Although there have been frustratingly long waits for episodes of Season 4 of Rick and Morty, there's no denying that it has contained some of the best episodes the series has offered so far. With that being said, this past Sunday's episode still managed to top our expectations, so we're here to share our review.
Beware, the following contains SPOILERS for Rick and Morty Season 4 Episode 8: The Vat of Acid Episode. For those who have already watched it and those who are looking to see what it's all about, let's dive into the details.
The title of the episode is odd in the fact that it is one of the few episodes of the series not to include the names Rick or Morty in the title. More than that, the name of the episode actually appears on the show following the title card, which is completely out of character for the Adult Swim series.
Justin Roiland (Solar Opposites) and Dan Harmon (Community) have once again outdone themselves with an amazing outing of Rick and Morty. In this adventure, we see Rick utilize a fake vat of acid to get out of a sticky situation, an idea that Morty calls out and refuses to drop.
Due to his constant bickering and complaining that his ideas are never heard, Rick finally gives in and makes the device his grandson begs him for -- a device that lets him save his place in time like in a video game. Now, before you go saying this is a rip-off of a Futurama plot, Rick beat you to it with his meta commentary in the episode by saying he didn't want to do it because it was already done on the other cartoon.
Similarly, Rick also mentions that he doesn't want to do it because "if Ant-Man and the Wasp can do it, I'm not interested." At first this may seem like a jab at the Marvel Cinematic Universe film starring Paul Rudd (I Love You, Man) and Evangeline Lily (Lost), however the co-writer of the episode, Jeff Loveness, is actually writing Ant Man 3. This makes sense, as if it was simply meant to be a jab at time travel, it's likely that Rick would have mentioned Avengers: Endgame as well -- assuming that Universe C-137 felt the effects of the snap.
Morty gets his wish despite Rick's countless attempts to avoid time travel, and decides to head out on a solo adventure using the new technology bestowed upon him by his grandfather. Able to save his spot in time, Morty heads out to live his best life. Enjoying the perks of life like taking as many free samples as he wants, embarrassing his teacher, getting better with women, and even replaying spots in actual video games.
Unbeknownst to Morty, he isn't actually using time travel, but instead is dimension hopping to a similar reality and killing off the Morty from there in his place. He does this over and over again unaware of the consequences, and by the end of the episode has managed to successfully upset the AARP, NCAAP, GamerGate, and plenty of activists by his selfish acts and the story comes full circle as he is forced to use the vat of acid once again to escape justice.
In the end we discover that none of this took place in C-137 as Rick tells Morty that he wasn't going to waste his own dimension on the stupid idea, further exemplifying how self-centered he is. As the two return home, Rick mentions that the universe they were in never felt the events of 9/11, which is an interesting callback to the previous episode which featured a joke about both the Twin Towers and Pearl Harbor.
From start to finish the episode is hilarious and exciting. In true Rick and Morty fashion, there is more than enough fast-paced wit and hidden details to merit several viewings. The Vat of Acid Episode is easily one of the best episodes of the season, not to mention the series as a whole.
Rick and Morty continues the succesful Season 4 run with The Vat of Acid Episode. Upping the ante from the other two episodes of "The Remaining Five" that have been released, the episode is a sign that fans can expect the current season to ride this wave and finish off strong. Here's hoping the remaining two episodes are filled with half the joy of Episode 8. - Five out of five.
What did you think of Rick and Morty: The Vat of Acid Episode? Take a look at the trailer for the second half of season four along with the synopsis of this episode below, and be sure to share your thoughts in the comments section!
Rick and Morty meet with alien gangsters at a factory for a crystal swap. The gangsters betray them and Rick fakes his and Morty's deaths by jumping into a vat of fake acid. However, the gangsters do not immediately leave, instead hashing out their feelings and testing the vat's acidity.
Rick and Morty airs Sunday nights at 11:30 on Adult Swim. Fans can catch up on the previous seasons via Hulu.