The majority of That ‘70s Show left many unanswered questions about the characters, ranging from odd plot points about Donna’s (Laura Prepon) vanishing sisters to the best running gag about what country Wilmer Valderrama’s Fez is from. Since That ‘80s Show’s spinoff was largely unrelated to the original, there were no opportunities to directly address the original show’s mysteries, but That ‘90s Show’s cast and character returns finally allow such burning questions to be answered.
Following the announcement that Red (Kurtwood Smith) and Kitty Forman (Debra Jo Rupp) would be returning to lead That ‘90s Show, Netflix subsequently revealed that the majority of That ‘70s Show’s original cast would be reprising their roles in guest capacities. The only character not returning is Steven Hyde, whose actor Danny Masterson is facing trial for multiple charges of sexual assault, which previously led to him being fired from Netflix’s The Ranch. However, Eric (Topher Grace), Donna, Jackie (Mila Kunis), Kelso (Ashton Kutcher), and Fez will all be returning for That ‘90s Show, which sets up the opportunity for their characters’ biggest unsolved mysteries to finally be addressed.
While Eric and Donna’s return was expected due to That ‘90s Show revolving around their teenage daughter Leia, the announcement that Jackie, Kelso, and Fez would be coming back opened the door for the series to give more significant updates on the entire gang. The return of Wilmer Valderrama, in particular, allows for That ‘70s Show’s biggest mystery of Fez’s real name to finally be solved. One of That ‘70s Show’s greatest gags was that it never revealed Fez’s name, with the character only saying it on-screen when loud noises like a school bell drowned out his words. With Valderrama returning for That ‘90s Show, the spinoff can finally reveal Fez’s real name, especially since the character may decide to use his official title rather than a nickname in adulthood.
Fez, which stands for “foreign exchange student,” only gave a few clues about his real name throughout the original series, with the clearest being that “the first five Ks are silent.” In That ‘70s Show’s season 4, when Fez’s response is blocked out by bells, he’s actually mouthing the main cast's names, so it’s possible the creators never originally came up with a real name for the character. In a 2016 interview, That '70s Show's Wilmer Valderrama revealed that he made up the name for Fez himself, which he decided was a combination of each actor’s name because Fez is “a little bit of all the characters” (via ABC). This would explain three of the five Ks as coming from Kutcher, Kunis, Kurtwood (and perhaps Don Stark), but it still leaves some mystery for That ‘90s Show to solve how the names are actually combined into one.
While Valderrama suggested that he already revealed Fez’s first name in That ‘70s Show, the series has still yet to confirm this by saying it on-screen, thus allowing That '90s Show to finally have the honor of doing it. That ‘70s Show’s finale also ended with Fez getting together with Jackie Burkhart, so if the two characters have married since the original ending, That ‘90s Show can, at last, reveal Fez’s last name, given Jackie likely takes it at the altar. Although revealing Fez’s full name in That ‘90s Show would mark the end of That ‘70s Show’s best running character gag and mystery, there are still many unanswered questions about Fez that can be kept secret in the sequel while lending instant gravitas to Netflix's reboot series.