Tamal Kundu
When it was originally airing between 1990 and 1996, ‘The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’ was by far one of the most popular TV shows on television. Since then, it has come to be regarded as one of the most iconic sitcoms of all time. The talks about a potential reboot had been going around for a while. But Will Smith, the fictionalized version of whose life serves as the basis of the show, maintained that there wouldn’t be one ever, “like pretty close when hell freezes over.”
However, in 2019, filmmaker Morgan Cooper posted a fan-made trailer of an edgy, dark, All American-esque drama version of ‘The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.’ Smith loved it so much that it changed his opinion about the reboot. So, now, there is a new prince in Bel Air. Here is everything you need to know about the ending of episode 3 of the reboot. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Bel-Air Episode 1,2,3 Recap
The show starts in West Philadelphia, where Will (Jabari Banks) is a young king without a crown. He is an exemplary student-athlete who has earned a scholarship to the VCU in Richmond and shares a wonderful relationship with his mother, Viola “Vy” (April Parker Jones). But during a pickup game, he ends up hitting and pulling a gun on the local drug dealer Rashaad, and Will’s life suddenly undergoes such changes that he never thought it would. Although he gets arrested on firearms possession charges, his Uncle Phil (Adrian Holmes), a rich and influential lawyer in Los Angeles, pulls some strings to get him out. Vy knows that Rashaad is coming for her son, so she puts him on the next plane to Los Angeles.
Coming to live in the eponymous neighborhood, Will gets a massive cultural shock. As he gradually adapts to the life there, he is simultaneously riddled with guilt as his best friend Tray is in West Philly and has to face Rasheed by himself. Tray even gets shot in episode 2 but survives. However, it seems that their friendship is damaged beyond repair.
Uncle Phil in ‘Bel-Air’ is younger and more dynamic. He is running for the District Attorney and discovers that his wealth has alienated him from his community. Aunt Viv (Cassandra Freeman) is as loving as ever. In ‘Bel-Air,’ she is an art history professor with unfulfilled dreams of becoming a painter. Somewhat predictably, Hilary (Coco Jones) is an influencer and an aspiring chef who uses food to explore her culture and artistic sensibilities. Geoffrey (Jimmy Akingbola) is the house manager, not butler, and probably Phil’s closest friend. Jazz is a rideshare driver who is older than Will. As for Ashley (Akira Akbar), she is still the adorable youngest Banks sibling.
However, it’s the complex dynamics between Will and Carlton (Olly Sholotan) that serve as the main plot, at least in the early part of ‘Bel Air.’ Here, Carlton is a troubled young man who plays lacrosse and deals with his anxiety issues by snorting what he claims to be Xanax. He and Will start off on the wrong foot when Carlton sees the other boy flirting with his ex, Lisa (Simone Joy Jones). And things get progressively worse from there.
By the end of the first episode, Will punches both Carlton and Carlton’s friend Connor (Tyler Barnhardt). In episode 2, Will gets apprehended by the security of his new school after Connor places drugs in his bag. In episode 3, things start to change for the West Philly born and raised. He becomes part of the basketball program at Bel-Air Academy and leads them to a sensational victory in their first game.
Bel-Air Episode 3 Ending: Is Rashaad Coming to L.A.?
Episode 3, titled ‘Yamacraw,’ ends with Rashaad finding out where Will is after one of his lackeys shows him a clip from Will’s first match for Bel-Air Academy. Rashaad earlier sends Will a text, basically promising him that he will find him. And now he has. Rashaad seems to inspire fear in the West Philly neighborhood, and Vy made the right choice when she decided to send Will to Bel-Air. However, this isn’t the early 1990s, when the Fresh Prince Will Smith can hide from his troubles in Bel-Air. But in the world of smartphones and social media, it was only a matter of time before Rashaad found ‘Bel-Air’s Will.
The drug dealer holds a grudge against Will. So, unfortunately, it will not be over until he gets Will or is put away for good. For the first time since arriving in Bel Air, Wil seems to have found some footing. He has helped his uncle secure the support of an influential priest for his campaign and then become the school’s star athlete after the basketball game. It can all come crashing down when Rashaad arrives looking for him.
It will be interesting to see how Carlton responds to this. He has an anxiety attack after performing poorly during his own game and then discovering that his family is not there among the spectators. He later finds them and Lisa at the basketball game. His actions in the next couple of episodes will project his character’s trajectory for the rest of the season.
Read More: Where Was Bel-Air Filmed?
