If you’ve watched Wicked on stage or in the new movie, it's clear that it's not purely about magic, flying monkeys, or even defying gravity as such. The music can be stunning (we have all at least once sung Defying Gravity and if you haven't, what are you doing with your life!?), but at its core, the story is much darker. What can be dubbed as politics, power, and the high cost of allyship is hidden beneath all that sparkles and green makeup in Wicked.

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Who Runs the Story?
We all know after watching the broadway shows and the movie that the ""Wicked Witch of the West" isn't actually wicked. But she doesn't get to decide how her story is told. In Oz, the Wizard uses propaganda to keep people in line.
He convinces everyone that Elphaba’s a monster so no one questions his shady rule. Sound familiar?
It’s not just Oz. Even in our world, people in power often decide how stories are told. Think about the news, social media, and even the way history is taught.
Who decides what’s true? Wicked reminds us to always ask questions. Don’t just accept what someone tells you—dig deeper. It's so easy to believe people in positions of power and the media tell us that we don't bother searching for the actual truth. Just like the people of Oz could have seen The Wicked Witch of the West wasn't so wicked if they had just tried to look for the truth, instead of mindlessly believing what was told to them.

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Propoganda and Control
The wizard isn't just a bumbling fraud behind a curtain- he's a literal genius and political mastermind. Him and his rule depend on one thing: manipulating public perception. By labeling Elphaba as “wicked” and ""evil", he distracts people from questioning his own questionable rule.
Sound familiar again? Political leaders have always used fear and lies to maintain control, ruining the images of the people who do decide to question them.
The wizard spins lies to maintain his rule over OZ, but Elphaba's fight shows us the importance of questioning authority. In a world where misinformation spreads like wildfire (faster than the truth itself); this message couldn't be any more relevant.

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Marginalization
Elphaba's skin is green- not metaphorically, but literally. This particular detail has made her an outcast since the day she was born. Throughout the story, she's judged because of her appearance and not her actions.
And when she stands up for what's right, she's vilified. Her journey shows how hard it is for people ilke her, “misfits”, to live in a world that misunderstands them.
In our modern day life, it's not much different. When someone is standing for a cause they believe in, exprsssing themselves, or being unapologetically themsleves ilke Elphaba, society pushes back. Being different takes courage, and Wicked makes sure that people see how painful and isolating it can be. But it also shows us that we shouldn't shy away from who we are, even when it's hard.
Power and Allyship
Let's talk about Glinda. She's the opposite of her close friend and former rival Elphaba; she's sparkly, charming, and popular. She's also (mostly) well-meaning.
But fans of Glinda might not want to confront the truth: she consciously makes a lot of choices that hurt Elphaba. Why? Simply because she wants to fit in, she craves normalcy, and the status quo has been kind to her. It reminds us that allyship isn't always easy as it's portrayed in children's cartoons.

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Glinda, even though she loved Elphaba, didn't stand up for what was right. Real allyship means standing up for what's right, even when it's unpopular and looked down upon on by society. It's not just saying that you don't understand what's happening- it's about showing up for when it counts.
Wicked makes us think about the sort of allies we want to be. Do we want to be the Glinda that could step up, or the Glinda that stayed silent when it's easier?

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Ultimately, Wicked challenges us to think critically aobut the truth. The Wizard of Oz and people in power spin lies to maintain their power, but people like Elphaba shows us the importance and need to question authority and to find out the truth for ourselves.