- This article is about the Rick formerly known as "Weird Rick". You may be looking for the Rick that served on the Council of Ricks.
| “ | Admit it, you would've been me. I just walked into your garage before you walked into mine. But eventually, you did! YOU LIVED IN MY HOUSE!! |
| — Rick Prime's final words before his death, Unmortricken |
Rick Sanchez of the Prime Dimension, also known as Rick Prime, was the overarching antagonist in Rick and Morty, serving as the catalyst for the events of the series.
He was the Rick who was responsible for the deaths of Diane in every single dimension and Beth Sanchez in Dimension C-137[1]. Rick C-137 attempted to find and kill Rick Prime throughout the multiverse for decades, killing countless other Ricks in the process. Rick eventually landed in Rick Prime's original dimension and took his place, kickstarting the events of the series.
In "Solaricks", Rick would later encounter Rick Prime and failed to fulfill his quest for revenge once again. Rick Prime would then be sent back to his original dimension where he would encounter Jerry Prime and kill him.
In "Unmortricken", Rick and Morty continued searching for Rick Prime, but this time, Evil Morty joined in to help the two. They eventually learned that Rick Prime's murder of Diane didn't just affect Rick C-137, he used a weapon called the Omega Device to erase her from every single dimension across infinity. Using Rick and Evil Morty's combined resources and knowledge, they managed to track down Rick Prime and engage in a vicious fight, which they barely won. Evil Morty then stole Rick Prime's schematics for the Omega Device before giving Rick the chance to kill his nemesis, one Rick took. Rick Prime, defiant to the end, ceaselessly mocked Rick for becoming like him as he was slowly beaten to death.
Appearance[]
Rick Prime had more grayish skin than other versions of Ricks, as well as more dull-colored hair in a "nondescript" haircut. He wore a purplish "sci-fi" jacket with a gray shoulder pad and a red shirt underneath. He also wore grayish black pants and appears to have been using the "iPhone 3 equivalent" prototype of the modern Portal Gun upon first meeting Rick C-137. After many years, his appearance was completely unchanged, implying that he either actually is a clone or his healing abilities also give him longevity.
Personality[]
Rick C-137 refers to Rick Prime as "the real deal" to Morty Prime. His reasoning for this is that Rick Prime was a narcissist who actively hated attachments to his family to the point that he was willing to abandon them for over 20 years. Rick Prime also believed other Ricks should follow suit, leading him to murder Beth and Diane from Dimension C-137, thus doing away with Rick C-137's attachments in that world. He also extended this to other Ricks, by committing the deplorable act of wiping out all versions of Diane across the multiverse.
Being a Rick, he shares all of his counterpart's intellect and resourcefulness, though he does not seem to indulge in any hedonistic acts like drinking or partying. Like most Ricks though, Prime shows signs of hypocrisy, being willing to kill his original Morty, yet acting shocked when Evil Morty, whom he mistook for his biological grandson, attacked him.
In a sense, Rick Prime's personality is what Rick pretended to be for years, a self-absorbed man who didn't care about anyone, upholding the nihilistic philosophy that all other Ricks project. Despite this, he does appear to have some attachment to his family. He held some fondness for his uncle Slow Mobius, saying that killing him would hurt and having a look of sorrow when he subjected Mobius to the Omega Device. When he thought he met his original Morty, actually Evil Morty, he attempted to make small talk before killing him and later praised Evil Morty's ruthless nature, even attempting an alliance. He also appeared outraged that Rick C-137 had lived in his house with his daughter and grandson. Unlike other Ricks though, Rick Prime, as recounted by his daughter, had a horrible relationship with his wife Diane, his animosity towards her being enough that he wiped out Diane across realities, later mocking his counterparts for being so attached to their "beloved Diane" and Rick C-137 for basing the Space Cruiser's voice on Diane's. Atypically though, Prime did refer to Diane as "our wife" in conversation with Rick C-137, possibly indicating that he retains a degree of attachment for his late wife.
Unlike most Ricks, he did not display anger when Jerry Prime tried to kill him, instead praising how badass he found the attack. This moment also further demonstrates his coldness, as Rick Prime executes Jerry Prime afterwards, despite him not being able to pose a threat.
History[]
Early years[]
Rick Prime's life was, to a point, similar to other Ricks, being married to Diane and having a daughter Beth. After being the first Rick to invent Interdimensional Portal travel,[2] a feat that only Rick C-137 managed to duplicate,[3] he abandoned his original family and universe and started introducing the Portal Gun and the existence of the multiverse to other Ricks.
