7 of the Best Rick and Morty Fan Theories

Evil Morty is Rick C-137’s Original Morty

The Best Rick and Morty Fan Theories

The introduction of Evil Morty has been one of the biggest plot twists in the show’s history. It’s a reveal that ties into many of the mysteries and questions that still linger in the Rick and Morty universe — or should we say universes. Perhaps the greatest theory surrounding Evil Morty’s existence, however, is the idea that this smart and evil Morty is actually the original Morty to the Rick that viewers would consider their own.

There are a few key points to unpack with this theory so hang in there. First thing’s first, there would need to be something that suggests the Morty currently running around with Rick isn’t the original Morty to this particular Rick. Well, in “Close Rick-Counters of the Rick Kind” we see various flashbacks of Rick’s memories. One of these memories includes him reaching out to pick up a baby Morty. We even see a picture of Rick holding a baby Morty hanging on Bird Person’s wall in the episode “Get Schwifty.” This is odd considering the fact that Beth said Rick has been absent from her life for 20 years prior to the start of the show. Since Morty is only 14 years old, it would be impossible for Rick to have memories of Morty as a child if he was from this same dimension Beth claims has been absent for two decades.

So now that there is a discrepancy in the background between what we would like to believe are our original Rick and Morty, it’s time to explore why Evil Morty would likely be the Morty that originally belonged to our Rick. Evil Morty is an unusually intelligent Morty who doesn’t seem to be anchored by the insecurities and sensitivity that we have seen from other Mortys. It’s possible that this could from being raised with Rick in his life, as opposed to the other Mortys who didn’t have this opportunity. Being raised by the mad scientist we all know and love could easily result in a very different Morty who is incredibly intelligent. Perhaps, too intelligent to stay in Rick’s life.

Rick has warned about the risks associated with a Morty that’s too smart or too cocky. While this may seem like random advice, it could also be a sign that this Rick has already lived in a dimension where he came face to face with a smart, cocky Morty that he wasn’t terribly fond of. Perhaps there was too much friction and conflict between the two geniuses and they eventually parted ways in a not so amicable fashion — the type of not so amicable fashion that could leave this particular Morty with a serious grudge against all Ricks? Maybe this Rick ditched his genius Morty for a more dim-witted partner who served as less of a threat to him and his research?

We See Evil Morty In the Opening Credits

The Best Rick and Morty Fan Theories

So now that we have discussed the theory of why Rick may have ditched a genius-Morty that eventually turned evil, it’s time to consider that we may have already witnessed Rick leaving this Morty behind. Throughout the opening sequence of Rick and Morty, we see clips of various misadventures involving the beloved pair. In one clip, we see Rick creating a portal with his trusty portal gun before hopping through and leaving Morty behind. We have seen Rick temporarily give Morty the cold shoulder, but this time around, Morty is about to be gobbled up by green creatures. One fan theory proposes that this Morty somehow escapes, survives, and grows to resent all Ricks because they don’t have any real compassion for their Mortys. While there isn’t much else to support this theory, it does seem like an interesting explanation for Evil Morty’s official tipping point to begin a grand plot against all Ricks.

Rick and Morty Season 3 is Getting a Secret Christmas Episode

The Best Rick and Morty Fan Theories

Season 3 of Rick and Morty ended with a mixed reception. The episode itself still delivered everything you would usually expect from Rick and Morty by peeping into alternate universes, underscoring a variety of relationships between different Ricks and different Mortys, and pretty much abusing your mind in every way possible. It was another enjoyable episode, but it seemed odd that season 3 ended without advancing the plot arcs dealing with Evil Morty or Phoenix Person.

Well, one fan believes that season 3 actually will address these key plot arcs before it ends. Despite the finale episode airing on October 1, fans believe that a secret episode will air before Christmas. The theory comes from the fact that Mr. Poopybutthole was very literal in his explanation of the show’s hiatus after season two. He announced that Rick and Morty would return in a year and a half. The third season indeed returned one year, five months, and 28 days after this episode. The season 3 finale features Mr. Poopybutthole apologizing for his absence and claiming that it would be a long time before fans see Rick and Morty return again, but it’s his exact words that are particularly interesting: “See ya for season four in like, a really long time! I might even have a big white Santa Claus beard!”. This, in combination with the fact that Christmas Eve lands on Sunday – Rick and Morty’s original air date – and Ryan Ridley appearing in a behind the scenes interview in a Rick and Morty holiday-themed sweater, the idea of a secret holiday episode actually doesn’t seem too far-fetched.

The Great Jerry Ticket Theory

The Best Rick and Morty Fan Theories

There is no shortage of forums, videos, and social media comment sections that have been set ablaze over this particular theory. This is probably because the physical evidence supporting the theory is pretty strong. Indeed, it’s hard to deny that something mysterious is going on here. What exactly that mysterious thing is, however, is still up for debate.

