Editor's note: The below contains spoilers for Rick and Morty Season 6, Episode 10
Rick and Morty has just wrapped up its well-executed sixth season and left the audience with an entirely new outlook on the future of the show. After temporarily closing the chapter on the previously most prominent oppositional character, "Evil Morty," Rick Prime stepped into this role. The finale episode, "Ricktional Mortpoon's Rickmas Mortcation" included key reveals and turning points to set up the main priority of Rick and Morty's next season, hunting the most callous Rick. Grandfather and grandson will team up to do this most challenging task together.
Who Is Rick Prime in 'Rick and Morty'?
Rick Prime adopted his infamous name this season and has been referred to by Rick C-137 multiple times as the "real deal." Rick Prime is the main antagonist who is responsible for the adventures of Rick and Morty and is the key to understanding C-137. This heartless villain killed Rick C-137's wife, Diane, and their daughter, Beth, after C-137 rejected his proposal of accepting his advanced portal technology. Ever since this traumatic event, C-137 has dedicated his life to finding the man responsible for his misery. This is how he ended up with Morty as his companion. Even though he never had a grandson in his reality, he returned to Rick Prime's original galaxy, hoping he would show up. When he didn't, C-137 found himself emotionally attached to Morty and has been with him ever since. Rick Prime is notorious for not caring about anything other than himself. After his appearance in the first episode of Season 6 of Rick and Morty, "Solaricks," Rick Prime appears youthful and twisted and has regenerative powers.
'Rick and Morty's Season 6 Twist
Just as it seemed as if Rick had turned a new healthy corner, Rick and Morty swept the rug out from under the audience's feet. After promising emotional growth in episode eight of this season and an entirely new and improved appearance in the penultimate episode, Rick was revealed not to have really made as many strides as it seemed. While Morty was involved in "A Rick in King Mortur's Mort," Rick was secretly working on hunting down his nemesis and created a robot that had twenty-two percent more apathy than himself to take his place in the family temporarily. Rick also conditioned this robot, nicknamed "Rickbot" by Morty, to be unable to reveal that he was a robot. The use of this as a challenge for Rickbot in the Season 6 Rick and Morty finale was both hilarious and heartbreaking. The main point of this twist, though, was that it illustrated how Rick is ultimately still not over the pain caused by Rick Prime and has been working obsessively to hunt him down. His bearded, unhygienic appearance only served to highlight how his craving for revenge is stronger than ever. Morty was disappointed at first, to say the least. Luckily, by the end of the episode, Morty was able to overcome this disappointment, thanks to his new robotic friend.
Rick and Morty Turn a Corner
The finale of this season of Rick and Morty, specifically a perfectly vertical lightsaber, separated Morty and Rick, and they had more animosity in their relationship than ever seen before. They fell out and disagreed with each other and acted deliberately alone until the death of Rickbot. Leaking oil during his prolonged and dramatic death, Rickbot reminded Morty that Rick built him, and therefore his grandfather is responsible for all the joy that he caused. At the same time, the robot pointed out to his creator that he could do more to show that appreciation directly and in the present. Both of them reflect upon this, especially Rick, who invites Morty to help him on his quest. Morty accepts, but doesn't realize what he has just attached himself to at all. In his lair, Rick shows Morty the extent to which he has been tracking down Rick Prime and how he is closer than ever.
In the first episode of this season of Rick and Morty, Rick C-137 unintentionally reset everyone back to their original realities and actually encountered his enemy in his lair but was unable to capitalize on the opportunity. However, he did pick up some form of gadget from the lair, which he used to track Rick Prime's location. Unfortunately, as soon as his scans found one result, they immediately picked up many more and showed his target to be in so many possible places at once. Still, Rick admits to Morty that, at this moment, he is closer than ever before. Having revealed what he has been doing recently and taking on the advice of Rickbot to include Morty in his quest, he realizes the advantages of having his grandson at his side: they can work together. In typical Rick and Morty fashion, Rick then grabs Morty by the shoulders before going on a maniacal rant about how he and Morty will now be in this together and how it will take over both of their lives. It indicates that this is the new direction Rick and Morty intends to take and that Rick Prime will be the main focus of the upcoming season.
The Hunt for Rick Prime Begins
Season six of Rick and Morty gave the audience a tremendous amount of information about the characters that they have now been following for years. It is now evident who Rick is and what motivates him, why he is going on these adventures with this Morty, and what they plan on doing in the future. It is rewarding information after all this time, and the audience has more to root for than ever before. Yet, at the same time, viewers should still be cautious in assuming that the focus of Rick and Morty will remain solely on this singular storyline. The most meta episode by far, "Full Meta Jackrick", seemingly argued heavily in favor of episodic episodes over serialized ones for a multitude of viable reasons. It would not be surprising in the slightest if the seventh season of Rick and Morty included both developments in the Prime Rick hunt storyline along with episodes that have nothing to do with this vengeance-filled mission. One thing is for sure, though, the hunt for Rick Prime is well and truly on.