ADVERTISEMENTSpringfield’s finest have accompanied most people throughout their childhoods and the US series created by Matt Groening in 1989 remains popular to this day with the young and not-so-young alike.
The Simpsons, the longest-running animated TV series, just aired the final episode of its 36th season. And wouldn’t you know it, they killed off Marge, the iconic blue-haired mother and pillar of the family.
Sort of.
At the end of the finale, titled “Estranger Things”, there is a 35-year leap into the future during which includes a brief scene at Marge’s funeral. An older Homer cries over a tombstone that reads: “Beloved wife, mother, pork-chop seasoner.”
Marge is seen one last time in the afterlife, where she’s busy locking tongues with now-dead Ringo Starr.
“I’m just so glad we’re allowed to marry different people in Heaven,” she says, ending the episode.
So, yes, Marge is dead. Its canonical. But she dies in the future. As most of us will.
Viewers and fans don’t often cope all that well with sudden changes in their favourite series, and there has been outcry, with many questioning the reality of Marge’s death in the series timeline.
The Family Guy precedent
Deaths are rare in The Simpsons. In 36 seasons, only a few secondary characters such as Maude Flanders and Larry Dalrymple have snuffed it.
But Family Guy has been through its fair share of obituary controversy.
The cult animated series created by Seth MacFarlane offers another depiction of an American family, with an extra helping of absurdity. The Griffin family also caused controversy by killing off fan favourite Brian, the family’s boozy pup.
In the sixth episode of season 12, Brian is run over by a car and dies. However, due to the huge outcry from fans, he was revived two episodes later – with the help of Stewie’s time machine.
Would his revival have even happened had fans not raged online?
MacFarlane explained in an interview with Rolling Stone that Brian’s death was not a ploy to boost ratings, but to show fans that anything can happen.
It turned out to be a huge gamble and at the time, MacFarlane added that he was “pleasantly surprised” that fans cared enough about the character to get so angry.
Peppa Pig: A third child
To step away from death for a moment, let’s talk Peppa.
Believe it or not, British animated series Peppa Pig already has 420 episodes.
The child-friendly series deals with everyday situations (riding a bike, going to a flea market, holiday preparations…) in five-minute episodes.
The main character, Peppa, is the eldest daughter and has not only had a brother since February, but also a sister, Evie – representing the first major change in the wildly successful children’s series.
The news was announced by Mummy Pig herself on Good Morning Britain in February – in the form of a live statement to the nation.
Day-to-day appointments with TV characters, real and fictional, feel to many like a reunion with old acquaintances and loved ones.
Major changes – joyful or in the case of a character death, less so – can be a creative gamble. And in the case of expiration, these punts are often met with disapproval and passionate outcry. Understandably, considering the emotional investment that can be threatened within a familiar environment.
There’s also the human need for consistency, especially in troubled times. Escapism is all very well and good, but distabilize the established order of things, and outbursts from long-running fans are hardly surprising.
So yes, Marge will die. Even beloved animated characters have to deal with Benjamin Franklin’s words: “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” But her iconic hair will return.
However, considering the series has no set or consistent birthdays and Marge’s generally accepted canon age is 36, a 35-year leap would mean the matriarch popped her clogs aged 71. That feels awfully young, no?
The episode “Estranger Things” does not reveal how she dies. Maybe that’s the real mystery to solve here?
We’re betting that it was chronic back pain from carrying that tall hairdo.
For more on The Simpsons and the show’s capacity to predict the future, click here.
