Mona Leaves-a
Encyclopedia
"Mona Leaves-a" is the nineteenth episode of The Simpsons
' nineteenth season
, and was first broadcast on May 11, 2008. The episode features the death of Homer's
mother, Mona Simpson
. Homer is reunited with his mother, Mona, but isn't willing to forgive her for all the times she left him as a child. When she dies, a guilt-ridden Homer attempts to make it up to her by fulfilling her final wishes. It was written by Joel H. Cohen
and directed by Mike B. Anderson
and Ralph Sosa. Glenn Close
makes her third appearance as Mona Simpson, and Lance Armstrong
has a cameo as himself. The episode is dedicated to the memories of Elsie Castellaneta (Dan Castellaneta
's mother) and Dora K. Warren (Harry Shearer
's mother). Also, this episode marked the start of yearly episodes to deal with women or mothers while airing on Mother's Day. In its original run, the episode was watched by 6.02 million people.
goes to the Springfield Mall. They all make suggestions on which place to go to, and decide to go with Maggie's
idea to go to "Stuff-N-Hug
" a store that lets children make their own stuffed animals. Bart
finds a stuffed animal that can record your voice, and he gets an idea. When Homer walks by the toys, they start insulting Homer in Bart's voice. Homer gets mad and starts destroying the toys, prompting the family to go home.
Upon arriving, they find their door is open, suggesting a burglar is inside the house. Bart fetches Homer a makeshift weapon made from a cinder block tied to a chain that he calls "The Defender". Homer swings it around to threaten the burglar, but when the family smells apple pie
, they discover it is actually Homer’s mother, Mona Simpson. Mona says that her days of activism are over, and that she is staying for good. When she asks if Homer will forgive her, a shaken Homer angrily replies that he will not, because of all the times she left him as a child. Homer explains that he feels hurt and abandoned when Mona is not around, and does not want to feel that way again. Later that night, Mona tries to explain to Homer she has changed her ways, but, again Homer does not listen. Afterwards, Homer realizes he should have listened to his mother, and makes her a card as an apology: when he goes downstairs to apologize, he sees her sitting in front of the fire, and asks if she is asleep. When he then notices and questions that she is 'sleeping with her eyes open'
, it becomes apparent that she has died.
Mona is cremated
, and a miserable Homer takes her ashes, with assistance from Grandpa, who is also so miserable that he says that he originally wanted to dance on Mona's grave after she left, initially he's planned to do the hustle, but had recently been taking tap lessons instead. However he now notes that "I don't feel like dancing" (though as he walks away, taps are heard clicking on his feet). Homer is depressed and guilt-ridden for not apologizing to his mother and struggles to come to terms with her death. Eventually, the family finds and watches a video will from Mona. They discover that Mona left the family some of her possessions: Marge
receives Mona's hemp
sulfur purse, Bart receives Mona's Swiss Army knife
, Maggie a stuffed toy and Lisa
receives Mona's rebellious spirit. For Homer, however, she leaves a task: to take her ashes to the highest point at Springfield Monument Park and scatter them at exactly 3 o'clock. With great difficulty, Homer climbs the mountain in honor of his mother. He releases her ashes, only to find they travel inside the mountain and disrupt a secret nuclear missile launch. Homer is hurt that the last thing Mona told him to do was "one more stupid hippie
protest".
Homer is taken captive inside the mountain. There, Mr. Burns
explains the purpose of the missile: to send the city's nuclear waste
into the Amazon Rainforest
. Mr. Burns imprisons Homer in a room, tied up, and returns Mona’s ashes (inside of a vacuum bag), to Homer. Outside, the family find Homer and attempt to save him. Bart throws him Mona's knife, which Homer uses to cut himself free. Meanwhile, Marge and Lisa light Marge's hemp purse on fire using a pair of Mona's diamond earrings which Lisa stole
. This creates marijuana fumes through a vent, mellowing
out the guards. Homer then breaks free from his prison room using "The Defender", and stops the launch. But he accidentally pushes the self destruct button, exploding the launch site, representing Mona's final victory, through her family, over the things she spent her life fighting. Homer escapes on a Union Jack
parachute landing next to his family. He then releases his mother's ashes once again. The scene then turns into clips of Homer enjoying time with his mother from earlier episodes, which ends with a happy Homer as a child hugging his mother over breakfast. The scene then cuts to a black background with white text, saying that the episode was dedicated to Dan Castellaneta's mother, Elsie Castellaneta, and Harry Shearer's mother, Dora K. Warren.
