Liam Hoofe reviews the latest episode of Rick and Morty ‘Rickmancing The Stone’…
After what feels like a lifetime, Rick and Morty are back, properly this time. Ever since the surprise arrival of Rick and Morty Season 3 Episode 1 back in April, fans have been waiting for the latest bunch of episodes to drop, and last night the wait was finally over with the arrival of ‘Rickmancing the Stone.’
Focusing, surprisingly, on the divorce of Jerry and Beth, Rickmancing the Stone was a perfect introduction to the third season. A Mad Max-themed episode that explored the effect that the divorce has had on not only Summer and Morty but also on Rick, Rickmancing the Stone was a gentle easing back into the show that delivered plenty of laughs and a lot of character development. Parodies of popular culture have always been a strong point for Harmon, who did the same with several episodes of Community, and ‘Rickmancing the Stone’ is yet another fine example of that ability, with the episode not only clearly being influenced by Mad Max but also taking shots at several other things, including Game of Thrones.
Set straight after the events of The Rickshank Redemption, Rick, exploiting his grandchildren’s confusion, takes them on an adventure into a post apocalyptic wasteland where he just so happens to find a powerful crystal that is being worshipped by the dimension’s inhabitants. Rick, being Rick, decides he needs to steal it, so he uses his grandchildren as a distraction.
What he doesn’t count on, though, is Summer, being bitter about her parent’s divorce, deciding she is better off in that dimension and falling in ‘love’ with a tribe leader called Haemorrhage, voiced by Community star Joel McHale. Summer, refreshingly, is the focal point of this episode and her newly found rebellious streak following the divorce of her parents will no doubt serve a bigger purpose throughout the season.
The episode is packed full of awesome gags too, from Morty’s sentient arm to Rick using robotic versions of Morty and Summer in an attempt foil Beth back on Earth. The episode’s real strength, however, lay in its emotional resonance and the character development following the divorce. While the metaphors were arguably a little heavy handed, seeing the two children deal with their problems in different ways really brought a lot to the table, while Rick’s struggles were arguably the most intriguing.
Rick’s nihilism has often been over ridden by his love for his family and this was explored even further in this episode. One scene, in particular, where Rick decided to save Summer despite telling Morty that there were infinite versions of her was particularly nice and the moment later in the show where he admitted that he had been struggling was also executed well.
The show saved its sweetest moment for the end though, with Jerry and Summer reuniting at a motel. It was a tender moment that should really feel out of place in a show that features sentient, revenge seeking limbs and crazed lunatics scouring the land for gasoline but that’s the beauty of Rick and Morty, it merges all of these factors effortlessly. Rick promised that this year would be the darkest yet, and I’ve no doubt about that. The show has really begun padding out its characters emotionally and the payoff will likely be a stinger.
Rickmacing The Stone is a fine example of what Rick and Morty is capable of. The episode succeeds in working perfectly well on its own and also progressing the bigger narrative of the show and its characters. Season 3 has gotten off to a bang with its first two episodes so it’s time to buckle up, crack out that Schezwan sauce, and see what else the season has to offer. Roll on next Sunday. Wubalubadubdub!
SEE ALSO: Why Rick and Morty is the best animated series ever
What did you think of the newest episode of Rick and Morty? Let us know in the comments below, and let Liam know on Twitter @liamhoofe
Originally published July 31, 2017. Updated April 16, 2018.
