What can’t Elon Musk do? The controversial billionaire has the kind of resume that would give an HR representative headaches and make an autobiographer sweat. From launching self-driving cars to ensuring there is affordable internet all across the globe, the billionaire has done it all. Recently, he made another breakthrough when his Blindsight Neuralink implant, which can restore sight, was granted an FDA “breakthrough device” tag. The FDA’s breakthrough tag is normally granted to new medical devices that hasten the treatment or diagnosis of major health conditions.
Over the course of his career, he has also made numerous cameos as himself in Iron Man 2, Machete Kills, Why Him?, Transcendence. Men in Black: International, and the TV shows, The Big Bang Theory, South Park, Young Sheldon, Rick & Morty, Mars, and The Simpsons.
While a few of Musk’s cameos have been well-received, the majority of them have been panned. His appearance in The Simpsons’s Season 26 episode, “The Musk Who Fell to Earth” is especially essential as it is said to have predicted the acquisition of X (formerly known as Twitter).
“The Musk Who Fell to Earth” Is One of the Worst Rated Episodes of The Simpsons
In the episode, very little happens plot-wise. Instead, we watch extended interplays between Elon Musk, Homer, and Mr. Burns, picking up inklings and subtext as we move. Elon Musk is introduced as an unwelcome ennui-plagued visitor at Homer’s home. He lands his Dragon 2 spacecraft in the Simpsons’ backyard, and explains that he is in Springfield to look for inspiration. Homer advises him to visit Mr. Burns’ power plant and, while there, he convinces the controversial industrialist to build a magnet-to-hydrodynamic generator for the plant. His idea is meant to solve all the city’s electrical needs, including power for self-driving cars.
Later on, Musk announces that his true intention is to save Earth, a revelation that makes Burns furious because he is ordinarily a mean-spirited person pursuing self-glorification at any cost. This prompts The Simpsons’ villain to come up with a plot to assassinate Musk. He also fires many employees, something that angers Homer. The protagonist then begins feuding with Musk, but when Musk saves him from getting hit by a bullet, he changes his mind about him. Still, he decides to end their friendship, causing Musk to leave the city with his head held low.
Regrettably, the presence of one of the richest people in the world didn’t help the show score a bull’s eye. “The Musk Who Fell to Earth” was generally hated by fans and critics, with many pointing out that the humor was drier than Homer’s beer glass at Moe’s Tavern, relying more on pratfalls and sophisticated wordplay than witty one-liners and slapstick moments. Additionally, many argued that the decision to relegate the main characters to supporting roles so that Musk would get plenty of screen time was ill-advised.
Apparently, the idea was conceived when the show’s writers met Musk at a TED talk and found out he was a fan. They thus decided to write a story that was more of a love letter to the billionaire, than something that advanced the usual characters’ arcs. Thankfully, the episode served a major purpose by predicting Musk’s acquisition of X.
How the Episode Predicted Musk’s X Acquisition
Many fans were oblivious to the idea that “The Musk Who Fell to Earth” (inspired by the 1976 British sci-fi film The Man Who Fell to Earth) predicted Elon Musk’s X acquisition until the billionaire himself pointed it out. On November 26, 2022, Musk posted on the social media platform, asking his followers to check out the episode and see for themselves. Was he reaching? Not quite. There is proper evidence to prove that Neil Campbell (the episode’s writer) was a temporary prophet.
“The Musk Who Fell to Earth” has a scene where Lisa Simpson feeds a group of birds in a birdhouse located in the Simpsons’ backyard. A sign on the birdhouse that reads “Home Tweet Home.”
Coincidence? In the episode, many of Springfield Power Plant’s staff are also laid off because of Musk’s new proposals. This mirrors the mass layoffs that happened when Musk bought the company and implemented new policies. And in the same manner that he falls out with Homer in the episode, Musk also fell out with advertisers, including Disney, who boycotted X for fear that it was no longer a family-friendly platform.
Simpsons Writers Have Addressed the Show’s Alleged Predictions
From Disney acquiring 20th Century Fox to Donald Trump becoming president, there are way too many plots in The Simpsons that became a reality. So, is the show really that shiny ball that everyone should look at if they want to know what will happen in the future? The writers don’t seem to think so.
Al Jean – one of the first members of the animated show’s writing room – addressed the issue during a 2021 interview with NME, claiming the predictions are just the result of educated guess:
“One of our writers, the guy whose episode predicted Donald Trump as president, said it best. ‘If you write 700 episodes, and you don’t predict anything, then you’re pretty bad. If you throw enough darts, you’re going to get some bullseyes.”
Makes sense.
However, even he admitted that some of the predictions are eerily accurate.
“The 9/11 one is so bizarre. In the World Trade Center episode, there was a brochure reading $9 a day with an 11 styled up like the towers, That was in ’96, which was crazy, like this insane coincidence.”
In another interview with Reuters, former writer Bill Oakley also noted:
“It is just that we were satirizing real-life events from years before, and because history keeps repeating, it just seems like we were predicting things.”
Some conspiracy theorists have argued that it is all part of “predictive programming.” According to their theory, governments of super-power nations or members of powerful shadow organizations are using fictional movies, TV shows, and books to mind-control the masses to make them more accepting of planned future events.
That seems odd. Maybe The Simpsons has just been chosen by the heavens as the vehicle through which events will be forecast. Go ye and spread the word.
The Simpsons
is available to stream in the US on Hulu and Apple TV+
