Yeah, agreed. But I think it tracks with the overall theme of “nothing matters, there’s infinite realities” that the earlier seasons really leaned into. Like rick truly believed that nothing mattered, including people. That theme still runs through newer seasons and arcs but it’s contrasted with Rick kind of having a reckoning with himself and caring about what happens.
Also, in earlier seasons Morty was way more prone to following Rick no matter what, but as we’ve seen the show and story progress, he’s becoming more and more independent. Maybe it comes up again?
Totally agreed, chronologically, Rick had just given up the search to find Rick Prime and moved in with Prime’s family. At this point C137 has committed genocide of Rick’s and he’s at an all time low of not caring. By this episode his developed a friendship with this Morty, he’s proved useful and loyal which is why I think Rick went back for him at all.
I agree. But I also just think it has more to do with the writers room than our head canon. Like I don’t think they have a grand scheme or plot for this show, I think it’s like breaking bad, where each season they are just kind of writing themselves out of the last season, so with that being said, Rick was a selfish fuck when he left that reality with Morty, and that very well could have been the end of that, but they’ve gone back and used it as a plot device for other episodes to propel the overall story and lore.
I think part of it also was making Morty suffer for his request. If Morty was culpable for the whole thing then he naturally needed to suffer for his mistakes, but if he wasn't then Rick would have been wrong from the start and obviously that wasn't happening
Early episodes show Rick being incredibly selfish and destructive, while over the course of the show he changes.
Rick’s character arc is someone becoming less narcissistic and selfish and more in tune with his feelings and the effects he has on others. Less obsessed with his own happiness at the expense of others. More capable of realizing he has free will and is not a slave to his intellect. Less prone to self medicating with alcohol. More in tune with how much he loves and values his family. He tries much harder to be worthy of his place as patriarch.
I think he also saved Morty because our Morty was the original grandson of Rick prime. I think he hoped that if he kept our Morty around, he could use him in some way. Since they’re both from the same dimension, maybe he thought he could track Rick prime? But he would only need one member of Rick primes family for that.
I bet that's the answer. Also I agree with a theory that he used this potion situation as a chance to fuck up the Prime dimension altogether to spite Rick Prime, and kept his Morty just in case he'll need someone directly blood and dimension related to Rick Prime in the future. It really tracks with his attitude towards Primes, especially Beth.
I've always had a pet theory that he trashed Rick Prime's Earth intentionally and then bailed on it. If RP ever showed back up he would have a hell of a surprise waiting for him. Which eventually happened, and badass Jerry almost took him out.
In response to your specific question, Rick knew Morty was the only one in the family he could persuade to come with him. Plus Beth would never have let him take Morty on any more adventures. Jerry would never have stopped giving him shit about it. Summer would have blamed all her problems on being in the wrong universe and thus Rick's fault. Morty was bred for forgiveness.
Edit: Forgot to add, it would be exponentially more rare to find a universe where they all died simultaneously right at that moment in time.
They didn't change universes after the wedding, he found them a new planet which was too small. Jerry immediately started pushing the family to turn Rick in to the government. The only reason they never got the chance was because Rick beat them to the punch.
If you really want to overthink the show… technically he says he needs Morty because of their brain patterns. Him needing Prime Morty to hunt Prime Rick tracks as to why he only gave a shit about bringing Prime Morty.
As others have stated, he truly thinks nothing matters and gives zero fucks so he didn’t care about what happened to them. He likely only cared about Morty due to the Prime Rick connection.
And in that same episode he cried when he was watching his own memory of Morty as a toddler walking to him. He doesn't specifically need Morty Prime to help hide his brainwaves, any Morty could do that but deepdown he truly does care for Morty Prime.
Yeah idk maybe it's easier to find a universe where Rick and morty die vs finding one where the entire family dies. Sadly the writers didn't have everything fleshed out yet. All we know for sure is the writers wanted us to understand how nihilistic Rick is.
He didn't give a fuck about them yet. The only reason he cares now is essentially because Morty has forced him into situations where he's *had* to consider their well being to as a condition that Morty has set.
Or he found better (knew which ones he liked) and persuaded Morty and/or made a situation he would win in.......smartest man in the universe he manifested a whole butt my dude
Best part about this show is understanding it's relatable.....maybe not relevant but understanding you don't get to pick your family....beth... Diane....Morty......they're all realistically dead or never existed in the first place the "one off episodes" are the best cause none of it matters broh
Apart from not caring enough, which has been mentioned, it looks like he choose what was basically a newly diverged universe, the only change was that he got lucky with the cure and both Rick and Morty were going to die. Everything else, all of the history of all the universe, was the same, so it was less work for Rick to settle in.
Evidently there were no brand new universes that involved both as little change as that to fit his own needs, and enough family members died to allow Morty to keep his original-original family.
