Since his wife was killed decades ago, Rick has been a hollow shell of a man on the brink of death. The show has toyed around with some advances towards healing, but never before have we spent substantial time with Diane outside of the occasional flashback or morbid computer voice. 

Rick and Diane, after decades apart, initially bicker a bit, but it’s not long until they fall in love all over again.

The Rick we see here couldn’t be further removed from the Rick we already know, and that’s because this softer, kinder version of Rick was the one who existed before Rick Prime took Diane away from him.

That’s what makes his so-called “revenge” against his nemesis even more heartbreaking now. Because nothing Rick ever did was going to bring Diane back, not really, and the revenge that fuelled him was never going to bring his old self back, either.

For a show that’s often associated with nihilism and despair, it’s worth remembering Rick and Morty actually excels at these kind of heart-wrenching, emotional beats when it wants to, which is precisely why those nihilistic tendencies are so despairing, because you can’t really have one without the other. 

Still, revealing this gentler version of Rick gives the show a new drive by suggesting that he might one day be able to reach at least some semblance of that version of himself again.

It’s very much the opposite of what’s motivated him up until now, except even this sliver of hope is ripped away again thanks to one final twist, which reveals Rick was never reunited with Diane, after all. Well, not our “Rick” at least.

In fact, Rick never entered The Hole at all. He hung back, too afraid to confront what he might find inside. And so that means everything that played out between Rick and Diane was actually part of Morty’s biggest fear, that he could be easily replaced by his grandfather.

Facing that realisation head-on is what enables him to finally escape for real.

That means our Rick didn’t get to enjoy that time with Diane, and that also means he’s further away from healing than we were led to believe.

Except, the fact he didn’t enter The Hole in the first place proves that he’s now in a place where he can admit when he’s too scared to try something. That’s pretty huge for someone so arrogant, someone who does technically wield god-like power. 

And, even more importantly than that, it proves Rick is no longer as self-destructive as he once was. Because the old Rick would have leaped right in, hoping The Hole might finish him off for good.

So there is still hope to be had, even if it’s not outright absolution.

How Rick and Morty’s season 7 finale sets up season 8

Most seasons of Rick and Morty end with an appearance from Mr Poopybutthole, and season 7 is no exception. But the way he appears this time around definitely comes as a surprise, and even gives cause for concern.

In the post-credits stinger, Mr Poopybutthole uses one of Rick’s stolen portal guns to visit a different version of himself in another reality, who is still happily married to his wife.

And then, he throws the alternate doppelganger through a portal and takes his place. It turns out the split was a bit harder on him than we thought…

There’s echoes here of what Rick and Morty themselves did back in season 1, after they destroyed their Earth with the creation of Cronenbergian monsters.

The difference there, though, was that Rick and Morty didn’t hurt alternate versions of themselves. Instead, they visited a reality where two doppelgangers had just died, so they could easily slot themselves into a whole new family without anyone ever knowing. 

Adult Swim

Speaking to TVLine after the finale, executive producer Steve Levy revealed that the team aren’t sure where this storyline will go just yet: “But it’s clear that Mr Poopybutthole has a screw loose and is very unwell. He’s not the hero we all thought he was at one point.”

In the absence of Rick Prime, and with Evil Morty becoming an ally of sorts now, could Mr Poopybutthole become the show’s new Big Bad?

Rick and Morty is rarely that straightforward, but it’s interesting to see this fan favourite wrestle with the same kind of worthlessness that Rick once did – and still does, but now to a lesser extent. 

Whatever happens, we can’t imagine things going well for Mr Poopybutthole in the long run, especially as his wife already seems to suspect something’s up with her so-called “husband”.

And what of Rick and Morty themselves? There have been a few episodes this season, including the finale, when our faves have been separated for longer stretches of time than usual. Don’t be surprised if future episodes focus more on one than the other, or even centre themselves around other characters entirely. Our money’s on more solo Summer arcs.

Perhaps a slight break from endless adventuring will do Rick some good. Because he is healing, at least a little, and there’s now a chance he could even become somewhat less messed up – or even happy – in the long run. That’s a more powerful story to root for than his quest for vengeance ever was.