Random Bart Simpson Fan Theories That Actually Make A Lot Of Sense (13 items)

• 

  (#1) Bart Isn't Fooling Moe One Bit

  Redditor /u/SenorSchnarf comes at us with a theory that suggests Moe Syzslak might not be as easy a target for prank calls as he appears. Over the course of the show, Bart constantly pranks calls Moe's self-named bar, fooling the beer slinger with some of the cheapest setups and punchlines available to a fourth grader. But Moe doesn't fall for them because he's too stupid to pick up on the bit; he does it on purpose to entertain the son of one of his best customers. Moe actually really loves Bart, so he's happy to make a fool of himself by playing along with pranks like:

  Bart: I'd like to speak to a Mr. Jazz. First name Hugh.

  Moe: Hugh Jazz. Somebody check the restroom for a Hugh Jazz.
• 

  (#2) Bart Simpson Is A Stone Cutter

  In "Homer the Great" (S6E12), Homer becomes a Stonecutter after learning that Abe is already part of the order. But was Homer the second member of the Simpson clan to join? If you ask Redditor /u/TyPiper93, it was actually Bart.

  The theory points to a few key clues. For example, at the dinner table, Bart has a cagey response to Homer's comment that Lenny and Karl are getting special treatment at work. Does he know something that he's not telling? Also, it's worth taking a look at the code of becoming a Stonecutter. Beyond having a blood relative already initiated, the only way to become one is a to save the life of a member. Bart has done just that. In "Blood Feud" (S2E22), Bart donates his blood to save Mr. Burns' life. Lastly, the Redditor points out that Bart never faces any serious consequences at school (nothing worse than chalkboard-scrawling detention, anyway). Maybe he's getting off easy because his sacred brother Principal Skinner is also a Stonecutter.
• 

  (#3) Bart Ruined Martin's Education

  In the very early days of Sprinfieldian mythology, Bart managed to ruin another character's life for the course of the next thirty-something seasons. In "Bart The Genius" (S1E2), Bart changes out his aptitude test with Martin's, which ends up getting him sent to a gifted school. As Redditor /u/KuhlDota points out, Martin never recovered from this. While Bart was ultimately removed from the gifted school because he obviously didn't belong there, Martin never got the chance to attend. Instead of moving onto a program where he could have been challenged and potentially thrived, Bart's cheating has kept Martin stuck at the underperforming, falling-apart-at-the-seams Springfield Elementary for an endlessly poor fourth grade education.
• 

  (#4) Bart Is Actually A Genius

  Look, the Simpsons are stupid. Well, Lisa isn't. And it's too soon to tell for Maggie. Marge, of course, doesn't carry the infmaous 'Simpson Gene' that's explored in "Lisa the Simpson" (S9E17). So really it's just Bart and Homer. But are they actually dumb? If you ask Redditor /u/kerbyklok, it's all a show.

  We learn in "HOMЯ" (S12E9) that Homer would actually be an intelligent man if he didn't have a crayon lodged up his nose and near his brain. With the crayon removed, Homer's IQ goes up 50 points. However, the whole crayon situation doesn't make as much sense when you think about the 'Simpson Gene', which explains that the Simpson men (but not the women) get gradually dumber as they age. So which is it? The Redditor suggests neither are true, and that in reality Bart and his dad act stupid on purpose because it makes life easier. Bart certainly does some pretty dumb things, but he also pulls off a lot of clever hijinks that a truly dumb person could never mastermind. This is possible because, at his core, he's actually a genius pretending to be a dolt.
• 

  (#5) Bart Put Homer In A Coma

  In "So It's Come To This: A Simpsons Clip Show" (S4E18), Bart creates a catastrophically explosive beer can as an April Fool's Day prank on Homer. The carbonated goof goes a little bit further than intended, landing Homer in a coma. For the episode, it provides the perfect setup for a clip show, and by the end, Homer wakes up immediately and starts strangling Bart. But according to Redditor /u/Hardtopickaname, the strangle never happened... because Homer never woke up.

