probably 10 times over and it makes me cry by the end every time. I think you captured glinda so perfectly, everyone who considers her “the villain” of wicked needs to watch this so badly.
My favourite moment, as someone who deeply relates to Glinda, was shortly before Glinda found the makeshift cape for Elphaba.
I personally read her looking through those clothes and fussing over their placement on the rack and their condition as a desperate attempt to do *something* within her power.
Like she's resorting to one of the only things she believes she's good at; Appearances.
okay but comparing glinda to zuko is a MASTERSTROKE actually, holy shit
this is probably one the most beautiful videos that I have seen for wicked. I was that close to cry in the end. Honesty, what a beautiful video you created!
Wow, you did an outstanding job explaining the complexities of these two characters. I love it! Your passion for understanding storytelling is beautiful to witness 🥹
that’s very kind of you, thank you 💖
I was amazed by how detailed and sophisticated this character analysis was. I’m so glad I came across this video.
21:16 A Wicked video essay with a Buffyverse tangent? Are you kidding me? Just when I thought I couldn't love this channel more ❤
i was writing about the ~ethical quandary~ and then was like. wait. this is literally angel season 5. how could i resist
I love your love for the Buffyverse 🖤 @@5x5Takes
THIS was the wicked video i was waiting for. you had some amazing takes and really provided the reminder that true things can be true at once, and how truly nuanced these characters are. fantastic work!!!
Glinda knew they needed someone on the inside. Vapid. Vain. Conditioned. Yes.
But above everything I do believe she is a good person. She does eventually become a freedom fighter.
wow, what a beautiful evaluation of Glinda! I love it and agree wholeheartedly! My kids are getting into Wicked now and it's such a great conversation starter about so many things, including the difference between being nice vs good. Your video explores that dynamic in Glinda's arc with such empathy and consideration. Really, really good
“Fiction is an exercise in empathy and critical thought” WOW what a QUOTE 🎉
this needs way more views than it currently has! PHEW, i love seeing people actually understanding glinda's character, you find the perfect words for her.
i really wish act 2 of wicked was more focused on the animals, glinda's status towards elphaba's cause. i'm a newer fan of wicked so seeing the movie during opening weekend blew me away, then watching and listening to act 2 had me so confused, where did the plot go? why is so centered towards a love triangle, it has always pushed me the wrong way. they very well make up for that during the end of act 2 but i wish it was more different. i hope jon chu takes the story a bit differently for part 2
This was the single most beautiful, thoughtful and breathtaking character analysis I've ever seen. The understanding, willingness to see these characters in all their forms. Your art is truly astounding. I eagerly await the Elphaba breakdown if it's on the way
I was actually moved to tears watching this. I think you did an amazing job delving into the complex character of Glinda who is quite often overlooked as a layered character in favour of her comic relief or simply Elphabas counterpart.
I was teary too, I'm glad I'm not the only one.
I cried when I first saw wicked, and I teared up again listening to this. Thank you for the great analysis.
THIS VIDEO IS SO AMAZING! You expanded so much the "While elphaba has nothing to lose, Glinda has everything" concept of them and made such a deep analysis of the characters, I simply loved this video.
This video is excellent, and I also really love how you compared Glinda to Peeta - they really are quite similar/play some similar roles in their stories. Also, I’m super crazy excited to see Ariana’s version of thank goodness. It’s one of my favorites from the musical, and I know she’s gonna do it justice as the #1 Glinda Stan. I’m also crazy hyped to learn more about the new song she’s gonna sing.
Glinda has always envisioned herself at the "right hand" of power. She wants proximity to Morrible (and later the Wizard) not to outshine them, but to be connected to them and augment her sense of "goodness" by extension. The "if we work in tandem" line means that she expects Elphaba to do all the magic, while she effectively handles the PR, convincing Oz that helping the Animals is good. Galinda was successful getting the students to stop ostracizing Elphaba and was admired for changing her name in Dillamond's "honor." So she really assumes she can help in that instant. But it's when Elphaba reminds her of the threat of falling from grace that she recoils.
I like how you put it, and it also works in reverse. The Elphaba we see in Act 2 might have considered "being wonderful" for a moment, while the one in act one could never, but only because of her experiences after making that choice in Act 1
Thank you so much for giving Glinda justice in an accurate, emotional and concisely articulated character study.
Congratulotions on an exceedingly job well done.
