Just how intelligent is Homer J Simpson?
Possibly quite a bit more than you would think...
It appears that Homer and his Brain have a bit of a communication
problem. This may be the reason behind many of Homer's downfalls in
life. If he and his brain kept in touch with each other a bit more
often, Homer's IQ may (just) be in the double-figures.
The communication problem could be due to a number of things. These include:
Alcohol abuse and rivalry
These two seem to be synonymous, as evidenced when Homer was
re-taking his Remedial Science 1A class. At the beginning of the test,
Homer says to his Brain:
Homer - "Alright Brain, I don't like you, and you don't like me,
but if we get through this test, I can get back to
killing you with beer."
Brain - "It's a deal!"
Lack of communication
This episode also highlights the breakdown in communication when Marge
receives her high school reunion invitation and wonders why Homer
didn't get one.
Brain - "This is it, Homer. Time to tell her your deepest,
darkest secret."
Homer - "Marge, I ate those decorative soaps you bought for the
bathroom."
Marge - "Oh my lord!"
Brain - "No! The other one."
Homer - "Marge, I never passed Remedial Science 1A."
Marge - "That doesn't explain why you ate the soap. Or does
it? And your a Nuclear Technician?"
Homer - "Marge! Exnay on the uclearnay echniciantay!"
Marge - "What'd you say?"
Homer - "I don't know! I flunked Latin, too!"
Hidden intelligence?
In another episode, Homer is searching behind the couch cushions in the
hope he might find a peanut, but instead, he comes across a twenty
dollar bill. Homer says:
Homer - "A twenty? I can't eat that!"
Brain - "Twenty dollars can get lots of peanuts."
Homer - "How so?
Brain - "Money can be exchanged for goods and services."
Homer - "Tell me more."
This, along with the conversation before the science test, which, incidentally,
Homer passed, shows that he has some intelligence there, but most of the time,
it never makes it even close to escaping his head.
Blows to the head
There are many instances of Homer being hit on the head. The most
noteable being when Maggie hit him while imitating an Itchy and
Scratchy episode, and when Bart wanted to be a daredevil.
What happened to the eighties?
The episode in which Homer is placed in a mental institute is a very
interesting one. Irrespective of musical preferences, most people know
who Michael Jackson is. Where has Homer (or to be more specific, his
Brain) been for the past decade or more?
The unexplained...
There is one episode in which Homer is seen watching a Wheel of Fortune
episode and actually gives the correct answer before any of the
contestants. Was this Homer, or a replacement sent down by aliens
while they conducted tests on the real Homer? (A long shot, I know, but
it's the most likely explanation!)
Outsmarting people?
Homer can, at times, outsmart anyone - including himself! During a break
at the power plant, Homer discovers he missed out on the donuts
provided. He panics, but remembers his Emergency Procedures manual. He
opens it to show the centre of each page cut out to create a storage
space for emergency donuts. A brilliant idea, but for one thing - there
weren't any donuts in it, only a note and some crumbs. The note read:
"Dear Homer, I. O. U. one emergency donut. Signed, Homer."
Homer - "Bastard! He's always one step ahead."
One for the road...
One last, classic reference to Homer's Brain has to be after Bart's April Fool's
joke which put Homer in a coma.
Homer is released and joins his family in the hospital lobby.
Homer - "This calls for a celebration. We're all going to Hawaii!
April Fool's!"
The family tell him that it's mid-May; he was in a coma for seven
weeks. After a pause, all burst out laughing.
Marge - "You lost five percent of your brain!"
Homer - "Me lose brain? Uh-oh!"
More laughter.
Homer - "Why I laugh?"
Author : A Clark