Rick and Mortyregularly has the titular characters traversing the multiverse, but now the series is dismantling the multiverse by reconstructing it into just one single universe. And thisplanRick and Mortyhas for the future of its universeseems strangely familiar.
InRick and Morty vs the Universe#2 by Daniel Kibblesmith and Jarrett Williams,Rick Sanchez is being hunted by an all-new enemy: the universe itself. Typically, Rick’s villains include alien fascists, super-genius Mortys, or evil versions of himself from other realities. This time, however, the entire universe in which Rick now lives wants him dead, and there’s only one way to beat it.
Rick tells Morty that the only way to defeat the sentient universe, and every universe in the multiverse (since every universe hates Rick just as much as this one), is to merge all universes in the multiverse into one. This action wouldcreate a ‘reboot’ of everything, including Rick and Morty themselves, while eliminating the multiverse.
Rick and Morty Comics are Doing What the Show Couldn’t
TheRick and Mortycomic booksare both tied into the continuity of the animated series while also standing alone as their own separate canon, meaning the comics are allowed to veer off from the events of the show and do things the show wouldn’t or couldn’t do. And essentially deleting theRick and Mortymultiverse is a prime example of that.
Interestingly, theRick and Mortyanimated series seemingly tried to do something similar back in season 5, episode 10, “Rickmurai Jack”. In it, Evil Morty destroyed the Central Finite Curve, which was a collection of universes in which Rick was the smartest person in each, compiled into a closed-off multiverse.
When Evil Morty destroyed the Central Finite Curve and slaughtered countless variants of Rick Sanchez, he effectively destroyed theRick and Mortymultiverse. However, later episodes confirmed that theRick and Mortymultiverse is still alive and well. But now, theRick and Mortycomic books are seemingly going to destroy the multiverse for real this time, doing what the show could not.
Rick and Morty is About to Copy the MCU (BEFORE the MCU)
Like many otherRick and Mortystories before it, this comic has a layer of meta awareness that has seeped into the storyline itself. Rick and Morty are trying to rebootRick and Mortyby ending the multiverse and starting over in a new single universe. It’s almost like the characters in the series want to give themselves a reboot, and they’re making narrative efforts to make that happen.
This feels like a self-aware version of what’s currently happening in the MCU. While there are no concrete confirmations, it is widely believed that the MCU will undergo a reboot following the events ofAvengers: Secret Wars, and that this reboot will eliminate the multiverse in favor of a single universe continuity.
What’s hysterical is thatRick and Mortyseemingly stole this idea from the MCU, since this ‘MCU reboot’ theory has been circulating for years now, whereas thisRick and Mortycomic is brand new. In other words,Rick and Mortyis effectively copying the MCU before the MCU even did anything to copy in the first place.
What’s even better is that Rick and Mortyare seemingly telling fans that this is exactly what they’re doing. In this comic, Rick mentions that he’s going to use an ‘Ultimate Nullifier-style device’ to defeat the sentient universes, naming the famous Marvel Comics weapon specifically. It’s as if Rick and Morty are calling fans' attention to the idea that they are, indeed, ‘copying’ the MCU.
Rick and Morty Has ‘Copied’ the MCU Before
Rick and Morty vs the Universeisn’t the first time the Sci-Fi duo have copied the MCU (if that is, indeed, what they’re doing here). InRick and Morty Presents: The Vindicators, Rick and Morty are roped into yet another adventure with the intergalactic superhero team, the Vindicators, and the entire story is rife with MCU references and parodies.
Not only are the Vindicators themselves a parody of MCU superhero teams like the Guardians of the Galaxy and the Avengers, but the main villain of the story is a dead ringer for the MCU’s Thanos. The villain, named Boon, is going after Infinity Balls, which collectively hold the power to manipulate the fabric of the universe, which is exactly like Thanos' quest for the Infinity Stones in the MCU.
SinceRick and Mortyis no stranger to lifting entire plots from the MCU (even if for the sole purpose of parody), it stands to reason that the series would do the same thing in a much more meta way. Using the MCU’s potential real-world plans for its franchise as the plot for Rick and Morty’s latest adventure would be a next-level parody perfectly fitting for a series likeRick and Morty.
Will Rick and Morty ACTUALLY Destroy Its Multiverse?
While it seems likely thatRick and Mortyis parodying the MCUon a meta level with its plan to destroy its multiverse and reboot its franchise simultaneously, only one question remains: willRick and Mortyactually do it?
The animated series couldn’t pull the trigger on destroyingRick and Morty’s multiverse, seemingly due to how integral it is in the show. Rick and Morty regularly travel the multiverse, and most of their major villains come from other realities. Closing that off entirely would mean limiting the number of stories that could be told, ultimately hurting the franchise. Of course, there are benefits.
The multiverse keeps any story from having significant stakes, since Rick and Morty can hop into a new reality anytime the one they are in starts to crumble. Destroying the multiverse in favor of a single universe in which allRick and Mortystories are told could be a good thing. Plus, that would mean the MCU parody would land, and that alone almost makes destroyingRick and Morty’s multiverse worth it.
Whether a good idea or not,Rick and Morty vs the Universeis moving forward with its plan to destroy the multiverse, all while seemingly parodying the MCU’s real-world plan for its franchise post-Secret Wars, and that’s something everyRick and Mortyfan should be paying very close attention to.
Rick and Morty vs the Universe #2is available now.