All throughout Rick and Morty, we hear references to the dimension “our” Rick and Morty belong to. Whenever we see or hear someone mention C-137, it seems to serve as confirmation that we are indeed dealing with the Rick and Morty from the original dimension we started following at the beginning of the series. In some episodes, however, we never receive confirmation that we are dealing with the Rick and Morty from C-137. The popular ticket theory that originates from the episode “Mortynight Run” seems to be pretty strong evidence that we often aren’t even following the original Rick and Morty we have come to know and love. In fact, the theory suggests that in one episode alone we somehow switch between dimensions without being any the wiser.

In this episode, there is a special daycare for Jerrys called Jerryboree where Rick and Morty can drop off their Jerry to make sure he isn’t getting into any trouble. When Rick and Morty arrive here and drop off Jerry, they receive a ticket so they can know which Jerry is theirs. In this case, the ticket reads “5126.” This means that the Rick and Morty that have arrived here from dimension C-137 are the rightful Rick and Morty to Jerry 5126. After following Rick and Morty throughout the entirety of the episode, we then see them return to the Jerry daycare and retrieve a Jerry right before another Rick and Morty appear from off screen and ask if they have mistakenly picked up Jerry 5126. The pairs switch Jerrys and go on about their way. The theory here is that the Rick and Morty who appear from off screen are actually the Rick and Morty from C-137 and we have been following a completely different Rick and Morty ever since Jerry was left at the daycare. This not only has great implications for this particular episode, but it also raises the question: how many other times have we been given the old switch-a-roo without even noticing?

Rick Is Painfully Aware That He’s in a TV Show

The Best Rick and Morty Fan Theories

We have seen Rick break the fourth wall on a few occasions. This sort of narrative tactic is far from unusual for comedies and animated series so it’s easy to overlook. It’s even easier to ignore this sort of tactic when the character breaking the fourth wall is screaming random nonsense. In one instance, Rick announces the end of season one by directly addressing the audience, and later, turns to viewers yet again after finding his brand new catchphrase “Wubba lubba dub dub!”. This jargon means initially makes little sense, but it’s later revealed that in Bird Person’s language “Wubba lubba dub dub” is more than just random gibberish: it means “I am in great pain. Please help me.” This seems like an odd phrase for Rick to latch on to. After all, he is a genius who so often easily finds his way out of trouble. One fan has laid out a detailed theory that could give a greater meaning to all of this.

But his empathy for his butter robot may give us a clue as to what is really going on in his mind. After calling on the aid of a small robot whose sole purpose is to pass the butter, Rick has a sobering moment. The robot asks Rick what his purpose is, to which Rick flatly answers “to pass butter.” The robot reacts, “Oh my god,” before dropping its head in sadness. Rick then responds with, “Yeah, welcome to the club, pal.” It’s a reminder that Rick believes that his existence and purpose are trivial and meaningless. To be fair, this could just be a dry, pessimistic outlook on life that’s driven by Rick’s incredible understanding of the universe, but there is one more piece of the puzzle that suggests something bigger is happening. At one point we also see a sketch on Rick’s wall that seems to be a rough drawing of show co-creator Dan Harmon.

Rick Actually Isn’t Just Getting Drunk All the Time

The Best Rick and Morty Fan Theories

This fan theory originated quite some time ago but has remained a pretty popular one with a few different versions that vary in terms of the minute details. Upon first glance, Rick is a sloppy drunk who is constantly sipping on more alcohol from his trusty flask, even during the most intense moments of his adventures with Morty. At one point, he even manages to plan an intricate, complex series of tests for the Vindicators while totally intoxicated. So how exactly is Rick so incredibly smart that he can still outsmart a gang of superheroes while utterly trolleyed?

The theory is that Rick doesn’t just have alcohol in that flask. In the first season, we learn that super trees and their seeds are key to Rick’s research, and we know that these seeds make anyone that eats them highly intelligent for a short while. In one episode, Morty consumes some and turns into a genius temporarily, but once the effects of the supertrees and their seeds wear off, he returns to normal and has a stream of drool coming from his mouth. Perhaps Rick is mixing some form of distilled super tree seeds with his booze, granting him intelligence? Not to suggest Rick isn’t already a genius without the seeds, but it may explain why Rick seems to always be more intelligent and craftier than the other Ricks he comes across.

Rick Abandoned Beth for a Good Reason

The Best Rick and Morty Fan Theories

Rick and Morty does a great job of creating a sense of moral ambiguity when it comes to Rick. It’s hard to tell if he is a cold, heartless scientist who is all brains and no heart; a soft-hearted guy who will just never let anyone close enough to see that he actually does have feelings buried deep underneath a cold exterior, or a complicated being that exists somewhere in between. One fan theory errs on the side that Rick’s antics actually come from a good place, even with something as heartbreaking as abandoning his own daughter for decades.

Rick and Morty show the hilarious pair traversing through many alternate dimensions and timelines where a Rick and Morty always seem to be present. What we don’t always see, however, is another Summer. It could be because, in some dimensions, Beth and Jerry never end up conceiving Summer. One theory proposes that it was necessary for Rick to abandon Beth and throw her into the emotional turmoil that caused her to rebel and ultimately have the unprotected sex with Jerry that led to Summer’s birth.