Rick & Morty’s season 5 trailer seems to tease a potential new love interest for Summer, rather than one of the title characters. Beginning in 2013, Rick & Morty is an anarchic animated comedy that grew from a goofy, ribald Back to the Future spoof into a pop culture phenomenon thanks to its deconstruction of sci-fi and sitcom tropes. Spoofing everything from Jurassic Park to Game of Thrones in its first four seasons, Rick & Morty has grown into a critically-acclaimed series with a huge fanbase thanks to its reliably funny and inventive formula.
However, the season 5 trailer for Rick & Morty implies the formula may be in for a shakeup, with an increased focus on supporting characters like Summer. A few of Rick & Morty’s most well-received adventures have incorporated characters like Summer, and the show’s latest trailer seems to imply this trend will continue with the addition of a briefly-glimpsed, potential love interest for her (judging by the character's apparent age, at least).
It’s a promising development that implies Summer could play more of a role in season 5. It could also upend the existing formula of the title duo getting into scrapes while a B-story focuses on their family. Both of the show’s title characters have had their share of love interests in the past, but it feels like fresh territory to give Summer the spotlight for a change.
Fans already heard season 5 would see Morty obtain a non-Jessica love interest too, while the early animatic teaser and this trailer both confirm his longtime unrequited crush could also be getting more screen time. Jessica has been a problematic character since the show’s inception and could do with more development. Summer's increased presence in the trailer could be proof the series is starting to treat the supporting character more like a main star - something fans have been hoping for since early episodes like season 1’s “Something Ricked This Way Comes” showcased her more antagonistic relationship with Rick.
More recently, Rick & Morty made attempts to increase the development of the Smith family members with a poignant plot for Beth at the close of season 4. But it was one of season 4's standout episodes, the underrated "Promortryus," that proved Summer could be a part of the title pair's weekly adventures without altering the formula much, and the addition of a love interest in season 5 could point toward more of these adventures in the future. Rick & Morty could benefit from the shakeup and has already established Summer as a solid lead player, so here’s hoping her potential season 5 love interest proves the character can work in a more expanded role.