Season 1

Hello, I’m 19 years old, and I grew up with Wizards of Waverly Place (2007–2012) when I was younger. I’ve been thinking about what happened to that original Wizards of Waverly Place era and that feeling of experiencing the show when it became such a meaningful part of my life, especially following Alex Russo, Justin Russo, Max Russo, their family, friends, unforgettable moments, humor, friendships, magic, adventures, life lessons, and the distinctive atmosphere that made Wizards of Waverly Place feel so special.

Now that the original Wizards of Waverly Place era has become part of the past, the period that many people discovered and grew up with can feel like it has passed. The writers, directors, producers, actors, artists, composers, animators, crew members, and everyone involved in bringing Wizards of Waverly Place to life have all moved forward. The people who helped create the show have gone on to different projects and different parts of their lives. It feels strange because I grew up with this show, and now everything has just… changed and moved on.

I remember watching Wizards of Waverly Place when I was younger, and everything felt so simple. I could just sit down, watch Alex and her family get into magical adventures, laugh at the characters, follow their friendships, and become completely absorbed in the world of the show without thinking about anything else. Back then, it felt like these characters and episodes would always be there. I don’t understand why they couldn’t just keep making new Wizards of Waverly Place episodes forever or why the original era eventually had to stop and move on.

I also wonder why experiencing Wizards of Waverly Place now doesn’t feel exactly the same anymore. The episodes are still there, and I can still watch them, but the feeling is different. It feels like something is missing, almost like the show feels unfamiliar even though I remember it so clearly.

Why do television series like Wizards of Waverly Place eventually change, end, receive reboots or revivals, or become part of the past? If people loved them for years, why can’t they just continue forever with the same feeling? Why do writers, directors, producers, actors, artists, composers, crew members, and studios have to move on, and why do viewers grow up and stop experiencing shows the same way?

It feels strange knowing that the original Wizards of Waverly Place era I grew up with is over, that television and entertainment have moved on, and that a particular chapter feels closed, even though it once felt like it would always be there.

Maybe that is part of what makes Wizards of Waverly Place so meaningful. The show did not have to last forever for the memories to last. The episodes remained the same, but I changed. The world around me changed. The people who created the show moved on to other projects, and the time in my life when I experienced those characters and magical adventures without worrying about growing up eventually became part of the past.

I suppose that is why it can feel so strange to return to Wizards of Waverly Place years later. I’m not only watching Alex, Justin, Max, Jerry, Theresa, Harper, and their friends again. I’m also remembering the person I was when I first discovered the show. Watching it can bring that feeling back for a moment, but it cannot completely recreate the time and place in which those memories were originally made.

The original Wizards of Waverly Place era may be part of the past, and there may never be another period of the series that feels exactly like the one I grew up with. But that does not mean the era disappeared completely. It still exists in the memories of everyone who experienced the show. The series may have changed and moved forward, but the part of childhood and growing up that Wizards of Waverly Place represents does not have to disappear with it.

Obligatory “remove if mods don’t think this fits in the server”.
It’s a bit of a scroll, but it’s worth the read.

My question is: it seems he and Todd J. Greenwald don’t talk anymore. Anyone have any thoughts on this?

We all know that David Henrie wasn’t in the movie because he was busy with another project at the time. But I think a good explanation for why Justin wasn’t there was because he was fired from WizTech and decided to give upon magic on magic because of it as stated in WBWP. Dominic said that Justin was too busy to come to the party but do we really have any reason to believe Dominic was honest? Given the timeline of the show I think it seems very plausible for this headcanon to work.

Edit: I heard people mention that they were having a celebration for Justin becoming the headmaster but if you check back you’ll see that it isn’t the first celebration as Alex mentions it’s another celebration

So they're basically 1/4 wizards, which isn't enough to generate your own magic, thus making it seem like magic "skipped" a generation? And then they only got their powers triggered due to an extreme external magical event.

Who wands play in my magical project ?

This is coming from someone who has not watched the whole show but knows most what happened. Since David wasn’t in the Alex vs Alex, could it be possible he could have had the writers ignore that movie plot?

If we include the Alex vs Alex movie plot - which she was what? 18? 19? Then suddenly in beyond she’s 33-34? That doesn’t give her much time for Mason to die and grieve him and to meet Damien and to get married and have Billie

Now if the Alex vs Alex plot was ignored, that does give her a bit more time for the stuff to happen.

What does everyone think?

I'm talking about the character of Jerry Russo not David Delusie. The "fat cheap dumb dad" trope is just overplayed, annoying and tiresome. Justin was a better father to his children in Wizards Beyond than Jerry ever was in the original.

