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"Morty's Mind Blowers" is the eighth episode of the third season of Rick and Morty. It is the 29th episode of the series overall. It premiered on September 17, 2017. It was written by Mike McMahan, James Siciliano, Ryan Ridley, Dan Guterman, Justin Roiland, and Dan Harmon and directed by Bryan Newton. The episode is rated TV-14-DLV.

Synopsis[]

Rick shows Morty a room filled with memories Morty begged him to remove from his mind, and things go off the rails when Rick starts restoring them.

Plot[]

The episode starts off with Rick and Morty on the run from a strange humanoid creature set in a world similar to M.C. Escher's painting "Relativity" in which there are stairs all over the place and the rules. Morty is seen holding a turtle-like creature named the "Truth Tortoise." Morty looks at the Truth Tortoise, despite Rick's warnings, and causes Morty to drop the creature in a void. The place collapses, but not before the duo escapes.

Both of them arrive to the Smith residence. Rick wants both of them to watch Interdimensional Cable, but Morty complains about the looping memory in his head and asks Rick to erase the memory off his mind. So Rick leads Morty to a secret chamber underneath the garage, which contains various tubes that archives memories Morty wanted Rick to remove. Rick calls them "Morty's Mind Blowers" hence the title, then faces the audience telling them that they will be doing this instead of watching Interdimensional Cable.

Morty asks Rick how long he ever wanted to remove certain memories, and Rick just replies that he wanted to "ever since your (Morty) mind was blown." Rick grabs a blue tube and nicknames it "Moon-spiracy" just before Rick activates the helmet and places the tube on the hole of the helmet.

The memory starts off with Morty and a telescope just outside their front lawn. Morty at first admires the American flag planted on the lunar surface before he notices a strange figure standing in a mid-stride walking pose. He then goes and tells his family, but nobody, including Rick, believes him; they suggest that it was merely a smudge on the lens. He then finds out that Mr. Lunas is, in fact, a real person, as he comes to Morty's high school to work as a guidance counselor. Later on, Morty snaps pictures of Lunas, planting an American flag in his yard, and tells Principal Vagina that he thinks Lunas is "up to something" and "lives on the moon." Vagina takes this as a metaphor for pedophilia and goes outside to the parking lot to confront Lunas, ending in Lunas getting punched in the face. As a result of this accusation, Lunas goes home and commits suicide, which Morty finds out about from the ambulances outside of Lunas' home. Morty later eavesdrops on Lunas' funeral, where it is learned that Lunas served in the Marine Corps, and that "from a certain angle, some people would say he looked like a smudge." Morty then runs home and sees that there is, in fact, a smudge on his telescope lens, realizing that he inadvertently drove Lunas to kill himself.

Morty ended up inserting memories on his own. He started to remember Beth choosing Summer's life over his, Beth, Summer, and Rick insulting Morty as Voltematron forces himself back into Morty's mouth, Rick killing an animal that helped them find water and having him and Morty enter its guts after confusing Venzenulon 7 with Venzenulon 9, Rick tricking NASA employees into rescuing them so they could replace him and Morty in a menagerie, Morty getting chased by a hoard of squirrels after learning they controlled the world forcing him and Rick to move to a new reality again, Rick sending lambs to the Cosmic Slaughter, Morty having his hand chopped off, Rick hunting Morty as a ghost, Morty's head being attached to Snowball's body, Rick juggling Morty's body parts, Morty being eaten and pooped out by an alien, Mr. Poopybutthole proposing to Morty, etc. Rick also happened to have erased memories from Morty that involved Rick himself getting embarrassed just to secure his own pride.

After realizing that Rick also took away memories without Morty asking or even wanting him to, Morty gets enraged and attacks Rick, pinning him to the floor. Rick manages to use the mind eraser on Morty, but Morty turns the tables and points the device at Rick while it's still being used. This causes them to not remember each other. Trying to find out who they are, Morty uses the helmet and goes through many more traumatic memories until he snaps and decides to kill himself over it, while Rick joins in as part of the suicide pact.

Summer enters as Rick and Morty have guns to their own heads. When Rick doesn't remember her, Summer quickly realizes the situation. She reveals that Rick had a contingency plan should this happen (and has used it several times before) and tranquilizes them, restores both of their memories and drags them to the living room. Rick and Morty wake up on the couch. They believe that they slept through an entire "Interdimensional Cable" episode as Rick questions how that even happened. The two then hurl verbal abuse at Summer and decide to head off on another adventure. Summer moans that this is the reason the two are "constantly fighting and behind schedule".

