Rick and Morty season three recap

SEASON FINALE LEAVES FANS UNRESOLVED

Rick and Morty is a popular, adult animated TV show on Adult Swim. The show, created by Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon, focuses on a drunken, genius scientist—Rick Sanchez—and his socially anxious grandson—Morty Smith. The duo goes on interdimensional quests to save not just their own universe, but the infinite number of other universes.

The first season of the show was focused on character development and world-building storylines, while season two focused on more casual antics of the characters. Season three found a perfect balance between the two, focusing on continuing to add depth to the characters and their storylines while staying true to their traditional adventures.

Rick and Morty is best known for addressing existential worries and nihilism with interdimensional antics in a humorous way. Season three, in contrast to the previous two, takes on a darker tone and features more bloody and gory scenes. In episode nine, the violence is highlighted when one child, who previously was play fighting with another, winds up killing the other in a result of Rick’s antics.

The season began with the separation of Morty’s parents, Jerry and Beth. Each character is seen coping with this major life event by putting themselves into unnecessary chaos in their own individual ways, like the children choosing to venture into a violent, Mad Max-inspired world. They opt to be subjected to the violence of this world to remove themselves from the chaos of their own.

Throughout their adventures and close encounters with death, the season continues to reveal more details about the characters while retaining ambiguity. In episode one, the viewers watch what they believe to be Rick’s backstory—a story that would explain his mannerisms and thought processes to viewers. Instead, the rug is pulled out from under them when the memory is revealed to be an elaborate story made up by Rick. Both Rick and Morty learn more about their “toxic personalities” in episode six, where the characters are split into healthy and unhealthy versions of themselves.

Even the minor characters of the family undergo incredible changes. Jerry learns to stand up for himself (something he’s never been able to do before) and Beth decides to live life on her own terms in episode nine. Summer, Morty’s sister, learns to accept her family in spite of their flaws in episode five.

The season came to an end on Oct. 1, leaving viewers with more questions than normal at the conclusion of a season. Instead of hard-hitting emotional finales prior, this season’s was more adventurous than existential, disappointing many viewers.

Overall, fans of the series are sad to see it come to an end, knowing that they must now wait years to see the continued growth of two of the most flawed yet relatable characters. Season three was full of growing the characters even further, but there are more questions waiting to be answered.