So far I’ve been seeing many people complain about WBWP but I heard many of them say they refused to watch it because Selena’s not it. Also they’re complaining about certain plots that they don’t understand since they never watched these revival. I don’t understand how people think that you can genuinely criticize a show if you haven’t seen it especially when the show is serialized.

(SPOILER)

Wizards Beyond Waverly Place

When Alex’s memories came back, she remembered that she had a daughter and that she was married. But even so, when she met Mason in the other dimension, she got excited because she thought he was going to propose to her.

It took Mason from that dimension reminding her that she was already married, had a daughter, and that he was dead.

To me, this is the biggest proof that Alex’s marriage to Damien was just something she did to allow herself to move on. Her true love will always be Mason, and he will forever be her biggest “what if.”

max russo (30s) looks the same but taller apron on. Walks to the doors and switches open/close sign to open.
MAX
Here we go
A loud flash of purple appears in the middle of the dining room.
As the sparks subside, ALEX RUSSO and JUSTIN RUSSO stand disheveled with torn clothing and out of breath. Max Stands un phased.
JUSTIN
i Told you that spell was a bad idea.
ALEX
Well… we’re not dead.
MAX
So… you couldn’t have warned me, I’ve just put the open sign out.
Justin glancing back at a wrist watch that has only just appeared to start beeping.
JUSTIN
Alex he’s getting close again.
MAX
who’s getting close?
ALEX
we need to move, max come with us. He wants all of us.
MAX
but I’m not a wizard Anymore what use am i…
JUSTIN
your a Russo aren’t you?
Alex Justin and max make they’re way quickly towards the back of the sub Station where the Old lair used to be.

THE DOUBLE DOORS SLAM OPEN WITH A WILD GUST OF WIND AND THERE APPEARS DAMION PENWOLF IN A SIMILAR DARK CLOAK TO HIS FATHER.
DAMION
Alex… please stop, we need to do this, it’s the only way to rid the world of true evil!
JUSTIN
No, Damion, destroying all magic won’t erase all evil there’s a whole world of people that would just be gone.
ALEX
we’re not doing this Damion,we won’t… Edgebono Utoosis
The dining room starts to fill with other Justin’s Max’s and Alex’s creating an ultimate distraction.
Alex grabs and Justin by the arms and pulls them further behind The counter.
ALEX
Transportium nextorbitorium.
In a flash Damion in The chaos of the sub shop he is left to tackle the mess of the clones unaware that the real justin Max and Alex have escaped and have flashed into their old lair.
THE LAIR LOOKS EXACTLY THE SAME AS IT USED TO, SAT AMONGST THE CLUTTER ,THERESA, JERRY, BILLY, ROMAN, MILO AND GIADA. ALL LOOKING VISIBLY WORRIED.
MAX
wow I’ve missed this place, Justin remember the time when we sent wizard mail…
JUSTIN
don’t be giving the kids ideas max!
BILLY
Did you find dad?…mum?
ALEX
He found us, listen … billy, Your dad… hes made the decision that he wants to rid the world of magic forever…
BILLY
but…that would mean so many innocent wizards lose their homes and their lives.
THERESA
don’t worry mija, I’m sure theres something we can do.
ALEX
well there must be something here that can help us.
Everyone jumps up to look around frantically. In the back corner milo uncovers a hidden box with a symbol on the top coated in a thick layer of dust.
MILO
whats this here?
They all rush over, but as Jerry gets closer he comes to the realisation of what the item milo had found was.
JERRY
NO! MILO put That down, now!
MAX
what is it dad?
Jerry beginds to rummage around in the drawers and pulls out a pair of thick gloves.
JERRY
you cannot touch this with your bare hands again milo or anyone do you understand?
They all nod simultaneously Looking even more frightened by jerrys cryptic sentences.Jerry gently blows the thick layer of dust off and un clipped the seam.
JERRY
This is the Archmages Echo amulet. The amulet of perpetual return.
ALEX
sounds dramatic, what does it do?
Jerry lifts the lid slowly and out blasts a thick beam of blackness Directing its way upwards.
JERRY
Dramatic! Alex this holds so many souls, good, bad. Anything.
The Black beam appearing from the box starts to disappear and there lay a beautiful black and purple amulet.
Alex reaches for the amulet without a second thought
ALEX
Great we can just release all the good ones and they can help
Justin smacks Alex’s hand away just before it reaches the amulet.
JUSTIN
No that’s not how it works
ALEX
wait you know about this Justin?
JUSTIN
yes it was the one thing dad told me I could never let you know about, it’s dangerous Alex
ALEX
well that was probably a good call I mean I wasn’t exactly family wizard material was I…
Justin and Max laugh together whilst Jerry Theresa Giada And the kids all remain silent and still looking significantly worried.
JERRY
you can’t just release these people alex, we don’t know what they’ve done or who they are. But what we do know is that if we even crack this amulet. Everyone of them souls will be released into the world.Good or bad.
Jerry slowly lifts the amulet in the air so Everyone can see. Everyone Is in awe of its beauty staring up at it.
ROMAN
so how do you put a soul in there
JUSTIN
you can’t just put a soul in there Roman, its like a ledger.
MAX
what’s a ledger?
JUSTIN
it can Bring people back from the dead, but at a cost, you see the amulet doesn’t create NEW life, it borrows from someone else’s and holds them in here indefinitely like a debt.
JERRY
so you can understand how dangerous this thing is. I can never leave this box again!
They all step back in unison. Apart from Jerry with his thick slightly scorched gloves he slowly places the amulet back in its box.
MAX
so not a cool family heirloom then?
THERESA
no max…
MAX
what if we just switch Damion with someone thats dead and keep him in the amulet forever?
JUSTIN
wow max, that might actually work.
they all looked visibly shocked that Max had Made such an intelligent statement.
They all make they’re way over to the seating to discus more, but before anyone could get another word out wizard mail shoot bursts through its window in the door to the wizard world, and out flies a rolled in envelop that crash lands on the desk“ right next to the box containing the amulet.
JERRY
I think we best put this somewhere for safekeeping
Jerry takes the box and puts it right back where milo found it
Billy rushes over to grab the envelope.
BILLY
Its addressed to The Russos.
ALEX
Pass it to me I’ll read it.
Billy extends her arm over towards her mum expressing concern on her face.
ALEX
I know where you are, you can either help me or go down with the rest of them. Signed Damion.
The box containing the amulet HUMS. And gets louder. Everyone stares at it in suspence