In the post-credits scene, Jerry shows up in Rick's garage and discovers a box containing "Jerry's Mind Blowers" where, in a twisted homage to E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial, he discovers he accidentally left an alien to die in his car.

Cast and characters[]

Main Cast


Non-speaking characters

Unknown voices

Starring

Deaths[]

  • Gordon Lunas
  • Zick Zack
  • Beebo
  • Captain Sky
  • Gobo
  • Santa Claus impersonator
  • Warlord of Titan
  • Many redhead woman
  • Human alien Souls sucked into vortex
  • Trapped human and alien souls sucked into vortex
  • Car driver, crashed off screen
  • Many unnamed people
  • Truth Tortoise
  • Unnamed humanoid
  • Old woman
  • Fly
  • House

Locations[]

Episode notes[]

Trivia[]

  • In celebration of season 3, Pocket Mortys' weekly updates will coincide with new episodes, including new avatars for players to collect.[2] With the release of this episode came: Ghost Catcher Rick, Gobo and Space Trooper Rick as avatars, and Ingested Morty, Voltamatron Morty, Snuffles Morty, Space Trooper Morty, Monster Morty, Possessed Morty, and Mindblower Morty to catch.
  • This is the last episode written by Justin Roiland.
  • This is an anthology-styled episode that is taking the place of Interdimensional Cable, as Rick points out.
Rm.s03e08

The truth tortoise.

  • The Truth Tortoise says "I am a Beatle, Paul is dead!" backwards to Morty.
    • This is a reference to a conspiracy theory that claimed that Paul McCartney from The Beatles died during 1966-67 and was replaced by a look-alike. Claims to the theory included listening to certain tracks by the group backwards that revealed clues of Paul's "death" (e.g. Strawberry Fields Forever: John Lennon saying "Cranberry sauce" was misinterpreted to say "I buried Paul").
  • Lunis' car license is SATFIV3
    • This is a reference to the Saturn V rocket used to send man to the moon.
  • Morty enters a word with 7 letters into Rick's magnet which causes red-haired women with large busts to be brought to the magnet. As such, one can possibly presume that the word was "Jessica" or "redhead".
  • The program that Rick and Morty are watching when they return to the couch is House Hunters, featuring hunters literally hunting anthropomorphic houses.
  • The squirrel dimension fragment sparked a small debate on whether Rick and Morty did escape that dimension into another replacement dimension after all (see below). Since Rick speficially mentions that they can do it "only a couple more times", it's clearly taking place after the original escape; however, while the possibility of a new escape is shown, it's also possible that Rick eventually resolved the problem with squirrels without jumping into a new dimension.
    • It's also debatable whether the memories are in fact accurate (or, whether any memory is accurate, due to Rick's ability to edit them).
  • In Don Cuco, there is a sign which says "El Baño" in cursive (which can be misread as "El Baña", which translates from Spanish to "The Bathroom" or culturally it is also accepted as "The Restroom".)
  • Its revealed Beth favors Summer over Morty as shown in one of the memories.
  • Morty's name can be read as "Morry" on step 1 of the list of Scenario 4 instructions for Summer due to the missing line for the letter t.
  • The people hooked up to life support in Storage Unit 1700 is probably a rework of a deleted scene from Season 1 Episode 8, "The Young and the Restful."
  • Susanne Blakeslee, best known for her roles as Wanda and Mrs. Turner on the Fairly OddParents, voices the female squirrel, but is uncredited.
  • The vial Rick grabs off the floor, after losing his memory was purple, but in the next shot it's blue.
  • In the flashback with the magnet, several Morty was sitting on a cabinet with his legs in front of the doors, but when the doors open that clip right through Morty's legs.
  • In some of the very first frames of when they enter the room of memories, towards the bottom of the frame there is a memory in red labeled "Virginity".

Squirrel dimension vs Replacement Dimension[]

This episode suggests that Rick and Morty might have left Dimension C-131 that they can change dimension only a couple of times. He previously said it in "Rick Potion #9". However we know from S3 E7 that many Rick and Mortys hop dimensions all the time and this is treated as the norm in the citadel not the exception, so "we can do it only a few times" isn't necessarily unique to C-137 Rick and his Morty.

