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13 Selena Gomez Epiphanies I Had Re-Watching 'Wizards Of Waverly Place'

How better to spend the birthday girl's big day?

It's A Laugh Productions/Disney Channel

Selena Gomez
By John Walker
July 22, 2014 / 8:13 AM

In honor of Selena Gomez's 22nd birthday, I decided to rewind the clock back to her Disney Channel days, when she was perhaps better known as fictional witch-in-training Alex Russo on "Wizards Of Waverly Place."

Before you go off and celebrate the "Slow Down" singer's big day appropriately -- i.e., blasting "Birthday" on repeat until the clock strikes midnight because #JazzItUp -- why don't you check out all of the thoughts and epiphanies that dawned on me during this TBQH revelatory viewing experience. Here are my findings.

1.) Since Selena's character's older brother's name is Justin, there are some... interesting lines of dialogue in hindsight.

[image src="wp-attachment://1874745" title="Selena Gomez" alt="Selena Gomez"]

2.) Magic, eh? Maybe that's how she's making those stars dance.

[image src="wp-attachment://1874722" title="Selena Gomez" alt="Selena Gomez"]

3.) Wait, was this slasher movie they get sucked into supposed to be scary? Hello, Selena's only tangled with James Franco's best RiFF RAFF impression and survived.

[image src="wp-attachment://1874755" title="Selena Gomez" alt="Selena Gomez"]

4.) Did the dad just inadvertently quote Britney Spears? Oh my god, the dad just inadvertently quoted Britney Spears.

[image src="wp-attachment://1874739" title="Selena Gomez" alt="Selena Gomez"]

5.) Sel has gone through so many ups and downs with her celeb BFFs: Demi Lovato, Taylor Swift, the Jenner sisters. It almost makes you wanna hug your friendship apron.

[image src="wp-attachment://1874682" title="Selena Gomez" alt="Selena Gomez"]

6.) "Chandelier" is a really good song. Iiiiiiiiiii'm goh-naaah sweeeeeeeng frohm thah...

7.) Remember when Sel's character meets T.J., the young wizard with no rules or magical boundaries?

[image src="wp-attachment://1874716" title="Screen Shot 2014-07-21 at 11.47.40 PM" alt="Screen Shot 2014-07-21 at 11.47.40 PM"]

Kinda reminds you of someone, right? Unrelated, here's a scene where Alex wears a purple hoodie.

[image src="wp-attachment://1874718" title="Selena Gomez" alt="Selena Gomez"]

8.) Compared to magic carpets, Segways aren't that weird.

[image src="wp-attachment://1874563" title="Selena Gomez" alt="Selena Gomez"]

9.) This exchange reminded me of Selena's reasoning for checking herself into treatment earlier this year.

[image src="wp-attachment://1874724" title="Selena Gomez" alt="Selena Gomez"]

"After many years of putting my work first, I need to spend some time on myself in order to be the best person I can be." Good for you, Selena.

10.) I'm sure this symbolizes... Something.

11.) And this.

12.) This, too.

13.) But above all, much like the theme song, "everything is not what it seems" when it comes to Selena.

Just when you think you've got her figured out, she whips out a Corinne Bailey Rae cover, epitomizes summer fashion in Italy, or casually rides a damn helicopter. HBD, mystery lady!

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