| “ | He's like a matrix, space-Frasier. |
| — Rick, on Story Lord |
Story Lord is an extradimensional recurring antagonist in the adult-animated science-fiction series Rick and Morty.
Story Lord was the conductor of the Story Train and the main antagonist of the episode "Never Ricking Morty". He also sets the events of "Full Meta Jackrick" into motion by sending Previous Leon to lure Rick Sanchez into the Meta Reality. He possesses story-based powers, is one of Rick's few enemies shown to be capable of traversing dimensions, and is the only antagonist exhibited to share Rick's meta knowledge in some degree.
Biography[]
"Never Ricking Morty"[]
Long before the audience or Rick himself realizes, Story Lord is the seemingly the one responsible for transporting Rick and Morty aboard the Story Train, as well as enrapturing crowds of other anthological characters with various services in different cars. As Rick and Morty traverse the Story Train, they make their way to the engine and confront Story Lord, who Rick cautiously recognizes, seemingly from before, as the conductor of the train and mastermind behind this escapade. Story Lord is also well aware of who Rick and Morty are, and proceeds to pummel the two of them through story barriers into different narrative and/or multiverse variant versions of themselves. After subjugating the titular duo, he straps them into the Story Train's engine, siphoning their marketability and entertainment value, hoping to power the train to break through the fifth wall.
| “ | What's wrong, Rick? Don't you want to see how your story ends?! |
| — Story Lord before showing Rick Sanchez and Morty Smith their "finale". |
Rick and Morty's story potential is being zapped away by the Story Train's machinery, and they are able to witness glimpses of canonical situations being resolved, such as the conflict with the Galactic Federation, Tammy Guterman, and Phoenixperson, which would be legitimately resolved during this same season's finale. Rick and Morty are transported into a climactic scenario, where Evil Morty leads an army of Mr. Meeseeks, Gazorpians, and Citadel Ricks alongside what appears to be a dark Mr. Poopybutthole, drawing upon previously established canon, fan theories, and fan favorite characters.
However, Rick undercuts his own usual cynical insincerity by praying to Jesus Christ, with the help of Morty, causing the marketability and entertainment value Story Lord was siphoning to plummet. Story Lord portals into the narrative to attempt to stop their invocation, but Christ Himself soon arrives and overpowers him, allowing Rick and Morty to escape, leaving Story Lord trapped in a Christian children's show.
He is later seen walking with Jesus on a beach. After Story Lord explains the narrative and mythological origins of Jesus Christ's identity, Christ utilizes His phenomenal power, causing the now toy-sized Story Train to crash within the Smith Residence living room, and allowing them both to escape into the Meta Reality.
"Full Meta Jackrick"[]
Story Lord sends Previous Leon through the fourth wall to prey on Rick and Morty as bait, causing the duo to pursue the mosquito-like parasite back into the Meta Reality. As Rick prepares to exterminate Previous Leon, the bug begins praying, which causes Jesus Christ to descend from heaven, and subsequently, Story Lord to appear and reintroduce himself. Story Lord explains the version of Rick he fought was fictional, however Morty wholly remembers the conflict. Story Lord unleashes Jesus on Rick, Morty, and Previous Leon, as he steals Rick's meta remote to escape Meta Reality.
| “ | Forward your notes to my ass! |
| — Story Lord, escaping Meta Reality. |
Story Lord follows the box of the story train to Citadel Toyz, where he finds Jan, the man who wrote the Story Train (and a representation of series creator Dan Harmon). When Story Lord sees Jan's pathetic situation and disgustedly demands an explanation, Jan goes on to complain about the process of writing the Story Train and its characters, convinced he was doomed to fail by his circumstances. Still not satisfied, Story Lord abducts Jan for the next phase of his quest in acquiring motivation.
Using a huge antennae array with several Story Trains circling around it, powered by Jan's manual labor, Story Lord manages to siphon motivation away from every other being in the universe. Then Rick and Morty manage to catch up, having escaped from the Meta Reality. Rick attacks Story Lord and they begin battling among the drones and conveyor belts of the toy packaging warehouse. While Story Lord is distracted by Rick, Morty takes the opportunity to convey the words of Joseph Campbell to Jan, convincing him to give up on writing, as well as his support for Story Lord.
| “ | Say it! Tell me I'm the new Mr. Nimbus! |
| — Story Lord, immediately after his siphoned motivation faded. |
Jan stops operating Story Lord's array, which returns all of the siphoned motivation to its original holders, and leaves Story Lord completely unpowered and at Rick's mercy. Rick kicks Story Lord off over a railing, where he lands hard on concrete, bloodied, bruised, and beaten. Morty conveys that Joseph Campbell says Jan has to be the one to finish Story Lord, and Rick fabricates another requirement of having to use one of the Rick plushies to do so, while advertising the plushies at rick-plush.biz. Jan smothers the last bit of life out of Story Lord, while Rick burns down the Story Train array.
