‘Rick and Morty’ S7 Ending Explained: Rick and Morty Face Their Biggest Fears

Summary

• The Rick and Morty season 7 finale ends with Morty facing his greatest fear in The Hole and overcoming it.
• Rick does not step into The Hole, which shows he too had hidden fears and insecurities.

• The post-credits scene featuring Mr Poopybutthole hints that he does not change for the better.

The Rick and Morty season 7 finale provided a satisfying end to the latest season by blending humor and emotion. Season 7 dealt with a lot of changes as Justin Roiland, the original voice actor of both Rick and Morty, was replaced by a new cast member following charges of domestic violence. 

This season’s storyline also resolved one of its most intense arcs, as Evil Morty joined hands with Rick to defeat Rick Prime, the ultimate enemy of the multiverse.

Rick was happy to see Rick Prime’s defeat (season 7, episode 5), but subsequent episodes proved that he was shocked by the events of episode 5.

The rest of the episodes of season 7 focused on lighter, standalone storylines. In episode 10, Rick and Morty were finally introduced to The Hole.

The Hole is a strange vacuum that simulates the greatest fear of the person stepping inside it and allows them to get over it. Episode 10 saw Morty dealing with his greatest fear and had major setups for the next season.

1. What was Morty’s Greatest Fear?

Morty’s greatest fear in The Hole was his being replaceable in Rick’s life. Morty realized that he was alone the whole time inside The Hole, and Rick never followed him in. He was afraid of not being valued enough by his grandfather.

After successfully escaping The Hole, Morty realizes Rick never accompanied him. The versions of Rick he saw inside were only fragments of his imagination, which helped simulate his deepest, darkest fear.

Morty realized he was afraid of being too dependent on Rick, while Rick saw him as replaceable. Morty’s realization helped him get out of The Hole and out of his own delusions of reality.

By facing his biggest fear, Morty is able to assure himself that he is not replaceable for Rick. But he also realized it was not bad, even if he was. Not depending on Rick for his self-esteem could only make him more independent.

He did not want his whole life to revolve around Rick and getting his validation. Therefore, facing his fears inside The Hole led to a lot of self-realization and introspection for Morty.

We can expect to see Morty’s character go through some major character development in the next seasons.

2. Why Didn’t Rick Jump into The Hole?

Rick did not jump into The Hole as he experiences fear and has changed enough to value his current life and not risk it again. Rick was too afraid to jump into The Hole as it would reveal his vulnerable side.

Rick has always come across as an existentialist. He believes existence is futile and has always been self-destructive by jumping into dangerous intergalactic adventures.

In the season 7 finale, Rick shows some vulnerability. Although Morty survived The Hole, Rick did not jump into it as he was too scared to face his fears. Moreover, he also learned to value his present life and not risk his life again and again for adventure.

After Morty came out of The Hole, he told Rick that he saw a version of Rick’s wife, Diane, inside. The real Rick seemed shocked as he was not inside The Hole. Morty advised him not to go inside, and in a rare instance, Rick listened to Morty.

Later, Rick put Morty’s photo on the wall of fame of The Hole. Although Rick is known for his narcissism and pride, Rick putting his grandson’s photo on the wall shows he is proud of him. It also hints that Rick has some emotion and values Morty’s achievements.

3. Rick and Morty Season 7 Finale Post-Credits Scene Explained

The post-credits scene of Rick and Morty features Mr Poopybutthole, who uses Rick’s stolen portal gun to replace another happily married version of himself.

Poopybutthole intended to exchange his life with an alternate version rather than improve his current life. Poopybutthole does not learn from his mistakes, and Amy’s reaction to him proves he is doomed to ruin his life again, even if he changes it.

4. About Rick and Morty

Rick and Morty is an adult animation series on Adult Swim. It has been created by Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland.

The series revolves around a cynical older scientist named Rick Sanchez and his young grandson, Morty Smith. Their simple domestic life and eccentric intergalactic adventures are the focuses of the show.

Alongside the original television series, the show’s characters have been featured in a variety of media, including spin-offs, comic books, musical releases, and video games.