Fans have been left in shock after the death of a beloved The Simpsons character.
The animated series killed off Marge Simpson in the finale of Season 36.
The jaw-dropping revelation comes in a musical montage scene where Homer, Bart, Lisa and Maggie stand around their mother’s grave.
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They are joined by other members of The Simpsons world, her tombstone reads: “Marge Simpson: Beloved wife, mother, pork-chop seasoner”.
A musical monologue in the background sings: “Marge passed before Homer if you can believe it”.
The devastating news has left many Simpsons fans in shock – with many taking to social media to express their sadness.
https://twitter.com/GerryCompetie/status/1937901024758648870?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
“Marge Simpson was the glue that held the family together,” one person wrote on X.
“It shows how for so many years she had to put up with Homer shenanigans. So maybe this makes Simpsons more interesting of a show.”
“What’s this I’m hearing that they killed Marge Simpson off?????” another wrote.
Yet another simply wrote, “RIP Marge Simpson”.
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Marge’s death comes as a shock for many and also raises eyebrows given the characters have not aged in the 35 years the show has been running.
So why Marge’s sudden death now?
Well it’s a little more complicated than it seems.
Marge’s death is revealed in a flash forward scene in the Season 6 episode called Estranger Things.
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In the episode, Marge expresses her fear about Bart and Lisa growing apart after they stop watching their favourite TV show – The Itchy & Scratchy Show, which they had bonded over.
“Your father and I won’t be around forever. When you get older, you’ll need to lean on each other. Whatever you do, don’t drift apart,” she said to her children.
“You share a journey with your siblings that no one else will ever understand. You must never, ever, ever take that for granted.”
Then her worst fear comes true when the pair end up drifting apart into adulthood.
The flashforward scene gives viewers a brief front row seat to Marge’s funeral attended by an older Homer and her grown-up children before revealing the family dynamic after Marge’s death.
A singing voiceover from Sarah McLachlan revealed that the kids didn’t take their mother’s advice at that “they drifted apart. Lisa conquered the world and well Bart remained Bart.”
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Lisa and Bart’s lives end up taking very different paths, with Lisa becoming the commissioner of the NBA, the women’s league formerly known as the WNBA, and Bart running an unlicensed retirement home that Homer lives in and scamming senior citizens out of their Social Security checks.
Marge watches on from the afterlife disappointed that her kids have drifted apart.
Later in the episode, Lisa comes across a video message that Marge made for her kids to watch after she dies.
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In the video, Marge tells recalls the moment she told Bart and Lisa “to lean on each other and not drift apart”.
“My dearest hope is that you’re looking out for each other and sharing a lifelong journey together,” Marge continued.
Watching the video helps Lisa and Bart to reconnect.
The ending brings some closure to Marge who watches on from the afterlife.
“I’m just so happy my kids are close again,” she says from the iconic Simpsons clouds.
Then a Simpsons-esc Ringo Starr comes out to greet Marge.
It seems Marge has married the Beatles star in heaven.
“I’m just so glad we’re allowed to marry different people in heaven,” she tells Starr as they share a kiss and the episode ends.
Given Marge’s death happens in a flash forward scene it is unlikely to affect future episodes of the long-running show.
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