‘Rick and Morty: Season 6’ Introduces Prime Rick and His Connection to Morty – a Full Breakdown

Rick tells Morty the truth in the premiere episode of 'Rick and Morty' Season 6. As the two characters return from the fallen Citadel, Prime Rick arrives and will likely be the season's villain.

by Gabriela Silva

Published on September 7, 2022

3 min read

Rick was on the hunt to find the man who killed his family

The entire series was secretly based on Rick’s long and dark history beyond the cooky and dangerous adventures with his grandson. Fans knew that Rick C-137 was an ordinary, happy, and kind scientist whose life changed when another Rick killed his wife and daughter with a bomb. Grief-stricken, it led to him creating the portal gun and fluid to travel across dimensions to find the killer.

In “Rickmurai Jack,” Morty learns the truth about his grandfather when they visit the Citadel and learn of Evil Morty’s grand plan. Rick killed countless versions of himself across the universe. The remaining Ricks created the Citadel with Rick C-137 in hopes of staying alive. Fans know Rick C-137 knew which Rick killed his family but was never able to find him. Fans even theorized Evil Morty was behind it.

Rick and Morty Season 6 did the unimaginable and introduced the allusive Prime Rick and how he is connected to Rick C-137’s Morty.

Prime Rick and Morty are both from Cronenberg in ‘Rick and Morty’ Season 6

At the beginning of the series, Rick and Morty messed up and turned their planet into a monster-infested world known as Cronenberg. That dimension/reality significantly affects how Prime Rick is connected to Morty. In Rick and Morty Season 6, “Solaricks,” the two characters return from the fallen Citadel, thanks to Clone Beth. Rick realizes he needs to reset the portal fluid. Instead of resetting the time traveling fluid, he resets time travelers. Because of this, Rick, Morty, and Jerry return to their original realities.

Rick goes to save Morty from Cronenberg and reveals a vast truth bomb. He asks Morty if he has seen another Rick with cropped hair and a sci-fi-style jacket. The moment fans have waited for arrives. He reveals that he is not Morty’s original Rick. Instead, Morty’s original Rick left and is, in fact, Prime Rick. Rick and Morty Season 6 reveals that Rick C-137 ventured to specifically find Prime Rick’s Morty to implement himself into the Smith family in hopes of Prime Rick one day returning.

But because Rick C-137 sent all time travelers back to their original timelines, Prime Rick is now a major threat. At the end of the episode, Rick tells his grandson that Prime Rick is the real deal and does not care for anyone.

‘Rick and Morty’ Season 6 creators say Prime Rick was there all along

In reality, fans were tricked from the get-go. No one would have imagined that the Rick fans watched for five seasons was not the ultimate and number one Rick. Many assumed Rick C-137 arrived at Cronenberg to look for another family to replace his deceased one.

But Rick and Morty Season 6 showrunner, Scott Marder, explains Prime Rick was there from the start. According to Deadline, “Rick Prime is a really incredible thing. He’s the genesis of Rick’s story. Because of the events of 510, 601 unearths a guy who has been out there all along.” The shocking reveal of the season premiere also unearthed an even more emotional truth.

For a long time, fans have seen Beth and Rick’s broken relationship. All under the idea that Rick abandoned his daughter. In reality, that was Prime Rick, and Rick C-137 stepped up and took over as a father for Beth.