Was Rewatching Wicked The Movie (again) And Have Thoughts About The Hot Air Balloon Escape Scene

Was rewatching Wicked the movie (again) and have thoughts about the hot air balloon escape scene

Initially, I'd thought it was mostly there to 1) be a cool and exciting visual sequence, 2) kind of an action scene, and 3) pad out the film further. Maybe even a bit of symbolism of trying and failing to use the Wizard's own means against him to escape. And I do think it's still all those things, to be clear.

However, I also think it's really interesting from a character standpoint for Glinda, specifically how it sets up her choice to not leave in Defying Gravity.

You have the hot air balloon be Elphaba's plan first, no surprise there, with her immediately getting on and lighting it. Glinda lingers behind (again, no surprise there) and she struggles to take the literal leap required ("It's time to close my eyes and leap") despite Elphaba telling her to: "Quick, jump!" Glinda can't quite believe it: "Jump? Me, jump?"

But Glinda does take the leap, Elphaba help pulling her onto their escape craft. Glinda is the first to directly hit/fight off one of the guards, then Elphaba. And once the girls have a shared glance, they both reach upwards together to urge the balloon to go faster:

Together, we're unlimited.

I could talk more about how Glinda in some ways becomes Elphaba's replacement (more genuine) form of the Wizard throughout the film, i.e. she pins her hopes for acceptance and companionship on the Wizard, but actually receives these things from Glinda ("As half of Oz's favourite team" / "together we'll be the greatest team there's ever been") even before she meets him in-film (her being accepted at school because of Glinda's love and influence), because I think that aspect of the bond is an undercurrent in a lot of ways. The end of the film isn't just being betrayed/abandoned by the Wizard for Elphaba, but also — in a way — by Glinda as well.

But what I think the hot air balloon scene importantly illustrates is that, in it, Glinda was going to leave with Elpabha. They were trying to escape together, and Glinda was clearly hoping they'd make it successfully to the skies.

But of course they don't, the Wizard's palace — the symbol of his power — literally closing in on them, with Elphaba escaping the burning hulk of the balloon first (again, a parallel to the end of the play) and Glinda being the last to leave the balloon. So what's the difference between this escape attempt, wherein Glinda is willing to go, versus Defying Gravity's, where she stays behind?

A few things, I think:

The hot air balloon escape not working is a sobering reminder of how badly things can go

It is, accordingly, a reminder of the Wizard's power

But more importantly, I think, it illustrates the fundamental fact that despite Glinda telling Elphaba that "you can do anything," Glinda never considers the possibility or believes that Elphaba is more powerful than the Wizard.

This is the lynchpin of her choice not to leave in Defying Gravity, of course — Elphaba may have brains and knowledge and heart, but she is not "popular," and social sway/approval is what Glinda believes to be the most powerful thing in the world — but it's also indicated in the hot air balloon scene.

Because Glinda is willing to leave and escape with Elphaba when they are relying on the Wizard's vestiges of power (the balloon). She is not when it is Elphaba's (the broom).

She only trusts that one of them can fly, and so she stays on the ground the second time around.