Iconic '90s sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air focused primarily on the life of a young adult Will Smith as he grew accustomed to life in the lap of California luxury and continued his education from high school to college. But along the way, the series became more of an ensemble, focusing not just on Will's journey, but those of his family and friends, too.
In its six-season run, Fresh Prince produced some of the best relationship development to be found in '90s sitcoms, as many characters once at odds with each other grew to love one another and protect each other with their lives. But no matter how tightknit the Banks family may have been by the end, not every character in the series got the ending they deserved.
Fitting Ending: Aunt Vivian
As the matriarch of the Banks family, Aunt Vivian receives less narrative attention in the later years of the series. But she still ends the series in one of the best positions of all the main characters.
After successfully convincing Philip not to pursue a career in politics, Vivian is now able to embark on a new chapter in her life with her husband and all of her children. The entire Banks family moves back to the East Coast, with Vivian shepherding them along the way.
Deserved More: Tyriq Johnson
Will's social scene is a major focus across the span of the series. In particular, his friendship with Jazz and developing relationship with Carlton receive the bulk of attention. But one of his best friends suddenly disappears without a trace early in the series, and fans are still wondering why.
Tyriq is the third member of Jazz and Will's friendship trio in the early seasons of Fresh Prince. Dim-witted but well-meaning, Tyriq is involved in various memorable schemes, including the boys' appearance on the game show Double Trouble. And then, sadly, he vanishes with no explanation.
Fitting Ending: Uncle Phil
Uncle Phil also benefits from the many surprising changes that come about in Fresh Prince's final episodes. As all of his children face new and exciting ventures in New York and the general Northeast area, Uncle Phil is quick to make the choice with Aunt Vivian to accompany them there.
But perhaps more satisfying than his final narrative move is what the series' final moments represent for his character. Long at war with his nephew Will, Uncle Phil now openly admits that he thinks of Will as one of his own children, and that the future, no matter what and where it may be, will always involve their bond.
Deserved More: Jackie Ames
There's a real recurring issue in the series when it comes to Will's friendships. Even his lifelong pals are given the short shrift in terms of narrative focus and consistency. Jackie, one of Will's good friends from back in Philadelphia, arrives in season 4 when she also turns out to be attending UCLA.
Will and Jackie have a great rapport with one another, with rapid-fire insult humor and cheeky flirting in spades. There's a real history and chemistry between them that the series fails to take advantage of when Jackie is suddenly missing in action for no reason.
Fitting Ending: Hilary Banks
As the character with arguably the most bizarre narrative journey in the series, Hilary Banks somehow ends the series on top of the world. Having already worked her way up in the television world from weather girl to talk show host, Hilary is once again on the up and up.
Her show has been given the green light to move from California to New York City, a real expansion and step up that provides Hilary with much-needed fulfillment in her career.
Deserved More: Jazz
Even Will's best friend isn't exempt from being overlooked when it comes to getting a satisfactory ending. Generally speaking, Jazz as a character is greatly underused and underappreciated during the later years of the series, once Will and Carlton make the jump to their college years.
Later seasons also find Jazz marrying a truly bizarre woman in the hot-tempered convict, Jewel. The two have a baby, before divorcing. But Jazz's character arc virtually ends there — with most of that development even occurring off-screen, too.
Fitting Ending: Ashley Banks
The way the series ends for Ashley is a surprising one, but ultimately completely satisfying for her character. Over the years, Ashley has shown her talent in the arts in many forms, so the decision to have her attend an exclusive arts school in New York is an exciting one.
It also offers a rare opportunity for the series to capitalize on the bond between opposite sisters Hilary and Ashley, as they will now be living together in their own apartment in the city.
Deserved More: Geoffrey Butler
Geoffrey is always one of the most reliable voices of reason and sources of humor across Fresh Prince's six-season run. But by virtue of being the butler in a wealthy home, Geoffrey is also one of the series' most truly undervalued characters as well.
Taken for granted time and again, Geoffrey is seldom given the narrative importance he deserves, apart from a few episodes that find him at the center of schemes cooked up by Will and Carlton, and even his own biological son.
Fitting Ending: Carlton Banks
Carlton Banks only ever dreamed of one real concrete goal his entire life: attending Princeton. At the end of the series' third season, it seemed like this goal was unattainable, after a horribly botched interview seemed to take Princeton off the table for good.
But the series ends with the surprising revelation that Carlton has been accepted into Princeton after all these years, and he will be transferring there to finish up his education. To put it lightly, it's an incredibly exciting move.
Deserved More: Will Smith
Ironically, the series' own main character is perhaps the one person most underserved by the way things end. When Fresh Prince draws to a close, all of the core characters are moving on with their lives, most of whom are relocating to the East Coast. But in the end, Will is left alone.
He is the lone member of the Banks-Smith family remaining on the West Coast, even though he hails from the East. He'll be on his own at UCLA, and in his own new apartment. It's a relative downer of an ending for the series and the character, too.