Editor’s Note: The following are spoilers for Rick and Morty Season 6.
With the sixth season finale Rick and Morty we have something to look back on with love. Fans may be pleased with the new direction the cartoon has taken. The most notable change this season Rick and Morty happened a couple of weeks ago with the absurd “Full Meta Jackrick” meta episode where he used his elusive undertones to be candid with the audience, pointing out the new direction he would take and the benefits of this decision. Since this announcement, Rick and Morty stayed true to his word.
“Full Meta Jackrick” is a key episode of “Rick and Morty”
“Full Meta Jackrick” marked a turning point in a new direction. Rick (voiced by Justin Roiland) uses his battles and episode events, especially his insults to the funny-named character Previous Leon, to essentially tell the audience that Rick and Morty will not match the serialized structure. There were high expectations as the Evil Morty events escalated, and their resolution may have seemed unsatisfactory to many. However, Rick claims that by not committing himself to one long continuous journey, Rick and Morty has more freedom and opportunities to develop satisfactorily. Rick frequently breaks the fourth wall in this episode by looking at the camera and directly at the viewer to make a statement.
Rick and Morty makes a statement of intent here and, despite the main interest in the series over the past few seasons, has been a serialized storyline, states that this path is invaluable. The showrunners admit that Rick and Morty one could go down this route to appease those who tune in simply to satisfy the resolutions of complex storytelling that requires deep thinking and planning, but it will probably still lead to loopholes, so it’s best to ignore this option. By focusing on episodic stories that are largely unrelated, they don’t have to constantly check to see if everything that happens and follows the next episode is linear, progressive, logical, and ultimately limited. Without changing their narrative, they can explore all new types of relationships and character arcs that don’t have to be resolved in a single plot climax scene, but can be explored gradually and holistically under different circumstances. Two episodes from Rick and Morty since this release proved it and gave us something we might not have expected: an improved Rick.
Rick and Morty season six gives us a glimpse of the new Rick
Both “Analyze Piss” and “Rick in King Mortur’s Mort” showed a more open-minded Rick than ever before. In the first of these last two Rick and Morty episodes, Rick is ready to meet Dr. Wong (voiced by guest star Susan Sarandon), which challenges him intellectually and helps him to become aware of the emotional growth he is experiencing. Instead of giving in to every challenge he faces and continuing on his path to regret, he ignores the challenges and withdraws from the limelight. Of course, there are additional complications in this eighth episode, and at the end, Rick hesitates, revealing to Morty the dark secret of Piss Master’s suicide. But he came closer than ever before. It also seems understandable at the end of a journey in which Rick constantly tried to do the right thing, which he felt the need to confide in his faithful teenage companion despite the wider implications of his exposure. Rick’s transformation in this episode Rick and Morty meaningful, unique, incomplete, has no deadline, and, most importantly, takes its time.
In the ninth episode of this season Rick and Mortythat the previous growth is maintained. For the first time in six seasons, it feels like Rick is trying to change his automatic reactions and behavior. His attitude towards Morty in this episode is benevolent - and it’s intimidating. Morty, like the audience, assumes that his genius grandfather is proving a point or waiting for a better moment to shove Morty’s mistakes in his face, but he doesn’t. He explains to Morty how overwhelmed he is by the state of their relationship, the series’ critical relationship, and wants to stop the negative assumptions Morty has about him that drives him to act. This is in stark contrast to previous episodes. Rick and Morty (Revisit Vindicators 3: The Return of Worldender for a prime example of his antithesis.)
Whereas before Rick will stop at nothing to rip Morty’s hopes and dreams to shreds to prove his point, now he tries to back up his hopeful actions. Similarities between this episode Rick and Morty and its predecessor is Rick’s increased passivity. He takes a backseat to Morty’s adventures and simply lends a helping hand when needed. Morty lets himself learn about the traditions and vulnerabilities of the social structure on his own terms, and he even finds himself genuinely and emotionally connected to Rick. Since Rick is willing to work on himself, Morty will also be allowed to thrive and come out of his drunken shadow.
Rick still hasn’t lost his sharp, often brutal wit, and hasn’t just become a shining source of light and support overnight. He still has flaws and acts arrogant and contemptuous, but there is a clear desire to change himself forever. Here, Rick and Morty struck a brilliant balance because he will be able to include what the audience loves so much, which is Rick’s humor and abilities, but they can also invest in his path to become better, all without deadlines. Rick’s origin story has been revisited this season and is likely to offer the closest possible form of serialization in the future.
Of course, Rick, who is responsible for so much pain in Rick C-137’s life, will be seen again. Perhaps he will be defeated. Perhaps he will be ignored. No matter what, there’s nowhere to rush Rick and Morty to prepare for the opening soon. Fans can sit back and enjoy the innovative, creative, fun show while knowing that while the episodes don’t follow a single narrative path, the characters still grow. Like Rick Rick and Morty can continue to improve while maintaining its most remarkable qualities.
Source: Collider