painting, the Mona Lisa
. This is the third Simpsons episode to be named after the painting, after "Moaning Lisa
", "Moe'N'a Lisa
" and before "Loan-a-Lisa". Homer compares Mona's disappearances to the show Scrubs
when he says "You keep disappearing and reappearing - and it's not funny." The facility where the nuclear missile is held looks similar to the volcano facility from You Only Live Twice
. When Homer escapes on the Union Jack parachute, it parodies the film The Spy Who Loved Me
. The ESPY Awards
features Lance Armstrong
and Fozzie Bear
. The "Stuff-N-Hug" store at the Springfield Mall is a parody of the Build-a-Bear Workshop
chain. Paul Simon
's "Mother and Child Reunion
" is heard, running over Mona's tribute. A fraction of Jefferson Airplane
's White Rabbit
is heard after Marge sets her purse on fire.
When the guards are trying to find out where the ashes came from one negatively compares the other one to Monk
, saying that since he started watching Monk, he thinks he is Monk.
After hitting the guards with "the Defender," Homer says to it,"That'll do, brick. That'll do." This parodies the last words in the movie Babe.
and Richard Keller of TV Squad called it a decent episode, but despised Mona's brief appearance. Both, however, found favor with the scene where Homer realized Mona's death, and the tribute at the end. Mel Bouvier of FireFox.org quotes the third act should not even have existed; she continues by saying the entire James Bond theme was already used in "You Only Move Twice
", and ruined the image of the episode.
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
The Simpsons (season 19)
The Simpsons nineteenth season originally aired on the Fox network between September 23, 2007 and May 18, 2008.-Production:The nineteenth season of The Simpsons is the first one produced after the movie and contained seven hold-over episodes from season 18's JABF production line...
, and was first broadcast on May 11, 2008. The episode features the death of Homer's
Homer Simpson
Homer Jay Simpson is a fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons and the patriarch of the eponymous family. He is voiced by Dan Castellaneta and first appeared on television, along with the rest of his family, in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
mother, Mona Simpson
Mona Simpson (The Simpsons)
Mona J. Simpson is a recurring fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons. She has been voiced by several actresses, including Maggie Roswell, Tress MacNeille and most prominently, Glenn Close. Mona is the estranged wife of Abe Simpson and the mother of Homer Simpson...
. Homer is reunited with his mother, Mona, but isn't willing to forgive her for all the times she left him as a child. When she dies, a guilt-ridden Homer attempts to make it up to her by fulfilling her final wishes. It was written by Joel H. Cohen
Joel H. Cohen
For the film director, see Joel Coen.Joel H. Cohen is a writer for Saturday Night Live, Suddenly Susan and The Simpsons...
and directed by Mike B. Anderson
Mike B. Anderson
Mike B. Anderson, sometimes credited as Mikel B. Anderson, is a television director who works on The Simpsons and has directed numerous episodes of the show, and was animated in "The Secret War of Lisa Simpson" as cadet Anderson. While a college student, he directed the live action feature films...
and Ralph Sosa. Glenn Close
Glenn Close
Glenn Close is an American actress and singer of theatre and film, known for her roles as a femme fatale Glenn Close (born March 19, 1947) is an American actress and singer of theatre and film, known for her roles as a femme fatale Glenn Close (born March 19, 1947) is an American actress and...
makes her third appearance as Mona Simpson, and Lance Armstrong
Lance Armstrong
Lance Edward Armstrong is an American former professional road racing cyclist who won the Tour de France a record seven consecutive times, after having survived testicular cancer. He is also the founder and chairman of the Lance Armstrong Foundation for cancer research and support...
has a cameo as himself. The episode is dedicated to the memories of Elsie Castellaneta (Dan Castellaneta
Dan Castellaneta
Daniel Louis "Dan" Castellaneta is an American actor, voice actor, comedian, singer and screenwriter. Noted for his long-running role as Homer Simpson on the animated television series The Simpsons, he voices many other characters on The Simpsons, including Abraham "Grampa" Simpson, Barney Gumble,...
's mother) and Dora K. Warren (Harry Shearer
Harry Shearer
Harry Julius Shearer is an American actor, comedian, writer, voice artist, musician, author, radio host and director. He is known for his long-running role on The Simpsons, his work on Saturday Night Live, the comedy band Spinal Tap and his radio program Le Show...
's mother). Also, this episode marked the start of yearly episodes to deal with women or mothers while airing on Mother's Day. In its original run, the episode was watched by 6.02 million people.
