Featured Image Credit: Fox
Topics: The Simpsons, TV and Film, TV
Michael Slavin
The Simpsons fans were shocked in the latest episode when Marge was ‘killed off’, becoming the most high-profile character on the show to have died.
This was not one of their famed ‘Treehouse of Horror’ episodes but a mainline instalment of The Simpsons: the season 36 finale.
The episode, which flashes forward into the future, focused on Bart and Lisa’s relationship as they grow into adults, though a large part of the story focused on Marge’s untimely death which left Homer a widower.
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Marge’s funeral is included along with her being shown in heaven looking down over the other members of the family before being implied to have struck up a romance with none other than Ringo Starr.
She is not, however, the first to have died in the TV series as many more Springfield residents have passed away in the last 35 years.
Fat Tony is a character that was guaranteed to steal almost any scene he was in during his time on the show prior to his death..
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The mobster suffered a heart attack in season 22, eventually dying in Homer’s arms.
Though the original Fat Tony died though he technically lives on in the show. His role was taken over by ‘Fit Tony’, a buff and svelte mobster who eventually lets himself go… allowing him to become Fat Tony.
Moe, the lovable barkeep of Springfield, was a hidden casualty of the newest episode that claimed Marge Simpson.
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During Marge’s funeral, attended by all of the main characters of the series, Moe is absent.
Keen eyed viewers looking in the background can see an elaborate tombstone for Szyslak showing Moe sticking his head in an oven.
It appears that, in the future of The Simpsons where Marge kicks the bucket, she is preceded by the grumpy bartender.
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For the masses of people who haven’t tuned into the show since The Simpsons Movie, they will be shocked to find out that Ned is actually a widower.
Maude died back in season 11 (meaning she died before the movie and many of us just didn’t notice) after being hit by a t-shirt cannon and falling off a grandstand.
In season 21 of the show Ned and Marge actually almost kiss and Maude has made various appearances since in flashbacks or as a ghost, but has largely remained dead.
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The jazz musician with an outstanding name died of a heart attack in season six of the show.
This came following six seasons of acting as an inspiration and mentor to Lisa.
His death clearly didn’t stick however as he appeared in the angry mob scene of The Simpsons Movie a full 12 years later – though this was likely just a gag or reused asset.
Homer believed that his mother to be dead for much of the show, appearing only in the earlier seasons in the form of flashbacks.
While this was later found out to not be the case, she did end up dying in tragic fashion in season 12.
Season seven shows that she was on the run after destroying the biological warfare experiments of Mr Burns (no really) she tries to reconnect with Homer in season 12.
He turns down this reunion before changing his mind, returning to find her passed away sitting in front of a fireplace. Ouch.
From one painful loss to another, Edna died in season 25 of the show after being a mainstay in the series.
Marcia Wallace, the actor behind the character, died in 2013.
The showrunners made the decision to retire the character in her honour, paying tribute to her.
Her death was not shown on screen but was indicated by Ned wearing a black armband after the pair married in season 23.
In yet more ‘wait, that really happened’ details that casual fans may not have realised, Homer actually had a ‘Vegas wife’ called Amber.
This came after him and Ned went on a binge drinking trip together, both agreeing to marry two cocktail waitresses implied to be ladies of the night.
She shows up in Springfield where Homer unsuccessfully tries to annul his marriage, in the end tricking her to marry his dad.
Amber eventually dies after overdosing in season 18, with the Simpson family attending her funeral.
Anyone else not realise how dark The Simpsons is?
Larry was one of Moe’s regulars and previously a background character until he suffered one of the most high-profile deaths in the show last year.
His death was the focus of last season’s 'Cremains of the Day' where Moe, Homer, Lenny, and Carl, go on a journey to scatter his ashes.
Tim Long co-executive producer on the show ended up apologising to upset fans claiming characters dying in the show ‘doesn’t happen often’. But the length of this list proves this isn't quite the case.
The Rabbi was Krusty the Clown’s father and made several appearances in the show starting in season three and dying in season 26.
The clown character and his Rabbi father hang out following Krusty being roasted by Sarah Silverman.
When Krusty asks his father whether he’s funny he’s given a simple response.
“Eh,” and he dies in his chair right after.
The Simpson’s family cat is dead. Kind of.
The original Snowball is already dead in the first ever episode of The Simpsons, and is mentioned and shown in flashbacks.
He's succeeded by Snowball II, who lasts until season 15 until he's run over by Dr Hibbert's car.
Marge then replaced Snowball II with another two cats, both of whom died almost immediately after being brought home.
The show is currently on Snowball V – but Lisa has just named it Snowball II 'to save money on a new dish'.