The exact nature of the relationship that exists between Rick And Morty's Beth and Jerry Smith has remained, perhaps for intentionally dramatic reasons, ambiguous. It almost seems like they never stop the bickering, blaming the other spouse for everything that has gone wrong in their lives.
At the same time, Beth and Jerry have been a couple for nearly two decades, weathering acts of bad parenting as much as Rick's unwelcome intrusion into their domestic life. Whatever reasons they may have for hating each other — and there are a lot — these two characters end Season 4 together (albeit with an extra Beth in the picture). It's a mystery how their final relationship is going to turn out.
Beth: Loving Him Is "Hard Work"
As annoying as he can be, there are moments when Jerry becomes a plaintive, sad little creature, eliciting grudging sympathy from his family and the viewers alike. When he asks his wife if she still loves, him, however, Beth scoffs at the question, going on a seemingly pointless tangent concerning homes for the homeless.
Jerry is obviously confused by this, so Beth clarifies that loving him is "hard work" for which "some people put the work in." Granted that it's difficult to love him at times, but this whole song-and-dance routine is hardly necessary.
Jerry: Constantly Devalues Her Career
All of Beth's talents are kept suppressed by the sheer force of the insecurities that dwell within her. She works hard through veterinary school, presumably going on to earn more degrees, allowing her to become a Horse Surgeon.
Beth is great at her profession, except that she absolutely will not endure people suggesting that her career isn't as "real" as human medicine. Jerry is fully aware of this, having been repeatedly told so by his wife, but continues to make off-handed remarks about Beth's job.
Beth: Doesn't Support His Bodily Autonomy
Jerry's penis is the perfect substitute for an alien's dying heart: a situation that wouldn't have been as dire had the alien not been Shrimply Pibbles, one of the most important living beings in the entire galaxy. He does not like the idea of losing his genitalia, so he tries to weasel out of his agreement by having Beth do it for him.
Unfortunately for Jerry, Beth learns that her husband's penis would be replaced by a "sophisticated prosthetic," and instantly decides that the original thing is no match for the XP20 and the XP20XS. To be fair, the onus is on Jerry, but Beth's motivation is clearly selfish in this case.
Jerry: Tells Beth To Find Her Own Hiding Spot
During the rampage of the demonic mythologs, the entire center is destroyed, and most of its inhabitants gruesomely murdered on account of the unholy alliance formed between Beth's monster and Jerry's worm. The Smiths attempt to escape, but only Beth actively tries to survive.
Jerry, on the other hand, eagerly tells her that he has found the perfect hiding spot, "a small, hinged panel with a tiny amount of space behind it," where they "should be safe for hours, maybe days!" Firstly, there is actually enough space for two people behind the hatch, and second, why doesn't Jerry offer it to Beth first?
Beth: "This Should Play Out Just Fine"
Rick equips Snuffles with just enough technology to make him behave more obediently, a mistake that has severe consequences later. Before all the misadventures begin, though, Jerry wants his wife to see how Snuffles has finally become "a dog."
Beth responds with "Oh, yeah. This should play out just fine," sarcasm dripping from every syllable. Her husband, thinking he has control of the argument, tells her that she had said those exact words when they got married. Beth glares at Jerry until he realizes that she had meant what she said during their wedding.
Jerry: Offers An Unreasonable Ultimatum
Jerry bears with Rick all up in his business for several years (presumably), but it takes a toll on the poor man. At one point, having had enough, he puts his foot down — asking Beth to choose which one of them has to leave, and who gets to say.
Jerry is not clueless about how much his wife has missed her dad growing up, so it makes no sense for him to demand such an unfair resolution. One would like to think that he deserves what he gets, but he really doesn't.
Beth: Chooses Her Dad Over Her Husband
Beth is not the kind of person who will tolerate being put in a spot by anyone, even her husband. When he asks her to make a difficult choice, she defaults to her basic state — daddy's girl — and kicks Jerry out of the house.
The worst part is that Rick's negative influence is crystal clear to everyone else, including Morty, Summer, and the audience even. Beth is unable to see her father in a less than favorable light because she is utterly terrified that he might leave her again. Is her decision borne of coldheartedness, or based on her fear of abandonment?
Jerry: Presumably Allows Her To Get Assaulted
In "Total Rickall." the core family has to quickly figure out which friend, relative, or secret lover is real, and which of them are Memory Parasites in disguise. Since the alien creatures can only create happy memories, they are culled when the Smiths can't remember anything bad about them.
In one of these flashbacks, Beth recalls being chased by a homeless man, armed with a broken glass bottle, only to have Jerry lock her out of the car. Despite the fact that she knows what's happening, he tells her to "look out for that homeless guy," refusing to open the car doors, instead telling Beth to run, because "there isn't time."
Beth & Jerry: The Metaphors For Their Marriage
As mentioned earlier, Beth and Jerry's feelings for each other are converted into living form in Nuptia 4, "the galaxy's most successful couples' counseling institute." These so-called mythologs are meant to depict how each spouse perceives the other.
The wife mytholog is a domineering horror on six legs (Jerry's vision of Beth), while the husband mytholog is the most gutless worm in the universe (it even offers its backside to the original in surrender). While this isn't exactly something the couple does to each other, it speaks, loudly and clearly, against the very existence of their marriage.