Operation Phoenix is one of Rick's many crazy experiments. Little is known about the exact purpose of this experiment was, but it is likely an attempt at extended life, immortality, or a backup in case the of mortal injury. Rick used it to transfer his mind into a clone named Tiny Rick to hunt a vampire at his grandchildren's school. Unfortunately the side effect of the younger clone is that its brain starts to override the original Rick's personality. At the end of Big Trouble In Little Sanchez, Rick (completely naked and fresh out of the preservation chamber) presses a button, taking Morty and Summer down into his underground dungeon (also seen in Auto Erotic Assimilation) which is revealed to hold several chambers containing Ricks in varying stages of development. Rick proceeds to viciously butcher his many clones with an axe to his heart's content, stating the experiment was a failure.
