Close Rick-counters of the Rick Kind

"Close Rick-counters of the Rick Kind" is the tenth and penultimate episode of the

The Smith family is again eating breakfast the next morning, revealing that the opening scene's family were themselves in another timeline. The show's original Rick is taken by alternate soldier versions of himself to the Citadel of Ricks, an interdimensional sanctuary for Ricks and Mortys from different timelines. Morty is at first impressed by the Citadel, but discovers that Mortys are somewhat commodified and treated as disposable by the other Ricks. The Trans-Dimensional Council of Ricks are biased against the show's original Rick, Rick C-137, for his loner nature. They wrongfully convict him of murdering twenty-seven Ricks from alternate dimensions and kidnapping their respective Mortys upon discovering incriminating evidence which was actually fabricated to frame him. Rick and Morty escape and are chased by a few duplicates of themselves. The C-137 Smith household is flooded with other Ricks; Jerry develops a friendship with the good-natured "Doofus Rick".

As Rick and Morty C-137 search for the killer, Morty learns that the reason all Ricks have a Morty is to conceal their genius brainwaves from outside detection; Morty's "complementary" brainwaves "cancel" his out. Morty becomes agitated with Rick, questioning their relationship. This is compounded when they discover the killer's base, a military compound constructed with an enormous number of constantly tortured Mortys in the walls for cloaking, and Rick is nonplussed. The "Evil" Rick and Morty capture them, "Evil" Rick taking Rick C-137 to have his brain downloaded. Morty C-137 leads a rebellion of alternate Mortys held prisoner in the base and releases Rick, spitefully saying that were he a Rick he would not have. Rick informs the Council about the real killer, clearing his name. Morty continues to be upset with Rick; Rick refuses to apologize, but assuages Morty's anger by calling him the "Mortyest" of them all.

Soldier Ricks clean up the "Evil" Rick and Morty's base, directing the Morty prisoners to the Citadel as refugees. The soldier Ricks discover that "Evil" Rick, killed by the Mortys in the rebellion, was a mindless cyborg being controlled remotely. As the Morty prisoners board the refugee ships, "Evil" Morty removes his eyepatch — "Evil" Rick's controller — stomps on it, and blends into the crowd.

In the post-credits scene, Jerry waves at Doofus Rick from the window, prompting Rick to make fun of him.

Reception

Viewing figures

Upon its airing, the episode was seen by 1.75 million American viewers.^[3]

Critical reception

Joe Matar of Den of Geek praised "Close Rick-counters of the Rick Kind", calling it "a really solid episode, both narratively and comically. Rick and Morty does some of its best comedic work when it gleefully indulges in the absurd possibilities that a sci-fi universe of limitless possibilities allows for. One of the consistently best ways Rick and Morty showcases its creativity is through chase scenes in which the characters go through all manners of sci-fi rigmarole, letting the writers and animators assault you with a barrage of blink-and-you-missed-it sight gags."^[4] Zack Handlen of The A.V. Club said "This is a show designed to answer any potential message board nitpicking in advance ... All of which makes the occasional moments of heart even more surprising and effective."^[5]

Corey Plante of

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