This includes the Scarecrow, who is revealed to be Fiyero during Wicked: For Good‘s ending. Elphaba’s spell during “No Good Deed” turns him into this, saving his life at the cost of his human body. He eventually finds his way back to Elphaba. And with both of them presumed dead by the majority of Oz, they get something of a happy ending. However, the circumstances that bring Fiyero and Elphaba back together raise a question about The Wizard of Oz that the movie fails to answer.
Wicked: For Good’s Ending Raises a Huge Question About Fiyero’s Travels With Dorothy & Co.
Image via Universal Pictures
Fiyero takes advantage of the hunt for Elphaba — and the fact that no one recognizes him as the Scarecrow — to get back to her. He travels with Dorothy and her slighted companions, aligning Wicked: For Good‘s narrative with the events of The Wizard of Oz. However, there’s one glaring question that arises from Fiyero’s actions and true intentions: what is he doing the whole time he’s traveling with Dorothy? The film glosses over the group’s journey, keeping us at a distance. However, it’s hard to imagine Fiyero’s Scarecrow blending in, when he has a far more positive view of the woman the group wants to defeat.
It’s also difficult to imagine the journey overall, as it can’t play out the way The Wizard of Oz suggests. It’s not just Fiyero’s motivations that suggest an alternate narrative. It’s also the fact that Elphaba is never seen antagonizing Dorothy and her friends, despite her anger over Nessarose’s slippers. In The Wizard of Oz, the Wicked Witch confronts Dorothy prior to their final showdown. In Wicked‘s universe, this doesn’t seem to be the case…but then, what are Dorothy and the others doing the whole time they’re together?
The Scarecrow’s Wizard of Oz Story Further Complicates This Wicked Twist
Wicked: For Good can get away with glossing over Fiyero’s time with Dorothy when looked at as a contained story. However, comparing it to The Wizard of Oz, things become murkier. To be clear, Wicked and The Wizard of Ozare separate entities — but the overlap between their stories can’t exactly be ignored. And in the 1939 film, the Wicked Witch of the West confronts Dorothy’s group before their final, seemingly deadly encounter. She even interacts with the Scarecrow, taunting and throwing fireballs at him. It’s an odd interaction to look at through the lens of Wicked. For one, it’s out of character for Elphaba, even if she doesn’t recognize the Scarecrow as Fiyero.
It also begs the question of what Fiyero’s thinking throughout this journey, as being treated this way would surely change his stance about the Wicked Witch. The fact that he still supports Elphaba suggests that Dorothy’s adventure does, indeed, unfold differently in Wicked‘s universe. This brings us back to the question of what actually happens as she travels down the Yellow Brick Road. Even knowing that Wicked isn’t supposed to line up perfectly with The Wizard of Oz, it’s a lingering question that’s difficult to shake.
Wicked: For Good Is Supposed to Contradict The Wizard of Oz – But Dorothy’s Still Perplexing
Image via Universal Pictures
Wicked and Wicked: For Good are meant to reframe The Wizard of Oz‘s story as propaganda, so it makes sense that Dorothy’s narrative is different than what we’re originally led to believe. However, the movie should still fill in the blanks of what does happen in this universe. It’s difficult to envision these characters spending time together, as their motivations don’t even seem to line up. Dorothy eventually defeats the Wicked Witch, but we’re told she wants to get home. From what we see, she’s given few reasons to personally confront Elphaba. Meanwhile, that’s precisely what Boq and the Cowardly Lion are interested in: revenge.
Throwing Fiyero into the mix makes the group even more of a head-scratcher. Yes, he’s undercover, but it’s hard to see why he’d help Dorothy and her friends. Surely, there’s a better way for him to get back to Elphaba, especially if no one will recognize him. In this way, Wicked‘s Scarecrow twist raises as many questions as it answers. At this rate, we’ll need a third movie told from Fiyero’s point of view.
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