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They're bureaucrats Morty! I don't respect them!
— Rick, Pilot

Gromflomites are recurring antagonists of Rick and Morty. They are a species of insectoid aliens originating from Gromflom Prime. They were the leading species of the Galactic Federation until its eventual collapse.

History and culture[]

The history of the species is largely unknown, but they appear to have established or otherwise obtained control of the Galactic Federation at some point. Gromflomites are shown to comprise the entire upper echelon of the Galactic Federal government, as well as most of their military, the latter referred to as the Galactic Militia. At least one Gromflomite, Krombopulos Michael, has taken on jobs that sometimes require action against the Federation, including the killing of Federation-aligned Gromflomite guards, suggesting that the species as a whole may not be loyal to the Federation. The majority of Gromflomites depicted on the show happen to be soldiers, but they are otherwise not implied to be a wholly militaristic society, with civilian Gromflomites making some appearances.

Appearance[]

The Gromflomites are insectoid creatures, sporting many features similar to common flies and praying mantises. Their bodies are a dull green color, darker in some places and lighter in others and covered in small bumps or hairs. Their midsections are conical in shape, being larger around the head and smaller around the legs. The Gromflomites' heads are typically much smaller than their upper bodies, with large, red compound-eyes and two small antennae sticking out the top, with mouths consisting of sagging vertical lips. Gromflomites do not seem to blink, but their eyes still feature a pair of eyelids used to display emotions and can visibly perspirate in stressful situations. The color of their blood is dark blue.

Gromflomites have two thin arms which get thicker and gain edges starting at the elbows, ending in a variable amount of articulated pincers used as fingers. There are four udder-like appendages sticking out of their chests and two more from their groins. We know that at least the groin ones serves as shell glands or gonads.[1] They are capable of asexual reproduction[2] however still often seem to form human-like family units, with many Gromflomites mentioning significant others or multiple parents. The Gromflomites' legs are thin and triple-jointed, with each ending in a foot with two large claws in front and a much shorter one sticking out of the ankle.

Micheal

Humanoid Gromflomite (Krombopulos Michael)

Despite these universal features, Gromflomites still display a wide anatomical variety between certain populations, with at least two distinct castes or subspecies similar to the division between soldiers and workers seen in many species of ants, bees, and other eusocial insects. The reason for these variations are that some Gromflomites are of a higher rank, perhaps commanders [citation needed]. "Soldier" Gromflomites have a bulky, heavily hunchbacked build and are capable of flight, with two clear, round wings sprouting from their back behind a pair of taloned antennae. Soldiers also have a pair of claw-like mandibles on their mouths, however seem to generally have fewer pincers on their hands. "Civilian" Gromflomites, such as Krombopulos Michael and Cornvelious Daniel, have a much lither, almost humanoid frame with an elongated neck and a thin waist and three-pincered hands. These Gromflomites are always seen wearing clothing, unlike their more commonly-seen variants, who usually engage in the nude but have sometimes donned face-obscuring battle armor.

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Soldier Gromflomite

As the names suggest, soldier and civilian Gromflomites generally display wildly different careers, with soldiers almost exclusively seen acting as the jackbooted canon fodder of the Federation, while civilians fulfill a variety of industrial, political, and media-related roles. Despite this, the two seem nonetheless comparable in both societal sophistication and fighting capability: Soldiers display human-like levels of intelligence and individuality alongside often forming close familial and social interrelations outside of their military lives, while civilian Gromflomites have at certain points been seen assisting soldiers in military and police actions and at least one "civilian", Krombopulos Michael, managed to eliminate several soldier Gromflomites by using his stealthier, humanoid build to his advantage. Additionally the office of the Galactic Federation President was seen to include a humanoid Gromflomite military figure, presumably a general of some sort, with a much taller and heavier frame, a thicker neck, and a pair of soldier-like mandibles, suggesting the possibility of other subtypes or of inter-caste mixing.

When aroused, Gromflomites lips turn pincer-like, and pincers start arising from their body. They also secrete a special kind of grease from their elbows that is capable of getting rid of tough stains on clothing.

Trivia[]

  • The name "Gromflomite" bears some similarity to the binomial name for the Madagascar Hissing Cockroach, Gromphadorhina portentosa.[3]
  • They share some similarities with the Irkens from the animated series Invader Zim. Both are imperialistic, insectoid races capable of interstellar travel.
  • "Gloopr" is the Gromflomite version of the dating app "Tinder", mentioned on the Galactic Federation website.
  • Tammy Guterman claims that her Gromflomite allies are "half her age" due to Rick having killed the more experienced ones; if Tammy is seventeen as she claims, this would suggest the species matures quickly.

Appearances[]

Season 1[]

Season 2[]

Season 3[]

Season 4[]

Season 5[]

Season 7[]

Other Media[]

Gallery[]

References

  1. From GROMFLOMITE 2 Fedconnect account
  2. From GROMFLOMITE 2 Fedconnect post
  3. Madagascar hissing cockroach on Wikipedia.
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