Top 10 Easter Eggs in Wicked You Missed

The film opens with a birds-eye view of Oz, complete with a rainbow and the Emerald City in the distance. During a sweeping shot, Dorothy, Toto, the Scarecrow, Tinman, and Cowardly Lion head down the Yellow Brick Road. Although they’re only briefly spotted from behind, they can be seen carrying the Wicked Witch’s broomstick after supposedly melting her. This is the most we see of Dorothy in the film, but the three friends she makes on her journey all play a larger role (even if you don’t recognize them). For those who haven’t seen the stage version of “Wicked,” we won’t give away too much. Let’s just say that much like the so-called Wicked Witch, things aren’t always what they seem.

The Wizard may have plenty of tricks up his sleeve, but it’s all smoke and mirrors. When Elphaba and Galinda realize that the Wizard has no real powers, they escape behind the Emerald Curtain. The two stumble upon relics from the Wizard’s circus days, including the hot air balloon that brought him to Oz. Elphaba recognizes the Wizard for what he truly is upon spotting a poster for his magic act. The poster even features the Wizard’s real name. Well, not his full name, which was revealed to be Oscar Zoroaster Phadrig Isaac Norman Henkle Emmannuel Ambroise Diggs in the “Oz” books. Even so, Elphaba sees that everything about the not-so-wonderful Wizard was a lie, including the name his kingdom was built upon.

Elphaba and Fiyero grow closer after rescuing a lion cub who may or may not grow up to have a cowardly complex. The scene plays out pretty much as it did in the stage version with one clever twist. On stage, Elphaba casts a vague spell to incapacitate the others in the classroom. Here, Elphaba uses a bouquet of poppies that she brought Doctor Dillamond to spread a sleeping spell. This is a nod to the Deadly Poppy Field from the original “Oz” book and the 1939 film. In both, the poppies nearly send Dorothy into an eternal slumber. Elphaba initially doesn’t realize the power within the flowers, but she’ll surely remember this when she encounters Dorothy down the road.

The stage musical introduces us to Fiyero as he arrives at Shiz University with his driver, Avaric. In the film, Fiyero shows up to Shiz on a horse of a different color. We mean that literally. The colorful horse didn’t originate from L. Frank Baum’s books, but the 1939 movie. With Technicolor being a cornerstone of that cinematic classic, the filmmakers seized every opportunity to saturate the Land of Oz, right down to the horse pulling Dorothy’s carriage. In another change from the stage version, Elphaba is the first person Fiyero meets at Shiz. Just as his horse is a different color, Fiyero finds that Elphaba isn’t like any girl he’s ever met. Not because she’s of a different color, but because rather, something deeper.

Liberating the lion cub from his cage, Elphaba places him in her bicycle’s basket and rides into the forest. If you’re getting déjà vu, that’s because Elphaba did something similar (yet completely different) in another life. In 1939’s “The Wizard of Oz,” Almira Gulch takes Toto from Dorothy, cycling away with the Cairn Terrier in her basket. Thankfully, she doesn’t notice Toto slipping out and racing back to Dorothy. Although Dorothy and Toto escape Miss Gulch’s clutches, they meet a greener reflection of their old neighbor in Oz. Elphaba rescuing the lion mirrors Miss Gulch taking Toto. Of course, where Elphaba gets the lion to safety, we don’t even want to think about what Gulch would’ve done with the little dog.

Forced to share a dorm room, Elphaba would rather keep the door shut while Galinda wants it open. Finding a middle ground, Elphaba accidentally shatters the door’s glass with her magic, leaving it open even when it’s closed. In a way, this moment comes full circle during the climatic “Defying Gravity.” Taking flight, Elphaba bursts through a glass window, mirroring the aforementioned scene. This time, though, Elphaba purposely breaks the glass, reflecting how she’s gained control of her powers. In both scenes, Galinda inspires Elphaba’s actions, but for different reasons. When Elphaba broke the glass door, it was because Galinda got on her nerves. When she breaks the window, it’s because Galinda has given Elphaba the confidence to realize her unlimited potential.

The musical’s political commentary is given even more focus in this film with additional scenes dedicated to Doctor Dillamond and other Animals, who are treated as second-class citizens. When Elphaba first demonstrates her powers at Shiz, she accidentally causes several structures to crumble. One of them collapses to reveal an old mural that was built over. The artwork features a faculty of Animal academics, suggesting many species were once scholars at Shiz. That number has since shrunk, and soon enough, the contributions that Animals have made to Oz may be paved over for good in the name of quote-unquote “progress.” Even if Animals can’t talk in our world, there are parallels to how numerous cultures have essentially been erased from the history books.

Dorothy’s slippers were silver in L. Frank Baum’s book. Wanting to showcase Technicolor’s capabilities, MGM switched the slippers to red in their film adaptation. Being a product of the 1939 musical, the ruby slippers have rarely popped up in other interpretations of Oz. “Wicked” is no exception with Nessarose’s father gifting her a pair of silver shoes. However, the filmmakers do sneak in a reference to the iconic ruby slippers. Giving her new bestie a lesson in popularity, Galinda teaches Elphaba many things. This includes what shoes to wear, handing her a pair of red heels. They might not be exact replicas of the trademarked ruby slippers, but it’s clear what the filmmakers are doing while still staying in their legal jurisdictions. Speaking of shoes, if you take a look at the ones gifted to Nessarose, take special care to notice the tornado-esque heels, calling to mind her fate.

“Defying Gravity” might be the big showstopper, but “For Good” is the emotional high point of Elphaba and Galinda’s friendship. Since that tear-jerker doesn’t occur until Act 2, we’ll have to wait a year to hear Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande perform the duet. That doesn’t mean “For Good” is completely absent from this film. There are a handful of musical cues hinting at things to come. The most important moment comes during the Ozdust Ballroom sequence. Realizing the error of her ways, Galinda joins Elphaba on the dance floor. It’s the beginning of a beautiful friendship with both truly seeing each other for the first time. This is highlighted through an instrumental version of “For Good” playing in the background.

Erivo and Grande will surely be immortalized as cinema’s Elphaba and Galinda, but the film doesn’t forget their stage predecessors. Keeping it in the family, Galinda’s mother is played by Alice Fearn, who starred as Elphaba in the West End. A few other West End players drop into Oz, including Kerry Ellis and Dianne Pilkington. For the Broadway crowd, the most notable cameos are saved for an extended version of “One Short Day.” Chronicling how the Wizard came to Oz are two Wiz-o-mania Superstars, played by the OG Elphaba and Galinda - Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth. It’s not “Wicked” without them… or its writers, Winnie Holzman and Stephen Schwartz! Holzman gets a special bit of dialogue, while the composer is given a special cameo as the guard who tells the best friends that the Wizard will see them now.

Did any other Easter eggs stick out like a green thumb to you? Let us know in the comments.