Every Time The Simpons REALLY Killed Characters
5. Fat Tony
This one may come as a surprise to many - especially those of us who gave up on the newer seasons many moons ago - but everyone's favourite crime lord Fat Tony is now sadly sleeping with the fishes.
In the season twenty-two episode 'Donnie Fatso', Homer is enlisted by the FBI to go undercover and infiltrate Springfield's mafia so they can gather some dirt on Fat Tony and his cohorts. Much to everyone's surprise, Homer quickly finds himself fitting in and becoming close friends with Fat Tony. After a series of mishaps and slip-ups, Fat Tony eventually discovers Homer's undercover status, and being utterly devastated by this act of betrayal, he suffers a fatal heart attack.
After his untimely death, Fat Tony was replaced by his younger, slimmer cousin Fit Tony. Sadly due to the stresses of running a gang of criminals, Fit Tony resorted to comfort eating. He quickly piled on the pounds, and was then dubbed 'Fit-Fat-Tony' and then eventually just plain old Fat Tony, essentially bringing the character back to life in-name-only.
We did say you'd be seeing that narrative conceit creeping in again and again.