After years of giving her youth in service to her country, Edna Krabappel will at last get to retire—though sadly, not thanks to a scratch-off lottery ticket. The move is necessitated by the death of Marcia Wallace, whose own years of service voicing the role of Bart’s teacher—a gig that, like Bart’s stint in the fourth grade, seemed as though it could last forever—will be recognized by the show doing the honorable, embiggened thing and letting her character go. Simpsons producer Al Jean released a statement saying he was “tremendously saddened” at Wallace’s passing at the age of 70, adding, “We intend to retire her irreplaceable character.” While Jean didn’t explain how that retirement might play out, he did clarify that Wallace’s death and Mrs. Krabappel leaving is, obviously, “totally unrelated” to that earlier announcement regarding a character being killed off this season. Which is possible good news for Edna's new husband Ned Flanders, at least, who may end up a divorcee, but hopefully won’t have to suffer through being widower twice.
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