The new short from The Simpsons, Maggie Simpson in "The Force Awakens From Its Nap," has plenty of references to the Star Wars franchise. But the one that comes at the climax of the short actually more or less kills a main character and has them return as a Force Ghost -- which is horrifying when you think about it.
"The Force Awakens From A Nap" follows much of the structure as previous Maggie-centric shorts, such as "The Longest Day Care." But this time, instead of being dropped off at the Any Rand School For Tots, Marge brings Maggie to Jabba's Hut Jedi Preschool. The daycare is full of deep-cut references to the history of Star Wars, albeit it with a touch of The Simpsons' patented silliness. For instance, a Jedi uses the Force to create peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, Ashoka punishes a bullying little boy by putting him into a Carbonite Ballpit and General Grievous uses his four arms to change diapers.
The crux of the story follows Maggie and BB-8 trying to find the baby's pacifier, taken from her by Grievous. While they are successful, BB-8 is stabbed in the back by Gerald, Maggie's frequent nemesis who is reimagined as a Darth Maul expy. Stretching her pacifier to use as a lightsaber, Maggie is able to hold her own against Gerald, even cutting down his diaper in a subtle reference to how Obi-Wan was able able to slice Darth Maul in half during The Phantom Menance. However, using the Force, Gerald brings down a bookcase on top of Maggie, seemingly killing her. As BB-8 arrives to mourn her, the droid is surprised to see Maggie rise up as a Force Ghost with Yoda-like ears -- prompting the short to poke fun at the "rules of Star Wars," which includes the idea that beloved characters never really die.
However, it's still a remarkably dark joke, even by The Simpsons standards. As with much of the rest of the short, it can be seen as a direct reference to the Star Wars franchise. But it's still ultimately a gag where Maggie Simpson -- an infant -- is crushed to death as the villain walks off. Even rising back as a Force Ghost suggests that Maggie has become one with the Force and has left her physical body behind. This would likely do little to ease Marge's feelings on the situation when she arrives to pick up her daughter from the daycare to discover her death, and it's a grim way to end the short, even if it's just poking fun at how beloved Star Wars characters always find a way to reappear in the franchise.
While The Simpsons has made plenty of dark jokes before, this might actually be one of the most unexpectedly brutal. Strangely enough, though, it could actually also be seen as a tie-in to another joke from The Simpsons itself. In the Season 29 episode "Flanders' Ladder," Bart teases the eventual fates of the Simpsons family, revealing their potential final moments. But Maggie never truly dies, with the episode ending on the gag that Maggie instead evolves to become one with the universe, much like how she becomes a Force Ghost in "The Force Awakens From Its Nap."
The Simpsons stars the voices of Dan Castellaneta, Nancy Cartwright, Harry Shearer, Julie Kavner, Yeardley Smith and Hank Azaria. New episodes air Sundays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Fox. Maggie Simpson in "The Force Awakens From Its Nap" is now streaming on Disney+