3 Things You May Not Have Known About Wicked

Wicked is a great show.  I've seen it three times now, and every time I see it I realize more about it than I did the previous time I saw it.

However, I don't like it for the same reasons most people like it.  Sure, it does have great songs, and funny dialogue, and the plot line is extraordinary.  However, it's the second layer that makes it so good. The things that you don't notice the third time around.  As someone told my mom, "I've seen it five times, and I'm just now starting to get it."

IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT, PLEASE STOP HERE, AND READ THIS AFTER YOU HAVE. CONTAINS SPOILERS.

And now, what you maybe didn't notice.  In order of importance

1. Goodness and Wickedness are not nouns in the same sense that we think of them as in our everyday lives.  In the land of Oz, Good and Wicked are Divine Forces.  A lot of things in the story are done for "Good", not "good".  However, the writers are making the point that Good is not always good, and that Wicked isn't always wicked.  The title Wicked Witch of the West is appropriate, because Elphaba's actions don't appease Good, but that doesn't mean she is wicked by any means.
2. People complain that the happy ending was cheesy, and added to make the audience a little happier.  This is a lie (maybe it's just looking at things a different way, but it's definitely not true).  The ending is foreshadowed on not one, but two occasions.  The first is in the very opening scene, during the final chorus of "No One Mourns the Wicked", Elphaba's shadow can be seen behind the clock (more on that later).  The second is during "I'm not that girl", when it is raining, Elphaba is getting wet, and she doesn't melt.  No one can argue that there weren't clues to the ending.  Frankly, L. Frank Baum's idea to make her melt is a lot cheesier.
3. This one I'm still figuring out, but the whole show is part of the Time Dragon Clock, referred to by name twice.  The proscenium has the dragon on top, the entire scenery is made of of gears with a clock in the background, and the entire floor is shaped like one giant cog.  The dragon moves three times: before the opening scene, the revealing of the monkeys and the Wizard's wickedness, and when Dorothy's house is in the air.  Arguably, these happen to be the three biggest turning points in the show.  The meaning, I'm still figuring out.  Any help?

And that's just three.  Even listening to the music, you can figure out the first one.  Any analysis of the second two unfortunately requires seeing the show.

I guarantee you, if you didn't realize these things already, you will never look at Wicked the same way again.

-NM

Updated 4/3/14

I think I've figured out number 3.  It came when KP made known to me that the clock goes up to XIII.  The Time Dragon Clock represents fate.  The whole show is controlled by the wheels and gears of fate and time.  It makes sense, but if you can think of anything else, please comment.

-NM