8 Stories Rick & Morty Season 7 Can Follow After That Huge Twist

Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for Rick and Morty season 7, episode 5.

Although Rick and Morty season 7, episode 5 ended the show’s Rick Prime plot with a sudden, massive twist, the series has no shortage of other stories it can follow. Rick and Morty started out as an anarchic, goofy cartoon that parodied sci-fi tropes and sitcom conventions. However, as the series continued, Rick and Morty developed a surprisingly dark canon of its own, and the show’s occasional episodes that delved into Rick’s backstory proved more moving than viewers expected. This peaked with Rick and Morty’s season 5 finale, which revealed Rick’s tragic origin story.

It turned out that Rick’s alcoholism, amorality, and misanthropy weren’t always present; they were actually fueled by the murder of his wife years earlier. Rick’s nemesis, Rick Prime, killed his wife, and the character vowed to avenge her. Rick and Morty season 7 opened with him seeking out the villain between goofy intergalactic adventures. However, season 7, episode 5, “Unmortricken,” changed all of this when it unexpectedly killed off Rick Prime. This effectively ended the show’s longest and most impactful storyline, leaving fans to wonder what is in store for the rest of Rick and Morty season 7.

8 Rick and Morty Season 7 Can Focus On Evil Morty

Evil Morty Is Now Rick and Morty’s Biggest Villain

In “Unmortricken,” Rick only found Rick Prime because his latest plan to capture his nemesis accidentally interrupted Evil Morty’s solitude. Evil Morty proved lethally effective as a character and was the one who eventually disarmed Rick Prime, allowing Rick to kill him. Evil Morty made it clear that he is still a threat to Rick and Morty, meaning Rick and Morty’s new primary villain could return again in season 7 if the pair fail to heed his warning and leave him alone.

7 Season 7 Can Center Rick’s Reaction To Rick Prime’s Death

Rick’s Arc Could Be Reshaped By Killing Rick Prime

After Rick and Morty season 7’s Rick Prime plot came to a sudden, unexpected close midway through the season, the most logical thing for the show to do would be to follow Rick’s reaction to this turn of events. This seems to be what the episode’s bleak ending points toward, as the last scenes of “Unmortricken” saw Rick return to life with the Smith family while wearing a dazed, numb expression. Rick is now without the driving force that defined decades of his life, meaning his entire personality could change in the coming episodes.

6 Rick and Morty Season 7 Can Revert To Its Early Formula

Rick and Morty Might Play It Safe After Episode 5

While this wouldn’t necessarily be a good idea, Rick and Morty season 7 could now go back to being a standalone, episodic sitcom like its early seasons. Both seasons 6 and 7 featured a string of lighter, goofier episodes that drew inspiration from seasons 1 and 2, and killing off Rick Prime makes it easier than ever for the show to pursue these low-stakes stories. However, for viewers who care about the show’s overarching plot, this could feel like a letdown.

5 Rick and Morty Can Re-Center Supporting Characters

Beth, Summer, And Space Beth Could Take Center Stage

Although Rick and Morty season 7, episode 4 gave the entire Smith family a role in its plot, the outing was still very much a classic Rick and Morty adventure. Similarly, while one episode of season 7 highlighted Jerry’s role in the show’s ensemble, none of the outing’s episodes have centered on the show’s female characters. Beth, Summer, and Space Beth have barely even appeared in season 7 so far, and Rick Prime’s death could give them the chance to play a bigger role in proceedings going forward.

4 Rick and Morty Season 7 Can Highlight Rick’s Problems

Rick Could Become The Show’s Villain Now

Much of Rick’s recent bad behavior was excused by his obsessive search for Rick Prime. With the villain dead, it would make sense to focus on his interpersonal problems anew. Although Rick and Morty season 7, episode 3 already saw the return of his therapist, Dr. Wong, there is no reason that the next episodes of the series can’t see Rick do even more introspection. It might not be the character’s strong suit, but after the abrupt ending of a quest that has shaped his existence for years, this sort of character work is something Rick could benefit from lest he become a monster.

3 Rick and Morty Can Change Morty

Season 7 Could Center Morty’s Growth

Morty’s characterization has remained in stasis since Rick and Morty season 5’s revelations about Rick Prime and Evil Morty, so season 7 could give him a more proactive role. After all, his romance with Planetina earlier in season 5 proved that he could be a compelling character even when Rick wasn’t the one setting the parameters of their adventures. Evil Morty’s existence is further proof that Morty has untapped depths under his quiet surface. Putting Rick and Morty’s sci-fi parodies aside and focusing on its young hero’s life could revitalize season 7’s second half.

2 Rick and Morty Season 7 Could Bring Back Rick Prime

Rick Prime Might Not Really Be Dead (But He Should Be)

The show really shouldn’t take this approach, but it would be very easy for Rick and Morty season 7 to reveal that the Rick Prime who died wasn’t the real deal. Every time Rick Prime has appeared in the series, he has outsmarted Rick and proven himself to be almost indestructible, using elaborate holograms, robotic doubles, and other ruses to trick his nemesis. As such, while this would be a disappointing return to formula for Rick and Morty season 7, it would technically make sense if Rick Prime had once again fooled his enemy.

1 Rick and Morty Season 7 Could Center Rick and Morty’s Dynamic

The opening scenes of “Unmortricken” revealed that Rick’s imbalanced power dynamic with Morty was what led to the creation of Evil Morty in the first place. As a result, it would make sense for the show to move on from the Rick Prime storyline by finally altering Rick and Morty’s consistent dynamic. While most of Rick and Morty season 7’s post-credits scenes focused on silly comedy, the stinger of “Unmortricken” was a moving story that proved Rick could have reacted to the loss of his wife in a manner that didn’t make his life even worse.

This might have hinted at his future character arc, wherein Rick could become a better guardian to Morty and a more responsible figure overall. It would be interesting to see whether Rick and Morty could pull this off, as so much of the show’s humor comes from the power imbalance between its title characters. However, this would be an exciting opportunity for the show to change its formula and could even make Rick and Morty season 7 one of the series’ best outings in years.