Why Marge Simpson’s death suddenly has viewers talking about The Simpsons again
“Season 36 Finale Hints at Marge’s Future – and Delivers All the Feels”
“Raise a glass for Marge Simpson — the blue-haired, raspy-voiced soul of The Simpsons, who’s always held her wild family together with love and patience.”
No spoiler-filled emails just yet, please.
News of Marge’s death suddenly started trending after a recent season finale — but chances are, this isn’t the last time we’ll see the TV world’s longest-running mom.
“Season 36 may have ended back on May 18, but the heartfelt tributes and stories still pouring in have
“So, what’s really going on with Marge?”
A Glimpse Into the Future: The Simpsons Say Goodbye to Marge
In an episode titled “Estra-enger Things,” we’re taken on a glimpse into the future of the Simpson family — and it’s one where Bart and Lisa have gone their separate ways.
As the story unfolds, we learn something heartbreaking: Marge’s life was cut short.
“Can you believe it? In a touching moment, Canadian musician Sarah McLachlan reveals through song that Marge actually passed away before Homer.” In the scene, family and friends are gathered around Marge’s gravestone, which sweetly reads: “Beloved Wife, Mother, and Pork-Chop Seasoner.”
We’re never told exactly how or when Marge died, but the plot is set 35 years in the future, where a very successful Lisa returns to Springfield, only to find Bart living in the family home with their dad, Homer—who was supposed to be in the same retirement home where his own father, Abe “Grampa” Simpson, passed away.
Along the way, they come across a video message Marge recorded before she passed, where she lovingly urges her children to stay together.
Eventually, the family reunites at their iconic home on 742 Evergreen Terrace—except for Maggie, their younger sister, who is off somewhere living her dream as a farm equipment auctioneer (yes, really).
And as for Marge? Don’t worry.
Even though she said in her video that she hoped to reunite with Homer in heaven, it turns out she found a new love in the afterlife — none other than her high school crush, Ringo Starr.
“Which Simpsons character deaths were the most heartbreaking?”
Marge’s Apparent Death Shakes Fans — But The Simpsons Has a History of Emotional Goodbyes
News of Marge Simpson’s possible death has truly shaken fans on social media — but heartfelt farewells to beloved characters have been part of The Simpsons since its early seasons.
Over the years, dozens of characters have died on the show. Sometimes it was because the actors chose to leave, and other times it was due to the passing of the actors in real life.
Thirty years ago, the show saw the death of its first recurring character: Bleeding Gums Murphy, a local jazz musician and Lisa’s saxophone idol.
But perhaps no loss was more shocking than the untimely death of Maude Flanders, the mustached, ever-charming neighbor Ned Flanders’ wife.
Maude was killed during a baseball game — hit by a T-shirt cannon. The scene was written into the show during Season 11, following a contract dispute that led actress Maggie Roswell to leave the series.
This storyline carried into later seasons, showing Ned navigating life as a single dad to his sons, Rod and Todd, after Maude’s passing.
One of the most emotional moments came in Season 25, when Bart stood at the chalkboard in Springfield Elementary — and instead of a joke, the message read:
“We’ll really miss you, Mrs. K.”
It was a quiet, moving tribute to his teacher Edna Krabappel, voiced by actress Marcia Wallace, who passed away in October 2013 at age 70 from complications related to pneumonia and breast cancer.
The show later acknowledged Edna’s death in an episode, showing that Ned Flanders had fallen in love with and married her, only to lose her too — another heartbreaking loss after Maude.
In another case, The Simpsons took a different approach following the tragic death of actor Phil Hartman in 1998. Rather than kill off his characters, the show retired them completely. That meant saying goodbye to both the washed-up B-movie star Troy McClure and the shady lawyer Lionel Hutz, both fan favorites.
But when a voice actor leaves, it doesn’t always mean their character disappears.
Pamela Hayden, who voiced Milhouse, Bart’s best friend, for 35 years, is set to retire in 2024. She was replaced by singer Kerry MacLeod, who made her debut in the very same episode where Marge’s death is revealed.
