10 More Rick & Morty Crossovers We Want To See After Dungeons & Dragons

IDW Publishing is unleashing a new spin on the Rick & Morty comics this week as the eponymous duo face off against the fantasy roleplaying world of Dungeons & Dragons in the appropriately named Rick & Morty Vs. Dungeons & Dragons #1. This concept highlights one of the great things about the cartoon, namely that it can be juxtaposed with just about any idea from pop culture to be explored in a new way. The adventures of Rick & Morty hold nothing sacred and are willing to poke fun at the concepts of even the most beloved geek properties. They also are smart enough to provide something substantial to say, whether that’s a critique of the premise itself or how it is currently treated by fandom.

The show has tackled a lot of ideas already, with great episodes handling everything from the classic hero’s journey to Cronenberg’s vision of horror. While we’re excited about the possibilities to be found in Rick & Morty Vs. Dungeons & Dragons, it already has us thinking about what other crossovers would make for some great new Rick & Morty adventures, whether they are part of the animated show or the comics adaptations. Whichever medium they might appear in, these are 10 ideas that we think would be surefire crossover hits.

Star Trek

While Star Trek has been referenced in the past, there has yet to be a specific substantial take on this beloved science fiction property that promises a utopian future where science and enlightenment lead humanity to ever greater promise. That positive perspective is on a collision course with the nihilistic worldview of Rick & Morty, and it would be wild to watch them encounter any of the most famous crews from Star Trek (or all of them via time travel). Both franchises love to explore big ideas and it would be incredibly entertaining to see what happens when the two came together.

Black Mirror

Black Mirror is another television series that is heavily invested in exploring big “what if” questions surrounding science and technology, but it’s pessimistic worldview is much closer to that of Rick & Morty. The one-and-done approach of this series often pushes premise over longevity, which has led to some criticism of obvious twists or missed solutions. It is the sort of mashup that Rick would run roughshod over in another clipshow-styled adventure, quickly picking holes and challenging ideas before moving forward with no concern for what happens.

The Muppets

Jim Henson’s Muppets regularly crossover with other properties, especially classic works of literature like A Christmas Carol and Treasure Island, but they always play by their own rules. Violence is slapstick and almost everybody learns a lesson or turns out better at the end of a story. It’s the sort of thing that would drive Rick absolutely bonkers. This is a mashup that would require Rick to play by different rules than his own, existing in a world where everything isn’t awful and big ideas like friendship, loyalty, and love actually carry weight. It would be hilarious.

The X-Men

Rick & Morty already tackled superhero movies in “Vindicators 3: Return of the Worldender,” but the X-Men aren’t your regular superheroes. They are just as much about the genres of soap opera and political allegory as they are about being superheroes. It’s a massive mixup of continuity, confusing sagas filled with time travel, and grand statements; essentially, everything that Rick hates in fiction. Placing him in the world of the X-Men would result in a lot of hate and fear from all characters involved.

Mobile Suit Gundam

This is one crossover that would just be a lot of fun. The big robots are one thing, but what would really make this click is that every iteration of Gundam has provided a strong backdrop of politics and war that frame their stories. There’s no doubt that Rick and Morty could pilot some incredible machines (most likely based on their own appearance), but the real joy would be watching them charge through generations of storytelling and delicate balances of power, wreaking absolute havoc.

Nintendo

It would be interesting to hear Rick and Morty offer their takes on the medium of video games in general, for praise or criticism. The real entertainment of this mashup, one building on the hype surrounding the newest Super Smash Bros. game, is how they would deal with a world that operates by very different rules. Characters have multiple lives, denying the importance of death, and science is decided by the rules of the game not actual physics. It would likely drive Rick mad, and that’s bound to be a lot of fun.

Dune

Dune is one of the most critically-acclaimed science-fiction novels ever for very good reason. Everything from its history to its environments are thoroughly understood. Unlike many pop culture confrontations, Rick could not simply point out obvious flaws or logic holes. Instead, he would be in a future that feels every bit as real as our own. Fans of one of these properties are just as likely to be fans of the other, and whatever happened it would be fascinating to see how their very different styles and ethos would mash up.

Stephen King

Fans of this incredibly prolific horror author have been provided a real treat in the form of Castle Rock, which weaves mythology from across many of King’s novels and films together. It’s a complex world with interlocking themes and popular horror tropes, one that would provide a great backdrop for Rick and Morty to explore horror stories. It could involve Morty getting locked in a car by a rabid dog or Rick facing immortal, cosmic horrors. Either way it would provide an enjoyable new take on this decades-long collection of horror stories.

Godzilla

There’s little doubt that Rick could stop a kaiju destroying cities; the real question is: would he? Godzilla is punishment for man’s sins, the result of scientific experimentation and terrible war crimes. How would Rick respond to seeing others face their comeuppance and would he even be willing to do more than pour himself a drink and watch? It would certainly provide some insight into how he views core series concepts like science and justice.

World War II

This would be the most difficult crossover to pull off, but one that would provide the greatest insight into the philosophy of Rick & Morty. Larger-than-life sci-fi riffs provide a lot of objectivity, but seeing the characters engage with very real evil and events would offer an opportunity to both call Rick’s laissez faire attitude into question and potentially explore the moral sides of time travel. This is one perhaps best reserved for Rick & Morty co-creators Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland, but it’s a story that could be truly incredible.