The Complicated Return of Diane in Rick and Morty Season 7 Finale
A detailed analysis of Diane's return in the season 7 finale of Rick and Morty, exploring the character's development and the implications for season 8.
The History of Diane Sanchez in Rick and Morty
Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for Rick and Morty season 7, episode 10. When the Rick and Morty season 7 finale brought back Rick’s wife, Diane Sanchez, the show did a great job of making up for her earlier depictions in the series. Rick and Morty doesn’t have a great history with the character. While Rick’s daughter, Beth, and her clone, Space Beth, have both been the subject of numerous episodes that fleshed out their vivid internal lives, Diane mainly exists to provide Rick with a tragic backstory. Viewers know next to nothing about her beyond the fact that she was once married to Rick, she was Beth’s mother, and she was killed in every version of reality by Rick Prime. While the sudden death of Rick Prime could have seen Rick and Morty season 7 follow Rick’s attempts to bring Diane back, the series instead focused on a series of lighter, standalone stories after this canon-shaking event. As such, viewers went into season 7, episode 10, “Fear No Mort,” without much understanding of the character, as Diane's personality, attitude, hopes, dreams, and views were never explored. “Fear No Mort” changed that by giving her a major role, although the episode’s ending complicated this positive development.
Diane and Beth look down at a bomb right before it goes off on Rick and Morty
Rick & Morty Season 7, Episode 10 Makes Diane A More Rounded Character After A Decade In “Fear No Mort,” Rick and Morty meet Diane shortly after they emerge from The Hole, a psychic space that provides a simulation of the user’s worst fear and allows them to overcome this phobia in a safe environment. Diane finally got more than one line of dialogue when she and Rick were reunited, and her contentious relationship with her husband soon proved she was more than a one-dimensional supportive love interest. While Rick and Morty season 7 episode 9 called out Rick’s hubris, it was still surprising to see Diane criticize Rick’s character flaws to his face before warming to him. Since any earlier mentions of Diane came via flashbacks, viewers never got to know her as more than Rick’s idealized recollection of his late partner. Her limited earlier screen time implied she was a wife and mother but little else, whereas “Fear No Mort” proved she was an intelligent, hard-drinking, adventurous character who could keep up with Rick in every respect. This was a moving surprise, but the episode’s ending did complicate things when it turned out the Diane who viewers were watching wasn’t really her. Technically, it was only a simulation of Diane that Rick imagined, and even the version of Rick imagining her was imagined by Morty.
Rick arches an eyebrow at Morty at a carnival in Rick and Morty season 7 finale
Diane's Redemptive Role in Rick & Morty
Diane's Return In Rick & Morty Season 7 Still Complicates Her Redemptive Role It’s hard to know how the real Diane acted since viewers have still only seen mediated depictions of her. However, since season 7 featured an entire episode without Rick and killed off Rick Prime, there is no reason to think that season 8 won’t have room to explore her character further. Season 7 toyed with the show’s usual formula throughout, with the season premiere and episode 3, “Air Force Wong,” barely featuring Morty. Now that the Rick Prime subplot has ended, there is no reason for Rick and Morty season 8 not to pick up where the finale left off and grant Diane a bigger, better role.
Implications for Season 8
The return of Diane and the revelation of her simulated existence in the season 7 finale have raised intriguing questions for the future of Rick and Morty. With the potential for further exploration of Diane's character, season 8 holds the promise of delving deeper into her personality, motivations, and impact on the dynamic between Rick and Morty. As the series continues to subvert expectations and challenge its own conventions, the evolving role of Diane in the narrative presents an exciting opportunity for the show's creators to expand the richness of the Rick and Morty universe.