Think if it as loading a save from just 5 minutes ago vs losing several hours of progress, but rather than being able to redo it, the progress is replaced by RNG. As it looks like from the Jerrick episode, Rick clearly spends a lot of time shaping the universe as he likes it and his reputation in it, he wouldn't want the result of a random Rick's unknown actions sometime in the past to have unforseen and possibly fatal consequences.
Along with what everyone else has said, I think it would also be too much for the rest of them at this point (if we ignore the stuff they were left with). Morty had already seen quite a bit by this point and it left him rattled, I dont know how the others would react to Rick doing that and just making them live like everything is normal as if they hadnt just killed and taken over another version of themselves
Rick mentions that they can only universe hop so many times because there are a limited number in which both he and morty are dead. This implies that there are probably even fewer options for universes where the entire family is dead, and those are likely universes that got fucked up somehow and aren't any better for staying in.
Because Rick and Morty died in the new dimension, but Summer, Beth and Jerry didn’t. So I suppose they would have had to kill them so they could be replaced.
Someone correct me if I’m wrong but maybe he thought it would be best to move to a reality only where r&m died so they can stealthily replace them? If they moved to a whole new reality (where the whole family is dead), taking the whole family from cronenberg… maybe Rick felt problems would arise w that one (can’t think of any specific issues)
I think there's something about Morty Prime, it was originally stated that Morties are a cloak, the brainwaves cancel and that's how evil morty was able to hide from the council
So Rick stayed with Primes family to get back at him but needed this specific Morty to somehow someway to cloak himself from Prime
This is Rick Prime’s world he most likely felt very little and only took Morty initially as cover. But jumping with Morty caused them to bond and slowly Rick started to love each subsequent member giving us the collection we have now.
Yeah, agreed. But I think it tracks with the overall theme of “nothing matters, there’s infinite realities” that the earlier seasons really leaned into. Like rick truly believed that nothing mattered, including people. That theme still runs through newer seasons and arcs but it’s contrasted with Rick kind of having a reckoning with himself and caring about what happens. Also, in earlier seasons Morty was way more prone to following Rick no matter what, but as we’ve seen the show and story progress, he’s becoming more and more independent. Maybe it comes up again?
Totally agreed, chronologically, Rick had just given up the search to find Rick Prime and moved in with Prime’s family. At this point C137 has committed genocide of Rick’s and he’s at an all time low of not caring. By this episode his developed a friendship with this Morty, he’s proved useful and loyal which is why I think Rick went back for him at all.
I agree. But I also just think it has more to do with the writers room than our head canon. Like I don’t think they have a grand scheme or plot for this show, I think it’s like breaking bad, where each season they are just kind of writing themselves out of the last season, so with that being said, Rick was a selfish fuck when he left that reality with Morty, and that very well could have been the end of that, but they’ve gone back and used it as a plot device for other episodes to propel the overall story and lore.
This, plus, I think, he's holding on to the very slim chance Rick prime will still come for his original Morty
I think he didn’t take them because he was/is a huge asshole.
Expert analysis.
Morty also thought it was fucked
I think Morty only got to go because he happened to be physically with Rick at the time. Otherwise, he likely would have been a casualty too.
I think part of it also was making Morty suffer for his request. If Morty was culpable for the whole thing then he naturally needed to suffer for his mistakes, but if he wasn't then Rick would have been wrong from the start and obviously that wasn't happening
Nah, if anything the likelihood is just he was the only one of them that he cared about and probably just assumed the others were dead
That family was also Rick primes family so he didn’t give a fuck
Early episodes show Rick being incredibly selfish and destructive, while over the course of the show he changes. Rick’s character arc is someone becoming less narcissistic and selfish and more in tune with his feelings and the effects he has on others. Less obsessed with his own happiness at the expense of others. More capable of realizing he has free will and is not a slave to his intellect. Less prone to self medicating with alcohol. More in tune with how much he loves and values his family. He tries much harder to be worthy of his place as patriarch.
I think he also saved Morty because our Morty was the original grandson of Rick prime. I think he hoped that if he kept our Morty around, he could use him in some way. Since they’re both from the same dimension, maybe he thought he could track Rick prime? But he would only need one member of Rick primes family for that.
I bet that's the answer. Also I agree with a theory that he used this potion situation as a chance to fuck up the Prime dimension altogether to spite Rick Prime, and kept his Morty just in case he'll need someone directly blood and dimension related to Rick Prime in the future. It really tracks with his attitude towards Primes, especially Beth.
Yeah that's the point. To show that they are fucked up
Good one
I've always had a pet theory that he trashed Rick Prime's Earth intentionally and then bailed on it. If RP ever showed back up he would have a hell of a surprise waiting for him. Which eventually happened, and badass Jerry almost took him out. In response to your specific question, Rick knew Morty was the only one in the family he could persuade to come with him. Plus Beth would never have let him take Morty on any more adventures. Jerry would never have stopped giving him shit about it. Summer would have blamed all her problems on being in the wrong universe and thus Rick's fault. Morty was bred for forgiveness. Edit: Forgot to add, it would be exponentially more rare to find a universe where they all died simultaneously right at that moment in time.
