Rick and Morty Season 8: What to Expect

The Fallout of Season 7

Rick and Morty leaned more into the series’ lore and overarching narratives more than ever before in season 7, and it set up a few exciting storylines for season 8 to explore. Season 7 wrapped up some of Rick and Morty’s longest-running story arcs with definitive endings – like Rick’s search for Rick Prime, which culminated in a blood-soaked payoff, and Evil Morty’s life outside the Central Finite Curve – but it also introduced some great new plot threads for the future. In previous seasons, Rick and Morty avoided relying on its mythology, but season 7 had plenty of lore-centric fan service.

Morty hugs blood-soaked Rick in Rick and Morty

Some of the post-credits scenes from season 7 have established story setups for Rick and Morty season 8. Mr. Poopybutthole has hijacked the life of his alternate self, arousing the suspicion of his wife Amy, and Rick is now in search of a new purpose after finally killing Rick Prime. From Churry’s quest for vengeance to Memory Rick’s quest to escape from Jerry’s naive mind, Rick and Morty season 7 has teed up a bunch of great storylines for season 8 to dig into.

Rick Prime beaten and bloodied in Rick and Morty

The season 7 finale – episode 10, “Fear No Mort” – marked a major turning point for Morty’s character. After going into the Fear Hole and facing his worst fears, from spiders to public speaking to being replaced by Rick, Morty has conquered those fears and is no longer ruled by them. Throughout the season, Morty embarked on a few solo adventures without Rick. In season 8, he can go on more solo adventures without the burden of fear holding him back.

Morty hugs Rick in Rick and Morty

Season 7, episode 6, “Rickfending Your Mort,” saw an all-seeing alien called an “Observer” playing moments from Rick and Morty’s lives in a courtroom setting. After the end of this episode, the Observer has an unresolved vendetta against Rick and Morty that could return in a follow-up clip show in season 8.

Rick and Morty with one of the Observers in Rick and Morty season 7, episode 6

Character Development and New Challenges

The Observers' Vendetta Against Rick & Morty: From the interdimensional cable gags to “Morty’s Mind Blowers,” Rick and Morty has always found inventive ways to create new anthology episodes and clip shows made up of never-before-seen clips. Season 7, episode 6, “Rickfending Your Mort,” saw an all-seeing alien called an “Observer” playing moments from Rick and Morty’s lives in a courtroom setting. After the end of this episode, the Observer has an unresolved vendetta against Rick and Morty that could return in a follow-up clip show in season 8.

A Fearless Morty Embarking On More Solo Adventures: The season 7 finale – episode 10, “Fear No Mort” – marked a major turning point for Morty’s character. After going into the Fear Hole and facing his worst fears, from spiders to public speaking to being replaced by Rick, Morty has conquered those fears and is no longer ruled by them. Throughout the season, Morty embarked on a few solo adventures without Rick. In season 8, he can go on more solo adventures without the burden of fear holding him back.

Mr. Poopybutthole Hijacks The Life Of His Alternate Self: Mr. Poopybutthole often pops up in the post-credits scenes of season finales, and his appearance in Rick and Morty’s season 7 finale followed up on a storyline from the season itself. The season 7 premiere – episode 1, “How Poopy Got His Poop Back” – revolved around a washed-up Mr. Poopybutthole’s attempts to reunite with his wife Amy, who had started dating a Predator P.I. In the post-credits scene of “Fear No Mort,” Mr. Poopybutthole used a stolen portal gun to switch places with an alternate Mr. Poopybutthole in a universe where Amy didn’t leave him. But, within seconds of his arrival, the alternate Amy is already suspicious.

Mr Poopybutthole steps through a portal in Rick and Morty

Unresolved Plots and New Directions

Rick Is Proud Of Morty: “Fear No Mort” ended Rick and Morty season 7 on a surprisingly sweet note. After Morty conquered his fears in the Fear Hole, Rick returned to the Denny’s men’s room to add a photo of Morty to the board of people who survived the Fear Hole. This showed that Rick is truly proud of Morty – and he carries around a picture of his grandson in his wallet. This scene introduced a softer side of Rick that needs to be explored more in season 8.

Rick hangs up a photo of Morty in Rick and Morty

President Curtis Goes To Therapy: In season 7, episode 3, “Air Force Wong,” Rick tried to keep President Andre Curtis from wooing his therapist, Dr. Helen Wong. While the romance ultimately didn’t come to fruition, the episode ended with President Curtis considering getting therapy. Rick and Morty has explored men’s struggles to accept the benefits of therapy and open up about their feelings with Rick’s own apprehension about going to sessions with Dr. Wong. Season 8 can explore that concept from a different angle with the President going to therapy.

President Curtis meets Dr Wong in Rick and Morty

Pokémon Pope: Season 7, episode 9, “Mort: Ragnarick,” saw Rick attempting to harness the power of the afterlife via the Nordic kingdom of Valhalla. The plan backfired when the Pope stole that power and used it to put Rick, Morty, and Bigfoot in an endless death loop. Rick finally managed to defeat the Pope by confining him to a Poké Ball. The post-credits scene showed that the Pope is now a fighter in an underground Pokémon fight club. Season 7, episode 8, “Rise of the Numbericons: The Movie,” demonstrated the dangers of stretching a post-credits scene into a full episode, but this underground Pokémon fight club could make for a great episode.

Rick with a Poke Ball in Rick and Morty