How The Simpsons Wrote Edna Krabappel Out

Summary Edna Krabappel's death on The Simpsons was handled with subtlety, honoring her character's impact on the series.

The show's decision to retire Edna after Marcia Wallace's passing was a respectful tribute to the actress and her role.

While Edna's departure was emotional, The Simpsons has also seen other significant characters killed off in different ways over the years.

Edna Krabaappel's death on The Simpsons was handled in a subtle way which reflected the real-life loss the show suffered. The Simpsons introduced endless characters outside of the titular family to populate the town of Springfield, with Bart's 4th Grade teacher Edna Krabappel, being one of the most memorable. She was introduced in the second episode of the series as Bart's teacher and remained a fixture on the show going forward. She was often seen as an unmotivated educator, but "Bart Gets An F" showed a softer side as she saw Bart really trying in school.

The most recurring theme in Edna Krabappel’s arc was her love life (or lack of), her most notable relationships being those with Seymour Skinner and Ned Flanders. Edna and Ned were revealed to be married in season 23’s episode “Ned ‘N Edna’s Blend”, but viewers didn’t get to see much of their life together as Edna was written out in season 25. Sadly, like The Simpsons characters voiced by the late Phil Hartman, Edna was written out due to the death of voice actor Marcia Wallace.

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The Simpsons Killed Off Edna Krabappel - But It Was Never Shown

The Show Paid Tribute To Edna And Marcia Wallace

When Marcia Wallace passed away in October 2013, showrunner Al Jean said that the character of Edna Krabappel would be retired, but didn’t share any details as to how. Edna’s final speaking role was in the epilogue of season 25’s 13th episode “The Man Who Grew Too Much”, though her death was first acknowledged in season 25’s third episode “Four Regrettings and a Funeral”, with a sad Bart writing “We’ll really miss you Mrs. K” one time on the chalkboard during the opening sequence.

Having Edna Krabappel die off-screen instead of as the butt of a joke like Maude Flanders serves as a fitting tribute to Wallace and the role she played in the series over the years.

In “The Man Who Grew Too Much”, Ned is shown remembering dancing with Edna, and then looks at a picture of her next to one of Maude, saying that he misses her laugh. Ned is also wearing a black armband, confirming Edna passed away, though it wasn’t shown how. It’s mentioned in season 23’s episode “Holidays of Future Passed” that Edna’s death was Homer’s fault, as was Maude’s, but given that episodes set in the future are usually non-canon, a proper cause of death has not been determined nor revealed.

The Simpsons handled Edna’s departure with respect, with her final (canon) appearance being a happy memory of Ned’s, and it’s good that it was never revealed how she died. Having Edna Krabappel die off-screen instead of as the butt of a joke like Maude Flanders serves as a fitting tribute to Wallace and the role she played in the series over the years.

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Edna Isn't The Only Character The Simpsons Killed Off

Maude Flanders, Fat Tony, And Bleeding Gums Murphy Are Among The Simpsons' Deceased Characters

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Edna Krabappel's death was one of the most impactful on the series as she was a significant character who was part of some of the best episodes of The Simpsons. However, given the long run of the show with 35 years and counting, it is not surprising that she is only one of several recurring Simpsons characters who have been killed off. Likely the most memorable one aside from Edna was Maude Flanders. Though she wasn't an overly memorable character, she was featured on the show frequently.

Other deaths on The Simpsons have been more gimmicky.

Other deaths on The Simpsons have been more gimmicky. Ahead of season 26, the show heavily publicized that a character would be killed off in the premiere episode only for it to be revealed as Rabbi Hyman Krustofsky, Krusty the Clown's father who had appeared in a handful of episodes. Similarly, Fat Tony was a key character on the show for years only to be killed off in season 22. However, he was replaced by his slimmer cousin Fit Tony who subsequently became heavier and just became the new Fat Tony.

However, some of the most memorable deaths on The Simpsons have been used as a way for the main characters to reflect on death themselves. Lisa losing her mentor Bleeding Gums Murphy in season 6 was a poignant storyline for the young character, having her deal with loss in such a big way. More recently. The Simpsons season 35 killed off Larry, a barfly always seen in Moe's Tavern since the beginning of the series, causing Homer to contemplate his own mortality. While some of these deaths were more memorable than others, likely none meant as much as the loss of Edna Krabappel.