Jessica is a student at Harry Herpson High School. She is a popular girl in Morty's math class who he desires to be with romantically and often has surreal daydreams about, almost exclusively sexual in nature. Much to Morty's dismay she is already in a relationship with Brad, whom she frequently experiences difficulties with.
Biography
Morty has an obvious crush on her, but Jessica doesn't acknowledge Morty frequently, and while they aren't "friends" per se, Jessica is genuinely nice to Morty and seems not to mind his company, even going with him to the school dance in "Big Trouble In Little Sanchez". So far, she has only spoken to him directly three times. In the Pilot, when Rick and Morty escape from Intergalactic Customs, the duo crash into her table. Morty and her have a brief exchange before Rick rips him away. In "M. Night Shaym-Aliens!", a simulated, holographic projection of Jessica attempts to seduce Morty in exchange for the recipe for concentrated dark matter. In "Big Trouble In Little Sanchez", Jessica questions Morty on his relation to the now younger Rick, the two are later seen slow dancing together at the school dance. Jessica also has a few minor mentions in "Mortynight Run", once as a [foot related] thought read from Morty's mind, and a second time as a phase of a shapeshifting flower in the musical number "Goodbye Moonmen".
Jessica plays a fairly significant role in the episode "Rick Potion #9". Morty uses a "love potion" concocted by Rick to attempt to make Jessica fall in love with him. The potion succeeds, however the strand of the Flu Virus that Jessica carries infects the school, and eventually the world. This version of Jessica is last seen in mutated "Cronenberg" form before Rick and Morty flee to replacement dimension, almost identical to Earth Dimension C-137.
Morty and Jessica's longest time spent in conversation is seen in "Ricksy Business" immediately after Jessica is seen irritated by Brad's actions. Morty comforts her, then proceeds to take her on a tour of Rick's garage. He begins to tell of his adventures when they are interrupted by Squanchy. Jessica is seen leaving with Brad to attend the after party together.
In the post-ending credits epilogue for the episode "The Ricks Must Be Crazy", Jessica made a non-speaking cameo in Mr. Goldenfold's class, looking back in shock when Morty transformed into a car.
In the the third season episode "The Whirly Dirly Conspiracy", he insists that any future daughters he has will be attractive because Jessica will be their mother, proving once again his hopeless crush on her.
Jessica gets a major role in "Rest and Ricklaxation." She breaks up with Brad and Morty wants to use this opportunity to ask her out; however, due to his insecurities, he almost completely blows it. He is saved when Rick interrupts and drags Morty into an exhausting adventure which causes both to decide to take a break. As a result, Morty is detoxicated on a vacation afterwards, which removes his insecurities. Afterwards Morty finally asks Jessica for a date, but it doesn't end well as she eventually leaves saying that it's not going to work out and that "he'd get bored with her," though thanks to Morty's new attitude he is unfazed by the matter. Jessica later helps Rick to track down Morty so Rick can inject Morty with his toxins. She tries to deny that she did this to get Morty back saying that she only did it for Rick's sake which ends up causing Rick insult her, driving them to fight over who really wanted the old Morty back. Jessica is later seen talking with her friends. She goes out to dinner with Brad but it is left ambiguous whether they are getting back together. It is also hinted that she started to care for Morty as she tells him that it's good to have him back.
Appearance
Jessica is an attractive teenage girl with orange hair, standing half a head taller than Morty. She wears a light blue/green headband, a short sleeved magenta buttoned polo shirt, and a purple skirt, revealing her legs.
Personality
Jessica hasn't expressed much of a personality, given that she had such little screen time. Her part in the series thus far has been as Morty's love interest; however, she has expressed some level of depth. Her most exposing time on screen is in "Ricksy Business," where she has a brief interlude from the party alone with Morty, whom she begins to open up to. This ultimately leads nowhere and Jessica remains a seemingly shallow character with plenty of potential for more development. However, there are scenarios showing that she is well-meaning and considerably nice person. She never shows any contempt for Morty and even greets him warmly despite of their different popularity status. She also helps Rick track down Morty to bring him back to his normal self in "Rest and Ricklaxation," and then shows concern after the process. In the same episode, when Jessica gets turned off by Morty's annoying confidence due to detoxification, she tries to get out of the date by pretending to receive an emergency text, but realizes it is rude and instead politely tells him why they will not work out.
