Homer, Bart, Lisa, Maggie and Grampa are watching a Dr. Nick program (who did not realize his patient was pregnant and even mistook the umbilical cord for an astronaut tether) when Marge turns off the TV and tells them that it is her mother Jacqueline's 80th birthday and the family should visit her.
Jacqueline reveals the truth: her husband died of lung cancer but she did not say so before because back then, people were reluctant to admit it and she thought smoking made Patty and Selma look cool.
At the DMV, Patty realizes how hard it is to quit smoking after years of addiction after thinking she was having a stroke.
A montage of their life and death through smoking is shown as Rick Astley's "Together Forever" is heard in the background.
Maggie makes a plan to fight against the Spucklers and free the opossum by assembling an army of animals.
[1] Executive producer Al Jean asked musician Yo-Yo Ma to be in the episode, and he agreed.
Ma was previously drawn in a non-speaking role in the eleventh season episode "Missionary: Impossible.
That’s a steep hill to climb under any circumstances, but especially when trying to make us care about two one-note characters like Patty and Selma.