Rick and Morty Officially Die…So What Next?

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When Thor first appeared in Marvel Comics, there was a strange story featuring Dr. Donald Blake. Up until this point – and even continuing afterward – Blake was portrayed as a doctor with an intelligence surpassing anyone else on Earth.

You might be wondering how Doctor Donald Blake, a medical doctor, could create an android more intelligent than himself. And honestly, the answer is, we don’t know! It’s illogical, but it’s what happened.

I was just thinking about a really strange old comic book story (illustrated by Joe Sinnott!), and it made me realize how difficult it is to write convincingly about super-intelligent characters. Comic book writers are often very smart themselves, but they aren’t necessarily *supergeniuses, so it’s a tough challenge!

The core idea behind Rick and Morty: The End #5 is that a group of characters attempt to strategize against Rick Sanchez, but the outcome is surprisingly deadly.

Issue #5 of Rick and Morty: The End continues the story begun in Rick and Morty Versus the Universe. Written by Daniel Kibblesmith with art by Jarrett Williams, colors by Allessandro Santoro, and lettering by Crank!, this installment sees the multiverse uniting against Rick Sanchez after his actions led to the destruction of a universe. The new Vindicators, having been quickly defeated by Rick initially, have regrouped and finally corner him.

Looking back, it’s amazing to think that whole crazy situation was just Rick trying to get inside the head of a juror at his trial! And that’s actually what leads us to what’s happening in this particular comic book issue.

How does Daniel Kibblesmith use the plot to do some nice character work with the supporting cast?

The people on the jury are all actors who played supporting roles in the show – some were major characters like Rick’s therapist and the President, while others had smaller parts.

When the judge demands they determine which one of them is currently inhabiting Rick’s body or face dire consequences, the President attempts to lead the effort, but his harshness alienates the others. Quiet Gene unexpectedly steps up and is appointed foreman. Gearhead proposes a plan: since Rick consistently forgets his own name – the ridiculous ‘Revolio Clockberg, Jr.’ – they should all try saying it at the same time. The problem is, none of them actually know what it is.

Honestly, Jarrett Williams is killing it with the characters in this series. A lot of this issue is just them talking – basically a big argument – but he manages to make it feel dynamic, almost like an action scene! And it’s awesome because these characters are so key to the story, so seeing him get their personalities and emotions right, even with some really wacky-looking faces, is a huge win. He really nails their expressions, which is tough!

Honestly, the best part of this is watching everyone try to figure out who Rick has taken over! They’re all coming up with these elaborate plans, which is hilarious. But deep down, they know they can’t really outsmart Rick, and the writer, Kibblesmith, handles that whole realization in a really clever and satisfying way. It creates a surprisingly compelling conflict!

What is the dilemma that Kibblesmith solves?

Essentially, the situation boils down to this: the jury simply isn’t capable of being more intelligent than Rick Sanchez, and it’s unreasonable to expect them to be.

Gene, Rick and Morty’s ordinary neighbor, proposes a drastic solution to their body-switching problem. Since they can’t determine who is actually Rick, he suggests they both deliberately lose the competition. The judge, as a result, would execute everyone involved, including whoever is currently hosting Rick’s consciousness.

The idea is surprisingly simple, but Kibblesmith skillfully demonstrates how effective it is. You don’t need a complicated plan – just trap the super-genius. Given that the room is full of superheroes, you’d expect someone to be willing to make a sacrifice. However, the situation is more complex than that. I particularly liked the President’s point: he could have achieved this outcome at any time by having Rick commit suicide, essentially a murder-suicide.

The discussion about whether the plan was a good idea highlighted a key point about Rick Sanchez: he’s impossible to predict. Morty points out that Rick essentially operates with two strategies: either incredibly complex plans that are beyond comprehension, or no plan at all. And when there’s no plan, it’s equally impossible to figure out what he’s doing, simply because there is no plan to understand.

Ultimately, Morty trusts his grandfather and believes he wouldn’t let everyone die to stop him. This leads Rick to reveal himself and use concealed weapons – which he controls while disguised as someone else – to threaten his way out of the courtroom.

Okay, so things took a really dark turn. Rick was about to do something, but Morty jumped in front of him, saying anyone who wanted to get to Rick would have to go through him first. But Rick’s gun-hands are super unstable, and… well, he accidentally shot Morty. It was awful. Rick was completely broken up about it and, tragically, ended his own life. The comic just… ended with both Rick and Morty officially gone. It was a shock, honestly.

I can’t wait until next issue to see what comes AFTER that!

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2026-05-11 14:16