like Rick and Morty Marks the franchise’s tenth anniversary, fans of one incredibly obscure fan theory have just been vindicated. Slowly revealing its lore season by season, Rick and Morty has always been ripe for fan speculation, with the characters’ true identities and backstories always in question, thanks to an entire multiverse of Ricks and Mortis, all with their own agendas. However, one fan theory runs through the entire franchise, from its first episode until now.
for years, Rick and Morty Fans have speculated that Rick is somehow messing with time to keep the Smith family at the same age. The show packed a site of adventures in his run, and yet throughout the entire story Morty remained 14 years old. Since there have been wars, planetary invasions, prison stints, and cross-universe moves, some fans have pointed out that the Smiths staying the same age is suspicious, and it makes sense that Rick has frozen the family in time at the times when they are most useful to him.
This is essentially confirmed in Rick and Morty: 10th Anniversary Special #1By Alex Leader, Fred C. Stressing, Dean Rankine, Alessandro Santoro and Sick! In this issue, Rick reflects on a ten-year-old insult by Jerry and decides to move into a retirement home. As Jerry and Beth argue about Jerry demanding Rick leave the house a decade ago, Jerry suddenly realizes that Morty was 14 back then, just like he is today, asking:
He was 14 then! Did your father do that too? Did your dad freeze us all at the same age?!
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Rick has frozen the Smith family in time
The fan theory explains why Morty doesn’t age
The fan theory explains why Morty has remained 14 through so many events, with the logic being that Rick is keeping him at the prime age where he’s willing to follow him around as his teenage sidekick (and block his genius brainwaves from detection.) It has many Make it clear that Rick absolutely has the technology to pull this off. When Rick and Morty revisit Rick’s original reality in season 6, episode 1’s ‘Solaricks’, it is revealed that Rick set a given day to repeat, and that everyone on Earth has relived the same 24 hours over and over again. Of course, in this case, the people still age at a normal rate, but it makes sense that he would show a little more care when it comes to his family.
This theory is strengthened by the theory (also essentially confirmed as fact) that Rick knows he’s on a TV show. Rick has referred to being a TV character several times on Rick and MortyOften breaking the fourth wall to address the audience, but this was clearly confirmed in the comics. Rick and Morty #57 See Rick visit a world where his and Morty’s adventures are a successful TV franchise, and he reveals that this is the case in many dimensions. Rick still believes himself to be ‘real’ but knows he is being watched by fans in other realities, perhaps explaining why he would strive to create a consistent ‘sitcom’ timeline where nothing ever changes.
Rick and Morty: 10th Anniversary Special #1 Jerry seemingly realizes Rick’s terrifying actions when Rick decides to retire and releases his grip on the family, but the comic ends with a return to status quoAs Rick resolves to pursue even more adventures, proclaiming, “Infinity Years, Rick and Morty!” Oh, if that Rick and Morty Fan theory is really true, then the statement may end up being literally true.
Rick and Morty: 10th Anniversary Special is available now from Oni Press.
Rick and Morty is an animated adventure/sci-fi series that follows the intergalactic, inter-dimensional adventures of the super-genius Rick Sanchez and his less-than-average grandson Morty Smith. Rick’s daughter, Beth, his granddaughter, Summer, and his hated stepson, Jerry, also take center stage more often than not. From creators Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon, the series blends comedy with science fiction as a way to explore a wide variety of topics aimed at a mature audience.