Wizards of Waverly Place brought magic, comedy, and more to Disney Channel. Naturally, as characters grow and change, who they are at the beginning of a series may evolve by the end. The pilot episode did its work by introducing the core characters and other vital elements of the series.
The first episode alone introduces the lair, Waverly Substation, and Tribeca Prep, all of which are locations that remain an essential part of the show for as long as it aired. However, as a show continues, the elements of the series grow with the characters, expanding the world. Wizards of Waverly Place aired for four seasons, and while some aspects of the show stayed the same as time went on, other details were added or changed.
Changed: Harper Learns The Truth
Although Alex and Harper had been friends for years, Harper did not know Alex's biggest secret. The Russo siblings' magical powers needed to be kept a secret, so Harper remained in the dark for years, still not being aware of the truth in the pilot.
However, this is one of the details that changed the most. During the season two episode, "Harper Knows," the long list of lies Alex had told Harper catches up to her at PopCon. Finally, Alex reveals magic to Harper, and for the rest of the series, Harper is in on the Russo's secret.
Stayed The Same: Justin Is The Most Academically Bright
From the first moment of the series, it was clear that Justin was the most interested in academics. Whether it be in magic or human studies, he exceled. This never changed throughout the four seasons, as Justin remains the most in tune with academics until the series finale.
Justin showed his intelligence through building robots, inventing his own spell, and tutoring a group of delinquents. Although Justin is not the only smart character on the show, he is definitely the brightest.
Changed: Who Covers For Alex
When Alex duplicates herself to meet Harper at the Crazy Ten-Minute Sale, she makes it Max's responsibility to keep an eye on her duplicate and make sure Jerry doesn't realize what has occurred. However, when Max can't keep up the ruse, Jerry realizes what has happened and leaves to get Alex.
All the while, Justin had sat back and watched Max attempt to cover for their sister. Although the Russo siblings all end up covering for each other at different points in the series, Justin becomes the main person Alex gets to cover for her or help her when things go wrong.
Stayed The Same: Waverly Substation
From the beginning of the series, the Russo family owned and worked at the Waverly Substation. The sandwich shop mainly employed the family, and the vegetable cooler also secretly held the family's wizard lair.
It was a running joke throughout the series that the sandwich shop was not very successful nor was it known for the highest quality food. The Waverly Substation is one of the most critical locations in the entire series, and part of the series finale included Alex, Justin, and Max joining forces to make sure their father doesn't close it.
Changed: Harper's Outfits
In the pilot, Harper wears rainbow socks and a sunflower shirt. Although that may be out of the ordinary in the realm of the series, it is relatively tame in comparison to what Harper wears later. Harper was known for designing and putting together her own clothes.
Harper's fashion sense was always different from everyone else's, but Harper's outfits don't come alive until after the pilot. In later episodes and seasons, Harper's outfits genuinely take on a life of their own, and one of the most comedic parts of the series involved Harper's clothes.
Stayed The Same: All The Kids Get In Trouble
Alex may be the most known to cause mayhem and mischief, but Justin and Max certainly had their share of trouble too. In "Crazy Ten-Minute Sale," Alex gets caught for using the duplication spell to ditch magic lessons. When Jerry confronts all three siblings, he must face not only Alex's choice but Max having broken Jerry's old wand in half and Justin breaking Jerry's drill. Over time the kids still find ways to cause trouble.
Changed: Alex And Gigi
The series premiere shows that while Alex can be sneaky, she is also bullied at school by Gigi. Alex and Gigi had been enemies since kindergarten, and the two make several references to Gigi beating Alex in most of their interactions.
This is a stark difference from the cunning person Alex later becomes. However, although the pilot seems to set up a major rivalry between the two, Gigi only appears in two other episodes of the show— a second time in season one, and once early in season two. Afterward, Gigi was written out of the show entirely.
Stayed The Same: Max Causes Mischief
After getting his new wand, Max spends his first day with it using a mimic feature on Alex's duplicate. Any action Max makes Alex's duplicate do, the real Alex copies as well. However, Max's chaotic use of magic continues throughout the series. In season three, Max miscasts a spell resulting in his conscience coming to life.
However, while Alex's misuse of magic is something she can usually find a way to fix, sometimes Max goes overboard. Soon after releasing his conscience, Max decides to sabotage Justin's new job as a Monster Hunter by freeing all the monsters from a pamphlet into New York.
Changed: There's A Wizard Competition
In the end, only one is meant to keep their powers. However, that detail is never included in the pilot episode. Instead, the series gives the impression that all three would continue to have magic.
Alex, Justin, and Max would eventually have to compete against each other to keep their magic. However, if the full wizard were to fall in love with a mortal, that person would have to give up their powers to marry the mortal, which is what Jerry did when he married Theresa.
Stayed The Same: Alex's Schemes
The first real scheme viewers see Alex Russo initiate is to duplicate herself. The real Alex would attend the Crazy Ten-Minute Sale while her duplicate would stay for wizard lessons. In nearly every episode, Alex is at the helm of a prank, scheme, or magical mischief.
Although the actions themselves changed over time, the concept of Alex wishing to get away with something stays a regular part of the show. Alex may not always get away with everything she does, but part of the fun is the conflict.