Rick and Morty: New episode confirms dark fan theory about Rick’s backstory

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Rick and Morty delivered a number of huge plot developments in its latest episode, confirming a long-running fan theory.

Over the course of five seasons of the hit Adult Swim cartoon, viewers have been kept in the dark about much of Rick Sanchez’s backstory.

However, the most recent episode (“Rickternal Friendshine of the Spotless Mort”) fills in a number of blanks about Rick’s past, and includes a major revelation about the show’s other characters.

Spoilers follow for Rick and Morty season five, episode eight...

In the episode, Rick is seen journeying into Birdperson’s mind in an attempt to restore him to life.

While in his friend’s head, he meets a younger version of himself, styled as a hippy. The two Ricks then meet other versions of Rick (from the now-defunct Council of Ricks) who yell at them: “Killing us won’t bring her back.”

Later in the episode, Rick is seen talking to his long-haired counterpart, when he mentions Morty. Explaining that Morty is his “hypothetical grandson we go on adventures with”, the younger Rick responds: “You’re one of those creeps who moves in with abandoned adult Beths.”

He then says: “You live with a version of our dead daughter.”

The exact backstory of Rick’s wife, Diane Sanchez, has never been explained by the series. A scene from back in season three showed a young Rick witness his wife and young daughter be killed in an explosion. At the time, however, Rick dismissed the scene as his own fabrication.

However, this new episode seems to confirm that Rick’s original Beth did in fact die, and that Rick has since been living with an alternate version of his family – suggesting the scene featured in “The Rickshank Rickdemption” was in fact Rick’s actual memory.

In the UK, new episodes of Rick and Morty can be watched on E4.