Why We Love Evil Morty
Spoilers for Rick and Morty Season Five*
Rick and Morty has introduced many unique characters, but none of them captured the fandom’s attention like Evil Morty. He’s one of the show’s most popular characters, despite having very little screen time. Evil Morty has appeared in three episodes across five seasons, often with years stretching between appearances.
This begs the question: How is he so popular? What did the writers of Rick and Morty do to create such a compelling character with such little air time? Many aspects of his character and the writing can factor into this, but two stand out: Evil Morty’s air of mystery and how he subverts every story he’s in.
A massive appeal of Rick and Morty is how much information is packed into the show. Any shot is bound to have one or two hidden gags or Easter eggs in the background. This makes the show a treasure trove for fans who scour the images and take their findings to the internet, connecting with fellow viewers on social media and in forums as they break down these background notes and the main plot of the episode itself. The fandom is also quick to make fan theories and speculate on what will happen next or what this episode’s plot means, especially if that episode dips into the canon.
The mysteries surrounding Evil Morty make him perfect for these fans. His first appearance in season one episode ten, “Close Rick-counters of the Rick Kind,” gave the slightest tease of his character: A Morty who had controlled a Rick. This tiny spark set off all sorts of speculations. Rumors and ideas about Evil Morty abounded. Some of these theories included the idea that Evil Morty was Rick C-137’s original Morty out for revenge. A more recent fan theory involved Season 5 being Evil Morty’s backstory as Morty grew distant from his family over the season.
None of these theories came true — but their existence is what made Evil Morty such a significant part of this show. Without these theories, his follow-up appearance in season three episode seven, “Tales of the Citadel,” wouldn’t have been so significant. Throughout this episode, we spent much of the story in the dark about Evil Morty’s identity until he took over the Citadel in the very end by winning the presidency. Again, we only got a small glimpse, but that small glimpse was enough to capture the minds of the fans as they understood Evil Morty had a plan, and it was in action.
Season five finally ended some of the mysteries about Evil Morty. But the journey to this point is what made Evil Morty such a compelling character. The finale answered questions we might not have cared to ask if we weren’t so invested in the mystery of Evil Morty, which the scarcity of his time in the show fueled. Of course, that’s not all — the way he subverts the stories around him is also a big part of why he’s so engaging.
Plot twists lie at the heart of any good story. They help keep things fresh and engaged, especially in a television show spanning five seasons. Rick and Morty is no stranger to plot twists, especially with such a loose universe that allows it to do whatever it wants. Nothing is out of bounds for them. But while wild plot twists and unexpected developments have their time and place, sometimes more subtle subversions of expectations are what stand out, and Evil Morty excels at these.
Evil Morty’s first appearance is one of the best examples of this. There are very few rules governing the story universe of Rick and Morty. One of these rules is that Rick is the smartest man in the universe and that Morty is his slightly slow companion. While Morty’s wised up over the seasons, he was a bit of a dolt in the first season because it made him a good companion to play off Rick in the early episodes.
Morty’s ineptitude is why Evil Morty stood out in that first season. He was an anomaly — a Morty that could outsmart and control a Rick. Even in the time since we’ve never seen anything like it. Sure, Morty C-137 has grown smarter and more capable of standing up to Rick, but he’s a far cry from hacking Rick’s portal gun or manipulating his way to the top position in a government composed of the smartest men in the universe.
His appearance in “Tales From the Citadel” similarly upended the entire episode. What had been a victory story for Mortys, who were presented like an underprivileged class on the Citadel, took on a dark tint as we realized the good-natured President Morty was all too familiar in the worst way. In an instant, he slaughtered his political rivals and we understood something very, very big was going to happen.
Though the truth of Evil Morty’s plan might be the greatest subversion of all. In the end, it had very little to do with Rick C-137 and Morty C-137. While he destroyed the Citadel, it had nothing to do with malice or revenge. He simply wanted to walk away from the Central Finite Curve. When Evil Morty destroyed the Citadel, slaughtered countless Ricks and Mortys, and broke the dimensional rules of the universe, he did so not to conquer but to find peace. The very final shot of the episode, of Evil Morty stepping through a gold portal, is a perfect picture of his character. As brilliant as Rick, but totally different.
Evil Morty seems to have stepped away from Rick and Morty in the most literal way possible. Despite having such little time, he’s been one of the show’s most impactful characters and is likely going to have a huge impact on the future season despite being multiverses away. Whether or not he comes back, Evil Morty will have a long legacy as one of Rick and Morty’s most interesting and engaging characters.
