Warning: This article contains spoilers for Rick and Morty season 6 episode 1!Rick and Morty’s season 6 premiere all but confirmed who the show’s new villain is going to be, but that surprising reveal had already been hinted at in Rick and Morty’s very first scene. After Rick and Morty season 5 seemly concluded the Evil Morty storyline, it seemed likely that Rick and Morty season 6 would initially focus on more episodic adventures rather than on a lore-heavy plotline. However, as teased by producers Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon, Rick and Morty’s season 6, episode 1 had major implications for the show’s long-term story as it set up Rick and Morty’s next big bad.
Although an argument could be made that Rick and Morty does not follow a classic narrative structure of heroes and villains, especially considering how a lot of the episodes follow a more anthological approach, the show does have recurring antagonists. The most important of them had so far been Evil Morty, who was introduced at the end of Rick and Morty season 1 and continued to be a strong presence in the show up until Rick and Morty’s season 5 finale. That said, a lot of the conversation surrounding Evil Morty stemmed from audiences’ expectations and fan theories, as the character himself only appeared in four episodes.
With Evil Morty now outside the Central Finite Curve, Rick and Morty needed a new antagonist to lead the canon-oriented side of the show. The chosen candidate was “Weird Rick”, the Rick who for some reason killed Rick C-137’s family and has been on the run ever since. Although Weird Rick was introduced in Rick and Morty season 3, the character had so far been more of a personal goal for Rick C-137 rather than a proper villain. Many believed Rick C-137 would only find Weird Rick at the end of the show, if at all. However, Rick and Morty had always made clear that Rick, or at least a version of Rick, would eventually become the show’s main villain. Rick and Morty’s pilot’s opened with a drunk Rick suggesting he would drop a Neutrino bomb on the world – setting up right away he was not the hero of the story. Rick C-137 is Rick and Morty’s main character, but the show has proved several times that he is not a good person. Therefore, it is not surprising that a version of Rick is now Rick and Morty’s season 6 villain.
Why Weird Rick Is A Better Main Villain Than Evil Morty
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After five seasons of theories and speculations centered on Evil Morty, it’s good that Rick and Morty is finally moving on to a new villain. In fact, Weird Rick works much better as the main villain than Evil Morty. Audiences had a lot of expectations regarding Evil Morty, but there is just so much a version of Morty can do. The lives of the “Mortys” are way too intertwined with that of the “Ricks”, which is why Evil Morty’s ultimate Rick and Morty plan came down to living in a universe without Rick. The “Ricks”, on the other hand, are perfect villains by definition. Rick-C137 is the smartest person in his universe, therefore only another Rick can be his true nemesis.
Rick and Morty’s season 6 premiere has changed Weird Rick from a ghost from the past into the show’s next big bad. Weird Rick’s plans are still a mystery, and so is the reason why he killed C-137 Diane and Beth. Even if Evil Morty returns at some point, Weird Rick has now become Rick and Morty’s most important villain.
New episodes of Rick and Morty air Sundays on Adult Swim.