The Simpsons fans stunned as Marge is 'killed off' as she dies in long-running series

The Simpsons has been on our TV sets for 35 years now, but fans have perhaps never been as shocked as they were after the season 36 finale, in which Marge is revealed to be dead.

We've said goodbye to plenty of characters from the long-running comedy series over the years, with Kwik-E-Mart owner Apu Nahasapeemapetilon having been reduced to a non-speaking role in the past eight years after a documentary highlighted the problem with having white actor Hank Azaria portraying him.

For those of you who haven't been keeping up with the show in recent years, we've lost regular characters such as Fat Tony and Edna Krabappel, and the unfortunate Ned Flanders became a widower for the second time following the earlier death of Maude.

Although The Simpsons has become well-known for its eerily accurate predictions, which include Donald Trump becoming president, the Coronavirus pandemic, and the horse meat scandal, perhaps even the writers might not have predicted that we'd be saying goodbye to Marge in season 36.

Is Marge dead in The Simpsons?

Fans were surprised by the shock reveal (The Simpsons/Disney Plus)

In the most recent episode of the show, which has officially been renewed for another season, we take a look into the relationship of Bart and Lisa and how it progresses as they reach adulthood.

After it jumps 35 years into the future, Lisa has a successful career, although seemingly not as President as other episodes depict, while Bart runs an unlicensed retirement home.

The episode sees Lisa mention her 'late mother' early on, and we also see a scene from her funeral. Lisa also discovers a lost video from a younger Marge, which was filmed in the 'very unlikely circumstance' that she would die before Homer.

How and when does Marge die in The Simpsons?

Despite their love of Moe's tavern, Homer and all his friends seemingly outlive Marge (The Simpsons/Disney Plus)

Although her cause of death has not yet been revealed, she is still looking young when she is pictured in heaven. However, the funeral picture suggests it could be around 15 to 20 years on from current day, but we may have to wait until a future season to find out for sure how she dies.

What about Homer Simpson?

It seems as if the combination of working in the nuclear plant and his horrific diet clearly didn't take its toll on the dad just yet, despite his several injuries and heart surgeries over the years, as Marge passes before him, leaving the donut-loving goof on his own.

Homer is revealed have been taken away to Florida by Springfield’s ‘senior services’, but Bart and Lisa work together to break him out so that they can reunite to watch one final episode of Itchy and Scratchy together.

And humorously, it is then suggested that Marge has found herself a new partner in heaven in the form of Thomas the Tank Engine narrator Ringo Starr, who I believe was also a member of a fairly successful band.