WARNING! This article contains SPOILERS for Rick & Morty season 7, episode 2!
While the show has largely ignored one of its minor supporting stars for years, Rick and Morty season 7, episode 2 proves that it is never too late for this sort of character to become more pivotal than ever imagined. As is often the case with animated shows, Rick and Morty has numerous supporting characters. The series has introduced countless minor one-off characters over the years and occasionally brings back these largely forgotten figures for unexpected cameos. Not only did Rick and Morty season 7, episode 1 focus on Mr. Poopybutthole, but the outing also brought back minor characters Gearhead, Squanchy, and Birdperson for major roles.
However, Rick and Morty season 7’s episodes take this approach even further in the second installment. For the most part, Rick and Morty season 7, episode 2, “The Jerrick Trap,” is about Jerry and Rick. When the pair swap bodies, they immediately die and end up blending their brains together, resulting in a pair of characters who are both equal parts Rick and Jerry. However, the inciting incident that leads Rick and Jerry to experiment with swapping their consciousnesses in the first place is linked to a surprising minor character, making him more important than ever before.
Rick And Morty Season 7 Finally Makes Gene An Important Character
Gene is once again a major player in “The Jerrick Trap,” right after Rick and Morty season 7, episode 1, “How Poopy Got His Poop Back,” gave him a big role to play in Mr. Poopybutthole’s redemption. Until now, Gene has only ever been a background character. However, he was central to the story of Mr. Poopybutthole’s disastrous intervention and, in “The Jerrick Trap,” he is the accidental conduit of the episode’s entire plot. He even accidentally affects the outcome of the episode’s story when he returns Jerry’s rake, a gesture that leads to Jerricky stepping on the rake and unscrambling the duo’s consciousnesses.
Having debuted in Rick and Morty season 3, this is a major step up from Gene’s role in earlier outings. Previously, the character was effectively a throwaway joke, with Gene often bearing the brunt of Rick and Morty’s misadventures as the pair accidentally involved him in whatever mayhem they got up to. Perhaps in part due to the notion that Rick and Morty season 7 recast its heroes, the show has now massively increased Gene’s agency in its story. This welcome surprise turned the unassuming Gene into a bigger character and gave him more unfluence, both changes that made season 7’s first two episodes feel less predictable and more original.
Where Rick and Morty Season 7’s Gene Story Can Go Next
After these outings, Rick and Morty season 7 might forget about Gene again. However, season 7 could also make him central to the rest of its storylines as a running gag that simultaneously serves to freshen up the series’ formula. Rick and Morty season 7 bringing back Gene in each episode could reaffirm the show’s commitment to changing things up as this seemingly minor character continues to play a surprisingly big role in the show’s story. Rick and Morty season 7 already mocked one of its most famous episodes, so it would make sense for Rick and Morty’s next outings to continue upending the show’s routine.
