Rick and Morty

Interesting observation: When Morty puts on the attribute slider, we can briefly see his "default" stats. Weirdly, his charisma and intelligence are maxxed out, while his dexterity and especially his strength are low.

Not sure if this means he's actually smarter and more charismatic than given credit for, or if his stupidity and lack of charisma just saddle him with an Absurdly Low Level Cap.

Edit: Unless it's just the leftover display from Summer wearing it.

Edited by Anomalocaris20 on Nov 26th 2023 at 1:19:39 PM

He is. Thing is, he's held back by a sense of morality and guilt. We've seen how successful he can be when he loses those things with "Healthy" Morty and Evil Morty.

Yeah, it's rather interesting. There was a whole plot point that his "stupid" brain waves mask Rick's "smart" brain waves, but he's way smarter than the average 14yo in some regards even if he does really stupid things sometimes.

We've even seen him outsmart Rick on occasion, like figuring out the memory parasites' weakness before he did or beating him in checkers.

Maybe inheriting Rick/Beth's intelligence and Jerry's stupidity created a Genius Ditz.

I'd say Jerry's contribution isn't stupidity but rather a degree of emotional security and balance that Rick and Beth do not have.

Rick and Beth are way smarter than Jerry, but they're also far worse at handling insecurities and inner demons than he is. There's a reason they are both raging alcoholics.

Note how in the previous episode he's the only one who isn't bothered by the Observer showing an embarrassing clip. He knows he's embarrassing, so he doesn't care.

Edited by M84 on Nov 27th 2023 at 2:51:00 AM

Really considering how the Citadel Morty cops are completely obedient, its likley that Morty's "stupidity" is maintained by the Ricks.

Its like how they force Beth and Jerry to be together. Ultimately all these people have had their lives tampered by Rick to force them to maintain a hierarchy and positions they created.

Morty is supposed to be a little guinea pig for Rick and he works best at that if he's a scared little dumbass who will do whatever they say.

While the mass murder was unforgivable, Evil Morty did everyone a favor by destroying the whole Citadel. Y'know, except for the Ricks and Mortys who were all slaughtered. They're just dead.

So, Summer reminds Rick of his wife.

Also, when they kept saying Frolf, my mind went to the other Frolf.

Not a classic, but this was still nice. Total Recall (1990) is a classic for me. I think it might be my second favorite Arnold Schwarzenegger movie next to Terminator 2: Judgment Day.

One thing to remember is that most of Rick's inventions and scales are based on his own judgement. Rick is intelligent but egomaniacal with more than some hints of Comedic Sociopathy. He only values his sense of "intelligence", stuff like emotional intelligence just isn't really a thing for him, as he says, "being nice is something stupid people use to hedge their bets". It's why bits of brilliance by Morty and even Jerry sometimes get by him.

Yeah, it's something he mentioned to the Diane AI in his original house. Rick saying it again in this episode is a callback to that.

Geez, what is it with Summer and movie references? First it was the Die Hard episode, and now it's Total Recall. What next, Short Circuit?

He has been making progress on this front. As seen in a previous episode in this season, he's willingly attending therapy sessions. He at least acknowledges that he's got some issues to work through that he can't just avoid with distraction and booze.

Edited by M84 on Nov 27th 2023 at 10:33:26 PM

Here's the Inside The Episode.

Please tell me that the above didnt happen due to incest. Please.

It didn't. It's a play on the whole "siblings argue, somehow get handcuffed together" trope taken to an absurd level.

Good, PHEW!

Rick and Morty is never living down the incest plotline,is it?

Not in this thread at least.

There have been multiple incest plots or jokes, from Naruto to the Beth/Space Beth affair to the plot where Jerry tries his damnedest to not make out with his mom.

No problem?

Man I really like the Jerricky episode. Brain surgery usually squicks me out, but seeing Rick and Jerry be friends is a lot cooler and more wholesome than each just getting swapped into the other's body.

I think more than half of the show's episodes have made at least one incest joke. I haven't watched the pilot in a long time but I know the very second episode of the series had some. It's definitely been a staple of the series' humor since the beginning.

Could it be that Dan Harmon has an incest fetish? Maybe. But it's also possible he and the writers just find it funny in a grossout humor way. Unless every poop joke is also an admission of coprophilia, or every gory death is snuff fetishism.

I am not surprised the previews hid that the episode was just one reference joke run into the ground.

It's like the Die Hard episode, which also had Summer in a starring role.

Amusingly that episode also had Summer unfamiliar with the movie everyone is referencing.

@M84 If they ever did Short Circuit, why do I get the feeling they would ride hard on Johnny Five's horrifying dismemberment in the sequel?

Yeah, they make a point that the main Rick is one of the more redeemable Ricks, even if he maintains a lot of the usual shortcomings, he can overcome them to some level.

I admit I'm liking the tradition of Rick and Jerry buddy episodes Once a Season. I do feel there is more to Rick and Jerry's relationship than just one note contempt. After all Jerry is in many ways a more content and stable person than Rick, with his own Character Development in play, he is to some degree a "Simple Rick".

Edited by Psi001 on Nov 28th 2023 at 2:48:55 PM

At least with the Die Hard episode, the reference only took up half the episode, thanks to having two plotlines, allowing the other plotline to be something different.