I saw the movie when I went home for the first time since college had started. My mother wanted to spend time with me and I agreed to watch a movie with her. I ended up enjoying it so much I have seen it at least thrice. It is like Hamilton all over again. Aside from the unforgettable story, music, and characters the messaging in the film's story only blows you away. Elphaba grew up the 'black sheep' of her family. Her mother gave birth to a green child with untamed magical power. She was raised by the bear nanny due to her father's lack of want for her upon her birth. Elphaba's birth then caused her parents to take precautions for her younger sister who was then born early and unable to walk. Elphaba then became another person to care for her younger sister. She did not have much going for her. Before she even enrolled at Shiz, she was just taking care of her younger sister the way her father expected. He told her to see her off as she was going to attend the school. That takes me to an interpretation of Elphaba's character. She never truly gets to live for herself until Shiz. Shiz was a fresh start, away from her father's low expectations for her. Despite the initial reactions to her being green, she found a friend in her roommate. Glinda was everything Elphaba was not and I think that contrasting their characters and seeing the different backgrounds they came from makes their friendship much more interesting and touching. Elphaba seems so free until the end of the movie where even Glinda tries to hold her back. Once again Elphaba is a pawn being used on someone else's chess board. When she refused it, that was where things took a turn. Defying Gravity represents that in a beautiful way - aside from the wonderful song that it is. Defying Gravity is Elphaba freeing herself from whatever holds her down. Glinda was beginning to hold her back. Her father held her back, the wizard of Oz was going to essentially be the gravity weighing her down. What they were doing was something she did not believe in. When she sings the song she is on a broomstick flying, defying gravity in the literal sense. Not only is she defying gravity literally but she is also figuratively doing that by going against everything she was told and everything that was asked of her. In doing so she becomes the wicked witch of the west though she still stood her own ground. I think that is the beauty of Wicked. The complexities of relationships, growth, expectations, and doing what you think is right in spite of it all. The soundtrack really helps to put it all into perspective as well. From her loathing with Glinda to when she fled the Emerald City, what is not to love about it?