Mona Simpson
|
|
- This article is about a character from the Simpsons. See also: Mona Simpson (novelist).
Mona Simpson, a fictional character in the television series The Simpsons, is the mother of Homer J. Simpson and estranged wife of Abraham Simpson. She was thought to be dead until it was discovered that she has been on the run from the law due to an encounter with power plant owner Charles Montgomery Burns many years ago.
While Homer was still a small child in the 1960s, Mona became increasingly caught up in the hippie movement and participated in various acts of political activism. On one of these acts, Mona and a gang of other activists protesting germ research entered Burns's laboratory and destroyed all the biological warfare experiments. As the gang escaped, she stayed behind to help a fallen Burns -- who repaid her kindness with a threat. Since that night, Mona was forced to leave her family. Seeking to comfort his son, Abe lied and said Mona had died while Homer was at the movies. He continued the lie by claiming Walt Whitman's gravestone was actually Mona's.
While Mona's whereabouts were unknown for most of her life, it was later revealed that for several years she resided at a hippie commune where she painted a mural dedicated to her son Homer. She continued to care for him from afar, sending him care packages every week. However because Homer never tipped his letter carrier, none of them have been delivered and have instead been stored at the post office for years.
When Homer fakes his own death in Mother Simpson, Mona hears the news and visits her son's open grave, into which Homer had just accidentally fallen. They are reunited, and Mona spends some quality time catching up with her family, but when Burns sees her at the post office and recognizes her face, she is forced to go on the run again.
In a later episode, Homer discovers a secret message left by her in a newspaper. After some time at a diner, she is found by the cops. She goes to trial for the crime she committed, but due to Homer's testimony she is acquitted. Mr. Burns later has her imprisoned for a minor charge. Homer attempts to break her free from the prison bus, but it ends in what seems to be her death in an explosion. In truth, she escaped, and is still on the run.
Mona's exact name has never been precisely revealed. "Mona Simpson" is just one of many names she has used in the past, along with Mona Stevens, Martha Stewart, Penelope Olson, Muddy Mae Suggens, and Anita Bonghit. Abe Simpson has never referred to her by name.
Mona is voiced by Glenn Close.