  According to this theory, Homer Simpson remains in a coma forever, and every episode from April 1993 onward is taking place completely in Homer's mind. To support this theory, the Redditor points out that once Bart knocks Homer into perma-slumber the plot lines really start to go off the rails. Also, the celebrity guests really ramp up at this juncture, which suggests that maybe Homer is absorbing information from his hospital room. Maybe Bart watches celebrity gossip TV shows, or even just talks to his unresponsive dad about things that are going on in the world. In any case, whatever we see on screen began with Bart's fateful prank.
• 

  (#6) Bart Created The Hypnotoad

  In a cross-continental, cross-Groening theory from Redditor /u/coleburns815, we learn the true origin of the Hypnotoad. For those of you who are unfamiliar, the Hypnotoad exists in the Futurama universe and (as the name would suggest), has the power of hypnosis. The Redditor claims that this mind-controlling creature would never have come into existence if Bart didn't release a toad into the Australian ecosystem at the end of "Bart vs. Australia" (S6E16). The general notion is that at some point after the toad was introduced to the Land Down Under it adapted into it's future form.
• 

  (#7) Bart Created "The Simpsons"

  This theory is a bit of a chicken-and-egg situation, but it makes some sense when you take into account Bart's creative side. Redditor /u/JustEmbarrassing thinks that The Simpsons is based on Bart's childhood, and is written by the Bartman himself as an adult. The theorist asks us to consider that beyond Bart's obvious love for comedy (i.e. Krusty the Klown), he has actually had a lot of creative success over the course of the show. He's won an Oscar at the Academy Awards for his short "Angry Dad," and he and Lisa also won an Emmy for their episode of "Itchy and Scratchy." Even though Bart is often depicted as a loser in flashforwards, this is likely because those moment precede his massive successs after creating The Simpsons.
• 

  (#8) Bart Is Smarter Than Lisa

  In an entry that is a bit more a hunch than theory, Redditor /u/mjk1093 posits the idea that Bart is actually far smarter than Lisa, but is disguising it for reasons unknown. This may have some link to another item on this list, "Bart Is Actually A Genius," but it is certainly adding a layer of specificity. Could Bart be hiding the fact that he is highly intelligent? He is, after all [as he says in "Bart Sells His Soul" (S7E4)], "familiar with the works of Pablo Neruda."
• 

  (#9) Bart & Nelson's Clothing Connection

  Since the beginning of Springfield Elementary as we know it, Bart Simpson and Nelson Muntz have been at war. Yes, there have been moments when they've come together, but by and large, Nelson has been an antagonist to Bart. And as Redditor /u/PrincipalBlackman points out, the show has been illustrating their good versus evil connection from the start. This theory notes that Bart and Nelson both wear reddish tops and blue shorts, linking them as a pair at odds with one another. Sure, Nelson has that tattered vest, but it would be too on-the-nose if they dressed exactly alike.
• 

  (#10) Bart Will Become An Agent Of Hell

  There is most certainly something devilish about Bart Simpson, though usually it's portrayed in a playful manner. Redditor /u/mirrorspirit thinks that not only is this accurate, but it might be literal. This theory proposes the idea that after he's left this Earth, Bart will go on to be an angel of hell. What this means exactly is left somewhat unclear, but the basic idea is that because Bart has a bad streak, but is also able to fight corruption (i.e. Sideshow Bob, Whacking Day), he would be the perfect candidate for the devil to recruit as a keeper of the (un)peace.
• 

  (#11) Bart Repeated The Fourth Grade

  In "Bart Gets an 'F'" (S2E1), the school psychiatrist suggests that Bart repeat the fourth grade after he fails four consecutive history tests. While by the end of the episode he manages to pull off a D- on his final attempt, therefore passing the test, Redditor /u/theWallflower suggests that this wasn't actually enough to secure his advancement into the fifth grade. According to this theory, the D- kept Bart right in Mrs. Krabappel's classroom, which is why he never moves beyond her class. In fact, the passing grade he received was merely a delusion - something Bart conjured up to cope with the fact that he'd remain in fourth grade forever.
• 

  (#12) Bart Is Totally Covered In Yellow Fur

  Marge has blue hair (naturally, then dyed). Homer has a few hairs. But Bart (along with Lisa and Maggie, for that matter) has a spikey topper that seamlessly transitions from the rest of his head. If you ask theRedditor /u/samx3i, this is becuase Bart is actually covered in a thin layer of yellow hair. To be fair, even Bart is unsure what's going on with his head. In "The Blue and the Gray" (S22E13), he remarks:

  "I just have one question about hair. Where does mine start?"

  Good question. And according to this theory, the answer is that there is no beginning nor end. Bart's yellow fur coats his entire body, and is long enough on the top to style.
• 

  (#13) Bart Simpson Is Charlie Chaplin

  In the expanded version of this theory, Redditor /u/Awesomemaniac makes the argument that every member of the Simpson family is meant to represent a star from the silent film era. Contrary to what our accompanying image shows, however, the theory says that Bart is Charlie Chaplin, not Homer. The Redditor points out the similarities between the two icons. For one, both Bart and Chaplin are young, misunderstood, mischief makers, especially in the early days of their careers. Furthermore, where Chaplin is often seen with a bamboo cane and bowler cap, Bart is similarly seen carrying a slingshot and wearing a red baseball cap!

New Random Displays    Display All By Ranking