The season 5 finale of Rick & Morty completely reshaped the series, but many viewers may have missed out on the show reaffirming this season’s themes through the brief post-credits stinger. Rick & Morty began life in 2013 as a bawdy, blackly comic spoof of sci-fi and sitcom conventions. Since then, however, the pop culture juggernaut has become a hugely popular and, at times, surprisingly sincere and thoughtful meta-comedy – showcased by the hugely emotional season 5 climax.
Until season 4, Rick & Morty relied on a mostly episodic formula. Many episodes of the show ended with character development being mostly forgotten or undone to maintain the status quo of Rick & Morty, and some fans felt characters were growing stale as a result. The Rick & Morty season 4 finale challenged this and season 5 promised a major shift in terms of tone and story for the series, something it more than delivered in the explosive finale.
The action of the finale was fast-paced, dramatic, and surprisingly sincere, explaining Rick’s heartless apathy, a tragic relation about the real relationship between Ricks and Mortys, and a shocking coda that left the future of both title characters unclear. However, odd as it may sound, it was the post-credits stinger of the episode that encapsulated the meaning of the entire season, with a seldom-seen supporting character going deep and guiding viewers through the season’s metaphorical import. Rick & Morty’s post-credits stingers tend to be silly one-off gags, but this one (like the preceding episode) was different. As Mr. Poopybutthole waxed lyrical about the state of his life in the surprisingly maudlin stinger, it became clear that he was talking about more than his own existence and tacitly summarizing the themes of the entire preceding season.
Mr. Poopybutthole’s Stinger Monologue Explained
As he flicks off the TV having watched the finale, Mr. Poopybutthole begins reflecting on his own life since viewers last saw him. Things have not gone well for the character, who viewers previously encountered looking back on his many fond memories and enjoying his happy ending in the atypically sweet, brief action of Rick & Morty’s secret Thanksgiving special. However, by the end of season 5, Mr. Poopybutthole is seemingly unemployed, alone, and afraid of opening up to others. What’s worse is he blames himself for the predicament he feels trapped in and, after witnessing Evil Morty’s storyline, Mr. Poopybutthole says that the finale’s action “makes me wonder if there’s an evil me out there,” before adding “but I guess sometimes I look at my life and I may not even need them.” This realization— that he is his own worst enemy, and sabotages his own chances at happiness — recurs throughout Rick & Morty season 5’s action, affecting both titular characters in equal measure.
Mr. Poopybutthole’s Monologue Reflects Rick’s Journey
One of the darker lines in Mr. Poopybutthole’s monologue is the comment “ever think of how horrified the people we love would be if they knew who we truly are?”, a grim line that explains Rick’s lies to Beth throughout the series. The question, posed by Mr. Poopybutthole to the audience, defines Rick’s journey in season 5 wherein viewers discover that he sought out his daughter’s family in search of someone who he could trick into liking him, he attempted to regain his oldest friend Birdperson through deceit and duplicitousness, and he believes (as seen in the finale) that he can only be tolerated, let alone liked or loved, by people he deceives.
These revelations are clarified in "Rickternal Friendshine of the Spotless Mort” (season 5, episode 8) and the finale. However, they are also present throughout the season, from Mr. Nimbus calling out Rick’s self-importance in the premiere to the Cenobite-parodying demons of “Amortycan Grickfitti” laughing at Rick’s willingness to sell out his own son-in-law for a modicum of acceptance. Mr. Poopybutthole's heartbreaking monologue not only brings these themes to the fore, but also provides a tragic explanation.
Mr. Poopybutthole’s Advice Is Reflected In Morty’s Growth
Mr. Poopybutthole’s line about how he felt a growing distance between himself and Amy because “I wanted her to love who she thought I was, not who I felt myself becoming” is another choice quote from the monologue that defines Morty’s romantic subplots throughout season 5. While Rick’s character flaws were dwelt on in detail this season, Morty in turn was revealed to be a character of more depth and security than viewers may previously have given the teen credit for. Not only did he grow by accepting that he and Jessica simply met at the wrong time and weren’t meant to be, but he also grew out of his relationship with Planetina because of hating the person he was when with her, thus avoiding the sort of grim cynicism his grandfather developed over the years.
Rick’s Character Arc Questions Mr. Poopybutthole’s Conclusion
Ultimately, the big reveal of season 5’s finale was that an errant Rick did indeed kill the wife and child of Rick-137 (the Rick viewers know and love) years earlier (“so you can all stop talking about it,” as the character sardonically says after the reveal). This led to his cynicism, his hopeless apathy, his amoral attitude, and a decades-long intergalactic vengeance quest that went nowhere. However, the fact that Rick chose to avenge their deaths, rather than attempting to avoid them (using his oft-seen genius) calls into question whether the character would ever take Mr. Poopybutthole’s advice.
Admittedly, in meta terms, Rick & Morty’s avoidance of time travel stories explains why Rick spent his time trying to kill the Rick responsible for the death of his wife and child, instead of trying to undo their deaths in the first place. However, in terms of character, the viewer is left to wonder whether Rick-137 would have spend more time with his loved ones while he still could if given the chance, or if his outlook on life was what doomed him to this pointless cycle of death and destruction even before their tragic death. It is an impossible question for viewers to answer, as the only Rick fans have ever known is the uncaring, broken Rick-137. However, the question posed by the stinger is still a valid one, and it will be exciting to see whether Rick & Morty’s antihero will attempt a more proactive approach to his tragic backstory than a continued quest for revenge.