Plot
The Simpson familySimpson family
The Simpson family is a family of fictional characters featured in the animated television series The Simpsons. The Simpsons are a nuclear family consisting of the married couple Homer and Marge and their three children Bart, Lisa and Maggie. They live at 742 Evergreen Terrace in the fictional town...
goes to the Springfield Mall. They all make suggestions on which place to go to, and decide to go with Maggie's
Maggie Simpson
Margaret "Maggie" Simpson is a fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons. She first appeared on television in the Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987. Maggie was created and designed by cartoonist Matt Groening while he was waiting in the lobby of James...
idea to go to "Stuff-N-Hug
Build-A-Bear Workshop
Build-A-Bear Workshop is an American retailer headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri that sells teddy bears and other stuffed animals. Customers go through an interactive process in which the stuffed animal of their choice is assembled and customized during their visit to the store, and is the...
" a store that lets children make their own stuffed animals. Bart
Bart Simpson
Bartholomew JoJo "Bart" Simpson is a fictional main character in the animated television series The Simpsons and part of the Simpson family. He is voiced by actress Nancy Cartwright and first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
finds a stuffed animal that can record your voice, and he gets an idea. When Homer walks by the toys, they start insulting Homer in Bart's voice. Homer gets mad and starts destroying the toys, prompting the family to go home.
Upon arriving, they find their door is open, suggesting a burglar is inside the house. Bart fetches Homer a makeshift weapon made from a cinder block tied to a chain that he calls "The Defender". Homer swings it around to threaten the burglar, but when the family smells apple pie
Apple pie
An apple pie is a fruit pie in which the principal filling ingredient is apples. It is sometimes served with whipped cream or ice cream on top...
, they discover it is actually Homer’s mother, Mona Simpson. Mona says that her days of activism are over, and that she is staying for good. When she asks if Homer will forgive her, a shaken Homer angrily replies that he will not, because of all the times she left him as a child. Homer explains that he feels hurt and abandoned when Mona is not around, and does not want to feel that way again. Later that night, Mona tries to explain to Homer she has changed her ways, but, again Homer does not listen. Afterwards, Homer realizes he should have listened to his mother, and makes her a card as an apology: when he goes downstairs to apologize, he sees her sitting in front of the fire, and asks if she is asleep. When he then notices and questions that she is 'sleeping with her eyes open'
Death by natural causes
A death by natural causes, as recorded by coroners and on death certificates and associated documents, is one that is primarily attributed to natural agents: usually an illness or an internal malfunction of the body. For example, a person dying from complications from influenza or a heart attack ...
, it becomes apparent that she has died.
Mona is cremated
Cremation
Cremation is the process of reducing bodies to basic chemical compounds such as gasses and bone fragments. This is accomplished through high-temperature burning, vaporization and oxidation....
, and a miserable Homer takes her ashes, with assistance from Grandpa, who is also so miserable that he says that he originally wanted to dance on Mona's grave after she left, initially he's planned to do the hustle, but had recently been taking tap lessons instead. However he now notes that "I don't feel like dancing" (though as he walks away, taps are heard clicking on his feet). Homer is depressed and guilt-ridden for not apologizing to his mother and struggles to come to terms with her death. Eventually, the family finds and watches a video will from Mona. They discover that Mona left the family some of her possessions: Marge
Marge Simpson
Marjorie "Marge" Simpson is a fictional main character in the animated television series The Simpsons and part of the eponymous family. She is voiced by actress Julie Kavner and first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
receives Mona's hemp
Hemp
Hemp is mostly used as a name for low tetrahydrocannabinol strains of the plant Cannabis sativa, of fiber and/or oilseed varieties. In modern times, hemp has been used for industrial purposes including paper, textiles, biodegradable plastics, construction, health food and fuel with modest...
sulfur purse, Bart receives Mona's Swiss Army knife
Swiss Army knife
The Swiss Army knife is a brand of pocket knife or multi-tool manufactured by Victorinox AG and Wenger SA. The term "Swiss Army knife" was coined by US soldiers after World War II due to the difficulty they had in pronouncing the German name....
