- Title: Rick and Morty – Rickternal Friendshine of the Spotless Mort
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With the rest of the family off on their own vacation, Rick‘s (Justin Roiland) attention turns back to one of the series’ lingering plot threads as he attempts to save the life of his former best-friend Birdperson (Dan Harmon). After removing the cybernetics, Rick enters Birdperson’s mind and attempts to convince his suicidal friend that there is something worth living for. In order to save Birdperson, Rick is forced into asking for help from a younger version of himself as remembered by his friend (who turns out to be far less cynical than the current version of Rick).
While still matching the level of insanity the season has offered, and lazily dropping Charlie Kaufman‘s name at one point for those who don’t get the obvious references to Rick’s journey in someone else’s mind, “Rickternal Friendshine of the Spotless Mort” is notable for giving us glimpses of Rick’s past (or at least the past as remembered by Birdperson). In a series where Rick plays his past close to the vest, it may be the closest we get to seeing the journey that led him to the crusty old fart mad scientist currently wreaking havoc on the universe whenever he feels like it. Birdperson eventually decides to return to the world, and we’re teased an open-ended quest waiting for him. As for his friendship with Rick, the future there remains murky (although you would think resurrecting the character would have some implications later in the series other than just as a reminder of Rick’s remaining level of humanity).