Future

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Rosebud

Age: Late 998,040s to early 998,050s

At the end of Rosebud, both Smithers and Burns are shown in the year 1,000,000 A.D.; both of them are shown to have their human heads attached to robotic bodies. While Mr. Burns is portrayed with a humanoid frame, Smithers has the body of a small dog. In this scene, Mr. Burns runs off into the sunset after rediscovering his teddy bear, Bobo. Smithers follows after him, saying “wait for me, sir. Woof!”

From this, we can discern several facts about Smithers in this future. Firstly, he likely still works under Burns, as he still follows him around and calls him “sir.”

Secondly, the two either took on their robotic forms at some point in the near future, stalled the aging process for several decades/centuries/millennia, or the animators simply (and understandably) didn’t feel the need to adjust their heads’ appearances, as they both still look the same in the face as they do in the show.

Thirdly, Smithers seems to have taken on doglike mannerisms in his behavior, considering the fact that he “woofs” at the end of his sentence. This means that either: 1), the body he inhabits not only acts as a vessel, but also affects his behavior, or 2), living physically like a dog inspired him — consciously or subconsciously — to act more like a dog. Of course, this was likely written in as a joke, but if we’re taking an in-universe look at this, it is most likely to be one of these two options.

Lisa's Wedding

Age: Mid-to-late 50s

In this instance, Smithers is shown to be invited to Lisa’s wedding along with a guest of his choice. He chooses to bring Mr. Burns, who is deceased after being stabbed in the back 17 times. Mr. Burns’ body has been preserved and a team of scientists (including Professor Frink) have apparently been searching for a “cure” to his 17 stab wounds; at the time of this scene, they’ve fixed 15 of them.

In the next scene Smithers appears in, he’s brought Burns to Lisa’s wedding. Despite Burns saying he wasn’t “fully defrosted” and that he wanted to go home, Smithers insists he sit down; unfortunately, Smithers sitting him down snapped his legs off of his body.

This episode aired in 1995 and looked forward to 2010, meaning that it was 15 years in the future. According to this timeline, Smithers’ hairline greatly recedes over the next 15 years. However, he still keeps his same haircut, regardless. He also has lines under his eyes and has started wearing shoulder pads. Despite Mr. Burns’ death, it still doesn’t seem that he ever moved on from him, considering that he’s dedicated his time to working with scientists to revive Mr. Burns, and insists on bringing him as his plus-one, as opposed to any of his friends or family.

Future-Drama

Trigger warning: This section contains discussion of internalized homophobia, conversion from gay to straight, and a brief mention of self-harm and attempted suicide.

Age: Late 40s to early 50s

Future-Drama takes place eight years (from Tuesday) in the future. In this timeline, Smithers has decided to convert himself into a heterosexual via injections. After (or perhaps before; it’s never specified) "becoming" straight, he’s apparently gotten a girlfriend. Unfortunately, during a date with her, Mr. Burns is robbed at phaserpoint, a predicament which Bart ends up having to save him from. Shortly afterwards, Smithers enters the room with his girlfriend, reminding Mr. Burns of his date and informing Bart of his (at least relatively) newfound heterosexuality. He says he needs to take his injection every 10 minutes, and it's shown to have the side effect of making him flail his arms in the air and yell “I love boobies!”

Multiple facts can be discerned from this scene. Firstly, at some point in the next eight years, Smithers becomes dissatisfied with his orientation and seeks to change it. Though he was already closeted in the present, he still did things like have intimate relationships with other men, participate actively in his local LGBT community, and even perform in a pride parade (albeit as a representation of closeted gay people); by no means did he seem unaccepting of his orientation. However, some unknown event(s) within the next eight years seem to have caused him to want to stop being gay altogether.

Secondly, he seems to have become less concerned with Burns and his safety, likely due to his lack of homosexuality. Unlike in canon, where he’s shown to become distraught when he fails to protect Mr. Burns (even to the point of hurting and attempting to kill himself in Homer the Smithers), he doesn’t react strongly to the fact that Mr. Burns could’ve died in his absence. Instead, he just calmly tells Burns that he “knew [he] was on a date.” Though it’s not unusual that he left him alone for a date, as he also goes absent while dating Julio and Michael in canon, it’s definitely a stark difference from his homosexual behavior in how little he seems to mind the fact that Mr. Burns was in danger.

Over time, the only way he’s aged is in becoming more wrinkled, but he otherwise looks the same as he currently does.

Holidays of Future Passed

Age: Early 70s

Showing Bart's children downtown Springfield, Homer walks them by Burns' Manor. After throwing a rock through his window, Burns calls for the hounds to be released. This prompts Smithers to walk out and dump a pile of canine bones on the ground. This, of course, does not phase the Simpson family, who just walk away.

Once again, Smithers is still shown to be working for Mr. Burns in the future. Though he doesn't speak, he doesn't seem very happy with his job, just looking at the family with a tired expression. It's unknown if this reflects a larger dissatistfaction with his entire job or simply the duty of "releasing" the bodies of long-deceased hounds on the unwelcomed. Visually, his hairline has receded, but like in Lisa's Wedding, he's maintained his usual hairstyle. Other than that, he's slightly wrinkled and wearing a more futuristic equivalent of his current outfit.

Flanders' Ladder

Trigger warning: This section contains discussion of suicide.

Age: 50, deceased

At the end of Flanders’ Ladder, Bart awakens from a coma with knowledge of how everyone dies, including Smithers. It's shown that after Burns apparently marries Angelina Jolie, Smithers commits suicide by jumping into one of the cooling towers at the power plant.

The only ways he’s visibly aged is by wrinkling slightly and gaining a light streak in his hair.