She seems to consider abnormal things interesting, remaining surprisingly calm in various situations that would drive others crazy. In Pilot, she is impressed with Morty for coming into the cafeteria through a portal and in "Big Trouble In Little Sanchez" when Morty tells her that tiny Rick is his grandpa in the body of a teenager, her only response is "cool."
Relationships
Morty
In the beginning of the series, Jessica was almost entirely oblivious to Morty's existence, only knowing his name at first sight of him. The two had brief exchanges over the season, most sparked by Rick in some way or another. In the season 1 finale, "Ricksy Business," he came close to confessing his feelings to her, but was interrupted by Squanchy. Nothing is known of the details of the pair's relationship; however, the latest appearance of the two was in the episode "Big Trouble In Little Sanchez", where they were seen slow dancing together, as a couple attending the school dance.
Their relationship is a major plot point of "Rest and Ricklaxation." Morty wants to ask her for a date when he finds out that Jessica is now single. He eventually can't say a word due to his insecurities and is dragged to another adventure by Rick. After the adventure proves to be very long and exhausting (and resulting in their closest brush with death), Rick and Morty go to an intergalactic day spa and get their toxins removed from their bodies. This includes all of Morty's insecurities, making him confident enough to finally ask Jessica for a date. Jessica seems not to like Morty's new persona and leaves. Morty is then seen hanging out with different women. She later calls Morty and tells him she misses him. This call helps Rick track down Morty and inject him with his toxins, returning Morty to normal. By the end of episode she is talking about going out to dinner with Brad, making Morty depressed. She cheers Morty up when she tells him it's good to have him back. The episode suggests that she might have started to genuinely care for Morty, at least as a friend.
Brad
Jessica and Brad are assumed to be dating throughout most of the series; however, Jessica is blatantly unhappy in this relationship. This illustrates a level of depth to her character even early on in the story. They fight consistently through out the series and Jessica was last seen romantically with Morty. It can be assumed that Brad and Jessica have had a falling out by this point; however, no information is given. It is revealed in "Rest and Ricklaxation" that they have broken up.
Rick
Jessica has had a very few brief connections with Rick over the course of the series so far. In "Ricksy Business", she was intrigued by Rick's inventions. In "Big Trouble In Little Sanchez", much like all the other students, was amazed at how cool of a student Rick had become as "Tiny Rick."
She helps Rick to find Morty in "Rest and Ricklaxation." She denies that she was extremely worried about Morty, and claims that she only did it because Rick was drunk-dialing her into it, though this seems unconvincing as Rick and Jessica squabble about who wanted to find Morty, suggesting that her persona might be similar to Rick's to some degree.
Jessica's Friend
Jessica's friend pushes to make her popular and cares a great deal about how the rest of the school sees her. She is not a good influence on her, because she convinces her to act differently just so that people will look up to her instead of down. Jessica likes her because she thinks she has good advice and sees her as not only a friend, but someone who she can look to for guidance. Personally, Jessica doesn't care about being popular and she really only acts the way she does because her friend tells her to.
Tricia Lange
Episode Appearances
Season 1
Season 2
- "Mortynight Run" (Non-Speaking Cameo)
- "The Ricks Must Be Crazy" (Non-Speaking Cameo)
- "Big Trouble In Little Sanchez"
Season 3
- "The Whirly Dirly Conspiracy" (mentioned)
- "Rest and Ricklaxation"
- "The Ricklantis Mixup" (Non-Speaking Cameo)
- "Morty's Mind Blowers" (mentioned)
- "The ABC's of Beth" (Non-Speaking Cameo)
Other Media
The Non-Canonical Adventures
Trivia
- Jessica vaguely resembles her voice actress, Kari Wahlgren.
- In the episode "Mortynight Run", it is hinted that Morty has a foot fetish, as Fart's telepathic ability reveals Morty's thoughts at the time to be "Jessica's Feet."
- In the episode "The Whirly Dirly Conspiracy", it is revealed that Morty cares about Jessica so deeply that he subconsciously believes they will one day have at least one child together.
- In the episode "Rest and Ricklaxation", as Jessica and Rick fall through the portal into Morty's new house, you can catch a quick glimpse of her underwear, confirming that Jessica wears white panties.