Adult Swim
It’s no secret that Rick and Morty is great. But not all episodes are completely original, although most are. The latest episode starts simply enough, with another trek of mad old scientist Rick Sanchez and his hapless grandson Morty on a trip into outer space. A new twist immediately is revealed, as Rick is actually teaching Morty how to pilot the ship. That’s a fascinating kind of progress, the advancement of Rick’s relationship with Morty. Of course, the other twist is that Jerry, Morty’s father, has also hitched a ride, but was so nondescript that Rick forgot he was there. The look of pain on Jerry’s face when he realizes this was beautiful.
So the first step is to drop Jerry off at a place for any Jerry that needs a place to stay while their versions of Rick and Morty are off on adventures. It’s a great and logical progression from last season’s multiversal escapades, plus it gives us a chance to see Jerry in a new, ridiculous way. At first it seems that Jerry might rebel against the system, lured by a giant robotic Beth (his wife and Rick’s daughter) and the chance to adjust the tint settings on the TV. But eventually he decides to try leaving, only to find himself in a bizarre world of monsters and aliens.
In other words, nothing unusual for likes of Rick and Morty, but it’s too much for Jerry. His arc ends with a realization that he’s happy to go home again, despite the temptation of a fun place for people exactly like him. That’s what gives the final twist such weight; when Rick realizes they have the wrong Jerry, he switches with another Rick, much to both Jerrys’ consternation. That’s tragic and wondrous. The perfect sort of thematic resonance for an episode of Rick and Morty.
But that’s just the side story. The main one is even better, with Morty in a moral quandary that ultimately has a bitter ending. Comedian Andy Daly of Review voices alien assassin Krombopulos Michael, who kills with a song in his heart and a lack of empathy towards others. Morty has a problem with Rick selling weapons to the creature, so he saves the targeted victim, a bizarre plasma being voiced by Jemaine Clement of Flight of the Conchords.
Since it’s Clement, that means we get a fun song that’s funny but also quite strange. Works well. It’s interesting for Rick to proceed from annoyance of Morty ruining his fun playing high-concept arcade games to pretending to stop helping to immediately helping to exasperation to mild pride. It’s that pride that truly hurts Morty, because Morty had to kill “Fart,” the singing plasma cloud. For you see, Fart was planning to destroy all life in the universe. Classic mistake.
It’s a new take on futility and death coupled with the bizarre incongruity of Rick expressing rare pride in Morty. Tragic, heartbreaking, and hilariously absurd. Another amazing episode of Rick and Morty.
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