Rick and Morty: Rick Prime's Debut Raises New Questions About Evil Morty
The Rick and Morty Season 6 premiere has set big new stakes for the series, as we finally have a true "big bad" in the form of Rick Prime, the demented version of Rick who killed the family of Rick C-137 and set the core mythology of the show in motion. Right now, fans are still reacting to the reveal of Rick Prime and the full tragic origin of Rick and Morty's story, but there are also some ways that Rick Prime's introduction as the series antagonist forces us to rethink "Evil Morty" and his place in the series.
When Rick and Morty began, "Evil Rick" and "Evil Morty" were the first two series "villains" to appear. However, by the end of "Close Rick-counters of the Rick Kind" "Evil Rick" was revealed to be a puppet, and Evil Morty the real mastermind. That portrait of Evil Morty didn't change when the villain made a big move to conquer The Citadel of Ricks as its president in Season 3, murdering any challengers and/or investigators in his way. However, things started to get more complicated by the Season 5 finale, when Evil Morty forced Rick C-137 to reveal his dark past of killing legions of his own variant selves, in the hunt for the Rick that killed his family.
As Evil Morty explained in the Season 5 finale "Rickmurai Jack", Rick's sociopathic war with himself creates a cycle that impacts everyone close to him – especially Morty. Evil Morty posited that he was no eviler than any Morty who dared grow tired of Rick's unending cycle of self-importance and decided to do something about it. In Evil Morty's twisted view, all the sacrifices needed to escape the Central Finite Curve were worth it to a place in any universe where a Morty could be truly free of Rick.
It was easy to write Evil Morty's view off as that of a simple psychopath – until we met Rick Prime. In just one episode, Rick Prime has been shown to be diabolical, technologically brilliant, with a wickedly enhanced body, and no seeming emotional connections to speak of. In short: if he's that bad of a Rick then how wrong is Evil Morty in his stance?
Rick C-137 is a perfect example: he was once unique among Ricks, in that he valued his wife and daughter over the god-like achievement of inter-dimensional travel; however, after Rick Prime took away his family, Rick C-137 arguably became as deranged and narcissistic in his pursuit of vengeance as Rick Prime. It has only been Rick C-137's (very reluctant) warming to Rick Prime's Morty that has slowly but surely made him a family man again. But that particular Rick and Morty pairing is time and again shown to be unique – hence why they are the focus of the series. They are an example that stand opposed to the extremes of what both Rick and Morty can become (evil) if their bond isn't there.
That all said: so far, we don't know what Evil Morty's intentions are for escaping the Central Finite Curve – but if it has anything to do with his usual anti-Rick agenda, it could also become a crucial solution to stopping Rick Prime.
Rick and Morty is now airing Season 6 Sundays on Adult Swim.
