From: Mother Simpson (Season 7, Episode 8) After seven years of the show, we finally got to meet Homer's runaway mother when she comes back to Springfield to reveal that she was a hippy in the 60s and is still on the run from the law. Bonding with her long-lost family (particularly Lisa, explaining where the Simpsons daughter gets her brains from), Mona aims to stay but is forced to up and leave once again when Mr Burns begins to hunt her down. Homer watches her drive away and, as the credits role, we see that he remains, sitting on his car and watching the stars. An excellent use of silence and all round pitch-perfect execution by the production team provide us with one of the most heart-rending scenes of the show. The lingering image of Homer, looking so innocent and helpless, a lost little boy waiting for his mother, is absolutely devastating and acts as a testament to just how much hold these funny yellow people have over our emotions.
