Rick and Morty's Season 5 ending was a real shocker, though if you're not someone who has followed the lore of the series, also confusing. After a season of trying to keep things as episodic as possible, Rick and Morty finally got back to its long-running serialized plotline that brought the Adult Swim heroes face to face with the series' most iconic villain, Evil Morty.
A lot happened in the Rick and Morty Season 5 finale, and while we can't be sure any of it will be referenced again, it did answer some long-running questions about the series. All of that we'll get into below, as well as that update on the much-beloved character, Mr. Poopybutthole.
Rick Briefly Abandons Morty For Crows
Episode 9 of Rick and Morty didn't factor into the Season 5 ending, but it's vital to understand the first part of the finale. When Morty messed up Rick's portal gun by pouring soda inside of it, the two got into a big fight. Morty told Rick to find a new sidekick, to which Rick responded with a wheel of potential sidekick options and landed on two trained crows. The crows were effective as sidekicks, but the team-up inadvertently caused a sentient bird invasion of Earth.
Rick ultimately overcame that, but the immense connection he felt with his birds made him feel guilty for all he put Morty through. Rick said he had to move on and let his grandson live his life and went off for more adventures with the crows. Morty tried to get Rick back by pretending decades passed, but Rick only returned when he discovered the crows cheated on him with a rival villain from his crow adventures. Rick then learned of Morty's scheme and took him to The Citadel to get his age reversed.
Rick And Morty Are Taken Captive By Evil Morty
Rick and Morty's Season 5 ending continued with the duo in the office of the President of The Citadel, Evil Morty. Evil Morty invited the two to a meal so he could pick Rick's brain specifically, as he was revealed to be the creator of The Citadel. Evil Morty wanted the schematics to the Central Finite Curve, which was a major source of Rick's power.
Rick and Morty are ultimately able to escape, but not before Evil Morty obtained the information he needed on the Central Finite Curve. The two tried to make an escape, only to realize shortly after, there was no easy route to escaping The Citadel. The Portal Guns had been hacked, and any Rick who attempted to use them was killed upon entry. Other Ricks and Mortys attempted to escape via re-animation cloning chambers, only to be chopped into oblivion. It soon became clear to Rick and Morty that if they were going to escape, they needed another way.
Morty (And Fans) Learn Rick's True Origin
Season 5 of Rick and Morty has teased Rick's origin all season long, and in the season finale, Morty (and fans) finally got the truth behind Rick's origin. In short, we learned that Rick's wife and Beth were killed by jealous Ricks he refused to help, that he did team up with Bird Person for a period of time, and that he created The Citadel. Despite all of that, he felt unfulfilled and crash-landed in the home of a random Smith family, presumably of one of the Ricks he killed.
To summarize, the Rick we know was not the original father of Season 1 Beth or the actual grandfather of the current Morty. His wife died, and his daughter never got a chance to mature. Of course, that does present a question as to what happened to Rick's wife in other realities, especially since we're now with an entirely different Smith family and his wife still isn't there. Perhaps that will be a question for Season 6 to answer?
Evil Morty's Big Plot Is Revealed
Evil Morty wanted the schematics to the Central Finite Curve, but the Rick and Morty Season 5 ending didn't reveal his master plan until late in the episode. At first, it seemed like Evil Morty wished to destroy The Citadel and a vast majority of the Ricks and Mortys on it. In reality, he sought mainly to break the shielded barrier the Ricks created and escape to an outside universe in which Rick was not there.
It was an ambitious plan, but Evil Morty seemed to have everything he needed to make it happen. Seriously, it's kind of incredible how Evil Morty was able to anticipate every move Rick would make, but I guess he wouldn't be the Adult Swim series' ultimate villain if he were anything less.
The Citadel And A Lot Of Ricks And Mortys Were Destroyed
As mentioned earlier, Evil Morty sabotaged all portal devices at The Citadel, which immediately killed a lot of Ricks and Mortys. Some Ricks and Mortys tried to use other tech to escape and once again were unsuccessful and killed. Ultimately, The Citadel fell, and with it, we saw the deaths of a countless number of Ricks and Mortys.
The exact death toll is unknown, but the Rick and Morty Season 5 ending showed the original Rick and Morty escaped via a pod that housed an area called Mortyburg. Many underground worker Mortys as well as regular Mortys were housed on the ship at its departure, but the only Rick that was spotted was the original one. With that being said, there's no telling how many Ricks may have been in the city, as well as in other places that weren't The Citadel when it was destroyed.
Rick, Morty, And Evil Morty All Escape
As mentioned, Rick and Morty eventually escaped The Citadel by detaching Mortyburg from the main structure. As for Evil Morty, he managed to break through the Central Finite Curve and used a yellow portal gun to enter an unseen dimension. We didn't see what occurred on the other side, though the assumption is he entered a universe in which Rick didn't exist.
Will we ever see Evil Morty again? That's a great question because honestly, he got what he wanted and would have no need to return. Of course, one would think the Ricks would want vengeance for the massacre of The Citadel, and I have to think quite a few Mortys are upset about it as well. Truthfully though, it's hard to say if or when this will be revisited since Rick and Morty definitely still seem intent on a primarily episodic structure. We can only wait and see though!
Mr. Poopybutthole's Life Took A Turn For The Worse
Mr. Poopybutthole appeared at the end of yet another Rick and Morty season finale and had a rather depressing update on his life. He never got his job back at the university and had a falling out with his wife. Mr. Poopybutthole had changed, but rather than reveal those changes to his wife he kept his emotions bottled up and drove her away.
It was a super sad ending for Mr. Poopybutthole, but perhaps he'll end up on top again. That's what I'm hoping for anyway, because he may just be the purest character in this universe. Of course, that's not saying much, but if Mr. Poopybutthole can't have nice things, why can't any of us?
Rick and Morty Season 5 is done on Adult Swim, but there are still many more seasons on the way. Stick with CinemaBlend for more updates on the series in the meantime, and check out our 2021 fall TV schedule for a look at what shows are just around the corner.
