The Simpsons Season 35 Features A Shocking Villain First After 34 Years

WARNING! This article contains spoilers for The Simpsons season 35, episode 4!

Although the show has been on the air for decades, The Simpsons season 35, episode 4 managed to pull off an impressive series first for one major villain. Rather than one central antagonist, The Simpsons features many villains due to the anarchic family sitcom being such a fast-paced, inventive series. The Simpsons introduces new characters constantly and the show’s existing characters often change their entire personalities without much warning, so the show doesn’t necessarily need a consistent antagonist. That said, Montgomery Burns is one of the oldest and most important villainous characters in the lengthy history of The Simpsons.

First introduced as a cruel, callous boss for the show’s resident everyman Homer, the rich Mr. Burns gradually became a more absurdly monstrous figure as the show continued. By The Simpsons season 35, Mr. Burns had tried to block out the sun, steal candy from a baby, and murder Grampa Simpson and his grandson Bart. This list doesn’t even take into account the many crimes that Burns has successfully gotten away with, from tax evasion to mass pollution. However, even though Burns is a major character in the series, The Simpsons hasn’t devoted much screen time to his love life. Only three episodes focus on his romances, but the show’s most recent outing gives him a major life development.

Mr. Burns Got Married In The Simpsons Season 35 Episode 4

In The Simpsons season 35, episode 4, “Thirst Trap: A Corporate Love Story,” Mr. Burns briefly married the delusional entrepreneur/scam artist Persephone. Although The Simpsons season 35 changed Burns in its premiere by making him a valuable member of his plant’s workforce, the plot of “Thirst Trap: A Corporate Love Story” turned him back into the out-of-touch, casually evil billionaire viewers know and love. Somehow, his short-lived union with Persephone was the first time Burns has actually gotten married in the show’s 35 seasons, even though the character has had a few close calls before his run-in with this ambitious, if deranged and deceitful, entrepreneur.

In “Thirst Trap: A Corporate Love Story,” Persephone initially sought out Burns because she wanted to secure funding for her doomed desalinization project. However, before long, Persephone had married him and Burns was convinced of her genius. In an unusual departure from The Simpsons formula, the episode’s story took the form of a mockumentary that allowed the show to explain the story of Burns and Persephone after their marriage ended. The entire story was a transparent spoof of the infamous Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes, whose claims about an imaginary blood testing device ended up sinking billions of dollars from credulous investors before she was caught.

Where Earlier Mr. Burns Romances Went Wrong

In The Simpsons season 5, episode 21, “Lady Bouvier’s Lover,” Burns briefly dated Marge’s mother before Grampa stole Ms. Bouvier from him. Later in the series, season 13, episode 4, “A Hunka Hunka Burns in Love,” saw Burns fall for Gloria, a meter maid played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus. This time around, it was Snake the criminal who stole Gloria from him, although the pair had already dated before she met Burns. Finally, Mr. Burns did have an earlier fiancée who was only ever mentioned in passing, but she died of rabies before they could marry. Thus, The Simpsons villain remained a bachelor until season 35 finally changed this.