, Maggie a stuffed toy and Lisa
Lisa Simpson
Lisa Marie Simpson is a fictional main character in the animated television series The Simpsons. She is the middle child of the Simpson family. Voiced by Yeardley Smith, Lisa first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987. Cartoonist Matt Groening...
receives Mona's rebellious spirit. For Homer, however, she leaves a task: to take her ashes to the highest point at Springfield Monument Park and scatter them at exactly 3 o'clock. With great difficulty, Homer climbs the mountain in honor of his mother. He releases her ashes, only to find they travel inside the mountain and disrupt a secret nuclear missile launch. Homer is hurt that the last thing Mona told him to do was "one more stupid hippie
Hippie
The hippie subculture was originally a youth movement that arose in the United States during the mid-1960s and spread to other countries around the world. The etymology of the term 'hippie' is from hipster, and was initially used to describe beatniks who had moved into San Francisco's...
protest".
Homer is taken captive inside the mountain. There, Mr. Burns
Montgomery Burns
Charles Montgomery "Monty" Burns, usually referred to as Mr. Burns, is a recurring fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons, who is voiced by Harry Shearer and previously Christopher Collins. Burns is the evil owner of the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant and is Homer...
explains the purpose of the missile: to send the city's nuclear waste
Radioactive waste
Radioactive wastes are wastes that contain radioactive material. Radioactive wastes are usually by-products of nuclear power generation and other applications of nuclear fission or nuclear technology, such as research and medicine...
into the Amazon Rainforest
Amazon Rainforest
The Amazon Rainforest , also known in English as Amazonia or the Amazon Jungle, is a moist broadleaf forest that covers most of the Amazon Basin of South America...
. Mr. Burns imprisons Homer in a room, tied up, and returns Mona’s ashes (inside of a vacuum bag), to Homer. Outside, the family find Homer and attempt to save him. Bart throws him Mona's knife, which Homer uses to cut himself free. Meanwhile, Marge and Lisa light Marge's hemp purse on fire using a pair of Mona's diamond earrings which Lisa stole
Theft
In common usage, theft is the illegal taking of another person's property without that person's permission or consent. The word is also used as an informal shorthand term for some crimes against property, such as burglary, embezzlement, larceny, looting, robbery, shoplifting and fraud...
. This creates marijuana fumes through a vent, mellowing
Mellow
Mellow may refer to:*Mellow , 2004*Mellow , 1997*Mellow...
out the guards. Homer then breaks free from his prison room using "The Defender", and stops the launch. But he accidentally pushes the self destruct button, exploding the launch site, representing Mona's final victory, through her family, over the things she spent her life fighting. Homer escapes on a Union Jack
Union Flag
The Union Flag, also known as the Union Jack, is the flag of the United Kingdom. It retains an official or semi-official status in some Commonwealth Realms; for example, it is known as the Royal Union Flag in Canada. It is also used as an official flag in some of the smaller British overseas...
parachute landing next to his family. He then releases his mother's ashes once again. The scene then turns into clips of Homer enjoying time with his mother from earlier episodes, which ends with a happy Homer as a child hugging his mother over breakfast. The scene then cuts to a black background with white text, saying that the episode was dedicated to Dan Castellaneta's mother, Elsie Castellaneta, and Harry Shearer's mother, Dora K. Warren.
Cultural references
The title is a reference to the famous Da VinciLeonardo da Vinci
Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci was an Italian Renaissance polymath: painter, sculptor, architect, musician, scientist, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, geologist, cartographer, botanist and writer whose genius, perhaps more than that of any other figure, epitomized the Renaissance...
painting, the Mona Lisa
Mona Lisa
Mona Lisa is a portrait by the Italian artist Leonardo da Vinci. It is a painting in oil on a poplar panel, completed circa 1503–1519...
. This is the third Simpsons episode to be named after the painting, after "Moaning Lisa
Moaning Lisa
"Moaning Lisa" is the sixth episode of The Simpsons first season, and originally aired February 11, 1990. The episode was written by Al Jean and Mike Reiss, and was directed by Wes Archer. Ron Taylor guest stars in the episode as Bleeding Gums Murphy. The episode deals with Lisa's depression and...
", "Moe'N'a Lisa
Moe'N'a Lisa
"Moe'n'a Lisa" is the sixth episode of the The Simpsons eighteenth season, and first aired on November 19, 2006. Lisa aides Moe in discovering his inner-poet and he gains swift popularity and recognition from a group of successful American authors, when Lisa helps to get his poetry published...
