Rick and Morty is a groundbreaking sci-fi comedy series that not only satiates our desire for a weirder version of Back to the Future, but it’s also strangely adept at helping people work through their personal trauma. Everyone has their favorite Rick and Morty scenes. Whether they’re of the depressing ilk, or they’re more of the whimsical “what the heck just happened?” variety probably says something about how fun you are at a party. This list counts down the Rick and Morty emotional scenes that still continue to kick you in the stomach even after you’ve watched them a hundred times. Keep reading to find out why Rick and Morty is one of the most emotional shows on TV, let alone Adult Swim.
It takes almost no time for the conceit of Rick and Morty to wear off, and for the series to start burrowing into the viewer’s emotions. It’s almost as if the creators of Rick an Morty, Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland, want to find what makes you cry and push your tear button until you’re all out of saline. Or what fills you with existential dread. With Rick and Morty, Adult Swim has capitalized not just on fun sci-fi entertainment, but on what is one of the the most strangely emotionally draining shows that’s ever been produced.
Vote up the most emotional moments from Rick and Morty, and if there’s a scene from the show that pulls on your heartstrings, tell us about it in the comments.
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Snowball Trying to Save Morty
When Morty's dog Snowball (once known as Snuffles) gains his sentience, he does what any dog would probably do: builds a robot body for himself and tries to enslave humanity. But when Snowball learns that Morty is dying of kidney failure, he spends every penny he has to save the boy. Any pet owner who wasn't touched by this scene probably doesn't pay enough attention to their pet.
The Death of Bird Person
Bird Person was probably one of Rick's only true friends. The stoic avian person manages to get over past heartbreak and fall in love. So when he's betrayed and murdered by his new bride (on their wedding day!), it makes us feel like if Bird Person can't have love, what do we deserve? It's also another sign to Rick that the multiverse is a cold, unfeeling place where opening oneself up to love is pure folly.
When Morty Is Forced to Execute Rick
Somewhere in the middle of "Total Rickall," everything goes crazy and a gang of parasites try to convince Morty to kill Rick. But when Morty puts a gun to Rick's head, Rick reminds him that not all memories are pleasant, and that's how you can usually tell what's real and what's imagined.
Beth Panic-Pouring Wine After Shooting Mr. Poopybutthole
Throughout the series, Beth is one of the only characters that doesn't get as wrapped up in her dad's science BS as the rest of her family. She's a successful veterinarian and doesn't have time to deal with all of Rick's nonsense, so when she gets dragged into figuring out whether or not she actually knows Mr. Poopybutthole (a longtime friend of the family that no one can quite remember) and ends up shooting him through the chest, the only way she can deal with her actions is by drinking them away - just like Rick.
Jerry and Beth's Disintegrating Marriage
Throughout the series, Morty's parents' marriage is in a constant state of flux that makes the show much more real and heartbreaking than many of the dramas on television. It's not just that they argue, it's that Beth can't free herself from a fairly loveless marriage, and Jerry's too dumb to realize the extent to which Beth is out of his league.
Jerry and Beth Viewing the Alternate Reality Where They Aborted Their Daughter
In the season one episode "Rixty Minutes," Jerry and Beth become obsessed with watching an alternate universe where they aborted their daughter, Beth. In the alternate universe, they're more successful and happy. Not only does their binge watching become a self destructive habit, but it really bums Beth out.
Morty's Death
Morty's death occurs offscreen sometime near the end of "Rick Potion #9" in an alternate dimension. After Rick and Morty accidentally turn the entire world into creepy Cronenbergian bug people who are in love with Morty, they fail to create an antidote and travel to a similar dimension where their counterparts create a working antidote, but died shortly after fixing everyone. This solution creates an existential nightmare for poor Morty.
Rick's Attempted Suicide
If you're a fan of Rick and Morty co-creator Dan Harmon, then you know he's the master of creating visual representations of his character's inner pain, thus the creature who exists in a state of constant pain who's kept frozen as a means to keep it from feeling said pain. It would almost be a Buddhist approach to emotion if Rick didn't kill the creature with a death ray right before trying to kill himself (he's saved by drunkenly passing out at his desk).
Wubba Lubba Dub Dub
You know, Rick's catchphrase that means everything's going great and everybody should party so, so hard? Just kidding, it's his secret code that means, "I am in great pain, please help me."
Jerry Watches Sleepy Gary Die
To everyone but Jerry, Sleepy Gary is a figment of their imagination who was placed in their memories by a group of parasites. But he's also Jerry's secret gay lover, and the only person with whom Jerry can truly be himself. When Beth kills Sleepy Gary, Jerry loses his one true confidant. How's that for Freudian?
