Ariana Grande Explains Wicked's Ending

Ariana Grande-Butera discusses the significance of the Wicked ending. November 22 saw the release of the Broadway musical adaption, which is set in the Wizard of Oz universe. With favorable reviews and a strong first weekend box office performance, Wicked became the highest-grossing Broadway musical adaption ever. Grande-Butera, Cynthia Erivo, Marissa Bode, Ethan Slater, Jonathan Bailey, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, and Bowen Yang are among the show's excellent lead actors. It is part one of a two-part musical, with the second portion scheduled for release in 2025.

Grande-Butera discusses her feelings about the Wicked ending in an interview with iHeartRadio. In response to the interview's examination of Glinda's feelings at the conclusion, Grande-Butera argues that the character is "strong enough to know that she will never choose" rebellion and revolt in the same manner that Elphaba may, rather than just being "not strong enough to go" with Elphaba. The alternative is that Glinda is "not ready to do that." Grande-Butera likens the separation of Glinda and Elphaba to the process of growing apart and choosing a different path from a loved one. See Grande-Butera's whole quote below:

There's a different version of that which is that she is strong enough to know that she will never choose that [rebellion]. Because she can't. She doesn't have the tools. And she knows what is important to her. And it's like, it's not that she's not ready to do that. It's just that she's not a person who's gonna do that. And having the strength to know that [...]

It really felt so real. And it feels how it feels in real life when you really love someone but the paths that you need to take for your own truth and life and who you are, it's like you can't actually, you can't actually continue growing together, you're growing apart, and you can still love that person so much and acknowledge that that's going to be best for them. But it's not going to be best for me. So I do have to not self abandon in this moment, and I have to stay where I am. And I want you to go there, but I can't join you. So I think it's certainty. I think she's really sure in that moment. And I think that that's strength. I don't think that it's that she's not strong enough to go, I think it's that she's strong enough to not go.

The Significance Of This For The Wicked Ending

Grande-Butera is alluding to the cliffhanger finale of Wicked in her explanation. Elphaba chooses to leave Oz after the Wizard and Madame Morrible deceive her and she discovers their covert scheme to help enslave the animals. Glinda must choose between staying and hoping that Oz will have pity on her because of her relationship with Elphaba, or leaving with her to support her in her revolt against the Emerald City. When she decides on the latter, Elphaba is left to soar alone toward the Western Sky while listening to "Defying Gravity."

In Grande-Butera's version of the conclusion, Glinda is portrayed in a very specific way. It speaks volumes about Glinda's moral character if she is aware that "she's not a person" who has the capacity to rebel against Oz. The reasons behind Glinda's decision to "change" her name in support of Dr. Dillamond demonstrate how she is viewed throughout Wicked as a follower rather than a leader when it comes to criticizing injustice. In this conclusion, Glinda chooses not to support Elphaba's revolution instead of following her lead.

Our View of Glinda in the Final Scene of Wicked

An intriguing method to deduce the film's thematic goals is to use Grande-Butera's interpretation of Glinda's Wicked finale. How various people respond to injustice and dissent is demonstrated by Glinda's refusal to go with Elphaba. While some choose to remain silent, others choose to fight. Although Glinda is strong because she knows what she can do in this scenario, the response illustrates how society often chooses to do nothing in these kinds of circumstances.