Rick and Morty season 6 was about Rick changing, and it proved a major season storyline wrong. While Rick and Morty season 6 was not as “lore-heavy” as the first episode suggested, there was a progression in Rick’s character compared to how Rick and Morty season 5 ended. Rick C-137 is at the lowest point of his life as revealed by the season 6 finale, but he was at least open to working together with Morty again.
Rick and Morty season 6, episode 10, “Ricktional Mortpoon's Rickmas Mortcation” revealed that the Rick viewers were following since the latter half of “A Rick in King Mortur's Mort” was actually a robot designed to spend quality time with the Smith family while Rick continued to track down Rick Prime. Rick C-137’s quest to find Prime Rick, the Rick who killed C-137 Betty and Diane, isn’t over – but things are now a bit different.
Rick And Morty Season 6 Proves Unity Was Wrong About Rick
In Rick and Morty season 2, Rick’s ex-lover Unity wrote a letter to break up with Rick once again. Unity mentioned how Rick would never change, and that Rick’s inability to change was both what made him so interesting and also what made it impossible for them to be together. Season 2 Rick was still not as layered as the current version of Rick, but it always seemed like Unity was right – Rick would never change. However, Rick and Morty season 6 proved that Unity was wrong after all. Rick C-137 can change if he wants to. In fact, Rick is already changing for the better.
Granted, creating a robot to spend time with the Smith family may not seem too positive at first, but it showed that Rick at least cared about others. In addition, as Robot Rick explained in the Rick and Morty season 6 finale, everything that he did for Morty and the Smith family can be attributed to the real Rick C-137 on some level. The Robot Rick, the Rick who made Christmas great for Morty and the Smiths, was only 22% “better” than the current version of Rick. Therefore, Rick and Morty season 6 gave mathematic evidence that Rick is changing.
Rick's Season 6 Changes Make Rick And Morty Season 7 Important
Before the finale, Rick and Morty season 6 had already shown that Rick was willing to change in “Analyze Piss”. Rick went to therapy, this time without turning himself into the infamous pickle Rick. It’s difficult to imagine that in season 2 Rick would help Jerry become more confident or create an elaborate plot just to help someone feel better about the loss of their father. The last three episodes of season 6 featured the less selfish version of Rick the show ever had, which creates an interesting paradox for Rick and Morty season 7. Rick wants to be better, but he also has to focus on finding Rick Prime.
Rick and Morty season 6 ended with a tease that season 7 will be about Rick and Morty hunting Rick Prime across universes. Instead of the “classic Rick and Morty adventures” the show has meta-joked about a few times, season 7 could be the series’ most unique yet, as Rick Prime can be the overarching villain that Evil Morty never was. Perhaps the biggest test for Rick in Rick and Morty season 7 would be to have him choose between continuing to pursue his revenge or saving Morty and the Smith family, which would finally settle whether Rick has truly changed.