Adult Swim
Quite a few “Rick and Morty” fans have been wondering if season 5 was secretly showing us an alternate timeline. But several hints in season 5 episode 5 (including the reappearance of the missing portal gun) may be putting these theories to rest.
This article has spoilers for season 5 episode 5.
The ‘Alternate Timeline’ Theory Might Be Over
All season, fans have been saying that something seemed off about “Rick and Morty.” First, they pointed out that Rick isn’t drinking as much as he typically does (until the apocalypse tour episode.) Then fans were wondering why we never saw the green portal gun, or why Morty seemed to be turning a lot darker (and a lot more prone to murdering people) than he had acted before.
All of this led to some fans wondering if we were watching an alternative dimension Rick and Morty rather than the C-137 version. Some fans even wondered if maybe we were secretly seeing Evil Morty’s origin story. But this latest episode seems to be pointing to character development and growth rather than alternate dimensions.
First, not only did the portal gun make an obvious appearance in the season 5 episode 6 trailer, but we also saw it used in season 5 episode 5 too. The portal gun appeared earlier in the episode when they went to the bar the first time.
So fans who thought that the portal gun’s absence was a striking clue, pointing us to a different dimension, are now thinking they were wrong about that theory.
On Reddit, one person lamented: “Well, there’s the portal gun. So much for any theories about why it wasn’t in the first four episodes.”
The Ship’s Knowledge of ‘Keep Summer Safe’ Was Another Clue
Summer had a conversation with Rick’s ship where they clearly referenced the “Keep Summer Safe” episode. This was a callback to “The Ricks Must Be Crazy” from season 2 episode 6.
Many fans are saying that this is another hint that we’re dealing with the original Rick and Morty, rather than Evil Morty’s origin, unless Evil Morty (or another alternative Morty) also had a “Keep Summer Safe” experience.
On Reddit, one person wrote: “‘Keep summer safe’ So it is the same Rick and Morty we’ve known, a lot of theories said that the big reveal at the end of the season will be that this isn’t our Smith family that we followed in the previous seasons.”
Not everyone’s ready to give up on the theory yet. One person replied: “There could still be other universes where Rick has told the car to keep summer safe.”
All these clues seem to be pointing us to the idea that we are definitely in the regular timeline and not an alternative one. Instead of seeing Evil Morty’s origins, we’re instead watching the characters evolve and change over time. Rick’s not always as powerful as he used to be, while Morty is growing more into his own. In fact, it seems like Morty might be poised to take his grandfather’s place at some point in the future.
READ NEXT: ‘Rick and Morty’ S4E4: What Did Rick See in the Cat’s Mind? [Top Theories]