The movie Wicked, a prequel to The Wizard of Oz, tells the origin story of the Wicked Witch of the West—Elphaba. Originally, Wicked was a 2000s Broadway musical with a large fan base; this year, people were thrilled to finally see it adapted into a film. The movie finally hit theaters on November 22, 2024, earning over $200 million in the domestic box office alone. The plot follows Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) as she navigates Shiz University, a prestigious school in Oz, while struggling with her haphazard magical powers, complicated family relationships, and elaborate roommate Glinda (Ariana Grande). Elphaba’s biggest ambition is to one day work for the famous Wizard of Oz, but ultimately, friendship proves to be the more rewarding end.
The most prominent Wicked friendship is between Elphaba and Glinda. On paper, the two characters could not be more different: Glinda is the most popular girl at Shiz, beloved by nearly everyone, while Elphaba is an outcast, due to her awkward demeanor and unusually green skin. Initially, they cannot stand each other, mutually peeved about sharing a dorm. However, as the story progresses, they begin to grow fond of each other, forming a strong friendship. Elphaba serves as an encouraging supporter in Glinda’s life, and in return, Glinda teaches Elphaba “to be very, very popular.” Glinda and Elphaba’s friendship is an aspirational one; they respect their differences and try their best not to hurt each other. In popular culture, the theme of friendship is sometimes seen as cliche or insignificant, so it’s wonderful to see it play such a large and serious role in a movie.
There are many other friendships as well in Wicked. Elphaba has a very wholesome one with her sister, Nessarose, who also attends Shiz. Nessarose often feels embarrassed by Elphaba’s oddities, but they eventually learn to take care of each other and work as a team. When a handsome prince named Fiyero transfers to Shiz, he also becomes friendly with Elphaba; in fact, he is the only person to look completely past her green skin. He shows great support for her, truly appreciating her for who she is, and this eventually blossoms into a lovely friendship (and possibly something more?) for audiences to enjoy. Glinda also has a wonderful friendship with Nessarose, looking after her and even setting her up with a nice Munchkin man. Along with being portrayed as unimportant, there are many toxic friendship tropes shown in cinema, so it’s quite moving to see Wicked take a different route.
Friendship is the glue that holds us together, yet we often take it for granted. Wicked shines a light on this wonderful aspect of life, celebrating the connections between all sorts of people. The friendships between Elphaba, Glinda, Fiyero, and Nessarose are supportive and wholesome, serving as great examples of genuine, supportive relationships. Though the story seems like one of magic and witches, it really is a film about camaraderie; this is a theme that we will forever hold space for.
This article also appears in our January 2025 print edition.
