The Simpsons (animation)/Recap/S7 E4 Bart Sells His Soul

"But you know Bart, some philosophers believe that nobody is born with a soul. That you have to earn one through suffering and thought and prayer, like you did last night."

"Bart Sells His Soul" (production code 3F02) starts with Bart getting in trouble at church for switching the hymns. Milhouse rats him out, and they both get punished. While they clean the organ pipes, Bart and Milhouse argue about the existence of souls. Convinced about the non-existence of souls, Bart sells his soul to Milhouse for ten bucks in the form of a paper with the words "Bart Simpson's soul." Soon, Bart realizes that he has actually sold his soul and vows to get it back. Turns out Milhouse sold Bart's soul to the Comic Book Guy who had already sold Bart's soul. Bart returns home and earnestly prays for his soul. As if in God's answer to the prayer, the soul paper floats down, but it turns out that Lisa had bought the soul.

The subplot involves Moe renovating his tavern into a family restaurant called Uncle Moe's Family Feedbag.

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Tropes:

• Answer Cut:

Milhouse: But every religion says there's a soul, Bart. Why would they lie? What would they have to gain? (Cut to Lovejoy, in his office, working a change sorting machine.)

• Catapult Nightmare: "Bart, it's time to end this dream / And don't forget the standard scream!"
• Creepy Children Singing: Sherri and Terri in Bart's nightmare.
• Deal with the Devil: Bart selling his soul.
• Eskimos Aren't Real: Bart puts Michael Jackson on a list of fictional things adults make up to scare children.
• Evil-Detecting Dog: After Bart sells his soul to Milhouse, the dog and cat both growl at him.
• Evil Laugh: Milhouse has one when begged by Bart to give him his soul back, but with a price: Fifty bucks.
• Exactly What It Says on the Tin: Bart sells his soul.
• Eye Scream: After Itchy saws of the top of the Space Needle, it falls onto Scratchy's eye.
• Glamour Failure: Automatic doors don't open for soulless Bart, he can't fog up glass with his breath, he can't laugh, his eyes briefly turn cat-like as he performs a Hiss Before Fleeing, etc.
• Gosh Darn It to Heck: A stressed-out Moe finds himself unable to keep his temper and language in check at his new family restaurant.

Moe: (to a little girl complaining her soda's too cold) Your teeth hurt? Your teeth hurt?! Well, that's too freakin' bad. You hear me? I'll tell you where you can put your freaking "sodie" too! (All the customers gasp) Todd: Ow, my freakin' ears! Ned: Well! I expect that type of language at Denny's, but not here!

• Head Desk: Bart on the Comic Book Guy's display case.

"Um, excuse me: no banging your head on the display case, please. It contains a very rare Mary Worth in which she has advised a friend to commit suicide. Thank you."

• Hiss Before Fleeing: Bart does this when he is caught trying to buy Ralph Wiggum's soul. For bonus points, he disappears into smoke like a supernatural being and his eyes are briefly reptillian-slitted.
• Instant Mass, Just Add Water: Subverted and mocked. Bart uses the five dollar from Milhouse to buy dinosaur shaped sponges which the page advertises as growing gigantic when made wet. Bart imagines them growing into large dinosaur sized sponges which then frighten Lisa. What he gets is a pair of sponges that get slightly bigger and then get washed by the hose down the sewer drain.
• Maybe Magic, Maybe Mundane: Things start becoming a bit odd for soulless Bart, such as not being able to open automatic doors, his pets hissing wildly at him and...not being able to breathe on glass...but it's never firmly established if he really did lose his soul.
• Prayer Is a Last Resort
• Seven Deadly Sins:
  • Lust: "Hey Marge, remember when we used to make out to this hymn?"
  • Gluttony: Moe says the deep fat fryer "will flash fry a live buffalo in 45 seconds."

Homer: But I want it now!

• • Greed: Reverend Lovejoy counting his money.
  • Sloth: Bart and Milhouse slacking off at their organ-cleaning duties.
  • Wrath: Moe snaps at a little girl for complaining about her drink.
  • Envy: Lisa wishes she had five bucks. Bart envies the other kids in his dream for having souls.
  • Pride: Bart prides himself for making an easy five bucks.
• Shout-Out:
  • The The Itchy and Scratchy Show episode is called "Skinless in Seattle."
  • Bart says "Everything about me must go."
  • A sled on Moe's wall is called Rosebud.
  • "Are you there, God? It's me, Bart Simpson."
  • Moe offers a free meal if he doesn't smile, like in the Alice episode "Mona Lisa Alice".
• Silence, You Fool: Homer's brain tells Homer to be silent so he could steal Bart's spaghetti and Moe balls.
• The Soulless: Bart.
• Subverted Rhyme Every Occasion: "Bart sold his soul, and that's just swell / Now he's going straight to — / Hello operator, give me number nine..."