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Rick and Morty fans are accustomed to waiting a long time in-between seasons, but they’re always rewarded for their patience. The show’s next season is heavily anticipated, and the creators of the show have promised that at least one beloved character will make a return.

While Rick and Morty doesn’t often bring characters back, this one has an open-ended plotline that fans will no doubt want to see paid off. So which character is it and why is it significant that they’re going to reappear? 

'Rick and Morty' creators Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon answer questions
Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon answer questions about Rick and Morty | Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

‘Rick and Morty’ has become a surprise hit

According to IMDb, Rick and Morty debuted in 2013. The show has aired 41 episodes. Created by Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland, it follows the adventures of brilliant but alcoholic scientist Rick Sanchez and his grandson, Morty.

Rick lives with his daughter Beth and her husband Jerry, as well as Morty and their teenage daughter Summer. Rick’s genius extends to almost God-like levels, as his scientific aptitude gives him the ability to build any machine or travel anywhere in the universe. He and Morty often go on quests throughout space to far-off worlds. 

Nearly every episode includes some kind of hilarious side character, some of which are one-offs, others that end up returning (though this is a rare occurrence). For example, an early-season episode featured the debut of a character called BirdPerson. He was half-man, half-bird, and was a great friend to Rick. Later in the series, he returns in an important subplot. 

One character who recently appeared who may be ready for a comeback? A character known as “Space Beth.” 

Who is Space Beth?

If there’s one thing Rick and Morty likes to do as a show, it’s to take overused cliches from sci-fi genre films and exploit them for comic effect. In doing so, they turn these cliches on their head and show just how ridiculous they are.

One example of this came in season four. According to ScreenRant, there was a season four episode in which Rick clones his daughter, Beth, and intentionally forgets which one is which.

One Beth stays home, the other is free to go anywhere she wants. In the season four season finale, “Space Beth” returns from her adventures as a space-traveling daredevil. She initially plans on killing Rick along with “Earth Beth,” but ends up helping Rick instead. The character was a big hit with fans.

The creators of ‘Rick and Morty’ confirm a return

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While the creative team behind Rick and Morty tend not to revive characters or plot lines, they’re making an exception in the case of Space Beth.

That’s because it appears as though they’re bringing back this fan-favorite character. In an interview with Digital Spy, Harmon said fans can expect her to come back for season five: 

“There’s pretty groovy things coming regarding Beth… Space Beth was not a one-off character…That’s a thing that could have been the case.”

The question remains whether Space Beth will return as a force for good or evil. There’s also the issue of which Beth is the “real” Beth. Harmon noted in the interview that the debate over which Beth is which misses the real point of the subplot: 

“She’s Schrodinger’s Beth right now. The fact she may or may not be a clone is actually the important thing…It’s the profound revelation about Rick’s commitment to non-commitment and how abusive that can be as a parent.”

One of the show’s most compelling ongoing storylines centers on Rick’s relationship with his daughter. She has a fear of abandonment, and he has a fear of commitment.

Along with being a hilarious character, Space Beth also forces Rick to confront his own flaws in a very real way. It’s yet another example of Rick and Morty toeing the line between irreverence and exploring its characters’ humanity. 

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