‘For Good’ Explained: The Song’s Full Lyrics & What It Really Means In ‘Wicked’

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Warning: This article contains spoilers for Wicked: For Good.There’s a reason why Wicked: For Good wasn’t called Wicked: Part Two, and it has everything to do with the relationship at the center of Jon M. Chu’s big-screen adaptation. Based on the 2003 Tony Award-winning Broadway musical, the Wicked films explore the enemies-to-friends relationship between Elphaba Thropp (Cynthia Erivo) and Glinda Upland (Ariana Grande) as they attend university together and flip audiences’ understanding of The Wizard of Oz on its head. Though some viewers have felt that Chu’s ambitious two-part adaptation could have been squeezed into one film, others have praised the character development that a more spread-out storytelling format allows. Both films build to an emotional climax in the form of a duet that, in many ways, has come to define Wicked as much as Elphaba’s Act One showstopper, “Defying Gravity.”

The song is called “For Good,” and it’s the emotional centerpiece of the second film, giving the movie its title. Director Chu and his team chose it because of the lessons Elphaba and Glinda learn throughout the two stories. Both women are searching for meaning and goodness – Elphaba by trying to help the mistreated creatures of Oz, and Glinda by stepping outside her comfortable, privileged life. However, their paths are complicated by the Wizard of Oz and his assistant, Madame Morrible, who have their own secret plans. Ultimately, the song reflects on how Elphaba and Glinda have changed each other, making it a pivotal and grateful moment for both of them. Here are the complete lyrics, and an explanation of why it’s become such an important song in Wicked.

‘For Good’: The Song’s Full Lyrics

Okay, let’s talk about “For Good” from Wicked. I’m going to share the complete lyrics to this incredibly moving duet, performed by Elphaba and Glinda right at the show’s emotional peak. It’s a song that really encapsulates everything the musical is about, and I want to lay out the full text so you can appreciate all the nuances.

ELPHABA

I’m limited

ELPHABA (spoken)

Just look at me

Not with your eyes –– with theirs

ELPHABA

I’m limited

And just look at you,

You can do all I couldn’t do, Glinda

ELPHABA (spoken)

Here, take it

GLINDA (spoken)

What? But you know I can’t read this, I ––

ELPHABA (spoken)

Well, you have to learn

ELPHABA

Because now it’s up to you, for both of us

Now it’s up to you

GLINDA

I’ve heard it said

That people come into our lives

For a reason

Bringing something we must learn

And we are led

To those who help us most to grow

If we let them

And we help them in return

Well, I don’t know if I believe that’s true

But I know I’m who I am today

Because I knew you

Like a comet pulled from orbit

As it passes a sun

Like a stream that meets a boulder

Halfway through the wood

Who can say if I’ve been changed for the better? But

Because I knew you

I have been changed for good

ELPHABA

It well may be

That we will never meet again

In this lifetime

So, let me say before we part

So much of me

Is made of what I learned from you

You’ll be with me

Like a handprint on my heart

And now, whatever way our stories end,

I know you have rewritten mine

By being my friend

Like a ship blown from its mooring

By a wind off the sea

Like a seed dropped by a skybird

In a distant wood

Who can say if I’ve been changed for the better? But

Because I knew you

GLINDA

Because I knew you

BOTH

I have been changed for good

ELPHABA

And just to clear the air,

I ask forgiveness

For the things I’ve done

You blame me for

GLINDA

But then, I guess,

We know there’s blame to share

BOTH

And none of it seems to matter

Anymore

Like a comet pulled from orbit (Like a ship blown from its mooring)

As it passes a sun (By a wind off the sea)

Like a stream that meets a boulder (Like a seed dropped by a bird)

Halfway through the wood (In the wood)

Who can say if I’ve been changed for the better?

I do believe I have been changed for the better

GLINDA

And

Because I knew you

ELPHABA

Because I knew you

BOTH

Because I knew you

I have been changed

For good

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What ‘For Good’ Really Means in ‘Wicked’


Universal Pictures

The song “For Good” starts with a familiar melody – the “Unlimited” theme first heard in Wicked: Part One during “No One Mourns the Wicked” and Elphaba’s introductory song, “The Wizard and I.” This theme represents Elphaba’s initial hope and excitement about attending Shiz University and meeting the Wizard, as she envisioned a future where she was celebrated and accepted. She believed that if the Wizard could change her appearance, she would finally be able to fulfill her potential and do good in the world. However, her goals shift dramatically when she discovers the Wizard is a deceitful man who discriminates against animals. After learning to fly, the “Unlimited” theme returns, reinforcing Elphaba’s newfound confidence and belief in her own abilities.

By the end of the story, Elphaba realizes her power is limited because Oz has turned against her, fueled by Madame Morrible and the public’s perception. This is why the story begins with her admitting, “I’m limited,” a statement that reflects both her situation and the story’s central theme. In the film, she adds, “Not with your eyes–– with theirs,” emphasizing that her reputation – and her green skin – prevent her from being seen as the hero Oz needs. Glinda, unlike Elphaba, is well-liked and has no tarnished reputation, allowing her to help others without limitation. This is why Elphaba ultimately gives Glinda the Grimmerie, passing on the responsibility – and accepting that Glinda is better positioned to do good.

When Glinda admits she can’t read the Grimmerie – a moment not included in the Broadway version – it’s the first time she realizes she isn’t as powerful as she believed. Throughout much of the story, she’s lived with unrealistic expectations, making this a turning point. It hints at the surprising ending, where the Grimmerie finally opens to her. While viewers can interpret what that means, it’s clear that everything Glinda learned from Elphaba helped her discover her own inner goodness. She realizes Elphaba entered her life to teach her how to truly be a good person. Because of this, Glinda has changed and now wants to make a positive impact on the world, just like Elphaba always did.

Elphaba shares a heartbreaking realization: she and Glinda might not see each other again, hinting at her plan to disappear and start a new life. She tells Glinda how much their friendship has meant to her, emphasizing that Glinda has been her only true friend. “For Good” becomes both a touching thank you and a painful farewell, because Elphaba understands she must leave Oz for Glinda to become the leader the land needs. While Dorothy famously said there’s no place like home, Elphaba knows the people of Oz, manipulated by Madame Morrible and the Wizard, now want her dead. Only by faking her death will she achieve the peaceful, joyful Oz she once dreamed of, as expressed in “The Wizard and I.”

As “For Good” concludes, both Elphaba and Glinda acknowledge their past mistakes but also recognize how they’ve grown from knowing each other. Crucially, they learn what true goodness means – it’s not just a word, but something that drives real change, as Elphaba explains. She demonstrates this by faking her death to give the people of Oz a glimmer of hope, while Glinda proves her goodness by exiling the Wizard, arresting Madame Morrible, and welcoming back those who were previously outcast. Chu, by including “For Good” in the sequel’s title, reminds viewers of his original intention for making the films – to show the potential for good that exists within everyone, regardless of their background.

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2025-12-03 21:42