If you’ve been keeping up with the Peacock original series Bel-Air, you’re likely well acquainted with the shocking conclusion of season 3 which aired on the streamer on September 5. The tear-jerking two-part season finale offered a few new looks into the characters that we know and love, as well as a few refreshing twists on the original Fresh Prince of Bel-Air storylines. One thing’s for sure, the finale certainly ramped up the dramatic tension, and paved the way for an eventful season 4, if one gets officially greenlit. While the season 3 closer of Bel-Air was certainly satisfying, the final scenes had a few wild cliffhangers that left many fans wanting more.
Luckily, we’ve got you covered, with a comprehensive explanation of how Bel-Air‘s most recent season finale panned out, as well as a breakdown of the many questions and concerns still floating in the aether. As always, please bear in mind that there will be significant spoilers ahead for the most recent season of Bel-Air, as well as a few spoilers for the original 90s series starring Will Smith. Unlike most ending explained write-ups, this piece will also contain some speculation about the future of the show based on the events of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Bookmark this page and return later if you’re trying to go in as spoiler free as possible. Without any further preamble, let’s dive directly into the events of the Bel-Air season 3 finale, and unpack the episode’s plot.
What Happens In The Bel-Air Season 3 Finale?
Most of Bel-Air‘s season 3 finale centered on Hilary’s wedding to Lamarcus, which saw the entire Banks family, and a few surprise guests, making their way to the island locale of Martha’s Vineyard. Many of the show’s principal characters were tied up with the wedding. Through the mishaps which nearly derailed the event along the way, Will found himself at the center of an international crime plot involving the family butler, Geoffrey.
Like many storylines from the finale, Geoffrey’s is adapted from a similar plot in Fresh Prince. However, Bel-Air delivers it with much more dramatic impact. After reuniting with his son Frederick, Geoffrey resolves to skip town along with the boy’s mother, Penelope. Though Geoffrey has already made up his mind on the subject, notified Uncle Phil via written letter, and cleared out his apartment, Will still wanted to butt in.
This results in Will being kidnapped by Geoffrey’s former gang affiliates in the final moments of season 3, with no indication of where they’re taking him or what they’ll do to him once he gets there. It’s unclear if the gang mistook Will for Frederick, or if they were simply content to snatch anyone seen associating with the Banks’ loyal butler.
With Geoffrey already out of town, and the rest of the Banks family preoccupied at Hilary’s wedding, there’s no telling how long it will be before someone even notices that Will is gone. Here, it seems as though the Bel-Air writers are combining multiple plot lines from the original Fresh Prince series. There, Will was also kidnapped for a brief period in season 5 of the classic 1990s sitcom.
Is Aunt Viv Pregnant In The Season Finale?
Much like the original series, Bel-Air ends on a suggestion that Aunt Viv is pregnant with her fourth child, who fans will likely soon come to know as Nicky. In the original Fresh Prince series, Aunt Viv’s pregnancy was written into the show to compensate for the real-life pregnancy of actress Janet Hubert. While that isn’t the case for modern Aunt Viv actress Cassandra Freeman, it seems as though the writers of Bel-Air are still interested in adapting the pregnancy sub-plot and subsequent Nicky storyline as the show continues.
For some viewers, the scene revealing Aunt Viv’s pregnancy came as a major shock. Some Bel-Air fans believed that the baby may not belong to Phil. This is because a previous season 3 episode saw Phil and Vivian attending a party full of swingers, wherein they considered joining the festivities and sleeping with other people. Adept viewers made note, however, that the Banks couple ultimately decided not to go through with it. Instead, the pair shared a romantic, if slightly awkward, encounter together.
What Happens To Lamarcus?
Somehow, the Bel-Air season 3 conclusion was so tumultuous that even a kidnapping and a pregnancy scare couldn’t take center stage in the season’s final moments. While fans were certainly shocked by these sub-plots, all eyes were drawn to the fate of Hilary’s newly wedded husband, Lamarcus, who passed out unconscious just as the pair embarked upon their honeymoon. Fans may recall that Lamarcus was previously diagnosed with a heart condition called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, or HCM, which can cause arrhythmia, chest pain, fainting, and even death in severe cases. Lamarcus previously survived an HCM flare up which saw him collapsing on the football field in season 3, episode 3, though the finale cuts to black before we learn his true fate.
Some fans may be dismayed to learn that there are a few key hints toward Lamarcus’ future, which looks quite grim. The biggest hint is hidden in a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment in the season finale, when it is revealed that Lamarcus’ middle name is Trevor. This is almost certainly a reference to Hilary’s love interest Trevor in the original Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, who perishes in a horrible bungee jumping accident after proposing to the eldest Banks daughter. While Lamarcus’ fate isn’t written in stone, his death could signal an opening for Hilary and Jazz to rekindle their relationship, while opening new narrative avenues to explore with Hilary as a grieving widow. It was also specifically mentioned throughout the third season that Hilary and Lamarcus would not be signing a pre-nuptial agreement, so the latter’s passing could signal an oncoming financial windfall for the already wealthy Hilary.
Will There Be A Fourth Season Of Bel-Air?
Despite all the big swings and staggering cliffhangers offered by the season 3 finale, Bel-Air has not yet been renewed for a fourth season. The Peacock original series has ended each previous season on a cliffhanger, though this seems like the biggest twist of fate yet. In a sit-down interview with TVLine, Bel-Air showrunner Carla Banks Waddles explained “We wanted a big, juicy cliffhanger that would keep people on the edge of their seat. We also wanted to stay honest to the threads that we’d set up all season, so it didn’t feel like it just came out of the blue.”
When asked if the series was expected to return for future seasons, Banks Waddles remained cryptic, explaining “It’s totally up in the air. In this business, you don’t know until you know — and even then sometimes you don’t know. I feel good and proud of the season that we all created, and I think the response from fans has been so good, so I’m just hoping that that pays off in Season 4 being picked up. It’s still anybody’s guess.”