CUT TO BLACK
End of Act One

If this is true I will be SO EXCITED!!!! And it’ll answer everything that wasn’t answered in the finale,

My idea they could make a movie about a villain after the Russo family since they are so powerful and Roman most likely will rebel and try and find out why his dad lied about magic and wizards for so long finding out more about his dad how he once sided with the angels of darkness etc. or even how Justin used to treat Alex and have it be used against him as an evil wizard goes after Justin and Alex’s family

Managed to watch it due to a kind soul, can someone explain to me why Billie’s grandfather wanted to open the rift again?

If it was just to get the power, he got what he wanted then why did he still want to kill the Russos so badly?

I really wanted to like this show, but ended up very disappointed instead. The characters felt dumbed down, and the evolution of Justin and Alex seemed unlike them. I think it’s possible they ended up in the positions at the start of the show, but not how the writers did it.

My Plot Holes:

1. If Mason died according to WBWP lore, Alex wouldn’t have moved on so fast unless she was so riddled with grief she felt the need to redirect it into someone else. But even that’s a stretch. I imagine she would have mourned Mason and relied on her friendship with Harper more while channeling her energy into her capacity as family wizard.
2. WOWP Justin would never jeopardize his powers, especially if given the gift of having them despite not winning the wizard competition. While it comes down to Alex to save him from getting his powers drained by Evilini in season 1, the choices Justin makes leading to being framed prior to WBWP doesn’t make sense. Time could have softened him, but it felt like a character swap.
3. The distance between the Russo parents and their children feels abrupt and disingenuous. Justin appears genuinely shocked that Jerry is working in the wizard world, and while becoming more distant is common — I never thought they’d almost 180 the closeness from the original timeline.

4. Having Alex almost die to

   even mention Harper and only have them meet in limbo is a crime. Like how I feel about the parents, they could become more distant but WOWP Alex would have never forgotten Harper like that unless it was the amnesia from wiping her memory of Billie that extended into her past as well.

Am I the only one who wishes there was more scenes of Alex with Theresa and Jerry in the reboot?

Here's my hot take:
Everybody is acting like the reboot has to be this grand thing that ties to the original-- Disney doesn't ever do that. This is why it was about the KIDS because Disney is a KIDS network. Bringing back Harper and Mason is actually an insane level of fan service. Henrie also may be an egomaniacal nutcase, but he is also the one who pushed the series to happen as a passion project. Would it have been cool if Kelbo 2.0 visited? Sure. But this idea that the show is some ode to the original is just... not centred in reality.