  • Nowhere in this episode is Rick referred to as "C-137"
  • It should be noted that Rick removes the memory for escaping squirrel controlled world, BUT NOT Cronenberg world which was arguably far more traumatic. This might strongly suggest an alternative Rick/Morty pair in this episode. (The squirrel memory belonging to C-137 but taking place before Rick Potion #9 is unlikely since the possibility of Rick retrieving that particular memory vial from Cronenberg Dimension seems low.)
  • It is learned from Summer in "The Rickshank Rickdemption" unearthing the buried Rick and Morty that C-137 is at least living in the same dimension since Rick Potion #9. Since then the show has been fairly persistent in showcasing that C-137 has been living in a consistent dimension. From a narrative standpoint, it is difficult to pinpoint the exact timing of another dimension jump performed by C-137.
  • Mr. Poopybutthole is seen in a flashback, and we know that Mr. Poopybutthole only exists in SOME dimensions, and the C-137 hasn't been confirmed to have any interactions with him.
  • Alternatively this is Rick C-137 and his Morty, however since they hopped dimensions in Rick Potion #9 the memories of leaving the squirrel conspiracy dimension could be that inherited of the deceased Morty from the replacement dimension they're in and not the original memories of the C-137 Morty. The memory vials not being the memories of C-137 Morty potentially applies to all memories presented in the episode since C-137 Rick and Morty would have picked up the deceased pair's collection of memory vials in the replacement dimension when they arrived and there's no clear way for the audience to deduce which memories are that of the deceased replacement dimensions Rick and Morty which was already there and which memories were added by C-137 after Rick Potion #9.
  • Add in the fact that Rick could've resolved the crisis without making a new escape, such as by killing off the entire squirrel conspiracy or simply by erasing their memories.

Series continuity[]

  • Rick breaks the fourth wall, mentioning that this episode will be in place of Interdimensional Cable, a set of episodes ("Rixty Minutes" and "Interdimensional Cable 2: Tempting Fate") which explore other realities through the interdimensional cable box. The interdimensional cable box also makes an appearance.
  • The cracks surrounding the house following the events of "Ricksy Business" and "A Rickle in Time" are still visible.
  • Rick's statement "grab a shovel" is a reference to his statement when burying his own body in the episode "Rick Potion #9".
  • One of Morty's memories features the character Mr. Poopybutthole from "Total Rickall" as Morty is shown being proposed to by Mr. Poopybutthole, wherein the original he actually proposes to his wife, later seen in "The Rickchurian Mortydate".
  • One of Morty's memories features Snuffles from "Lawnmower Dog", as Morty is shown having his head on Snuffles' body.
  • Jerry is still shown to have a picture of the Titanic located above his bed in his apartment and is also seen watching it on his phone, referencing his obsession over the ship and the movie. This obsession is shown in the episode "Ricksy Business".
  • When Morty is going through all the memories, one of the memories shows him burying Santa Claus.
    • This may be a callback to "Rest and Ricklaxation" when a toxic performer tells children that Santa isn't real.
  • Among the aliens present in the Collector's menagerie are pair of Mr. Meeseeks from "Meeseeks and Destroy", a few female Gazorpians from "Raising Gazorpazorp", and several aliens who appeared at Rick's house party in "Ricksy Business".
  • Jerry trying to attain his putter during the post-credits scene is a reference towards his hobby of golf, which was previously shown in Meeseeks and Destroy.
  • Also in the post-credits scene, Rick has memory files labeled "Sleepy Gary" and "Apples Campaign", implying that Rick may have removed Jerry's memories of Sleepy Gary from "Total Rickall" and his failed "Got Apples?" advertising campaign from "M. Night Shaym-Aliens!"

Cultural references[]

S3E8 Summer's Instructions

Summer's instructions.

