WARNING! This article contains spoilers for the upcoming film, Wicked: For Good.
The journey to the Emerald City and beyond has been a staple of pop culture since The Wizard of Oz debuted in 1939, becoming an instant timeless classic. As the adaptation of the second part of the Wicked franchise prepares to conclude with Wicked: For Good, fans of the Broadway soundtrack are impatiently waiting to hear their favorite numbers from Act II in a cinematic format. Wicked: For Good is set to delve into the consequences of Elphaba’s choice to flee and become branded as The Wicked Witch of the West by the Wizard and Madame Morrible instead of joining their oppressive regime, as well as Glinda’s struggles with where her real loyalties lie. The film promises two original musical numbers—one for Elphaba and one for Glinda— alongside the beloved tracks that have defined the stage show for decades. The anticipation isn’t just for performances by the incredible leading ladies, but also for the weight these songs will carry on the big screen, particularly given tantalizing new additions and surprising structural changes.
From the darkest, most dramatic anthems to the most tender, defining duets, the countdown of the most eagerly awaited musical numbers begins now.
10) There’s No Place Like Home
Director John M. Chu promised that Wicked: For Good would include two brand new musical numbers written and composed by the original Wicked Broadway composer, Stephen Schwartz. There’s No Place Like Home is one of the two. It is a new Elphaba solo that will show a heartbreaking glimpse into her emotional state as the world turns against her and she grapples with all she has lost. Given the plot, this solo would be most fitting placed during Elphaba’s period of isolation, providing a dark counterpoint to Glinda’s high-profile, seemingly perfect life.
While very little is known about the song, it will likely delve into Elphaba’s crushing loneliness and her longing for acceptance—for home. It could be a quiet, emotional grounding moment for the audience to connect with her internal struggle and depression before the film’s high-stakes climax.
9) I’m Not That Girl (Reprise)
This reprise is an unusually bleak and self-reflective moment for Glinda, coming after the reality of her life as a propaganda tool and the loss of her fiancé’s love to another becomes painfully clear. It shifts the song’s original, heartbroken sentiment from Elphaba to Glinda, marking a reversal of roles in which it is Glinda—not Elphaba—who is the “favored” one in Fiyero’s eyes.
The emotional weight of this number is in Glinda’s regrets over all the things she’s had to sacrifice for a status she once dreamed of, finally allowing her to see things from a perspective beyond her own. It’s a small, quiet moment of realization that shows her evolving beyond the vain, self-absorbed girl she once was.
8) No One Mourns the Wicked (Reprise)
The initial, chilling reprisal of the opening number quickly establishes the darkness and danger looming over the entire second act. It’s a reminder to the audience that the world has fully turned against Elphaba and that the story has shifted from two girls finding their way in friendship to the consequences of being labeled “wicked.”
This short but impactful moment will set the film’s tone, making it crystal clear that the audience understands the fear and mob mentality that Elphaba now faces at every turn. It perfectly contrasts Glinda’s public glory with Elphaba’s descent into infamy, cementing their opposing trajectories in the eyes of the people of Oz.
7) Thank Goodness
This track opens the second act and celebrates Glinda’s grand, public facade—a triumphant proclamation of her and Fiyero’s engagement and her success that is secretly masking a deep, growing unhappiness. It’s a moment of dramatic irony: she celebrates her “perfect” life while her heart clearly breaks over losing Elphaba and the corrupt political regime she is now party to in order to save her own life.
The song contrasts Glinda’s dazzling outer perfection with the deep, agonizing emptiness she feels beneath it. It will be a key performance for Ariana Grande, demanding a balance of bright, show-stopping bravado and the subtle suggestion of internal emotional turmoil.
6) The Girl in the Bubble
This second brand-new solo belongs to Glinda and will offer a look into her inner world as her carefully constructed life begins to crack under the weight of her choices. The title itself references more than just the literal bubble in which she travels; it reflects her privileged, isolated existence and the self-deception she adapted to survive and succeed within the Emerald City’s power structure.
