As the main character of the series Wizards of Waverly Place, it was only natural that Alex Russo would cause more mischief than any other character. Humorous and clever, it was always easy for Alex to manipulate her brothers, Harper, or her parents into doing what she wanted.
However, Alex was also a good-hearted person who cared about her family, Harper, and art. She had her selfish moments, making choices that would only benefit herself. Even so, she also made some of the most selfless decisions in the series as well, nicely balancing out her selfish side.
SELFISH: CHANGES MASON'S PICNIC
Alex may have won the wizard competition, but she still faces a comparison to Justin that always bothers her. Justin's success at Wiz Tech only reminds her parents that Alex is not as successful as her older brother, and her choices upset them. Unfortunately, that feeling extends to Mason as well. He packs them a picnic of food he made and is excited to share them with her. Alex is not interested in the food Mason has packed and uses magic to change it to fast food type meals that she enjoys. Alex's actions hurt Mason's feelings, and he leaves when she does not understand why he is so upset.
SELFLESS: REVEALS WIZARDRY
When Alex believes that the government has wizards captured, she is determined to save them. With their portal out, Alex jumps to her next conclusion, get the public to help. Even though Jerry, Theresa, and Justin all insist they do nothing, Alex's feelings overrule her family, and she calls for a press conference to reveal magic is real.
While this decision is against the rules, Alex's intention is purely to save innocent wizards. Unfortunately, her plan backfires when she learns that the captured wizards and government were an illusion created by Professor Crumbs.
SELFISH: JEALOUS OF MAXINE
Accidentally crossing spells creates one significant side effect: forcing Max to live within the body of a little girl. Mentally, Max is a teenage boy; the physical body is just different. This does not prevent Jerry and Theresa from treating Max like a little girl, though. Instead of seeing their son, they see "Maxine" their young daughter during "Daddy's Little Girl." Jerry's treatment of Maxine makes Alex feel like she is not good enough for her father anymore, and she lashes out at Max because of it. However, she does not consider how difficult the situation is for Max. He may be getting attention, but everything about his life has been changed until he can return to his natural body.
SELFLESS: SAVES HARPER AND ZEKE
When a griffin steals Harper and Zeke during the wizard competition, Alex is determined to save them. While Justin does not want to leave, Alex convinces him, and she, Justin, and Max call a time out to save their friends. Unfortunately, they take too long, and by the time they return, their time out has expired, leaving the three disqualified. Justin and Max turn their backs on Alex afterward, but she does not regret saving Harper and Zeke. Alex is the only one of the three to put the needs of others before herself when Harper and Zeke were taken.
SELFISH: LYING ABOUT MAX
Alex and Justin had been failing at getting Max back to his standard form for awhile. When Professor Crumbs tells them that he plans to visit to check up on them and Justin's delinquent class, Max is excited that Professor Crumbs will be able to change him back.
Alex and Justin are against it though wanting to do it themselves, so they are not penalized for turning Max into a little girl. While they may want to stay out of trouble, they do not understand what Max had been going through since this transformation. Desperate to prevent Professor Crumbs from seeing Maxine, Alex and Justin both hit Crumbs with different spells, accidentally crossing again.
SELFLESS: CHOOSES FAMILY OVER MAGIC
"Retest" may be the first wake-up call Alex, Justin, and Max receive when learning that there is more to the wizard competition than becoming the family wizard. Due to a technicality, Kelbo informs Jerry that they and their sister Megan must participate in a retest of their competition. This is the first time the Russo kids learn they have an aunt. After watching her family begin to fall apart just as her father's had, Alex convinces her brothers to join her to stand against the test auditor. Proving that her family is more important than magic, Alex hands over their powers. Luckily, the auditor is moved by the relationship between the siblings and decides to let them keep their powers.
SELFISH: OPENING MAGIC PRESENTS
Even though Alex had promised Theresa that they could have a magic free evening in exchange to have Uncle Ernesto visit, she cannot resist Uncle Kelbo's magical gifts. After opening a magic chicken and asking it which of them will win the wizard competition, Alex, Max, and Justin are in trouble after Max lets the chicken out of its cage. Failing to be subtle, they chase after the chicken while trying to convince Ernesto everything is fine, so he doesn't learn their secret. Theresa calls Alex out on her actions, though, since Alex could not go the one evening without causing chaos.
SELFLESS: PURE INTENTIONS
In the aftermath of Alex's accidental wish, she and Justin go on an expedition to find the Stone of Dreams. To find the stone, they must follow a map that leads them to it, but first, they have to open the path, which will only reveal itself to those whose intentions are pure.
While Justin can not get through, Alex can open the gate, showing the way through the forest. Later, Justin explains that his intentions were not pure as he wanted to personally save their family, while Alex only wanted their family to be saved, not caring about who did it.
SELFISH: WISHING HER PARENTS HAD NEVER MET
The action here is genuinely accidental. Alex had no intention of losing her parents the way she did when magic took her wish literally. However, Alex's motives for making this wish were selfish. Rather than spending time with her family, Alex wants to ditch the activities to attend a party on the beach. She had initially stepped away from the rest of the family to learn a spell that would have her parents temporarily allow her to do what she wanted. Theresa informs Alex that she will be present during the vacation, but Alex fights her on it. Both of their tempers flare, and as Theresa leaves, Alex has the last word, causing Theresa and Jerry to have never met, and Alex, Justin, and Max to have a limited amount of time to fix it before they disappear.
SELFLESS: GIVING UP HER FULL WIZARD POWERS
After spending the first two seasons making the occasional joke about the wizard competition, Alex and Justin are forced to have one after they lose the Stone of Dreams. With Max having just disappeared, their time is limited, and Jerry believes that if Alex or Justin has full powers, they will be able to reverse it. Once their competition is over, Alex is the victor, but after Justin's disappearance, she is unable to use her full powers to undo her wish. When Theresa shows up with the stone, Alex has the option to bring her brothers back but keep her powers. Instead, Alex gives up the powers, wanting to have her family back the way they were.