Appearance[]
Story Lord is a human with long gray hair and a chinstrap beard. He wears a white tunic trimmed with yellow, a dark orange cape, yellow jodhpurs, with dark brown gloves and boots. He possesses bulging muscles which Morty refers to as "c█m gutters,' and dramatically tears away his clothes to reveal his physique when he prepares to fight. He wears emerald and ruby rings - one of each for both hands.
Gallery[]
Personality[]
Story Lord is disciplined, smug, focused, and grandiose. He knows a great deal about Rick Sanchez, either through learning or through story based clairvoyance. He displays a great deal of competency in setting up and executing his schemes, until he is thwarted by Rick Sanchez.
His motivations are centered around controlling the narrative both literally and figuratively, as a meta being in an animated series. He plots to leech away potential from the primary protagonists, much like Previous Leon, and siphon motivation away from all other beings in the universe. He wants to establish himself as a significant antagonist for the series, comparing himself to Mr. Nimbus.
Relationships[]
Rick Sanchez[]
Story Lord holds a personal grievance against Rick Sanchez, due to the latter's over-indulgence of vulgarity and insincerity. More than this, he wants to steal Rick and Morty's narrative marketability and entertainment value to break through the fifth wall. They share a fierce battle in Never Ricking Morty, before Rick gains the upper hand and traps Story Lord within his Story Train.
When Story Lord shows up in the Meta Reality, he reveals that the Rick he fought before was a "fictional" version, though he still harbors some resentment for the real Rick. Rick meanwhile seems to have no idea who Story Lord is.
During their climactic packaging warehouse duel, Story Lord is capable of standing toe-to-toe with the mad scientist. However, upon losing the power granted by Jan and the motivation array, Story Lord is quickly overpowered by Rick. The mad scientist then convinces Jan to smother his creation with one of the Rick plushies.
Jesus Christ[]
Although Jesus first appears as an enemy to Story Lord, after they are both trapped within the Story Train, the latter takes the time to diplomatize. Story Lord is able to use Jesus' powers to escape the Story Train and enter into the Meta Reality, where the two of them awaited for Previous Leon to lure Rick and Morty through the fourth wall. After Story Lord manages to steal Rick's meta remote and escape, he leaves Jesus behind to be leeched by Previous Leon.
Jan[]
Jan is responsible for writing the Story Train, as well as Story Lord. After Story Lord escapes the Meta Reality, he finds Jan in squalor at Capital Toyz LLC., and is repulsed. He abducts Jan to use in his plot. Jan appears to be willing to help Story Lord on his mission, as he will perform the back-breaking manual labor to power Story Lord's siphoning array. However, Jan would be convinced to give up on Story Lord by Morty and Joseph Campbell. After being defeated by Rick, Story Lord told Jan, ''you failed me,'' to which Jan responds "no, I've failed you." Rick then instructed Jan, as Story Lord's creator, to be the one to finish him off with one of the Rick plushies. Jan is distraught while he does so.
Appearances[]
Season 4[]
Season 6[]
Rick and Morty: The Anime[]
| Episodes | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
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| Season 4 | ✔ | ||||||||||
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| Season 6 | ✔ | ||||||||||
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| Season 8 | |||||||||||
| The Anime | ✔ | ||||||||||
| Vindicators 2 |
Trivia[]
- Story Lord appears to be a parody of Dan Harmon, sharing a similar beard and hairstyle. His interdimensional/spacefaring and toy versions of the "story train" is a reference to Harmon's own advocacy for and adherence to his "story circle" method of writing. The parody is confirmed in "Full Meta Jackrick", with the presence of Jan, Story Lord's creator, who not only also has Story Lord's beard but is more clearly meant to be a parody of Harmon.
- Rick refers to Story Lord as a "matrix, space-Frasier,' referencing his power to trap people within stories, like the titular simulation of the Matrix franchise, and his appearance and smug attitude like that of the fictional Seattle radio host Frasier Crane.
- Story Lord is the first major antagonist to battle Rick after the Dinosaurs closed the multiverse rift and Rick fixed his portal technology.
- Story Lord compares himself to Mr. Nimbus, who would appear in the following episode, Analyze Piss. Ironically, saying this inserts himself into the same series of weirdos who Rick attempts to escape in that episode, and who Rick seems to consider Nimbus as, except for some canonical history.