WICKED (Part One)

JONATHAN BAILEY (featuring Jack the Horse)

Anthony Bridgerton | Bridgerton 2x08 Fiyero Tigelaar | Wicked

Elphaba + poppies

WICKED: PART ONE (2024) dir. Jon M. Chu

I think one of my favorite parts of the new wicked movie is how "dancing through life" shows the problem I have with pride as a concept.

When Fiyero is singing it, he's not being proud. He's just living his life! Being happy! Having fun! He's just some guy, he gets to dance through life, doesn't he? Nobody would have a PROBLEM with him dancing through life, it's just how he's supposed to do it! He doesn't have to defy anything, he doesn't need to stand his ground. He gets to just be a person.

But Elphaba doesn't.

She doesn't get to just be happy, or just be deserving of respect, or, for that matter, just BE. So she needs to try, over and over. And over. She needs to approach people every single time, see if this time, they'll let her be a person. And the night before the club, she just had Glinda show her two gestures of friendship- with Nessa and the hat. So she got to think, will I get to be one of them for once? And she came to the club, to dance, just like everyone- but nope, still not a human. They laugh at the freak, the green freak with the pointy hat. So she has to be proud. She'll put her hat down on the floor and make up a dance for it. She'll put the most upsetting parts of herself on full display as an act of defiance, she'll spin for all those people like a preformence because that's what they turned her onto. Might as well make the best out of it, might as well be everything they hate her for, might as well dance in the ten-feet circle of repellency that her essence seems to project and let them watch, if her dancing at the club is something to gawk at, then let them gawk! If that's what they make her into, then that is what she'll be! She's not gonna cry, or run, or stutter, she'll dance! This is her war.

But then Glinda comes and dances with her, and you can see her pride melting away. As she finally gets a friend, finally gets to put down her guard, finally gets to be accepted. She doesn't have to be proud. If she can be accepted, if she can be safe, then she won't have to fight anymore. She, too, can dance through life.

And in a way, that's true. You can see how throughout the movie, she stops directing her anger at everyone who looks at her wrong, because she comes to terms with the fact that she CAN find people who love her. It doesn't need to BE about her. Society has fundamental problems that need to be fixed. Cruelty and pain are symptoms, not the essence of the problem. She needs to defy the very gravity keeping her down.

Forever in The Shadows of Oz: Chapter 2

Read Chapter 1 HERE

“Fiyero” His name was the first thing that escaped me when my eyes opened. Disoriented, I quickly realized that I was in bed – but not Our bed. This bed was different and familiar all at once. How is that even possible. Blinking a few times I let my vision adjust to the light coming in through the windows.

This isn’t our cottage

I bolted up, my heart beating so fast it felt like it was going to leap from my chest. I scanned my surroundings. It didn’t take long to realize where I was. My small bed tucked away in the corner of a room. Hidden behind nothing but pink frilly dresses, and piles and piles of pink boxes. I stood up and walked around and saw another bed on the other side of the room. With a pink comforter. A chest of drawers with nothing but makeup and other accessories that I would never use… but I know who would.

“This is… Shiz” I whispered. But how?

I continued to look around the room, I started walking around running my hand over the furniture. I stopped in front of the balcony door that still had the shatter in it from day one in our shared dorm room. I am swept with memories of this place. Glinda, Nessa, Fiyero…

“Fiyero” I whispered again. Where was he? Was he here? He had to be… I mean there’s no way only I came back. Right? No that’s not possible, we were holding hands when I did the spell he had to of transported too. Deep breaths.

“Think Elphaba” Ok, I guess the first thing to figure out is the date. I scanned the room slowly looking for a calendar. My eyes went wide. This was only my 3rd day at Shiz… Fiyero isn’t meant to be here for another week… assuming he is here – stop that of course he is he has to be.

I sat on the ground trying to wrap my head around everything. Ok, so I cast a spell to turn Yero back into a human… and I sent us back in time.

“He’s Human” I mumbled since I sent us back, that means he is human. I smiled brightly He is alive again, whole, the way he is meant to be. I felt tears in the corner of my eyes, from the joy running through me. He will be so happy, I mean…. Suddenly I am hit with a horrible feeling.

What if he doesn’t remember me. The joy suddenly left my body, what if since I cast the spell I was able to keep my memories. I want to throw up, and I am suddenly glad I am already sitting down because the room starts to spin.

What if I am a total stranger to him? What if, to him, none of it ever happened – our love, our life, our sacrifices? What if I am stuck here alone and doomed to face this strange, familiar past without him?

