Rick and Morty has spawned some wild fan theories, but is there any truth to the idea that the anarchic show will be rebooted in season 5 — by Rick himself? Since it began life as a brief, raunchy spoof of Back to the Future on Channel 101, Dan Harmon's Rick and Morty has gone on to become a genre-fusing satirical sci-fi comedy with a massive fan base. The Adult Swim show from co-creators Harmon and Justin Roiland follows the misadventures of the titular duo: a dimwitted teen and his super-genius (and super erratic) scientist grandfather.
Borrowing tropes from both sitcoms and sci-fi TV, Rick and Morty subverts the formulas of both well-worn TV staples to create an entirely new, wildly inventive hybrid. Since its early episodes, Rick and Morty’s twisty writing has led fans to create all manner of theories about the series lore. Like most fan theories, these range in terms of believability from the outlandish (Freddy Krueger parody Scary Terry is secretly a multiverse Morty) to the surprisingly believable (Rick and Morty has no intention of revisiting Evil Morty and created the character to troll its viewers, something the series is infamous for).
One such compelling theory comes from a TV Tropes user who suggested that in its forthcoming season 5, Rick and Morty has nowhere to go but down a familiar route for most modern TV series: a reboot. After ending season 4 on an unexpectedly melancholy note, fans may be expecting Rick and Morty to return to irreverent normality in short order. However, this troper claims that not only will Rick and Morty be rebooting itself with the season 5 premiere, it’ll actually be the character of Rick himself who could be behind this potential rebooting, with the character switching to another reality where he hasn’t damaged his relationship with the Smith family and trying to re-establish himself there. It’s a potentially great idea for a Rick and Morty season 5 premiere episode, as it would bridge the gap between seasons and explain how the family came to forgive Rick, whether he comes back to them or they seek him out in his absence. As such, this theory could return Rick and Morty to a familiar status quo while staying true to the characters and not retconning season 4's sad ending.
Rick’s Reboot Theory Explained
According to this theory, Rick and Morty’s surprisingly sad season 4 ending won’t simply be forgotten by the opening scenes of season 5. There's some reason to believe this as Rick and Morty has some continuity between seasons, with season 3’s premiere picking up after season 2’s cliffhanger ending. With everyone from Mr. Poopybutthole to Tammy returning in season 4, it seems reasonable to suggest that the upcoming season 5 will feature another carry-over. This fan theory posits that Rick, aware the Smiths are sick of him and won’t forgive him again after season 4's Clone Beth fiasco, will move on from their home and into another reality where he can forge a new relationship with a new version of his family and avoid repeating the same mistakes. It’s a compelling theory because of how many opportunities this set up would provide Rick and Morty as a series.
Rick and Morty loves deconstructing the conventions of television and this potential episode could allow the writers to take satirical aim at the idea of reboots, which are becoming more common than ever in recent years on both the big and small screen. Rick might repeat the same self-destructive pattern with this new family, proving that there are tragic, deep-seated problems with his character, or he might repeatedly screw up with numerous versions of the Smith family in short order, playing the same basic plot for comedic effect instead of pathos. His new family may feature a smarter, less perpetually unlucky Morty and a more likable, capable Jerry, a twist that could lead Rick to admit he actually does care for his imperfect existing family. The reboot season premiere could end with him returning to them, chastened and ready to make amends, or could even see the Smiths themselves trying to find Rick after realizing they miss the irresponsible old man despite his obvious flaws.
Why The Theory Might Not Be True
As promising as this setup may sound, there’s good reason to think that this particular Rick and Morty fan theory isn’t true. For one thing, series co-creator Dan Harmon has been known to occasionally confirm popular Rick and Morty fan theories and he said nothing about a potential reboot when recently discussing the upcoming season 5, despite revealing numerous potential plot lines. Meanwhile, the move may also be too predictable for some fans of Rick and Morty given the show's reputation for meta gags, particularly when the critically acclaimed season 4 episode "Never Ricking Morty" took Rick and Morty’s self-aware humor to new heights of reflexive absurdity already.
What This Would Mean For Rick and Morty
The potential of a reboot for Rick and Morty could make for a stellar season opener, as it would allow the show an opportunity to parody the popularity of reboots, remakes, and reimagining without having to stick to the format for more than one outing. With countless reboots airing on TV right now, Rick and Morty could use its season 5 premiere to take aim at the likes of Saved by the Bell, Charmed, and the recently canceled Sabrina the Teenage Witch in one fell swoop, while also giving its title characters a much-needed break from formula (and each other) by splitting up the eponymous Rick and Morty for an episode and seeing how the pair fare apart from one another.
But with that being said, it’s already clear that season 5 has big plans for Rick and Morty as a dynamic duo, with Rick and Morty’s animatic promo revealing developments in Morty’s love life, a new nemesis for Rick, and new methods of interdimensional travel. With so much going on in Rick and Morty's season 5 already, there may be no room for a fun, but inherently self-contained, parody of reboots. Besides, any plot which sees the Smith family forgive Rick en masse could potentially put an end to the ongoing Clone Beth saga, an engaging story which Harmon has already confirmed Rick and Morty will return to with season 5. As such, it’s hard to tell whether the allure of parodying reboot culture will be enough to tempt the writers of Rick and Morty to go down this route, or if the series will continue with its existing overarching storylines without taking advantage of this season break opportunity to launch a temporary reboot of the show.