LISTICLE PARADISO

17 Simpsons References You May Have Missed in the New Loki Short

An image of The Good, The Bad, and the Loki featuring Marge Simpson and Captain America.

The God of Mischief living with the Simpsons?! It happened, in the epic new short “The Good, The Bart, and the Loki,” streaming now on Disney+. Naturally, this crossover between the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) and the MGU (Matt Groening Universe) is chock full of clever Easter eggs that should bring a smile to any True Believer. Here’s a list of 17 references, callbacks, and homages to The Simpsons.

  1. Don’t adjust your television! Loki, played by Tom Hiddleston, is depicted with yellow skin and an overbite, a wild deviation from his usual appearance. This is a reference to how characters appear in The Simpsons.
  2. At the start of the short, Loki is informed he’s being banished to “Springfield.” This is a reference to the town where the Simpsons live and the setting of many an episode.
  3. Recognize anyone…? That’s right, the first person Loki meets is none other than Bart Simpson, making his first speaking appearance in a Simpsons short since 1989’s “TV Simpsons.”
  4. Eagle-eyed Simpsons fans will no doubt recognize Bart’s treehouse, which has appeared many times throughout the series, including the first “Treehouse of Horror” episode.
  5. Marge Simpson, the tall-haired matriarch of the Simpson clan, makes a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cameo during the dinner scene.
  6. The family, sans Lisa, is eating pork chops, which were established in “The Call of the Simpsons” as Homer’s favorite food.
  7. Lisa says, “the last thing this world needs is more pork chops,” a reference to her vegetarianism, first established in the Simpsons Illustrated 1992 Annual.
  8. At one point in the short, Lisa wields a hammer. This is a reference to Maggie wielding a mallet and hitting Homer in the head in “Itchy & Scratchy & Marge.”
  9. When Lisa introduces the “Springfield Avengers,” Carl can be seen wearing an eyepatch, a reference to his close friend Lenny’s numerous eye injuries.
  10. Rainier Wolfcastle holds up a sign saying, “This is what happens when Disney buys Marvel and Fox.” This is a reference to Disney’s acquisition of 21st Century Fox, the company that owns The Simpsons.
  11. Ralph Wiggum appears as The Hulk. This is a reference to the 1995 Simpsons comic book crossover “When Bongos Collide!” in which a nuclear explosion turns Homer into “The Ingestible Bulk.”
  12. Homer asks Loki to turn Flanders into a pork chop. This is a reference to the character Ned Flanders, the Simpsons’ next-door neighbor.
  13. During a mid-credits scene at Moe’s Tavern, a picture of The Be-Sharps can be partially seen. This is a reference to the episode “Homer’s Barbershop Quartet.”
  14. Due to the composition of the shot, Apu is just out of frame in the Be-Sharps picture. This is a reference to Apu being phased out of the show.
  15. The silhouette of a giant mouse can be seen in the audience of the Gracie Films logo. This is a reference to Itchy of the cartoon cat and mouse duo “Itchy & Scratchy.”
  16. An after-credits scene features Loki being punished for “tampering with the sacred timeline,” a reference to the Treehouse of Horror segment “Time and Punishment.”
  17. Loki first appeared in the 2015 episode “Bart’s New Friend,” which would make this short a prequel to that episode.

Did we miss anything? Sound off in the comments below!