No, Marge Simpson Isn’t Dead in Season 36 of The Simpsons!

Warning: The following details the plot of the season 36 finale of The Simpsons, soon to be available on Disney+. If you prefer to remain spoiler-free, it is advisable to stop reading now.

Did The Simpsons creators push the envelope too far this time? Just weeks away, they might have faced the wrath of French fans during a panel dedicated to the show at the recent Annecy Animation Festival. That’s because the latest season finale, aired this week in the United States, ended with the saddest twist in the iconic series’ history.

Marge Simpson plays her maternal role to the end

In the episode titled Estranger Things, Marge Simpson worries that her two older children, Bart and Lisa, will drift apart as they grow up, due to their differing personalities. Her worst fears appear to come true when a future set 35 years later shows Lisa managing an NBA franchise, while Bart runs a retirement home where their father Homer lives.

The episode’s conclusion delivers a massive shock by revealing that in this hypothetical future, Marge Simpson has passed away. However, her funeral has a silver lining, bringing the entire family together. From a cloud in the sky, Marge sends down a loving smile that only a mother can, unseen by the other three Simpsons.

In heaven, will Marge marry her first love?

To ensure the episode doesn’t end on too somber a note (this is The Simpsons, after all), Marge returns to heaven and proposes marriage to Ringo Starr. Longtime fans will recall Marge’s youthful obsession with the Beatles’ drummer, which bordered on infatuation.

Throughout its run, several characters in The Simpsons have died. But the death of Marge Simpson, although it occurs in a distant and possibly alternate future, will forever be remembered as the saddest and most shocking moment in the history of this beloved American animated series.

Season 36 is available in France on Disney+, several weeks after its U.S. airing.

Check out the list of series currently available on the platform!