It was the moment everyone saw coming for years, yet nobody actually expected Fox to pull the trigger on it. If you grew up watching the early seasons of Family Guy, you know the drill. Stewie Griffin wasn't just a British-accented toddler with a football head; he was a matricidal mastermind. His entire existence revolved around one goal: killing Lois.
Then came the 100th episode.
The two-part event, Stewie Kills Lois and Lois Kills Stewie, finally gave fans what they wanted. Or did it? Honestly, the way it played out is still one of the most debated arcs in adult animation history. It wasn't just a gag. It was a full-blown cinematic thriller that fundamentally changed how we look at the Griffin family dynamic.
The Setup: Why Stewie Finally Snapped
Most people forget why Stewie actually went through with it this time. It wasn't some grand philosophical disagreement. It was because he got left behind.
Lois and Peter go on a cruise for Lois's birthday. They leave Stewie at home because, well, he’s a baby. Brian taunts him, basically calling him a "coward" who is all talk and no action. That was the spark. Stewie, fueled by pure spite and a need to prove he wasn't just a toothless threat, speedboats out to the cruise ship to finish the job.
The scene on the deck is surprisingly dark for 2007. There’s no punchline. Stewie corners Lois, pulls out a submachine gun, and opens fire. She falls overboard into the dark water. For a full week (or a year in show-time), the world—and the viewers—thought Lois Griffin was genuinely dead.
When the Tables Turned: Lois Kills Stewie Explained
The second half of the special, titled Lois Kills Stewie, is where things get really wild. After a year of Peter being a suspect and almost going to jail, Lois dramatically bursts into the courtroom. She didn't die. She was rescued by a merman, had amnesia, and worked at a fat camp. It’s classic Family Guy absurdity.
But the real meat of the episode is the confrontation.
Stewie has basically become the "President of the World" by this point, ruling from the Oval Office with an iron fist. Lois realizes that the only way to stop her son is to take him out. The episode culminates in a massive, high-octane gunfight in the White House. We're talking Matrix-style wall-running and heavy weaponry.
The Decision That Split the Fanbase
The title of the episode is a bit of a bait-and-switch. Does Lois actually kill Stewie?
Not quite.
At the climax, Lois has Stewie in her sights. She has the shotgun aimed right at his head. He’s taunting her, telling her to do it. But she can’t. She looks at him and sees her baby, not a monster. She drops the gun.
Then, in a move that shocked everyone watching the premiere, Peter Griffin walks in and shoots Stewie dead. He makes a "Lethal Weapon" quip that doesn't even fit the situation. It’s brutal, hilarious, and completely unexpected.
The Simulation Twist: Why It Matters
Of course, this is Family Guy. They weren't going to actually kill off the two most profitable characters on the show.
The entire two-parter ends with a pull-back. We see Stewie in his room wearing a virtual reality headset. The whole thing—the murder, the world domination, the death of his mother—was a computer simulation.
Wait, why did they do that?
A lot of fans felt cheated. "It was all a dream" is the oldest trope in the book. But looking back, it served a huge purpose for the character of Stewie:
- Technical Realization: Stewie realizes through the simulation that he actually isn't ready to kill Lois.
- Character Evolution: After this episode, the writers began shifting Stewie away from being a pure villain. He became more of a "campy," sci-fi adventurer who shares a bromance with Brian.
- The End of an Era: This was the show's way of "finishing" the matricide plotline so they could move on to new jokes.
Honestly, the show probably wouldn't have survived another ten seasons if Stewie just kept trying to build weather machines to kill his mom. It would’ve gotten stale. By simulating the "final battle," the writers effectively closed that chapter of his life.
Real-World Impact and Guest Stars
This wasn't just any episode; it was a massive TV event. The production quality was noticeably higher than the standard Season 6 episodes. They even brought in heavy hitters for cameos. We saw the American Idol judges—Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson, and Paula Abdul—judging Stewie's performance. They even had a crossover with American Dad! featuring Stan Smith and Avery Bullock (voiced by Patrick Stewart).
The cultural footprint was huge. It confirmed that Family Guy could handle long-form storytelling, even if they hit the "reset" button at the end. It also proved that Seth MacFarlane wasn't afraid to lean into the "Star Trek" style of dramatic two-parters, even using the iconic The Next Generation font for the "To Be Continued" card.
Where to Watch and What to Look For
If you’re going back to rewatch this, pay attention to the small details. The animation in the White House fight scene is some of the best the show has ever produced.
You can find these episodes on:
- Hulu (Search for Season 6, Episodes 4 and 5).
- Disney+ (In international markets).
- DVD Volume 6 (Which actually contains an extended cut of the "I've Got a Little List" song).
If you want to dive deeper into the lore, look for the episode "Then There Were Fewer." It’s another hour-long special that feels like a spiritual successor to the Lois and Stewie saga, though that one actually has permanent consequences for some side characters.
The "Lois Kills Stewie" arc remains a high-water mark for the series. It was the moment the show stopped being just a collection of cutaway gags and proved it could actually tell a gripping, high-stakes story—even if it was all just a simulation in the head of a very disturbed infant.
To get the full experience, watch the episodes back-to-back without breaks. The transition from the courtroom cliffhanger to the White House siege is much more impactful when you don't have to wait a week between them. You can also compare this version of Stewie to the one in the most recent seasons; the difference in his personality is staggering once you see him at his most "evil" in these episodes.