When Rick Prime first approached Rick C-137, the latter denied any interest, and displayed distrust towards him. Insulted at what he perceived a lesser version of himself acting as though he was better, Rick Prime left Dimension C-137. Shortly afterwards, he sent a bomb to Dimension C-137, killing Beth and Diane Sanchez and wounding Rick C-137. After seeking medical attention and grieving for some time, Rick C-137 developed the technology required for a functional portal gun on his own and began searching the multiverse for Rick Prime to avenge his family. Though the two had occasional clashes, after years of futile hunting however, C-137 gave up on actively trying to find Rick Prime and aided in brokering a peace treaty between Ricks. This decision consequently led to the formation of The Citadel. Rick C-137 then sought out the dimension from where Rick Prime originated and decided to settle in with the family he had abandoned there, hoping that one day Rick Prime would return and he could finally get his revenge. As time passed, however, he began to grow attached to the Morty he met there and lost his drive to get revenge, even leaving the dimension for another one when he accidentally caused an apocalypse.
During Rick C-137's search, Rick Prime repeated his offer to other Ricks. When some of them refused, Rick Prime killed their Dianes. As more and more Ricks began hunting Rick Prime, he developed the Omega Device, a weapon capable of wiping out all versions of someone across every conceivable reality, which he used to wipe out all versions of Dianes. To deal with his pursuers, Prime seeded multiple decoys of himself across the multiverse that would lead them to automated Saw-style trap where they would be killed.
When Rick C-137 was captured and interrogated on the origins of the Portal Gun formula by Cornvelious Daniel in "The Rickshank Rickdemption", he revealed a slightly edited version of Rick Prime's visit in order to allow him to take control of the situation and jump-start his escape attempt.
In "Rickmurai Jack", Rick reveals his past to Morty and his failed vendetta against Rick Prime. Morty tries to sympathize, expressing relief that he understands Rick's past now, but Rick brushes it off.
Encountering C-137 again[]
In "Solaricks", when resetting the portal fluid, Rick accidentally sends all portal travellers back to their realities of origin. As Rick traveled back to the Prime Dimension to retrieve Morty, his AI of Diane Sanchez reasoned that Rick Prime would also have been reset and having just as much trouble leaving. Using a sample of Morty's DNA, Rick tracked down Rick Prime to his lair, telling Morty the truth about Rick Prime's background and status as Morty's real grandfather. Upon arriving at the lair, a recording of Rick Prime reveals a glass tube purported to contain Rick Prime or perhaps a clone of him before kill-bots are unleashed. Rick goes on the offensive, still wanting revenge for what Rick Prime did to his family, but Morty convinces him it's no longer worth it as Rick now has a family in a different dimension to worry about, and Morty considers Rick C-137 his grandfather. They depart, unaware that Rick Prime had, in fact, been the one in the tube.
In an after credits scene, Prime, who ejected himself from his lair before it self-destructed, lands on Earth and encounters Jerry Prime. Jerry recognizes the threat he poses and feigns interest in a team-up before slashing Rick Prime in the throat while he is in the middle of turning him down. However, Rick Prime revealed his healing abilities before ruthlessly killing Jerry as he pondered how he got back to his dimension.
Rick Prime eventually managed to restore his portal travel and left his dimension, seeding multiple decoys across the multiverse to waylay his pursuers. Between "A Rick in King Mortur's Mort" and "Ricktional Mortpoon's Rickmas Mortcation", Rick salvaged tech from Prime's hideout and began using it to try and find his nemesis. Through analyzing the software of a kill-bot, Rick managed to find all of the locations in the multiverse where Rick Prime had left his decoys, bringing Morty into his revenge and promising to dedicate, at least part of, Season 7 to their hunt.
Final battle[]
In "Unmortricken", Rick and Morty teleport several decoys of Rick Prime to one place, getting the attention of Evil Morty, who helps by suggesting that Rick adjust the scanner ray for probability stasis. This traps one decoy who, upon getting killed by an impatient Morty, turns out to be a black portal fluid trap, sending them into a prison for other Ricks that also tried to track down Rick Prime. A video of Rick Prime tricks the other Ricks into getting into a battle royale where the winner gets their Diane back. This turns out to be a bomb with Diane's face on it, which Rick and Evil Morty destroy before combining their knowledge and resources to get them and Morty out of the prison and into Rick's basement laboratory. Using the remaining fluid from the portal trap, Rick finally manages to track down Rick Prime for real.
