Warning: This article contains potential spoilers for Wicked: Part 1.In Wicked: Part 1the character of Glinda, the Good Witch, evolves a lot in her youth, with a change in her name. Adapted from the acclaimed Broadway musical, Evil offers audiences a stunning glimpse into the world of Oz and an insight into the events that occurred before Dorothy Gale’s arrival. Evil was one of the most anticipated film releases of 2024; although it only depicts the first half of the show, its soundtrack, performances, and depiction of Oz prove to be a captivating and enjoyable watch for longtime fans.
THE Evil the cast stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, who masterfully portray the origins of two of the most prominent characters in the The Wizard of Oz, the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch. Viewers see how Elphaba (Erivo) and Glinda (Grande) start out as rivals before slowly developing a friendship that will change both their lives forever. Although Elphaba has a deep character arc, Glinda also undergoes a significant transformation, which includes the decision to change her name during the first film.
Galinda changes her name to Glinda in solidarity with Dillamond
Doctor Dillamond had trouble pronouncing her name during class
In Gregory Maguire’s original novel and Broadway musical, Glinda is first introduced as Galinda Uplanda privileged and vain young woman who attends Shiz University. Although she is greatly admired by her peers, in addition to Elphaba, the teachers are not afraid to challenge her; most notably, the only animal professor, Doctor Dillamond, played by Peter Dinklage. When he was a goat, Dillamond has difficulty pronouncing Galinda’s name during class, saying it as “Glinda” instead of “Ga-beautiful” much to his frustration and his classmates’ amusement.
Throughout the lessons, Glinda consistently corrects Dillamond’s pronunciation as “Galinda. With a Ga,“ but without success. Although Dillamond’s incorrect pronunciation angers Galinda, it inspires her to make a change later in the film. Before the song “One Short Day”, when Elphaba is about to leave for the Emerald City, Galinda announces to everyone that she has decided to change her name to Glinda. She claims that she did this in solidarity with Doctor Dillamond and in protest against his dismissal from his teaching position at the university.
Glinda changes her name in Wicked for the wrong reason
Glinda actually changes her name to draw more attention to herself
Glinda’s announcement of her name change was met with applause from Shiz’s students and bewilderment from Elphaba and Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey). Although Glinda claims to have changed her name in honor of Dillamond, it is clear to viewers that this is not the real reason. Glinda announces her name change at a crucial moment when she sees Fiyero noticing Elphaba; despite their growing friendship, Glinda does not want Elphaba to come between her and Fiyero, so she makes the announcement in an attempt to impress Fiyero and draw his attention back to her.
Through Glinda’s extravagant pink wardrobe and conventional beauty, she always stands out in the crowd and wins the adoration of every student at Shiz. She is portrayed as a woman who wants to be the most popular person in Oz. Even as Elphaba is being celebrated, Glinda can’t help but intervene and briefly divert her friend’s attention. Although Glinda’s name change is important to her character later on, it becomes clear in Wicked: Part 1 that she did it to gain attention and admiration, not out of solidarity.