I thought this was going to be low effort click-bait, ended up being one of the best analysis of Glinda I've ever seen or read. Thank you!
I need more wicked video essays in my life
Yesss!!! Amazing analysis. In the end, it’s both approaches that were needed to make change. It is Glinda who ousts Morrible and the Wizard and is in a position to help the Animals, because she spent years working within the system. But those changes wouldn’t have happened if she hadn’t met Elphaba and been taught to feel empathy and compassion. They need each other! That’s the whole meaning behind For Good. Ones not right and ones not wrong, just like ones not Good and ones not Wicked. Change wouldn’t have occurred without both of them and the bond they formed
Thank you so much for adding subtitles to make this amazing video accessible 💖💚
This was a gorgeous and thoughtful analysis. Thank you and your team for the phenomenal work.
thank you for ACTUALLY having a real spoiler alert for Act 2. you wouldn’t believe how many content creators just reveal so many plot points without any warning
the film is getting released in two parts! so i’m aware many people are seeing this for the first time in this particular way (two films a year apart). i think it’s worth it to go in knowing the full story, but for those who would rather wait, i would take no joy in spoiling :)
Tactical or naive was such a perfect title! They're both naive in their own way and that's why they're perfect foils. Arianna played the nuance in no one mourns the wicked so well its easy to miss if you're not aware of the story
I think the entire movie (I haven't seen the play) is about superfical appeal vs substantive character.
Elphaba either sees theses as oppossed or at the very least she sees them as unrelated, she has only ever been objectified negatively so she only wants to consider herself as a subject that chooses and takes actions, knows her competence and sees herself as better than her peers in this frame, but secretly she desperatly wants to be accepted, even if she cannot admit this is important to her. (Until she is later given an option to enjoy acceptance through Galinda, before finally choosing to give this up as the integrity of her character still is more important to her)
The prince is the mirror opposite of Elphaba, he is rich, hot, and has sociatal status in spades. He is completely aware that how people view him has nothing to do with the quality of him as a person. So he loudly denounces substance in favor of the easy consequence free life where he can do whatever he pleases. Secretly though, he finds this empty and meaningless, and he actually wants to be a good person.
Galinda however, seems initially to see these as one and the same thing. Everyone says she is good so she must be, this means that everyone also likes her because she is good, and she should therefor proclaim her goodness loudly to everyone so that people will like her for it, and as long as people like the things she does, she need not worry if she doing anything bad. This circular logic propably requries a decent bit of self deception, but it is also convienient enough to be worth that.
Then during the ball she breaks this pattern by taking a stand and affecting what is considered to be good by sheer force of her appeal. This shows that what people like isn't necessarily the same as what is good, but it also reinforces that her appeal is a tool that she can utilize to do good with.
I really loved watching this movie, all of it was such a fun good time, not just for the character arcs, but also for the excitement of hearing these songs for the first time, for being brought into the emotion through the dance choreography and also just because how good looking all the set, and all the costumes where. For a movie about the tension between form and substance, it really had its style down well.
Oof sorry for the following essay but your video inspired me to put into writing some thoughts I've had for a while hahah. Enjoy!
So I can imagine this being a very unpopular opinion (and I hope I'm wrong), but other than exploring further what Glinda and Elphaba are doing behind the scenes in Act 2 regarding animal activism and dismantling the wizard's hold on society as another commenter pointed out, one major change that I actually wouldn't mind seeing is an open end where Glinda realises or gets to know that Elphaba and Fiyero are alive and only has to keep up the lie because it supports their cause. Although I do realise that this is partly me simply wishing a happier ending for two characters I've grown fond of, I do believe that we've reached a saturation point in media where we've started to glorify sacrifice as the ultimate heroic thing to do and the only resolution a complex character can reach (which also gives added points for drama). I love the way the Wicked characters' arcs play out, but I can also see an ending that is exactly the same to the original with an added detail that allows Glinda to suspect that her best friend is alive (like Elphaba sending her a green vial, since that was her "secret" in the scene before Popular). I am extremely cautious of narratives that (consciously or not) imply that you can only find joy after suffering or giving away part of yourself (as Elphaba gives up Glinda to find peace and have a life with Fiyero) and from a literary analysis pov I think an ending like that would allow Glinda some grace could still retain the same intent that Wicked has to highlight the intricacies of existing within and outside of systems of power while also painting both protagonists as capable figures with strength of character to keep up the necessary appearances. It may be a bit less tragic than believing your best friend and another person you cared about are dead partly because of you, but I don't think that it completely removes the tragic element from the ending, which imo is more the fact that they had to reach that point in the first place and that in the end they are at the mercy of the society they are trying to change, which would still be applicable.
