It feels like we've been waiting forever for the return of Rick and Morty for Season 8, and every reveal makes that May release date on the 2025 TV schedule look further away. So far, we've seen hints that the show will address the recasting of the main characters and maybe even do another interdimensional cable episode. Now, we have confirmation that more Ricks will appear after the Council of Ricks were slaughtered, and I think HBO's Westworld may be a key influence for that episode.
With The Citadel's destruction, it was assumed that the vast majority of the alternate versions of Rick, with a good chunk of Mortys also dead. Now, those assumptions are up in the air after a quick moment shown in the latest Season 8 trailer, which shows a bunch of western-themed Ricks all congregating in one space. Take a look at the full video below, in addition to some other very intriguing moments:
I think it's fair to assume that some Ricks and Mortys survived the mass destruction of The Citadel, but then why are they all dressed in old-West attire? That, combined with the futuristic cityscape in the background, reminds me of Westworld. After going down that route I'm forced to wonder if these Ricks are actually real at all, or just life-like androids like in the HBO series.
I feel as though I'm treading into deeply speculative territory here, but notice the Ricks are in control of Morty's, previously freed from oppression when Evil Morty took control of The Citadel. What if this is some Westworld resort where Mortys who miss their Ricks pay to get roped into the awful antics their grandpa used to put them through?
It's an out-there theory, but let's remember that Rick and Morty loves to parody other sci-fi when it can. We've seen this show tackle Men In Black, Blade, and all other sorts of movies during its run. It doesn't seem like a big stretch that they'd try to mimic Westworld, even if it was canceled after four seasons and then booted from HBO entirely.
Bringing back a multitude of Ricks would revive the story of Evil Morty, who is currently relaxing in his own little Rick-free paradise after he believed he was content in his mission of finally being free from his counterpart. Will this bring him back?
I think a more likely scenario is that this is a one-off Rick and Morty episode with limited relevance to the main story. With all that being said, none of the episode titles in Season 8 make a direct reference to Westworld, so I could be way off the mark here. What else could this episode be referencing, though, I wonder, and why are there so many Ricks dressed up in Old West attire?
We don't have to wait much longer for answers, as Rick and Morty Season 8 premieres on May 25th at 11:00 p.m. ET on Adult Swim. Whether my theory pans out or not, I'm excited for new episodes this summer and eager to see what surprises are in store for fans.
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