" and before "Loan-a-Lisa". Homer compares Mona's disappearances to the show Scrubs
Scrubs (TV series)
Scrubs is an American medical comedy-drama television series created in 2001 by Bill Lawrence and produced by ABC Studios. The show follows the lives of several employees of the fictional Sacred Heart, a teaching hospital. It features fast-paced screenplay, slapstick, and surreal vignettes...
when he says "You keep disappearing and reappearing - and it's not funny." The facility where the nuclear missile is held looks similar to the volcano facility from You Only Live Twice
You Only Live Twice (film)
You Only Live Twice is the fifth spy film in the James Bond series, and the fifth to star Sean Connery as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. The film's screenplay was written by Roald Dahl, and loosely based on Ian Fleming's 1964 novel of the same name...
. When Homer escapes on the Union Jack parachute, it parodies the film The Spy Who Loved Me
The Spy Who Loved Me (film)
The Spy Who Loved Me is a spy film, the tenth film in the James Bond series, and the third to star Roger Moore as the fictional secret agent James Bond. It was directed by Lewis Gilbert and the screenplay was written by Christopher Wood and Richard Maibaum...
. The ESPY Awards
ESPY Awards
An ESPY Award is an accolade presented by the American cable television network ESPN to recognize individual and team athletic achievement and other sports-related performance during the calendar year preceding a given annual ceremony. The first ESPYs were awarded in 1993...
features Lance Armstrong
Lance Armstrong
Lance Edward Armstrong is an American former professional road racing cyclist who won the Tour de France a record seven consecutive times, after having survived testicular cancer. He is also the founder and chairman of the Lance Armstrong Foundation for cancer research and support...
and Fozzie Bear
Fozzie Bear
Fozzie Bear is a Muppet, created by Jim Henson. He is an orange, particularly fuzzy bear who works as a stand-up comic and has a catchphrase, "Wocka Wocka Wocka". Shortly after telling the joke, he is usually the target of rotten tomatoes and ridicule, especially from hecklers Statler and Waldorf...
. The "Stuff-N-Hug" store at the Springfield Mall is a parody of the Build-a-Bear Workshop
Build-A-Bear Workshop
Build-A-Bear Workshop is an American retailer headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri that sells teddy bears and other stuffed animals. Customers go through an interactive process in which the stuffed animal of their choice is assembled and customized during their visit to the store, and is the...
chain. Paul Simon
Paul Simon
Paul Frederic Simon is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist.Simon is best known for his success, beginning in 1965, as part of the duo Simon & Garfunkel, with musical partner Art Garfunkel. Simon wrote most of the pair's songs, including three that reached number one on the US singles...
's "Mother and Child Reunion
Mother and Child Reunion
"Mother and Child Reunion" is a song by Paul Simon on his album, Paul Simon , his first solo album after Bridge Over Troubled Water. It was released as a single on February 5, 1972, reaching #4 on the U.S...
" is heard, running over Mona's tribute. A fraction of Jefferson Airplane
Jefferson Airplane
Jefferson Airplane was an American rock band formed in San Francisco in 1965. A pioneer of the psychedelic rock movement, Jefferson Airplane was the first band from the San Francisco scene to achieve mainstream commercial and critical success....
's White Rabbit
White Rabbit (song)
"White Rabbit" is a song from Jefferson Airplane's 1967 album Surrealistic Pillow. It was released as a single and became the band's second top ten success, peaking at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100...
is heard after Marge sets her purse on fire.
When the guards are trying to find out where the ashes came from one negatively compares the other one to Monk
Monk (TV series)
Monk is an American comedy-drama detective mystery television series created by Andy Breckman and starring Tony Shalhoub as the titular character, Adrian Monk. It originally ran from 2002 to 2009 and is primarily a mystery series, although it has dark and comic touches.The series debuted on July...
, saying that since he started watching Monk, he thinks he is Monk.
After hitting the guards with "the Defender," Homer says to it,"That'll do, brick. That'll do." This parodies the last words in the movie Babe.
Reception
The episode was watched in 6.02 million homes and garnered a 2.9 Nielsen rating and a 9% share, placing it third in its timeslot. Both Robert Canning of IGNIGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
and Richard Keller of TV Squad called it a decent episode, but despised Mona's brief appearance. Both, however, found favor with the scene where Homer realized Mona's death, and the tribute at the end. Mel Bouvier of FireFox.org quotes the third act should not even have existed; she continues by saying the entire James Bond theme was already used in "You Only Move Twice
You Only Move Twice
"You Only Move Twice" is the second episode of The Simpsons eighth season. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on November 3, 1996. The episode, based on a story idea by Greg Daniels, has three major concepts: the family moves to a new town; Homer gets a friendly, sympathetic...
", and ruined the image of the episode.
External links
- Mona Leaves-a at Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...