“I can’t” I whispered, my voice cracking under the weight of the fear. “I can’t go through this again, at least not without him.” I take a few deep breaths, trying to calm myself. I decided to think of some positives of this happening 1. Fiyero is human 2. Nessa is alive 3. Doctor Dillamond 4. We get the chance to re-do everything. How does that even work.

Is it even possible to change anything in the past? Or are we doomed to just repeat. No, I am going to fix everything, but first I need to wait for him

“Yero please get here as soon as you can, I need you”

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"Elphaba” I groan, as I wake up. Oz my head is pounding. What happened? I opened my eyes and shoot up when I quickly realize I am not in our comfy cottage that we have called home for the past year. No, I am in my old bedroom at the Vinkus.

I groan again when the pounding in my head continues. I went to put my hand on my forehead when I stopped. I noticed my hand. I brought it to my face gasped, before getting out of bed and running over to the mirror.

“She did it” I mumbled looking over at my now human self. Then a thought hit me If I’m here where is she? Is she here, then I am hit with a horrible thought. What if she transported me back in order for me to be human again and she was left alone. The pounding in my head I had forgotten quickly returned, and I felt like I was going to be sick.

I promised I would never leave her alone again. I can’t, I don’t think I can go on without her. She had to of come back with me. I just have to find her, that’s all. I jumped when I heard the door swing open. I stand in shock when I see my mother standing there. My mouth drops

“Good you’re awake, you need to get dressed if…” I cut her off by hugging her tightly. My parents and I always had a very complicated relationship. I never wanted to take life seriously, I honestly didn’t care to be king but I unfortunately did not have a choice in the matter as I was their only child. We had many many fights. Most of the time I said horrible things, things I definitely didn’t mean. “Fiyero are you feeling ok?”

“Better than ever” I mumbled

“Son, I thought you were mad at me” She had pulled away from me searching my face as if something was wrong.

“No, not at all” I said quickly stepping back

“Well if I remember correctly, you told me last night if I made you go to Shiz University you would never speak to me again” My heart started racing

“Shiz?” I whispered my heart skipped a beat

“Yes, remember the school you start next week… since you got kicked out of another one” She’s there she has to be. A surge of hope runs through my body.

“Fae” I said, the thought of seeing her again as me… the real me. I will be able to hold her and kiss her and… My face breaks out into a wide grin  and started running around the room getting dressed.

“What is a Fae? Fiyero are you sure you are feeling, ok?” she asked with concern

“Yes, I um” I have to come up with something quickly “I thought about what you said, you are right I do need to take school more seriously. I want to start school this week.” She looked shocked

“I guess, I can tell the guards to get the carriage ready but”

“No” I said suddenly

“I want to take Feldspur” I said. I know for a fact that I can get there in half the time.

“Fiyero, that’s not very safe…” I walked over to her now dressed and ready to leave

“I’ll be fine, Mother,” I said with as much confidence as I could muster. Fully dressed now, I walked over and kissed her cheek. “I’ll see you later.”

Before she could protest, I bolted down the hall and made my way to the stables, where my horse awaited.

“Feldspur, I missed you, buddy,” I said, patting his sleek neck.

The horse turned his head toward me, his sharp, intelligent eyes glinting in the dim light of the stable. “Your Highness,” he replied in a mocking tone bowing his head a little

I grinned. Feldspur had always been a smartass. No wonder we got along so well.

“You up for a run?” I asked, already fitting him with his saddle.

“Anywhere, as long as it’s far from this stuffy stable.”

“It’s a bit far—two days’ ride,” I said cautiously, gauging his reaction.

He snorted and stomped a hoof, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Two days? We can be there tonight.”

A laugh bubbled out of me, the tension in my chest easing for the first time in ages. “I was hoping you’d say that.”

With the last buckle secured, I swung myself up into the saddle. Feldspur shifted under me, his muscles coiling with anticipation. As we charged out of the stables and into the open, cool wind rushed against my face. The familiar rhythm of Feldspur’s gallop reverberated beneath me, steady and strong.

“I’m on my way, Fae,” I whispered into the night, a promise carried on the wind as we disappeared into the horizon.

JONATHAN BAILEY as Fiyero Tigelaar Wicked (2024), dir. Jon M. Chu

♫ no good deed / will I do again! ♫

Cynthia Erivo as ELPHABA THROPP Wicked (2024), dir. Jon M. Chu

I'll say this much, she doesn't give a twig what anyone thinks. Of course she does. She just pretends not to.

WICKED (2024) dir. Jon M. Chu

CYNTHIA ERIVO AS ELPHABA THROPP WICKED: PART ONE (2024) dir. John M. Chu