  • The dimension in the cold open is an homage to M. C. Escher's Penrose Stairs, as well as the 1986 film Labyrinth starring David Bowie.
    • The being that follows them resembles Morpheus aka Dream from Neil Gaiman's comic series The Sandman.
  • Rick's archive of Morty's memories is a reference to the command center containing memory orbs in the movie Inside Out.
    • It should also be noted that the colors of each memory is either blue, red, purple, or green. These were the signature colors of the movie's portrayal of Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust, respectively. This would explain the specific colors used for each vial, and how each color represent whatever negative emotion he experienced at the time of the memory.
    • Oddly enough, yellow, for Joy, is also represented, despite these being bad memories Morty wanted removed. It can be argued, however, that these were the memories of Morty outsmarting Rick, which were removed without Morty's consent so that Rick could still be seen as a flawless genius in Morty's eyes.
  • In the opening dimension, there are statuettes of what appears to be the Truth Tortoise holding up a triangle with the All-Seeing Eye. This could be a reference to the Gravity Falls character Bill Cipher, where the triangle has the same eyelashes as the character. Alex later responded it was simply the Eye of Providence and tweeted how to differentiate the two.
    • There's also two memories labeled "Stanford" and "Bill C.", which could also be a reference to the Gravity Falls characters "Ford Pines" and "Bill Cipher".
    • Moreover, the glass containers used by Rick to store memories are reminiscent of the memory canisters used by Gravity Fall's memory gun for the same purpose.
  • When Rick and Morty's memories are erased, one of the only things Rick remembers is Men in Black II, although Morty seems to be able to remember both Men in Black I and II. A Neuralyser-like weapon from the series is also in Rick's possession.
  • Rick and Morty's big-headed captor is a reference to the Talosians from Star Trek.
    • It may also be a reference to The Collector from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Preserver from the DC Animated Universe, or the Kurt Vonnegut novel Slaughterhouse Five.
  • The menagerie has many parallels to the episode "Command Performance" from The Orville, also the premiere date is the same.
  • Rick's escape plan is a reference to the 1997 film Contact, starring Jodie Foster.
  • The interdimensional craft built by NASA resembles a Saiyan pod from the anime, Dragon Ball Z. Likewise, the armor Rick and Morty are wearing in the "taken for granite" scene resembles that worn by Frieza's soldiers.
  • The dark shadows that drag Floop Floopian down when he is killed are straight out of the scene where Willy meets his end in the movie Ghost starting Patrick Swayze.
  • Meebo's death is an allusion to the Tauntaun scene in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back.
  • Morty references YouTube rants by telling Rick to "save it for YouTube", referencing the many clickbait videos on the site.
  • The squirrels reference Dr. Doolittle when they discover Morty is able to understand them.
  • One of the "cute redheads" resembles Misty from the Pokémon franchise.
  • Jerry's Mind Blower is a dark parody of ET: The Extra Terrestrial.
  • "I'm not a mouse in a European children's book" is a reference to the children's book Mouse Paint.
  • Santa is shown being buried by Morty in one of his memories.
  • "Lambs to the Cosmic Slaughter" is a reference to Roald Dahl's book Lamb to the Slaughter.
  • One of Morty's memories is a homage to Ghostbusters, as Rick wears the Proton Backpack and holds a Proton Projector, looking for a ghostly Morty who resembles Slimer.
  • Rick references the Simpsons "Treehouse of Horror" episodes when telling Morty that not all the vials have names, unlike the 3 stories in "Treehouse of Horror".
  • Morty is whistling the "Colonel Bogey March" notably used as the theme to the 1957 movie The Bridge on the River Kwai, as he is being followed by the squirrels.
  • A "House Hunters" spoof on Interdimensional Cable depicts two men literally hunting sentient houses.
  • The way the humanoid creature in the cold open chasing Rick and Morty is drawn pretty frail and surreal, alongside his command of "Return the Truth Tortoise", can be considered a likely reference to King Ramses and his demands to "Return the Slab" from the animated series, Courage the Cowardly Dog.
  • The squirrels mention Morty being a "possible Dolittle", referencing the film, Dr. Dolittle.
  • Beth choosing which of her children to save references the movie, Sophie's Choice.
  • Rick as a nearly invincible scientist who has no way of dealing with squirrels besides fleeing far away from them is similar to the Marvel Comics character Doctor Doom.

Transcript[]

View a full transcript of this episode here.

Gallery

Click here to view the image gallery for Morty's Mind Blowers.
Click here to view this page's gallery.

References

  1. Porter, Rick (September 19, 2017). Sunday cable ratings: ‘Outlander’ and ‘The Deuce’ steady with second episodes. TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on September 19, 2017. Retrieved on September 19, 2017.
  2. Rossignol, Derrick (July 5, 2017). POCKET MORTYS Will Get Updates for Every RICK AND MORTY Season 3 Episode. Nerdist.

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Season 1 PilotLawnmower DogAnatomy ParkM. Night Shaym-Aliens!Meeseeks and DestroyRick Potion #9Raising GazorpazorpRixty MinutesSomething Ricked This Way ComesClose Rick-Counters of the Rick KindRicksy Business
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Season 3 The Rickshank RickdemptionRickmancing the StonePickle RickVindicators 3: The Return of WorldenderThe Whirly Dirly ConspiracyRest and RicklaxationThe Ricklantis MixupMorty's Mind BlowersThe ABC's of BethThe Rickchurian Mortydate
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