History YMMV / TheSimpsonsS7E16LisaTheIconoclast

* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation:
** WebVideo/TheRealJims believes Hollis Hurlbut [[ReversePsychology actually]] ''[[ReversePsychology wanted]]'' [[ReversePsychology Lisa to learn the truth about Jebediah Springfield]], since [[HarmlessVillain Hurlbut's attempts at discouraging Lisa were weak at best]], even theorizing that Hurlbut himself wanted to share the truth years ago before deciding against it.
** Springfield may have been an [[TheAtoner atoner]] who wanted the truth known himself, seeing as the note is a DeathbedConfession that was never found. Though the idea of him being an atoner seemingly conflicts with his written EvilLaughter (unless it was a weird cough which he also wrote down).

* FranchiseOriginalSin: "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS9E2ThePrincipalAndThePauper The Principal and the Pauper]]" would be criticized for revealing that everything the other characters and the audience knew about Principal Skinner's past was a lie, and to this day is accused of helping cause the show to begin its SeasonalRot. This episode did the same thing with Jebediah Springfield two seasons earlier, exposing the fact that his reputation was based on myths, but it was far easier to swallow when these retcons were made about a long-dead character the audience never knew personally (on top of that, it was a commentary on the dark side of historical figures who often are revered for their virtues while their vices are downplayed).

* HilariousInHindsight: Jebediah Springfield's love for rootmarm in "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS6E24LemonOfTroy Lemon of Troy]]" makes a lot more sense after knowing he had a prosthetic tongue. No wonder he was fine with eating a flavorless mush: he couldn't taste it anyway!

** Springfield may have been an [[TheAtoner atoner]] who wanted the truth known himself, seeing as the note is a DeathbedConfession that was never found. Though the idea of him being an atoner seemingly conflicts with his written EvilLaughter.

** WebOriginal/TheRealJims believes Hollis Hurlbut [[ReversePsychology actually]] ''[[ReversePsychology wanted]]'' [[ReversePsychology Lisa to learn the truth about Jebediah Springfield]], since [[HarmlessVillain Hurlbut's attempts at discouraging Lisa were weak at best]], even theorizing that Hurlbut himself wanted to share the truth years ago before deciding against it.

* WhatAnIdiot:
** Mayor Quimby almost commits a major one. He intends to cover-up the truth about Jebediah Springfield by hiring a sniper to kill a little girl, in full view of the public, after she has spent days telling everyone around her that Jebediah Springfield is a pirate, and 'has' the sniper take the shot even after she's clearly decided to keep the secret and say something inspiring that caused everybody to clap. [[EveryoneHasStandards Even in Springfield, it's unlikely that everyone would overlook the murder of an eight-year-old girl and not connect it to her latest campaign for justice.]]
** To an extent, Lisa discussing the truth about Springfield in a school report was pretty stupid. Since Lisa just discovered his confession, Ms. Hoover would have no point of reference and naturally assume Lisa's report was just PoliticalCorrectnessGoneMad.

* ValuesDissonance: As historiography around the world becomes more critical towards founding and national myths, deciding to cover up facts about the problematic or even cruel sides of historical figures for the sake of protecting people's hopes feels more like an outright disservice than a necessary evil.

* FanonDiscontinuity: Similar to "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS9E2ThePrincipalAndThePauper The Principal and the Pauper]]", some fans like to pretend this episode (or Jebediah Springfield's dark past) never happened because it messes with the continuity of much loved episodes like "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS1E8TheTelltaleHead The Telltale Head]]" and "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS6E24LemonOfTroy Lemon of Troy]]". Both of which depict Jebedia as a benevolent figure, the former depicting Jebediah's spirit as a [[TheConscience morality conscience]] to Bart and the latter showing Jebediah being repulsed by Shelbyville Manhattan wanting to [[KissingCousins marry his own cousin]] which kicks off the feud between the two towns. Like "The Principal and the Pauper", it's decided to keep the secret buried to maintain the status quo and it's hardly ever mentioned in future episodes, making it fairly easy for fans to ignore it.

** Mayor Quimby almost commits a major one. He intends to cover-up the truth about Jebediah Springfield by hiring a sniper to kill a little girl, in full view of the public, after she has spent days telling everyone around her that Jebediah Springfield is a pirate. [[EveryoneHasStandards Even in Springfield, it's unlikely that everyone would overlook the murder of an eight-year-old girl and not connect it to her latest campaign for justice.]]

** Springfield may have been an [[TheAtoner atoner]] who wanted the truth known himself, seeing as the note is a DeathbedConfession that was never found.

* FranchiseOriginalSin: The Season 9 episode "The Principal and the Pauper" would be criticized for revealing that everything the other characters and the audience knew about Principal Skinner's past was a lie, and to this day is accused of helping cause the show to begin its SeasonalRot. This episode did the same thing with Jebediah Springfield two seasons earlier, exposing the fact that his reputation was based on myths, but it was far easier to swallow when these retcons were made about a long-dead character the audience never knew personally (on top of that, it was a commentary on the dark side of historical figures who often are revered for their virtues while their vices are downplayed).

* FranchiseOriginalSin: The Season 9 episode "The Principal and the Pauper" would be criticized for revealing that everything the other characters and the audience knew about Principal Skinner was a lie, and to this day is accused of causing the show to being it's SeasonalRot. This episode did the same thing with Jebediah Springfield two seasons earlier, exposing the fact that his reputation was based on myths, but it was far easier to swallow when these retcons were made about a long-dead character the audience never knew personally (on top of that, it was a parody on the dark side of historical figures who often are revered for their virtues while their vices are downplayed).

* WhatAnIdiot: Mayor Quimby almost commits a major one. He intends to cover-up the truth about Jebediah Springfield by hiring a sniper to kill a little girl, in full view of the public, after she has spent days telling everyone around her that Jebediah Springfield is a pirate. [[EveryoneHasStandards Even in Springfield, it's unlikely that everyone would overlook the murder of an eight-year-old girl and not connect it to her latest campaign for justice.]]