After over 20 years on Broadway and an Oscar-winning first film, the Wicked cinematic journey has come to an end, with the second part, Wicked: For Good, hitting theaters on Nov. 21. And for the grand finale of the Wicked films, director Jon M. Chu and his crew incorporated many Easter eggs nodding to its history and legacy. Spoilers for Wicked: For Good ahead.
As fans of the beloved 2003 Broadway musical know, Wicked is the origin story of the two witches in Judy Garland’s classic 1939 film, The Wizard of Oz, Glinda the Good Witch and Elphaba Thropp, aka the Wicked Witch of the West. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande were cast as the characters in the films, succeeding Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, who originated the roles on Broadway.
In Wicked: For Good, the story lands on the same timeline as The Wizard of Oz, revealing exactly how Dorothy landed in Oz and the events leading up to her defeating Elphaba — or at least appearing to. As a result, not only were there many references to the iconic film, but also clever Easter eggs that called back to the first Wicked film and the Broadway musical.
Below, catch up on all the Easter eggs that you might have missed in Wicked: For Good.
Glinda’s Jacket Is Found
Before “Defying Gravity” in the first Wicked film, Glinda has to fight off a horde of monkeys while trying to find Elphaba, one of whom steals her pink jacket. At the beginning of Wicked: For Good, said monkey is wearing the pink jacket while standing next to Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh) as she addresses Oz.
Nessarose’s “Ruby Red” Shoes
When Elphaba uses her powers to let her disabled sister Nessarose fly, her silver shoes briefly glow red as she begins to float, nodding to Dorothy’s famous ruby slippers in The Wizard of Oz. However, the shoes are originally silver in Gregory Maguire’s original Wicked novel, the basis of the Broadway musical, which means that For Good remains faithful to its source material.
Her Striped Stockings
In The Wizard of Oz, Nessarose, who is known as the Wicked Witch of the East, is only seen from the waist down, wearing striped stockings and the iconic red shoes beneath Dorothy’s house. As Nessa flies in Wicked: For Good, she wears very similar striped hosiery, foreshadowing her fate.
The Ozdust Dance Returns
During “Wonderful,” as Glinda and the Wizard attempt to convince Elphaba to join forces, the two BFFs break out into some of the same Ozdust Ballroom choreography that bonded them together in the first place, leading to a joyous hug.
Dorothy’s House
The house that lands on Nessarose during Madame Morrible’s tornado has blue gingham curtains, the same print as Dorothy’s dress, slyly indicating to casual fans who may not be as familiar with The Wizard of Oz that it’s her house.
Fiyero’s Note To Elphaba
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Chu confirmed that the piece of Fiyero’s clothing that Chistery gives to Elphaba included a secret note from him, which informed her that he was alive. This is how Elphaba knew to carry out their plan of faking her death and running away from Oz together, unbeknownst to Glinda.
Chistery’s Eyes
When Chistery regains his ability to speak and gives Elphaba’s mom’s bottle to Glinda, his face is shown in full color, revealing that he has one pink and one green eye, nodding to the two lead witches.
The Final Shot
The final shot of the two Wicked films is a flashback to the former BFFs sitting in the poppy fields, where Glinda, wearing a white hood, whispers something into Elphaba’s ear. This is a reference to the poster of the Broadway musical, which abstractly depicts the moment.