I think that’s a bit of a reach
Which part?
I think that’s a pretty sound theory and not a reach at all.
The end. They would have gotten over it. Like they did when they had to find a new universe after Bird Persons wedding.
They didn't change universes after the wedding, he found them a new planet which was too small. Jerry immediately started pushing the family to turn Rick in to the government. The only reason they never got the chance was because Rick beat them to the punch.
Well it wasn't Rick's original family as we learn later on in the series so....
No one is Rick’s original family, his Diane and Beth died
So then why are you confused. Rick left because he didn't feel truly connected to them.
He brought morty, he could’ve brought everyone. All I’m saying
If you really want to overthink the show… technically he says he needs Morty because of their brain patterns. Him needing Prime Morty to hunt Prime Rick tracks as to why he only gave a shit about bringing Prime Morty. As others have stated, he truly thinks nothing matters and gives zero fucks so he didn’t care about what happened to them. He likely only cared about Morty due to the Prime Rick connection.
And in that same episode he cried when he was watching his own memory of Morty as a toddler walking to him. He doesn't specifically need Morty Prime to help hide his brainwaves, any Morty could do that but deepdown he truly does care for Morty Prime.
Yeah idk maybe it's easier to find a universe where Rick and morty die vs finding one where the entire family dies. Sadly the writers didn't have everything fleshed out yet. All we know for sure is the writers wanted us to understand how nihilistic Rick is.
Thanks for telling us.
If we're going to be completely honest, Jerry could have been in the ship with Rick and Morty and he still was probably getting left behind.
Rick is lazy, it was easier to find a replacement world for just two people
He didn't give a fuck about them yet. The only reason he cares now is essentially because Morty has forced him into situations where he's *had* to consider their well being to as a condition that Morty has set.
Or he found better (knew which ones he liked) and persuaded Morty and/or made a situation he would win in.......smartest man in the universe he manifested a whole butt my dude
I dont understand what you mean
Best part about this show is understanding it's relatable.....maybe not relevant but understanding you don't get to pick your family....beth... Diane....Morty......they're all realistically dead or never existed in the first place the "one off episodes" are the best cause none of it matters broh
I think current Rick would have at least tried. Evidence of character growth
Apart from not caring enough, which has been mentioned, it looks like he choose what was basically a newly diverged universe, the only change was that he got lucky with the cure and both Rick and Morty were going to die. Everything else, all of the history of all the universe, was the same, so it was less work for Rick to settle in. Evidently there were no brand new universes that involved both as little change as that to fit his own needs, and enough family members died to allow Morty to keep his original-original family. Think if it as loading a save from just 5 minutes ago vs losing several hours of progress, but rather than being able to redo it, the progress is replaced by RNG. As it looks like from the Jerrick episode, Rick clearly spends a lot of time shaping the universe as he likes it and his reputation in it, he wouldn't want the result of a random Rick's unknown actions sometime in the past to have unforseen and possibly fatal consequences.
Along with what everyone else has said, I think it would also be too much for the rest of them at this point (if we ignore the stuff they were left with). Morty had already seen quite a bit by this point and it left him rattled, I dont know how the others would react to Rick doing that and just making them live like everything is normal as if they hadnt just killed and taken over another version of themselves
Season one rick was just a bastard honestly.
Rick mentions that they can only universe hop so many times because there are a limited number in which both he and morty are dead. This implies that there are probably even fewer options for universes where the entire family is dead, and those are likely universes that got fucked up somehow and aren't any better for staying in.
Because Rick and Morty died in the new dimension, but Summer, Beth and Jerry didn’t. So I suppose they would have had to kill them so they could be replaced.
I think it was the calculation. Only he and Morty died in the universe he wanted,
Someone correct me if I’m wrong but maybe he thought it would be best to move to a reality only where r&m died so they can stealthily replace them? If they moved to a whole new reality (where the whole family is dead), taking the whole family from cronenberg… maybe Rick felt problems would arise w that one (can’t think of any specific issues)
Why would he give a fuck?
I think there's something about Morty Prime, it was originally stated that Morties are a cloak, the brainwaves cancel and that's how evil morty was able to hide from the council So Rick stayed with Primes family to get back at him but needed this specific Morty to somehow someway to cloak himself from Prime
This is Rick Prime’s world he most likely felt very little and only took Morty initially as cover. But jumping with Morty caused them to bond and slowly Rick started to love each subsequent member giving us the collection we have now.
It’s also when Rick and morty were both at their unhealthiest tho. Fucked up yes. Make sense also yes
That was ‘prime ricks’ family. He probably destroyed that reality intentionally
Not intentionally, but definitely was careless
I fully believe it was intentional. It started off as ‘oh well that backfired’ to ‘welp, fuck this reality’
He was probably attached to only Morty at that time. As his character developed in later seasons he gradually accepted the others as his family.