I agree that glinda's power is people and since she had no magical powers, she probably felt insecure about how much she'd be able to contribute to elphaba's cause. so it makes sense that she stayed. BUT. I think it's important to note that she was wrong to think so - just look at elphaba's other allies: does fiyero have magic? do the animals have social status? no, but they still chose to stand against the wizard. glinda may have felt helpless, yes, but she wasn't.
I am crying so hard. 05:50 this hit home so deeply within. I am the youngest, always catered to and cared for by my family, protected by my father, brothers, uncles, and cheered on and celebrated by my mother, sisters and aunts. Then, I went to school and I never knew what bullying or being bullied was until much later because my brain saw the world in this INSANE light where everyone was just "friends" with each other, especially me. Then I met my boyfriend at the age of 16 and he always protected me. My family didn't care if I studied or not, made a career or whatever. I was like my mother, a sweet girl and a mother to be. Then that boyfriend at 21 turned abusive and I sought safety in my friends, new boyfriends, my family. I am NOT strong. I wish I was an Elphaba but a big voice who says: If I fly solo, at least I'm flying free. I am no one without other people and I have to work on that.
Fabulous analysis. I just saw the show tonight for my birthday, and I was really appreciating the change in Glinda during the 2nd act, and this is just such a great perspective of the character! Bravo! ❤
Your analysis is so devastating. Im sobbing rn
This is such a beautiful thesis on these beloved characters. Thank you!
I really love this take! my 6 year old daughter asked me (during our second watch through of wicked) why glinda isn't going with elphie. i couldn't really put it into words. well done!
The Wicked analysis was so good, I forgot what channel I was watching for a second, and then you pulled out the Angel season 5 parallel. Great character analysis all around!
Glinda always wanted to go. That's why Elphaba was happy to part. She could trust her best friend's intentions.
This video is so brilliantly done! I can tell you put much thought and effort into it. Your analysis of the story and characters is spot on and has a depth that most storytellers/creators do not have. You also pose many thought provoking questions and aptly apply moments in the story to our real lives and the choices we make, and how they’re influenced by the things we have experienced since birth. Great job, and you have a new subscriber/fan!
When Glinda says ‘I hope you’re happy that you’ve hurt your cause forever’ I interpreted that to mean just to be with the Wizard. That was what Elphaba bought into when she sang the Wizard and I, and Glinda’s horizons simply stop at societal validation, which is met by meeting and being with the Wizard, even if he’s corrupt and possesses no magic.
Really good points of is it better to make change while still being part of the problem even by association vs. completely trying to deconstruct the system from the outside - you shined a different light on Glinda’s psyche that I didn’t take into consideration before!
I've seen several video essays about Glinda's character, usually speaking about her negative qualities and why she is the antagonist of the story--but yours is the first one that in my opinion really gets her. The script, the lyrics, clearly dwell on Glinda's complexities as well as Elphaba's. Someone ought to give Glinda and Elphaba a Myer's-Briggs exam, Elphaba is clearly an Introverted Intuitive; Glinda is probably an extraverted senser.
wow the parallel to Zuko was sooo good! i’d never thought of that!
also your video made me cry at the end… soooo good!
This is a beautiful video essay on such a complex, well-written, misunderstood, and tragically beautiful character.
I really wanted to scream so bad when you finally showed Aang and Zuko because I kept thinking about them the moment I clicked on your video
I really love your commentary on this. A lot of people have been lacking nuance when it comes to understanding why Glinda does the things she does, even seen a video calling her "The Villian" which I can't even understand how someone comes to that conclusion.
This is one of the better UA-cam essays I have seen in a long time
This breakdown had me completely engrossed 💚💖
rachel!!! thank you for your support throughout this ordeal and :) im so freaking glad you enjoyed this. this show is my blorbo i could talk about it forever. appreciate you
You are my favorite video essay channel! THANK YOU for adding CC, I am Deaf and always appreciate when creators add them. ❤
Wow this moved me. Thank you for the incredible analysis ❤
Absolutely worth the wait. Thank you for the video and for fighting for us to get to watch it.
What a phenomenal video essay with absolutely the most brilliantly nuanced analysis of Glinda's character I've ever seen. It was so fantastic, I even took notes throughout!
