Marissa Bode

For context, I made a post a few months ago, asking about the ambiguity of Nessarose's tyranny/dictatorship at the broadway, since we only get Boq's POV and his statements, and most comments:

https://www.reddit.com/r/wicked/s/7XKnrQ438T

At the end of that post, I made a comment wishing the movie further expands and explicitly shows Nessa's tyranny. Because that seems to be the go-to that people justify when claiming Nessa's 'wickedness'

(Spoilers from here onward, stop reading if you haven't seen Wicked: For Good, as I'll be tackling movie-only changes)

Upon seeing 'Wicked: For Good', and Nessarose's villainy (in terms of being governor) is even more AMBIGUOUS than the broadway. For starters, the Yellow Brick Road opening (where Glinda sung 'Thank Goodness') was in Munchkin Land. Which means Nessarose, as governor, approved of a project that ALLOWS DIRECT access to Emerald City, a far-cry from the "Ever since she took power, she's been stripping the Munchkins of our rights..."

Sure, there was this newly-added movie-only scene, where she "allowed" Boq to leave on a train, ONLY to post a decree that forbids leaving Munchkinland WITHOUT a permit from Nessa. Sure, it may seem controlling/authoritarian, but it's no different than a validating a passport or securing a permit. Implication being the munchkins can still leave and go around Oz, as long they as the authorization/approval from proper authority (in this case, Nessa). Yes, it was a cruel, selfish move to keep Boq in line, and in that context, it was WICKED, but it was NOT dictator-like/Munchkin-abuse. If anything, I recall she was trying NOT to be like her sister (she explicitly said so in one scene where she is publishing decrees), who to their public eye, is a wicked witch. (We know better as the audience, but they don't).

Obviously, (putting this as disclaimer, as with previous post, to prevent the downvotes) Nessarose is objectively still a horrible selfish sister, and an EVEN WORSE love interest to Boq. I'm not defending those, and I acknowledge that she's bad there. We're talking about Nessa as a RULER/LEADER. Why would she earn the title 'Wicked Witch of the East' in the movie-canon with those adjustments?

The song 'Wicked Witch of the East' CUTS the 'ableist' lyrics, but it ALSO STRANGELY cuts off her dialogue that implies 'tyranny': "First of all, I can't harbor a fugitive, I'm an un-elected official!".

I might have to rewatch the film if I miss anything, since I saw just earlier. BUT those stuck to my mind.

Clingy and abusive to Boq? Yes. Selfish and manipulative to Elphaba? Yes. A power-hungry tyrant who enslaves Munchkins? Still questionable.