Title: Shocking Revelation: Will Smith and the Banks Family Were Dead All Along in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air?
Will Smith: Alive or Dead?
Will Smith and the rest of the Banks family being dead the whole time on “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” adds a darker tone to the light-hearted sitcom. However, while this interpretation of the theme song suggests that Will dies in Philadelphia, it doesn’t explain basically everything else about the series.
Viola Smith’s Mysterious Visits: A Family Reunion in Heaven?
For example, the theory states that Will pleads and begs his mother to stay, which infers he isn’t ready to die. But then why does his mom, Viola Smith (Vernee Watson), visit him periodically as early as Season 1, Episode 12 — “Talking Turkey”? She’s a recurring character up to Season 6, so it would be strange for her to enter Heaven periodically, as though the afterlife has a revolving door policy. Additionally, while Will lives in a nice house in Bel-Air, there’s still a ton of conflict, which is necessary for engaging plotlines. One would imagine Heaven would be free of strife unless Will found himself in a simulated paradise meant to be torturous a la “The Good Place.”
Aunt Viv’s Transformation: Divine Intervention or Just a Recasting Issue?
Granted, a supernatural explanation may be necessary for why Aunt Viv (Janet Hubert and Daphne Maxwell Reid) looks completely different halfway through the show’s run. Perhaps God wants to mix things up to see if the rest of the family notices. As it stands, Will Smith is probably very much alive throughout “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” as his being dead is too horrid a thought to consider.