The lead voice actors explain howRick and Morty’s new variants differ from the many versions seen before. Since the departure of series co-creator and main voice actor Justin Roiland, Rick has been played by Ian Cardoni, and Morty by Harry Belden.Rick and Mortyseason 8continues to follow the titular characters through their various adventures, but season 8, episode 3, “The Rick, The Mort & The Ugly” took the show in a different direction by following two variants, Homesteader Rick and Arcade Morty.
In an interview withScreenRant’s Grant Hermanns to discuss the midseason of the series,Cardoni and Belden detail how Homesteader Rick and Arcade Morty are differentfrom the main versions. With the episode title being a riff onThe Good, The Bad, & The Ugly, Cardoni partially based his performance on Clint Eastwood. He also believes that despite the gruff exterior, this Rick “still cares.“Belden discusses how Arcade Morty has been forced into a leadership position, so he has to show more confidence than most of the Mortys that have been introduced. Check out their quotes below:
Cardoni: Sure, Homesteader Rick is a favorite of mine. I know Boss Hogg takes a lot of the spotlight in that episode with his over-the-topness, but Homesteader Rick I really enjoyed developing the sound for that, because it’s still Rick, but it’s got sort of the darker, more brooding nature a little more front and center. There’s a gruffness, there’s a texture in the voice. I tried to put in a little bit of Harrison Ford in there, maybe a little bit of Clint Eastwood, given the episode title and all that. It’s just trying to highlight a couple aspects of the character that are always there somewhat. But in this particular version, it’s sort of his driving force.
He’s, in some ways, a magnified version of the Rick that, deep down, still cares, but is even maybe more reluctant to share that or show that. So there was a lot that the writers gave on the page for Homesteader that gave me a lot to sink my teeth into in terms of how he’s going to sound. I think it was also a good way for me to vent some of my own brooding frustration through the gritted teeth. He’s lived a hard life on the frontier, it’s a Rick that has been through a lot more than some of the other Citadel Ricks we’ve seen.
Belden: And you did such a good job with that one too. Because for a Rick that we see for one episode, I really cared about him by the end of it. And I know a lot of people did too, I know a lot of fans have been talking about how sad they were to see him [die], maybe. We didn’t see a body, but yeah, you did a fantastic job with that. It was super fun. What I realized — and was probably even told this — is that Arcade Morty is a leader. He has the leadership perk, he’s gone through whatever he’s gone through to rise to the top of this little society that they have in this Morty part of town, as Rick says. It’s definitely out of a sense of a kind of obligation.
Somebody has to do it, somebody has to step up and kind of run things around here, because Mortys need leadership and need structure, in general. Somebody’s got to provide that, somebody’s got to protect these Mortys. So, he is far more confident than your average Morty. He is more of a tactical thinker in that he’s thinking a few steps ahead in order to get what he wants, or what he needs, to keep his Mortys safe. So playing that was super fun, because it’s a much different side of Morty, not that we’ve never seen that before, but to have it sort of condensed and distilled into one character was an immense joy to play.
Cardoni: It’s a great theme too, in that these clones, some of them, are able to rise to an occasion. Leaders are made, I think it’s a real frontier lesson. A clone version of Morty can then become the leader, and take a different perspective than all the other Mortys. And the same thing with Boss Hogg. He is a clone, but he’s got his own vision, and it’s beyond the original scope of what he’s created for, and it tells us an interesting story.
What This Means For Rick & Morty
The Variants Allow For Different Kinds Of Stories
Following thedestruction of the Citadel, “The Rick, The Mort & The Ugly” returns to that storyline to see the aftermath and what new civilization is being built. Interestingly,Rick C-137 and Morty Prime are hardly featured in the episode. One of the advantages ofRick and Mortyis that the series can tell any kind of story it wants, as there are an unlimited number of variants any episode could follow.
This also allows the voice actors to add different performances. While some variants exist purely for a quick gag, or even just cannon fodder, ones like Homesteader Rick and Arcade Morty provide the opportunity for fleshed-out alternate versions. It also makes for a unique episode as it remainsunknown if these versions will ever be seen again. While Homesteader Rick does die in the episode, that is not something that has stopped other Ricks from returning before.
Our Take On The New Rick & Morty Variants
They Show A More Idealized Version Of The Characters
Homesteader Rick and Arcade Morty could be considered more idealized versions of the characters. While they are shown to have had a harder life, they have positive attributes that the main versions are missing. WhileHomesteader Rick had to dieat the end of “The Rick, The Mort & The Ugly,” because no good Western can have the reluctant hero reach the promised land, his sacrifice stands out. Rick C-137 would likely never sacrifice himself to save a group of Mortys, at least not in a way that would be permanent.
Morty Prime has grown significantly throughout the series, starting as nervous and unsure of himself. Over the seasons, he has become confident and callous, but has not shown leadership skills in the same way as Arcade Morty. Showing variants with more positive attributes is not common for the show, and it was a nice change of pace forRick and Morty.
Rick and Morty
Cast
Rick and Morty is an animated science fiction series that follows the eccentric scientist Rick Sanchez and his impressionable grandson Morty Smith as they embark on perilous adventures across space and alternate dimensions. The show explores the impact of these exploits on Morty’s tumultuous family life and personal challenges.