Fans are eager to see this character-defining moment that will likely explore her regret, her longing for Elphaba, and her internal struggle over her “loyalty” to the Wizard versus her conscience. It’s an opportunity for Glinda to have a deeply vulnerable solo, moving her past her surface charm and into true emotionally conflicted territory.
5) March of the Witch Hunters
A song of pure, exhilarating tension, this is the exact moment the full force of Oz turns against Elphaba, driven by the hysteria and fear orchestrated by the Wizard and spearheaded by the Tin Man in Munchkinland (for a very specific reason). The track is not just about a chase; it’s about mob mentality and the terrifying ease with which a hero can be painted as a monster.
The film has a chance to make this a truly spectacular, sweeping sequence, using Oz’s landscape to show the speed and scale of the manhunt, from the ground to the sky. The drama of citizens uniting against someone who is actually the true hero of the story will be a powerful cinematic spectacle and bridge the conflict with the film’s climax.
4) Wonderful
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Deviating from the source material and adding Glinda into what is traditionally a solo for the Wizard is a fascinating change that carries many implications. In the brief clips we’ve seen of the revised number, Glinda is present during Elphaba’s disillusioning confrontation with the Wizard, forcing her to witness the dark truth behind the “wonderful” man she admires.
This shift dramatically raises the stakes for Glinda, making her complicit in the deception or at least a first-hand witness to it, which accelerates her moral crisis. Alternatively, it’s possible that Glinda herself has been charmed by the Wizard and believes she is doing the right thing by trying to bring Elphaba home. Ultimately, seeing Glinda grapple with the realization that the man she idolizes is a fraud, and that her friend was right all along, promises an unforgettable moment.
3) As Long as You’re Mine
The forbidden love song is often a fan favorite, and this deeply romantic, secretive duet between Elphaba and Fiyero carries high emotional stakes. The film must sell the intensity of their connection in a single, passionate scene, justifying Elphaba’s complete surrender to her feelings despite the looming danger, her long period of isolation, and her reputation.
Anticipation is high for how director Jon M. Chu will stage this moment of pure intimacy and escape within the dark, fraught atmosphere of the second film. As Long as You’re Mine serves as a brief, beautiful escape from the chaos unfolding across Oz. The chemistry between Cynthia Erivo and Jonathan Bailey must be off the charts to make this short-lived romance feel worth the devastating cost Fiyero and Elphaba pay.
2) For Good
The signature piece of Wicked as a whole, this duet is the emotional core of Elphaba and Glinda’s relationship, defining their life-altering friendship. Its placement as the penultimate moment before “disaster” is a guaranteed tear-jerker—a final acknowledgment of how they changed each other “for the better,” even as their paths diverge in the most tragic way.
For Good is not just any moment, but the moment fans have been waiting for—a timeless, heartbreaking farewell that captures the story’s central theme: that our lives are forever marked by the people who come into them.
1) No Good Deed
No Good Deed is the cinematic moment that promises to be the emotional and dramatic climax of the entire two-part film. Elphaba, betrayed, distraught, and cornered, unleashes the full, terrifying scope of her power in a declaration of war against the world that has persecuted her. The pure theatricality and raw vocal power required for this song make it the most anticipated performance, marking the turning point when the Wicked Witch of the West is truly born.
Broadway fans generally agree that the “best” Elphaba and version of this song comes from powerhouse Broadway star Jessica Vosk (if you haven’t seen or heard her sing “No Good Deed,” it’s well worth the time). Beyond Vosk, superstars like Idina Menzel and Shoshana Bean have performed this number to jaw-dropping receptions, setting an extremely high bar for Erivo. The performance defines the main conflict of For Good, cementing Elphaba’s transformation from misunderstood outsider to mythical villain. The staging and special effects are as essential to the number as the vocals and performance, driving home the destructive, tragic rage that fuels Elphaba’s decision to embrace her wicked reputation.
What are you looking forward to hearing the most in Wicked: For Good? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
