In The Simpsons Season 29 episode "Flanders' Ladder," Bart falls into a coma after being struck by lightning. While in his unconscious state, Lisa induces nightmares in Bart about Maude Flanders -- resulting in an increasingly dark scenario that ends up threatening Bart's life in the real world. But thanks in part to a last-minute gesture of affection and regret from Lisa, Bart awakens.
When he does, however, Bart reveals that he seemingly saw how each member of the family will eventually die. The sequence that plays out may be a direct reference to the series finale of Six Feet Under, but it still suggests some surprising -- and somewhat perfect -- final fates for the family.
Homer Simpson Dies Over a Sandwich
Homer is the first of the Simpsons to die in Bart's visions but by no fault of his own. Homer is 59 when he steps out of a food bank holding a long sandwich. The police mistake the food for a weapon and open fire on the befuddled Homer, killing him before he even really realizes what is happening. Although Chief Clancy Wiggum confesses that he knew the true circumstances and carried out the killing to get his hands on Homer's sandwich, he doesn't get to enjoy it -- quickly choking on the sandwich and dying right after.
Marge Simpson Goes Peacefully
After Homer's death, Marge marries Ned Flanders and has a pleasant and quiet life. When she's 84, Marge peacefully closes her eyes and passes away. Notably, this means she has the quietest and most dignified death of the entire family. She's survived by Ned -- who is revealed by this point to have become a widower dozens of times over, with pictures of every woman he'd married (and lost) since Maude's death hanging from his walls.
Bart Simpson's Final Prank Backfires
All of the Simpsons children live long lives according to Bart's vision. Bart's fate suggests that he did end up becoming Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, as predicted by earlier seasons. Despite this, Bart seemingly never lost his love of pranks. At 80, Bart releases fireworks that spell out "Skinner Sucks." The resulting show actually causes an elderly Skinner to become enraged and have a heart attack. But as his body leans against the control stick of his wheelchair, it crosses town and crushes a laughing Bart -- killing him as well.
Lisa Simpson Reaches Enlightenment (Sort Of)
Lisa's Buddhist faith has been a major element of the character since it was introduced in The Simpsons Season 13's "She of Little Faith." It ends up being a throughline for her entire life, as Bart's vision suggests Lisa eventually retreats to a temple in her old age and fully embraces her faith. While she's 98 and meditating, Lisa seems to reach enlightenment -- or at least, a certain version of it, and realizes that all her efforts to attain peace have been a "waste of time." Lisa promptly collapses and dies of old age.
Maggie Simpson Doesn't Die
Maggie's full fate isn't revealed by Bart's vision. While each member of the family only got moments dedicated to their ends, they also fit perfectly with how the characters have been established and fleshed out over the years. But Maggie's instead reveals she will never technically die. Instead, Maggie's consciousness somehow transfers into the greater universe, with the stars in the sky making her a constellation. It's a strange but memorable moment of escalation, especially given the more mystical elements of the series.
KEEP READING: The Simpsons Only TV-MA Episode Is Censored On Disney+