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[Spoiler alert: The Rick and Morty Season 4 finale.] We need to talk about that finale, Rick and Morty fans. After a season filled with short and unrelated stories, longtime viewers received a treat when the Adult Swim series reined in a few familiar faces in the final episode of season 4, titled “Star Mort Rickturn of the Jerri.” 

Phoenix Person (Dan Harmon), Tammy (Cassie Steele), and Dr. Wong (Susan Sarandon) all made brief appearances in the Rick and Morty Season 4 finale. The episode also revealed Beth (Sarah Chalke) has a clone that abandoned her family to explore the cosmos alone. Then by the end of the episode, fans were still left wondering which Beth is the real clone. But does it really matter if we know? According to Harmon, probably not.

How ‘Rick and Morty’ revealed Beth has a clone

In the Rick and Morty Season 3 episode titled “The ABC’s of Beth,” the animated series suggested Beth could have a clone. The theory was born when Rick (Justin Roiland) offered to make an exact copy of his daughter. Beth wasn’t sure whether or not she should clone herself. But the episode left her decision up in the air.

Then in the Rick and Morty Season 4 finale, fans are formally introduced to Space Beth, a rebel battling against the new Galactic Federation led by Tammy. At the start of the episode, Space Beth discovered an explosive device planted in her neck by Rick. She then returned to earth to kill him.

When Space Beth and Home Beth met in “Star Mort Rickturn of the Jerri,” fans quickly realized Rick lied, claiming they were both real. But apparently, not even Rick knew which Beth was real and which Beth was the clone. He mind-blew his memory of the day he cloned his daughter. 

In the end, Beth and the rest of the family didn’t want to differentiate between the two Beths. So everyone left Rick to uncover the truth on his own. Then when recovering the memory, Rick found out Beth previously asked him to make the choice. 

Nevertheless, Rick made a cowardly non-choice. He drugged Beth, cloned her, and didn’t even look when he mixed up his daughters. And ultimately, he didn’t find out which Beth was the real deal. 

Rick, realizing he made a terrible parenting mistake, sat down in the garage alone. “Holy sh*t. I’m a terrible father,” he said, ashamed.

Which Beth is real and which Beth is a clone on ‘Rick and Morty’?

Following the Rick and Morty Season 4 finale, fans weren’t sure which Beth was real vs the clone. Sure, the episode showed the two getting mixed up. But the clip continued playing offscreen, jumping back to present-day Rick. So we don’t know where the two Beths ended up. 

Nevertheless, it’s clear the answer doesn’t matter. During the “Inside the Episode” special for the Rick and Morty Season 4 finale, Harmon and write Anne Lane explained the situation. But what matters is there are two Beths now and Rick was the cause of it.

Co-creators Dan Harmon (L) and Justin Roiland at the "Rick and Morty" L.A. Press Junket on July 17, 2017 in Los Angeles, California.
‘Rick and Morty’ creators Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland | Charley Gallay/Getty Images for TBS
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“Yeah, absolutely. You get no answers. Hopefully, that’s not a dissatisfying thing because the answer is one or the other,” Harmon said. “Isn’t the more important fact that they both exist and the reason they both exist? 

Meanwhile, Lane revealed why neither Space Beth nor Home Beth needed to find out the truth. 

“The core of it is finding Beth some solace with that,” Lane said. “And I think the only solace she can find is… there’s none. And being OK with that.”

With two Beths and Rick looking more like Jerry (Chris Parnell) with every passing day, we’re curious to see how Rick and Morty Season 5 will go. So stay tuned.

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