Why do I love this place that’s never loved me?

I thought I was going to wrap up the “The Best Showgirls are a Wicked Kind of Wonderful” series this week, but after seeing Wicked For Good last night —- that’s not where I am mentally; I want to reflect on this iconic film in a different way. (I will finish that series soon though, don’t worry!)Below is a thread that I posted (on threads, where I’m posting more commentary) before passing out on my couch last night. I woke up to thousands of likes and reposts and shares and replies. I’m so grateful my words are resonating with so many of you who are clearly having such similar thoughts and perspectives.If you haven’t seen the movie yet and don’t want spoilers - skip this until you’ve seen it! Go catch up on the series mentioned above or read another one of my latest pieces, like this one. This is your last warning, THERE ARE WICKED FOR GOOD SPOILERS AHEAD.And if you’re not a Wicked fan/weren’t planning to see it…this might just convince you to?Also - stay tuned for a special Sunday edition of The Nuance Diaries where I’ll be making a big announcement! As Glinda says, “you don’t want to miss this.”I do wish there was some way to like, magically go back in time or even see this movie in the Kamala timeline (the imagined world where Kamala Harris won the election.) Because the thing is, the Wicked team didn’t know the world would be like this, when they made the movie. But now that it is — you can’t not see the political landscape of America mirrored throughout Oz. No Place Like Home is about to be a protest anthem. As Keke Palmer once said, that’s a slave hymn.Seeing Wicked in 2003 as an eight year old — my first thought was not “Omg Glinda stands for all the complicit white women who don’t see the grave harm and danger they put black women in by aligning with these corrupt evil men.” And I got to enjoy her more as a character. And even in the following years, even seeing it in 2023 for the 20th anniversary — I didn’t see Glinda’s complicity the way I do now - because the landscape of America was different then (or so I thought.)That being said, it’s 2025 and we can’t avoid the world we live in when we see this movie. The symbolism is literally SO clear and powerful. There was a moment when the emerald city guards made me think of ICE. When Elphaba and Fiyero are walking through the land beyond Oz, and she had the piece of cloth over her head, she looked like a refugee and you just can’t ignore that symbolism. It’s so important.There’s something sobering and heartbreaking about watching Elphaba walk away from the only home she’s ever loved, which has never loved her back (also literally such a parallel to Zohran Mamdani’s victory speech when he said the city that you love finally loves you back.) I hope people won’t sugarcoat her and Fiyero’s ending. Yes, they get to be together forever. Yes, they are “free.” But they are literally fugitives. And we have no idea where they end up. Our brains must fill in the blanks. While some might be thinking “well maybe Elphaba can come back one day?!”, I do think that the people of Oz really do need someone to be wicked, in order for someone to be good. But that being said, if you have an idea for a fanfiction where Elphaba and Fiyero can come back to Oz, by all means write it and share it with me pronto. To give Glinda some credit, I did love the new addition to the ending where Glinda made it clear that Oz was a place where animals are welcome. Seeing people welcome them so openly was again, another important moment of symbolism. Lies are powerful. But the truth can prevail when people use their power the right way — which Glinda is learning to. For me, the moral of Wicked is really that we all have to stop giving corrupt inept men power. The Wizard was never the powerful one — he’s just a pathetic man, propped up by powerful women using their power in the wrong way. And his very presence emboldens people in the worst way and incites all kind of terror and violence.If Morrible, Glinda or even Dorothy had said no to the Wizard at any point — the fate of Oz, and the animals, and Elphaba would have been totally changed. It’s not enough for one person to say no, and fight back. It’s going to take all of us. Elphaba did help the people of Oz and free them from the Wizard. She did have a celebration throughout Oz all to do with her. The prophecy from The Wizard and I did come true. But she had to become a deeply misunderstood and villainized martyr, in order to make it happen. She knows that the people of Oz will never know who she really was, and what she did for them. The entire movie is just…. I have so much more to say. It’s such a deeply important, timeless story. I will have much more to say after my 2nd viewing, but for now I’ll just say that strangers kept offering me tissues. I look forward to seeing gospel covers of ‘No Place Like Home’ like, immediately. You could do it for Sunday Service if you call an emergency practice tonight and maybe one more on Saturday? Just a thought. I VERY much look forward to seeing activists’ take on No Place Like Home and that final shot of Elphaba walking into the land beyond Oz. Please chime in! I’m so curious what your views are on her “surrender” and orchestrated “death” in order to ensure her safety — after pleading with the animals to stay. Some may look at her life as a sacrifice. Was it? I’m not sure. It’s a hard question to ponder as a Black woman in 2025 America. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thenuancediaries.substack.com/subscribe