Personally, the best kind of Rick and Morty episodes aren’t the ones that are so crazy that you continuously have to watch it to truly understand it. They aren’t the ones that parody some of pop culture’s finest and foulest the best or even that are so shocking or grotesque that you can’t get it out of your head. Rather, the best of this series comes from episodes that dig deeper into its titular characters and provides some darkly hilarious storylines that are instantly memorable. That’s exactly what’s presented in the latest episode of Rick and Morty, ‘The Vat of Acid Episode,’ and it ends up being one of the best episodes of the entire series.
As per usual, we catch up with our protagonists as they’re meeting an unknown client for a quick exchange of some different colored crystals in an acid factory. Although things should go according to plan, Rick (Justin Roiland, Solar Opposites) tells Morty (also Roiland) that if things go wrong, to jump in the same vat of acid as he does – and this is where this episode’s strange title comes into play. While Rick has everything planned out with fake acid and multiple sets of human bones creating a “full-proof” escape, Morty isn’t impressed and thinks that Rick isn’t thinking things through. Throughout the series, Morty has slowly been building confidence and even standing up against Rick’s dominant nature, and this subtle character growth all comes to a head with this episode.
First, Morty is unimpressed by Rick’s auto-park ability on their ship. Then the two are forced to jump into Rick’s vat of acid, where things don’t go as planned. In true Rick and Morty fashion, after thinking they’ve just watched two people disintegrate in a vat of acid, the space-gangsters that were ready to gun them down moments earlier now won’t just shut up and leave. This results in a hilarious sequence of Rick utilizing spare bones and blaster to keep their cover from being blown. From Rick already knowing they would test the acid with a ladle to Morty getting fed up with them just hanging around, it’s the simple and all-around hilarious start I’ve been waiting for this second half. Morty’s confidence turns into cockiness, when he tries to use reverse-psychology on Rick, which Rick refers to as Bugs Bunny logic, to have Rick make a new device straight out of a video game.
It’s an idea that I’ve heard people dream about before, mostly about living inside games like Grand Theft Auto, where Morty sets a marker in time, does an action, and then can travel back in time to that marker and it would be like the action never happened. It’s essentially like having a checkpoint in a video game but for real life. First off, the spat between Rick and Morty about creating the device is just gold, and it’s even better when Rick makes it seem like he failed at first only to have totally made the device. What follows is one of the most intriguing, hilarious, and dark sequences in the entire series and it’s absolutely masterful.
For most of the episode after this extended opening sequence, we witness Morty use this new device. How he chooses to use it exposes a new side to his character as his action cast him in a strangely unlikable light which proves somewhat intriguing. Obviously, Morty uses this for things like redeeming himself after a failed flirting attempt with Jessica (Kari Wahlgreen, Supergirl) and pantsing his math teacher Mr. Goldenfold (Brandon Johnson, A Black Lady Sketch Show). However, there are other things that Morty does that delve into the darker side of video game logic and how people act when there’s nothing to lose. The big reason that people become so invested in this concept of living in a video game is because there’s no real stakes to things. They can do some of the worst acts without any of the repercussions.
When I think back to watching people play games like GTA, they’re often running the streets with rocket launchers, jumping out of planes without parachutes to plummet to their death, or even chilling with sex workers. It always falls back onto this strange fantasy that’s on full display with Morty in control of this concept. Although he always does good things in the end, it’s also after he does something really bad – like pushing an old person down, barreling through busy streets with a drifter in the passenger seat, and even committing suicide by police shooting. In the moment, it’s really funny because Morty is so ignorant and carefree at times.
If Morty knew that he couldn’t just fix things with the quick press of a button, I doubt he would do any of these bad things in the first place. However, this sequence presents a darker side to the character that reflects his growing confidence turning into cockiness and touches on the fantasy elements of video games in a very engaging way. There are also some effective, thought-provoking moments here that delve into this concept about playing games that’s rarely seen. Personally, if you’re wondering where I land on the ongoing debate about video games creating violence – I don’t think they do. However, it is hard to ignore how impactful this sequence is and why it’s important to see a series like this reflect on such a hot topic.
Unexpectedly, the real gem of the episode comes when he meets a new girl and we watch as their relationship unfolds is surprisingly heartfelt and heartbreaking with the same breath. Without any dialogue, we get to see all of the ups and downs of their relationship. Even without knowing her name or anything that she and Morty have in common, there’s something about them coming together that’s instantly touching and all the more heartbreaking when things suddenly take a turn. Just when things look grim after a devastating plane crash that’s left both of them stranded in a frozen tundra, the real ender to Morty’s happiness is the cluelessness and pure stupidity of Jerry (Chris Parnell, 30 Rock). Yes, Jerry strikes again, and if you didn’t think that Jerry was a stupid POS before, with one press of a button he cements himself the title of being a total jackass. It’s a turn that’s both hilarious, given Jerry does not, and will never, know the unthinkable crime he’s committed, and a bit of instant karma for Morty, who was initially such a jerk with this device of his. Things get somehow even darker for Morty in the aftermath of Jerry’s unforgivable transgression, as he immediately ruins his chance at redemption and can only find solace in letting himself be mauled by gorillas.
Eventually, looking to find some sympathy for himself, he returns to Rick, who has largely been absent for the back half of this episode, and apologizes for giving him crap, suggesting he may have learned an important lesson out of all this. However, Rick quickly pulls the rug out from Morty (and the viewers at home) in a way that only he can do. All of this has been a part of his plan to knock Morty off of his high horse, and the reveal that all of Morty’s actions actually have had consequences leads to one of the most satisfyingly ironic moments I’ve ever seen. With the S.W.A.T. team, tons of angry protesters, and even the AARP ready to tear Morty limb from limb, he’s forced to jump into a vat of acid to fake his death in the way that he made fun of Rick for at the beginning of the episode. I don’t know if it’s how smug Rick is about the whole thing or how proud he is of once again proving his dominance or if it’s just how angry and annoyed Morty is for having to do this all again, but it’s the definition of coming full-circle. It’s hilarious, satisfying, and is totally in tune with the characters in a way that’s stellar as a fan.
While most episodes make Rick and Morty just come off like another adult animated show whose goals are to shock audiences and parody pop culture, episodes like this show the excellent storytelling, dark and relevant themes, and the immaculate execution that makes this series so special and unique. It’s episodes like ‘The Vat of Acid Episode’ which make you feel proud to be a fan of this show, and we’re not even at the season finale yet!
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