Rick and Morty really blew some minds with Season 5, as a seemingly normal season turned on its head in the final episodes. Evil Morty made a long-awaited return, and fans finally learned some real answers about Rick Sanchez and where he came from. For every question answered, however, it feels like two more emerged!
There's a lot to unpack about Rick and Morty Season 5, which creates a good number of questions about what's to come. Let’s revisit some of those plot points and the questions we have for Rick and Morty Season 6 and beyond.
How Will Rick’s True Origin Impact His Relationship With Morty?
Rick and Morty Season 4 revealed that the Rick Sanchez fans know he is not Morty’s real grandfather or any Morty’s grandfather for that matter. This Rick Sanchez had his wife and daughter Beth killed by other Ricks, and therefore, there was never a Smith family.
After creating the Citadel, an unfulfilled Rick landed with the Smith family of a Rick he likely killed and began to go on wacky adventures with that Morty. Now that we know this part of the story, I have to wonder if this might be a setup for Rick to leave “his” Morty, or maybe even for the show to kill that Morty off? Dan Harmon teased a desire to have their relationship be based on more than just trust, which is an interesting thing to think about.
Will We Find Out What Happened To Rick’s Wife In Other Timelines?
The main Rick Sanchez’s wife is dead, but what’s weird is that we have yet to see Rick’s wife across all of the other timelines. Hypothetically, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of variants of Rick’s wife across the multiverse. And yet, he hasn’t stumbled into one of them. Out of the Smith families that Rick and Morty have lived with, she’s not around? There has to be a reason for that, and I’m hoping Season 6 or future seasons will explain why.
Will Rick Ever Find The Rick Who Killed His Wife?
Rick and Morty revealed that Rick Sanchez killed many Ricks in his quest for revenge, but he’s yet to find the “Murder Rick” responsible for the death of his wife and daughter. Rick lost the one lead he had for Murder Rick, but considering all the Ricks he’s killed since there’s a chance he killed the Rick responsible. Narratively, that would be a boring reveal, however, so I’d wager that Murder Rick will make an eventual appearance sometime down the road. Maybe we’ll even get some twist that the original Rick was somehow responsible for the murder?
Will Evil Morty Return?
Evil Morty is, without a doubt, one of the most compelling characters of Rick and Morty. Anyone that has an HBO Max Subscription would do well to revisit his episodes and pay attention to his latest appearance in the Season 5 finale, “Rickmurai Jack.” In that episode, we learn that Evil Morty’s endgame is to escape to the outside of the Central Finite Curve, a walled-off section of the multiverse in which Rick is the smartest man alive.
Evil Morty manages to destroy this barrier and successfully finds a way to the outside to explore what else is out there. Who knows if we’ll see him again, though if we do, I’d imagine he’d re-emerge with even more people capable of giving Rick Sanchez a run for his money.
What Will Happen To The Ricks And Mortys Who Survived The Citadel’s Destruction?
The Citadel no longer exists after Rick and Morty Season 5, and that’s a big deal. Luckily, there is a chance of rebuilding, as Rick and Morty managed to flee the destruction and rescue a handful of other Ricks and Mortys along the way. Their numbers are irreparably depleted, but there is a chance at a new life for the Ricks and Mortys that remain. Perhaps they can build something better than the Citadel. There’s also a chance that things just get immeasurably worse for them, though I’m hoping Rick and Morty ultimately find something cool to do with all these survivors.
Will Things Turn Around For Mr. Poopybutthole?
Mr. Poopybutthole isn’t a huge part of the Rick and Morty lore, but damn, is he a great character. Unfortunately, he has had his fair share of highs and lows throughout the series, and while he was doing well after being shot by Beth, his life hit a downward spiral once again. Mr. Poopybutthole lost his job at the university, and his wife left him because he stopped sharing things about himself in fear she’d reject the person he was becoming. Mr. Poopybutthole was in a bad place when the season ended, but hopefully, a future check-in will see him back on top and happy again.
Will Season 6 Bring Back More Classic Rick And Morty Characters?
Rick and Morty has a huge list of memorable characters, and yet the deeper the series goes, the less we see of some characters who seemed like such a big part of the show in its beginnings. These days we don’t see much of characters like principal Gene Vagina, and it would be cool to see them come back into the story in a way like Jessica did in Season 5. Of course, not every classic character of the franchise needs to be a “Time God,” but it’s always neat to see lesser-known characters brought back into the story in creative ways. Hell, I wouldn't mind Planetina making a comeback even though we just met her, but we'll have to wait and see.
Will Season 6 Be More Serialized Or Episodic?
Rick and Morty had its fair share of episodic fun in Season 5, but the final two episodes told a serialized story that went deep into the franchise’s lore. It sends a mixed message in terms of what fans should expect for Season 6, and if the series will become more serialized or continue to occasionally sprinkle in lore-heavy episodes with fun one-off adventures. All we know right now is that the show was working on Season 7 back in February of 2021, so it wouldn’t seem like there is much fans can do to influence that decision in either case. Guess we’ll just have to wait and see!
Rick and Morty Season 6 is on the way to Adult Swim, though there’s no official release date at this time. Even with all these questions, I’m still thrilled to see what’s in store and am hoping to be surprised.
