Fans of Rick And Morty are currently anticipating its fourth season, with the existential animated comedy becoming more culturally significant since its debut on Adult Swim. The adult comedy features the crazy adventures of alcoholic genius Rick Sanchez and his anxious grandson Morty as they travel through space and extra-dimensional portals, often with dire consequences.
Rick’s adventures with Morty and granddaughter Summer provides a funny and clever example of the complicated relationships forged within families and the impact it has on individuals, but which of Rick’s grandkids shares the most personality traits with the Sanchez patriarch?
Summer: Unfazed By Dire Consequences
In season three’s “Morty’s Mind Blowers,” Summer demonstrates a very Rick-like nonchalance in the face of fatality. Despite entering the room to find her brother and grandfather aiming guns at their heads, Summer responds coolly with a contingency plan, letting the audience know that this isn’t the first time this has happened.
Summer solves the entire situation by following Rick’s previously written-down instructions, wiping the memories of the event from Rick and Morty’s minds before placing them in the living room as if nothing had happened. Her efforts are unappreciated by the duo, to her chagrin.
Morty: Selfish Actions Destroy The World
Rick And Morty aren’t afraid to up the stakes and get serious. In the sixth episode of season one “Rick Potion #9,” Morty asks Rick to concoct a love potion that will force his crush Jessica to fall in love with him. Despite the mad scientist arguing against it, Morty’s insistence eventually leads to Rick making the potion for him - as well as the destruction of the earth.
Due to Jessica having the flu, the potion spreads and causes the world’s population to mutate into Kronenberg monsters. In a further move of ill-morals, Rick and Morty abandon their home - as well as Jerry, Beth and Summer - to resume their lives in an untouched alternate reality.
Summer: Call To The Wild
Summer handles the divorce of her parents a little unorthodoxly in season three’s “Rickmancing the Stone.” After a frosty farewell to Jerry, she accompanies Rick and Morty on an adventure to an alternate post-apocalyptic, Mad Max-like dimension.
Summer adapts to the crazy and dangerous lifestyle with an ease that is undoubtedly inherited from Rick, renouncing her home at and entering into a parody marriage that encourages her to eventually make peace with her parents.
Morty: Shooting Rick
Rick’s harsh treatment of Morty has had consequences. During the opening episode of season three “The Rickshank Rickdemption,” Summer and Morty are captured by the Council of Ricks and Morty has to choose between his grandfather and his sister. Pushed to a breakdown by Rick’s taunts, Morty shoots his grandfather in the head.
Luckily this is revealed to have been Rick’s plan, as per the instructions taped to the side of the gun. Morty’s scared laughs as he pretends to have seen the note beforehand is a comically dark insight into how much like Rick that Morty can be.
Summer: Rebelling Against The Government
In the same episode, it is Summer who is fiercely at her grandfather’s defense and attempts to rescue him from prison. She displays a rebellious disregard for the Galactic Federation which has taken over her planet, defying them with a move Rick would be proud of as she and Morty flee their reality.
This episode is also an eye-opener for Summer’s character as Morty shows her his original reality which has been overrun with Kronenburg monsters. Summer’s encounter with her parallel counterpart is a revelation that still doesn’t sway her loyalty.
Morty: Participating In The Purge
Morty is depicted as a clueless but harmless teenage boy with little of Rick’s sociopathic disregard for other lives. However, in season two’s “Look Who’s Purging Now,” Morty unleashes a concealed dark side after he kills an old man and participates in the planet’s annual purge.
This episode showcases a side to Morty that arguably surpasses his grandfather. Rick and Summer are depicted as having a more passive, self-centered approach to social interaction, whereas Morty’s years of suppressed rage bubble over into active sadism.
Summer: Putting Down Jerry
Despite Jerry being her father, Summer has shown as much distaste towards him as Rick has on multiple occasions. None of the family - except Morty - are depicted as having much respect for Jerry, something reinforced by his frequent acts of cowardice.
Summer has some touching moments with her father, but ultimately Morty maintains the best relationship with Jerry. Summer, like Rick and Beth, seems to have little patience for the bumbling character.
Morty: Evil Morty
If the Morty who fans have been following throughout the seasons is not capable of Rick-like levels of evil, then another Morty from an alternate reality is. The audience was introduced to Evil Morty in season one’s “Close Rick-counters of the Rick Kind” and was featured more heavily in season three’s “Tales From the Citadel,” where his character becomes the first Morty to be democratically elected President of the Citadel of Ricks and Mortys.
Evil Morty has displayed a cruel and ruthless attitude, as well as Rick-level intellect and a complete disregard for other lives. Rick comments on his efficiency hiding his presence from the Council, much to regular Morty’s disgust.
Summer: Looking Out For Number One
Summer is depicted as being a tenacious but typical teenage girl who always puts herself first. In"Ricksy Business," her treatment of her friend Nancy shows how she is willing to disregard other people for her agenda, something Rick has displayed many times throughout the seasons.
This ultimately leads to Summer’s detriment, as she is called out for her behavior by Nancy and Squanchy after they depart for the next party and leave her to clean up the mess.
Morty: Confident Morty
In the sixth episode of season three titled “Rest and Ricklaxation,” Rick and Morty undergo a spa treatment that strips all of the negative aspects of their personalities. Rick is quick to discover this and prompts Morty to reabsorb all of his flaws, but an overly confident Morty flees with an exuberant disregard for the consequences.
This version of Morty, unplagued by worry, shares many similarities with his grandfather if only temporarily.
