Rick & Morty’s season 5 finale, “Rickmurai Jack,” introduces a compelling new villain and finally fixes one of the show’s biggest Rick problems.
Since its 2013 debut, Rick & Morty has seen the titular duo face off against many different adversaries, with season 5 introducing the best one yet that finally fixes the show’s biggest Rick problem. Rick & Morty’s continued success is accredited to its mind-bending sequences, incredible comedy, and complex characters – all of which conspire to create a sweeping intergalactic narrative. In the future, it will be interesting to see if Rick & Morty season 6 and beyond will continue the current focus on overarching storytelling following some of the big narrative revelations from Rick & Morty season 5.
One of the best overarching narratives to date is the backstory of the enigmatic scientist Rick Sanchez, or Rick C-137, whose history was teased in the Rick & Morty Season 3 premiere “The Rickshank Rickdemption.” Whilst working on a teleportation device in his garage Rick C-137 is approached by a mysterious Rick, who offers to give Rick C-137 his portal gun technology so that Rick C-137 can travel the multi-verse as he does. Shortly after Rick C-137 refuses the mysterious Rick, a portal opens up and kills Rick C-137’s wife and daughter, Diane and Beth, causing Rick to spiral and become the man the audience has known since the show’s premiere. While originally posited as a fake backstory created by Rick C-137 inside an Intergalactic Federation Brainalyzer, the events have since been confirmed to be fact by Rick & Morty’s season 5 finale “Rickmurai Jack,” giving Rick C-137 a villain who is bigger than Evil Morty.
Rick & Morty season 5 has struck gold with the new mysterious Rick as the latest series villain, as he fixes one of the show’s biggest Rick problems: his intelligence. Often referred to as “the smartest man in the universe,” Rick C-137 has been seen to defeat threats like season 3’s Worldender, Rick & Morty season 4’s time-traveling snakes, and even hundreds of alternate Ricks with relative ease. However, the new mysterious Rick could be the first Rick & Morty villain who can match Rick C-137 on an even playing field. After the mysterious new Rick kills Rick C-137’s family, Rick C-137 actively hunts him. Since the new villainous Rick had a portal gun before Rick C-137 and has successfully eluded Rick C-137 for over 25 years, he could conceivably prove to be more than a fair fight for the show’s main Rick Sanchez.
Why Season 5’s New Rick Is A Good Rick & Morty Addition
Moreover, the new Rick is a great addition to Rick & Morty’s character roster because, unlike all of the other villains in Rick’s past, the new Rick has affected Rick C-137 directly and of his own accord. Whilst previous bad guys in the show have become villains due to Rick’s actions (such as wreaking havoc on their home planets), the new villainous Rick doesn’t follow this trend. Instead, new Rick’s motivations and reasoning remain a mystery, along with his whereabouts. In this way, Evil Morty is a great example of why this new direction is a good decision, as Evil Morty’s origins and cunning made him an interesting antagonist whose desire to be free of Rick made him a more sympathetic opponent than previous Rick & Morty villains.
While answers to much of a threat the new Rick will be in future episodes of Rick & Morty season 6 and beyond are yet to arrive, he will likely heavily impact the show’s future. Once the mysterious Rick reappears, none of the Smith family are safe; and having already killed Beth and Diane, it will be fascinating to see what he’ll do next. With Rick & Morty‘s central finite curve being shattered, unlocking unlimited worlds to explore, it seems likely that the new mysterious Rick will finally pose a real threat to Rick C-137 intellectually, finally fixing Rick & Morty’s big Rick problem.
What We Know About Rick & Morty Season 6
Rick & Morty has already been greenlit through season 10, assuming the series sticks to its format of 10 episodes per season. Rick & Morty season 6 is therefore definitely on the way. However, an official release date has yet to be announced. The show hasn’t been very consistent when it comes to release patterns over the past few years, but it’s unlikely Rick & Morty season 6’s release date will be any earlier than October of 2022. Some good news is that because the show’s writers are currently working on seasons 6 and 7 simultaneously, the wait between those two seasons might not be as long as it’s been in the past. As far as story details are concerned, the introduction of an even more powerful and diabolical Rick at the end of Rick & Morty season 5 means the stakes for season 6 are pretty high. The new season could see Rick C-137 truly lose for the first time, and is sure to be pretty mindblowing overall given Evil Morty’s expansion into a non-Rick-dominated multiverse.