Rick arrives at Rick Prime's lair, fighting off various drones along the way. Entering the main chamber that houses the Omega Device, he is angered to realize Morty and Evil Morty followed him. Rick Prime appears, impressed that "dead-wife Rick" tracked him down. He calls out Rick for using Diane's voice for his Space Cruiser AI, and threatens to use the Omega Device on their family to torment C-137 (before declaring he'll finally kill his foe "the old fashioned way"). He starts by killing Slow Mobius, or "Uncle Slow", to Rick's horror, admitting that it hurt him too. A vicious, brutal fight ensues, with Rick, Morty, and Evil Morty combining forces to stop Rick Prime. Eventually, with Morty and Rick knocked out from the fight, Evil Morty is able to incapacitate Rick Prime by swapping outfits with Morty and faking a reunion with Rick Prime's "original grandson".
Death[]
Rick Prime mocking C-137 in his final moments.
Dragging Rick Prime into another room, Evil Morty scans Rick Prime's mind to find and download the schematics for the Omega Device, while also deleting all of Rick Prime's decoys so he cannot come back. Rick Prime is impressed at Evil Morty's ruthlessness and suggests they become partners. Evil Morty rejects this before dragging Rick in and reviving him, offering him free rein to get his revenge. Rick Prime warns Rick that he should stop Evil Morty while he has the chance, but Rick begins punching him to death.
His healing abilities having been deactivated by Evil Morty, Rick Prime defiantly mocks Rick by stating that Rick technically doesn't have a life without him, pointing out Rick's life obsession with him and that it is Prime's family and echoes of it that Rick has stuck with through the years. As Rick delivers the final blows, Prime further claims that Rick would have become him anyway and walked into Prime's garage if he didn't do it first, and yet in the end Rick did that anyway by living in Prime's house. Rick delivers a killing blow, silencing Prime for good, but he continues beating the corpse afterwards, trying to find some form of satisfaction for his life-long revenge quest.
Rick emerges from the room covered in Prime's blood, having finally gotten his revenge. However, as Evil Morty notes, he found no closure from doing so, and he is left emotionally spiraling as he ponders his next steps.
Appearances[]
Season 3[]
- "The Rickshank Rickdemption" (shown in fabricated flashback)
Season 5[]
- "Rickternal Friendshine of the Spotless Mort" (indirectly mentioned)
- "Rickmurai Jack" (flashback, no lines)
Season 6[]
- "Solaricks" (first actual appearance)
- "Ricktional Mortpoon's Rickmas Mortcation" (mentioned, hologram and images)
Season 7[]
- "How Poopy Got His Poop Back" (mentioned)
- "Air Force Wong" (indirectly mentioned)
- "Unmortricken" (death)
- "Wet Kuat Amortican Summer" (mentioned)
| Episodes | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | |||||||||||
| Season 2 | |||||||||||
| Season 3 | ✔ | ||||||||||
| Season 4 | |||||||||||
| Season 5 | ✔ | ||||||||||
| Season 6 | ✔ | ✔ | |||||||||
| Season 7 | ✔ |
Other Media[]
Trivia[]
- In Pocket Mortys, Rick Prime, whose name is given as "Weird Rick", is a customization option at Salesman Rick's, and can be purchased for 10 Blips and Chitz coupons (or 10 credits if the player is playing in Multiplayer). After the release of "Unmortricken", his avatar was changed to closely resemble his appearance in the episode (with Rick C-137's leg in place of his arm).
- Rick Prime was known as "Weird Rick" until the Inside the Episode for "Solaricks" came out, where Dan Harmon and episode writer Alberto Lundy consistently refer to him as "Rick Prime."[4] "Ricktional Mortpoon's Rickmas Mortcation" is the first episode to refer to him as such in dialogue.
- It is unknown how he was able to remain young, despite the many decades that have passed. It is likely he has developed some technology that allows him to stay young and immortal, like the liquid that Fear Hole Rick injects into his skin in "Fear No Mort".
- This stays consistent with what we know about Rick (and by extension, most if not all Ricks). Rick has often expressed dread at his mortality and often tries to avoid his inevitable death with projects like Operation Phoenix.
- He is Rick C-137’s main nemesis.
- When asked who between Rick Prime and Rick C-137 is the true "Rickest Rick", two different responses were given that explains the real answer is based on perspective:
- When asked to former co-creator Justin Roiland, he states that it depends on the definition, and clarified that if what people consider the "Rickest Rick" is one that is completely devoid of empathy and humanity, then Rick Prime is the "Rickest Rick".[5]
- When asked to co-creator Dan Harmon, he reveals that he believes that the "Rickest Rick" is actually the one who is the "second Rickest Rick", which is Rick C-137 as opposed to Rick Prime who truly invent portal travel. He further explains that, to Dan, a part of being truly Rick is to be self-destructive, and thus the "Rickest Rick" is the one who is also a victim of Rick Prime and who invented portal travel afterwards to go and destroy him.[2]
Gallery[]
