The following contains spoilers for The Simpsons season 36 episode 18, "Estranger Things," now streaming on HuluThe Simpsons does this is by visiting potential futures, depicting what a grown Bart and Lisa might do with their lives.

While many of these possible futures are shown to have similar aspects or connective elements, some of them appear to be entirely different timelines. The latest is among these, as the future depicted in The Simpsons season 36 finale is a surprisingly down-to-earth one that differs from many other futures in some big ways. One of the most important for Lisa has to do with the resolution of her two biggest romantic arcs in the show, ending her long-running love triangle with a surprising third option.

Lisa's The Simpsons Season 36 Future Doesn't Give Her A Romantic Partner

Lisa Isn't Shown With A Longterm Partner Or Her Own Kids In This New Future

Lisa's new possible future in The Simpsons doesn't give her a long-term romance with Milhouse or Nelson, which is a very different resolution from previous future-set episodes. "Estranger Things" largely focuses on a possible future for Springfield where Bart and Lisa have drifted apart, especially following the surprisingly early death of their mother. While Bart remains in Springfield and makes a life for himself "caring" for Homer and some of the town's other older men, Lisa moves out of town and eventually becomes the commissioner of the women's basketball league.

Although it's possible that Lisa has a long-term relationship off-screen, "Estranger Things" doesn't make the grown Lisa's family life a relevant part of the plot. This is a direct contrast to previous future-set episodes, which typically depicted Lisa ending up either with Milhouse or Nelson, her two most consistent love interests in the present day. This plays into the idea that in this timeline, Lisa has largely lost touch with her family as a whole, even beyond the distance that's grown between her and Bart.

The Simpsons Has Gone Back And Forth On Lisa's True Springfield Love

The Simpsons Has Given Lisa Two Long-Term Love Interests, And Neither Win Out In Season 36

Milhouse and Nelson have been Lisa's primary romantic interests in several episodes of The Simpsons over the years. Milhouse's attempts to woo Lisa have been a source of awkward comedy for decades, but some episodes (especially in the third decade of the show) indicated that Lisa had also developed feelings for him. By contrast, Nelson was established as an unlikely but endearing love interest for Lisa in season 8's "Lisa's Date With Destiny," with both characters retaining a soft spot for one another as the show has gone on.

In previous future episodes, Lisa has been shown forming a long-term romance with one of those two. In the future depicted by season 23's "Holidays of Future ed" and "Days of Future Future," Lisa and Milhouse reconnected after the former graduated from college, eventually leading to a pregnancy, marriage, and the birth of their daughter Zia. Season 34's "When Nelson Met Lisa" established a different possible future, with Lisa eventually leaving her troubled relationship with fellow genius Hubert Wong to run away with Nelson.

It Makes Sense Why Lisa Didn't End Up With Nelson Or Milhouse

Lisa Making Her Own Life Outside Of Springfield Makes Sense For The Character

Both of these conceptual romances are interesting in the world of The Simpsons, but it's also strained a certain level of scrutiny that Lisa would ultimately end up with either of them. In almost every hypothetical future glimpsed across The Simpsons, Lisa goes on to become a major force of good in the world. In some, she becomes a powerful business mogul, while in others, she becomes a progressive politician. In season 11's "Bart to the Future" and season 32's "Mother and Child Reunion," Lisa even went on to become President — ambitions that Nelson and Milhouse never seemed to match.

Neither Nelson or Milhouse has ever shown the kind of drive that actually seems to reflect the grown Lisa

Neither Nelson or Milhouse has ever shown the kind of drive that actually seems to reflect the grown Lisa, with her romance with Milhouse in one future depicted as bland and boring. It's only after Milhouse becomes a zombie and loses his typical personality that Lisa finds herself genuinely attracted to him. While Lisa's romance with Nelson has always been depicted as a sweet turn for both characters, season 29's "Haw-Haw Land" reflected on how Lisa is probably better off without Nelson while he figures out who he is and refines his talents.

The massive success of Lisa's various futures always made her possible romances with Milhouse and Nelson feel incredibly unlikely, especially in the timelines where Lisa clearly left Springfield behind. "When Nelson Met Lisa" at least played with that theme, exploring how Lisa and Nelson's natural chemistry made them a better fit for a romance over their more conventional romantic partners. Even then, their romance is shown to be incompatible in the long run. Lisa moving beyond both of them makes sense, as does her life as a success in "Estranger Things."

The Simpsons' New Future Is A Worst-Case Scenario For Nelson And Milhouse

Nelson And Milhouse Are Far Worse Off Without Lisa

While Lisa escapes from the humdrum limits of Springfield in all of her futures, the Nelson and Milhouse of "Estranger Things" are shown to be far worse off without the kind of positive influence that having Lisa in their lives seems to cause. The Milhouse of the episode is only briefly seen, but he's still following Bart's technically criminal schemes and seemingly embracing them. He also backs away from Lisa the second he sees her having a tense conversation with Bart, suggesting he's not even going to try and act on the relationship that in other futures produced a daughter.

Nelson has an even sadder turn, having seemingly taken up a similar role to Barney as one of the town's dregs. His brief meeting with Lisa, as he's sleeping on a park bench, ends with Nelson itting life didn't turn out like he hoped, leaving him quietly depressed. Nelson has always been depicted as a troubled boy with great potential, who rarely gets the chance to shine. Without Lisa in his life, Nelson hasn't been able to escape the poverty that he was forced to contend with as a child.

Nelson and Milhouse both have typically been shown in The Simpsons to be just as flawed as anyone from Springfield, but with the potential to grow and become better. Different future timelines have shown that both boys have the potential to become good men, but without Lisa in their lives, that evidently didn't happen. While it makes sense why Lisa isn't with either of them in The Simpsons' latest possible future, it's a tragic turn for both Nelson and Milhouse.