The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

Sitcom fiber do n’t always overstep the limits of stereotype , but the main characters onThe Fresh Prince of Bel - Aireach have their own unbelievable journeys .   The series might be the story of a young Will Smith navigating aliveness in Bel - Air after growing up in West Philadelphia , but the characters in his life each undergo considerable transformation as a result of his mien in their lives .

From his youngest cousin Ashley and his Uncle Phil and Aunt Vivian to even the butler Geoffrey , all of the principal players in Will ’s life change a slew from their first appearances to their last . In most case , these journeys are absolutely reflected in their first and last lines .

Jazz

" You got that right field . Man , you ’re stretch . " / " I know that look . You ’re not getting any young . This is n’t good for your back … I play this on myself . "

When the inscrutable Jazz is introduced , he is Will ’s newfangled friend and Ashley ’s possible drum teacher . He total from a much lower form background than the Banks family does , and he does n’t waffle to evince his awe at the splendor on presentation in their home . Over sentence , Jazz and Will become close friends , even if he never grows on Uncle Phil very much .

Jazz makes his final appearance in the first half of the series finale . Before he isthrown out of the mansion by Uncle Philone last time , wind gets a little meta . He endeavor to reason with Uncle Phil as to why it ’s a unsound theme , but ultimately bring in that he"brought this on [ him]self . “Jazz does n’t develop much across the series , but at least he develops some self - knowingness in the end .

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

Geoffrey Butler

" I am not your Uncle Philip . " / " Goodbye , Master William … Goodbye , Will . "

As the class butler , Geoffrey witnesses most of what sound on in the Banks home and offer his unequaled brand of snarky wisdom . In his first moments in the serial publication , he is impersonate as prim and right , shocked by the hearty embracement Will gives him when Will believe he is , in fact , his uncle .

Although he is initially break to the stereotype of the British pantryman , Geoffrey finally receives unbelievable graphic symbol ontogenesis , particularly through his paternal relationships with Ashley , Hilary , and Will . It ’s meet , then , that Geoffrey ’s journey is bookended by minute with Will . In his final bit , Geoffrey lastly let down his guard , softens , and call up Will by his name for the first time , instead of his title , " Master William . "

Collage of cast from Fresh Prince of Bel Air: Carlton, Will, Hilary and Aunt Viv (1st)

Vivian Banks

" Willie ! " / " You ’re gon na love the Plaza . "

Vivian Banks undergo a pregnant modification as a graphic symbol midway through the series when Janet Hubert was replaced by Daphne Maxwell Reid . In the first half of the serial , Aunt Vivian is a gallant and passionate woman , driven both by her dearest of her family and her academic passion . In her opening moment , she is defined by her love for her nephew , Will .

When Maxwell Reid read over in season 4 , Aunt Vivian becomes more of an airy figure , defined by her beloved of eminent society and upshot . This is reflected all the agency through to her concluding moments . In her farewell vista with Will , her net words are an assurance that he will love staying at the Plaza Hotel when he visits the family in New York , a marked change from the lovingness   with which she embraced Will in the pilot .

Jazz and Will Smith in The Fresh Prince of Bel Air

Hilary Banks

" Dad , I take $ 300 . " / " Geoffrey , could you help me with my cup of tea ? Just kidding . "

Hilary Banks might consistently   add up last whenrankingFresh Princecharacters by intelligence , but over the course of six season , her character does break in terms of emotional due date . In her first scene in the series , Hilary is shown as a trivial young womanhood who does n’t deal about the arrival of her cousin and is only interested in repeatedly asking her Father of the Church for $ 300 . She love to grass and to political party and not much else .

Over time , Hilary work her mode up from socialite to utter show host , even if she sort of lucks her way into one chore after another . Through her thick bonds with her full cousin Will and the family butler , Geoffrey , Hilary get word about what really matters in life , and what it means to take care of herself . In her final scene with Geoffrey , she playfully retrogress back into the selfish little terror part , just for old time ’s sake .

Geoffrey Banks laughing in the Banks kitchen in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

Ashley Banks

" Hi , mamma . Hi , pappa … He ’s precious . " / " I love you , Will . "

WhenFresh Princebegins , Ashley Banks is an impressionable middle schooler who quickly amount to hero-worship her cousin Will as a sub . Prior to Will ’s arrival , Ashley ’s life was driven by schedules and societal expected value . With Will in her biography , Ashley see how to give out free of what her parent ' world expects from her .

Key point in Ashley ’s journeying let in her maraud into a music career , her hush-hush efforts to attend a public school without parental approval , and her desire to attend an graphics schooling in New York . None of these would have been possible without Will ’s influence in her life-time . Will and Ashley have one of thebest relationships inFresh Prince , so   it ’s fitting that her net words are an face of her gratitude and love for her first cousin .

Split image: (L) Janet Hubert and (R) Daphne Maxwell Reid as Aunt Vivian Banks in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

Carlton Banks

" How ’s it go there , Will ? " / " Hey ! Who twist out the visible radiation ? Where is everybody ? "

Carlton exists in the main as a transparency to Will ’s character . The more strait - laced of the two cousins ,   he is precede at his most twee and proper , complete with a perspirer tied trickily around his shoulders . Will and Carlton collide mightily away over divergence in culture and their beliefs , and they continue to do so for most of their high school long time .

Over time , Carlton begin to loosen up a little number , thanks to Will ’s influence and help . He is allowed some serious storyline , such as his desire to hang Princeton , his accidental overdose , and his desire for retaliation after Will is shot saving him during a holdup . But Carlton still chiefly functions as a comic relief character all the way to his final moments in the serial , when the Banks family briefly leave him behind in their empty home .

Hilary Banks paints her nails in the Banks kitchen in The Fresh Prince of Bel Air.

Philip Banks

" It is awe-inspiring . You for certain have grown , Will . " / " Sunday . "

Just as Carlton is introduce in a very right direction , so , too , is Philip Banks . The paterfamilias of the Banks family is very strict and no - nonsense in his former interactions with all members of his household . When Will first go far at his home , he is less than thrilled with the arrangement . But in time , Uncle Phil comes to rely on Will and see more from him than he ever could have envisage .

Although Philip is remarking on Will ’s physical growth when they first reunify , it is Will ’s emotional ontogenesis that Philip make to see across the span of the series . Through the strength of this unlawful beginner - son relationship , Phil ’s exclusive word last credit line - " Sunday " - is one of the most moving in the series , as it signifies that Phil and Will ’s bond wo n’t end just because of the geographic distance between them . Philip Banks is one of the right dads on telly , even when he ’s parenting his nephew .

Ashley Banks singing at the Peacock at ULA in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

Will Smith

" Hey , Uncle Phil ! How you doin' ? " / " I   am in spades gon na miss you , C. "

When Will make it in Bel - Air , he is a adolescent who does n’t take many things in lifetime seriously . He stymie his category at an important dinner on his first night and oftentimes baulk at the rules that Uncle Phil and Aunt Vivian enforce . He clashes with every part of the Bel - Air culture at first .

Yet   over prison term , Will begins to grow . He develops hard relationships with every member of the Banks family unit , even those he clashed with the most , like Carlton , who becomes his best friend . And thoughWill deserved a better ending inFresh Prince , he is much good off at the end of the serial than he was when it started . Will has a great life before of him thanks to his time with the Banks , and they are all deepen for the full , too .

Carlton Banks from Fresh Prince Of Bel Air

NEXT:5 Things We Want To See In The Fresh Prince Reboot ( & 5 thing We Do n’t )

Uncle Phil looking angry in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

Will Smith smiling while wearing a blue tracksuit in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

Fresh Prince of Bel-Air