You’re making me cry over a media I’ve not even seen.
Well done :)
Always appreciate seeing your dissections of stories and how they connect to us as people :)
Very, very well done. You hit the nail on the head so many times regarding the similarities and differences between these two main characters. I stand applauding!
This video is very well written and structured. I understood every point of your analysis. I haven’t looked at this from your perspective before and I never understood why Glinda didn’t leave with Elphaba. So, this is great!
I’m glad NBC Universal finally saw sense and withdrew the copyright claim!
they did not! I posted it for a second and then made it unlisted again. they haven't withdrawn it, it's just unblocked 48 hours after you appeal. but it's still demonetized so I'm going to wait to publish until the claim is withdrawn
Oh, I spoke too soon. I’ll keep my fingers crossed that they do withdraw the claim.
this is one of the best videos about wicked that I have ever seen, instantly subscribed
Historically, most major movements required both Elphabas and Glindas to accomplish their goals.
Without an outside agitator, the insiders would get passive and become complicit. Without insiders, the agitators can be shut out of the process and mostly ignored by the system they fight.
While this isn’t the way the story goes, because it had to lead into the eventual Wizard of Oz canon, it would have been interesting to see a more cunning approach to the conflict from the two of them using their own positions and skill-sets.
This was an absolutely AMAZING analysis!
I've always understood Glinda's staying back to work for Elphaba from the inside. I'm hoping Part 2 further emphasizes this, as I think the play wasn't clear as to whether Glinda worked with Elphaba in the end.
36:35 adding as a comment
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I read the book ages ago and completely forget if this maybe was a plot point in the book, but I have better memory of the play and I always believed that Glinda KNEW and helped Elphaba facilitate the fake death. I've seen the play so many times and always left with this feeling that Glinda knew Elphaba and Fiyero escaped and ran away together.
in the book, elphaba actually dies. in the show, glinda is not aware and it ends with elphaba asking if they can tell glinda she's alive, and fiyero saying no, not if we want to be safe. they leave oz and glinda stays, believing them both dead, to carry on elphaba's mission
This was an exceptionally well made video with absolutely phenomenal analysis. Thank you for making this
The question that is posed in Wicked is one of the most interesting and hits very close to home great analysis!
Love the countless over analyses we’re seeing now for plot beats of a musical that’s been around for 20+ years
it’s a dream come true for me
This was such a great breakdown, and exploration of these complicated characters
I’m going to be watching this a couple of times!!! From the play to the movie I’ve always held a pretty negative opinion of Glinda… certain things like Popular “…..just not quite as popular as me” and Defying Gravity “……you’re having delusions of grandeur” “so where are your wings?” always made me view Glinda as not truly believing in Elphaba and wanting to make sure that Elphaba “knew her place” and didn’t think too highly of herself. This always made me see Glindas deciding to stay as her way of ensuring that she was still thought of of more highly than Elphie.
Your videos givien me a lot more to think about and other ways to see it.
THANKS!!!
What a fantastic video. I was thinking something along those lines after I watched the movie, but so see it laid out with tons of other ideas, nuance and depth added really drove the conflict Glinda was facing home. Also I think it's funny that Avatar sneaks into so, so many media analyses that I watch. Certainly going to check out some of your other videos as well!
I used to strongly dislike Glindas character because I couldn't see things from her point of view, and you brought up so many valid points 😭😭😭😭 GREAT JOB!
This video was beautifully made. Your words, wonderful to hear. Thank you
It is actually one of my favorite past times to discuss the complexities of Ms.Galinda.
I'm excited for this. I saw the play in 2019, saw the movie back in November. Glinda is a interesting character
Amazing job!!! That's the best thing I have watched on UA-cam for a long time!!! Please keep analyzing movies and / or musicals!!
i have been so tied of the Glinda mischaracterizations thank ou for this beautiful introspective. freaking fantastificating!
This is beautiful. Thank Goodness is my favorite song in Wicked and this is why.
Never thought of Glinda in this way. Very interesting
“You get nothing if you wait for it”
Thank you! Glinda is my favorite character because of the journey and the character arc that she does. Because she is so nuanced and she is the character that grows the most throughout the musical. She has layers that a lot of people don't see and she is so much more complex than the shallow surface that she presents to others.
This is so well-written. Brb gonna start over and listen to it again.
This is a really fantastic nuanced analysis! Thank you and I totally agree!!!