Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Rick and Morty season 6!
Rick and Morty season 6 has officially changed the names of two major characters - and it's a good thing. So far, season 6 has maintained continuity far more than some of the show's previous seasons, bringing back former villains and expanding on Rick's backstory. However, a few elements have been retconned, with Rick and Morty season 6 adopting fan made names for two of the show's biggest antagonists.
First appearing in Rick and Morty season 1, episode 10, "Close Rick-Counters of the Rick Kind," Evil Morty is an alternate version of Morty C-137 who is living undercover in the Citadel of Ricks. With his eyepatch and his mechanical Rick, Evil Morty plots to destroy the Citadel and break the Central Finite Curve, something he successfully does in the season 5 finale. Although Evil Morty was the main villain of season 5, Weird Rick, who has been mentioned throughout the series, seems to be the main villain of Rick and Morty season 6. Although elements of his backstory have changed several times, the current canon is that Weird Rick is from dimension C-137, the same dimension as the show's main Morty. Weird Rick traveled to the home dimension of the show's main Rick and killed his wife and daughter, causing the main Rick to travel to C-137 for revenge.
Before their more recent appearances, Evil Morty and Weird Rick went by very different names. Starting in season 1, Rick and Morty referred to Evil Morty as "Eyepatch Morty," due to the character's signature eyepatch. However, fans began calling the character Evil Morty, with the name first being used in the season 5 finale. In the season 6 premiere, Rick also calls the villain Evil Morty, cementing the show's adoption of the fan name. Something similar happened with Rick Prime, who used to be called Weird Rick - a moniker adopted by audiences due to it being the character's name in the Pocket Mortys spinoff game. With the release of Rick and Morty season 6, Dan Harmon and others involved with the show's creation have started calling the character Rick Prime, meaning that both villain names have been officially changed since the start of the season.
Why Rick and Morty's Season 6 Name Changes Make Sense
While both of Rick and Morty season 6's name changes may take some getting used to, they make a lot of sense. Rick Prime is the main villain of season 6, and referring to him as Weird Rick takes away from his intimidation factor. The Weird Rick name also doesn't make much sense, as he doesn't seem particularly stranger than any of the other Ricks. Similarly, the Evil Morty name fits that Morty better, as it instantly lets the audience know how this character stands out from the rest of the Mortys, and "Eyepatch Morty" has even taken his eyepatch off at points. His old name was clearly a filler, and the Evil Morty moniker works for the current character much better.
Rick and Morty season 6 has already made a lot of changes, and these two name switches are some of the best. Since Evil Morty and Weird Rick will be recurring characters throughout the show's story, they needed better names to match their intensity and role in the narrative. The Rick and Morty season 6 name changes make perfect sense, as they help the characters, story, and audience.
New episodes of Rick and Morty release Sundays on Adult Swim.