| Maude Flanders
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| Character Information
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Maude Flanders was a devout Christian.
She attended Bible camp to learn to be more judgmental and campaigned against Itchy and Scratchy with Marge.
She died in a sporting accident — she was knocked off a grandstand when a volley of gift T-shirts shot from compressed-air cannons struck her while Homer was distracted from catching the shirts, due to finding a bobby-pin. Maude made Simpsons history by being the first Simpson character to ever die on screen, have a funeral and actually not return (except in ghost form).
Her dream of opening a Christian-themed amusement park was posthumously realized by the grieving Ned, who memorialized her with the motto: "She taught us the joy of shame and the shame of joy."
It is rumored that Maude was killed off because her voice actress demanded more money, and was denied; other sources say the actress was tired of multi-state commutes for only occasional work.
Posthumous appearances
- At the start of "Treehouse of Horror XIII", originally broadcast November 3, 2002, The Simpsons and Ned Flanders held a seance and summon Maude's ghost, who proceeds to tell them three horror stories
- The regular episode "Bart Has Two Mommies", which aired March 19, 2006 showed her looking down on her sons from heaven, saying 'My little boy is growing up". Maggie Roswell voiced her, but was uncredited in the premiere airing. When it reaired, the credits were amended to include her name.
- Maude is also shown to be alive in Season 6 in the episode "Lisa's Wedding" which was set in the future after the Simpson children had grown up, but written before Season 11 when Maude was killed. However, it should be noted that this was a vision by a possibly illegitimate psychic, and might not be considered canonical.
- In "Kill Gil Part 1 & 2 ", aired on December 17, 2006 Maude appeared in the special Christmas themed opening sequence when the camera pans to The Simpsons house.
- Any time the full opening theme is played (Chalkboard through to Couch Gag), she can still be seen in the quick fly-by leading to when Bart lands on top of Homer's car.
