From wooden decoys to steampunk versions, the sheer variety of Smith families provides constant visual gags and high-stakes action.
"Mortyplicity" is Rick and Morty at its most chaotic and inventive. It manages to balance a complex, nested narrative with the show’s signature dark humor and existential dread. It’s an episode that demands multiple viewings just to catch every variant of the Smith family tree. [S5E2] Mortyplicity
The episode kicks off with the Smith family being brutally murdered by "squid" assassins—only for us to realize that the family we just saw was a decoy. Rick explains he created "decoy families" as a buffer against his many enemies. However, the brilliance of Mortyplicity lies in its escalation: the decoys themselves started making their own decoys, creating a "decoy cascade" where no one knows who is real. Key Themes: Creation vs. Creator From wooden decoys to steampunk versions, the sheer
The reveal of who—or what—is actually behind the squid costumes is one of the episode's many hilarious and bizarre subversions. It’s an episode that demands multiple viewings just
Ironically, one of the Ricks who seems most "real" because he expresses genuine love for his family is the one who has to die, as the show’s status quo demands the "miserable bastard" version of Rick. Highlights of the Mayhem
As is tradition, stay for the credits to see a wooden Jerry trying (and failing) to find meaning in his immortality. Final Thoughts
We never truly know which family is the "original" C-137 family until the very end. Each time a Rick declares himself a "god" or the "true" version, he is inevitably killed by another.