...if the giant ominous Rick head in the poster turns out to not be Rick C-137, but Puppetloser Rick controlling everyone, implanting fake memories and causing as much damage as he can through a simulation for the duration of the whole season, I will be very
It will mean no one has been acting out of character, there's just a new villain on board.
RELIEVED!!!!!!!!!
(and if the scene depicted in the poster has already taken place in one of the episodes I haven't watched yet and it WAS Rick C-137 I will feel very stupid lol)
If I was a monstrously unrepentant Rick furiously searching for the long-lost grandson who once trapped me in a fate worse than death before running away, disappearing without a trace in the infinite multiverse...
...I would not only devise a number of plans and steps to look for said vanished grandson, but also prepare for the eventuality of finding him again.
And by that I unfortunately mean a way to resume control instantly.
(I, uh... made myself sick by writing this post. Ugh. Warning for... uh, I don't know. This is messed up. I feel messed up for thinking about it.)
So I'd imagine Puppetloser Rick would construct a projectile weapon, similar in spirit to Eyepatch Morty's fingerguns:
Something to connect to the implant and forcefully take over.
(I mean theoretically he could want to perform a surgery again but I imagine he'd be pretty impatient and have plenty of free time in his hands to prepare.)
Eyepatch Morty's version was pretty elegant and unassuming, a hidden last-defense mechanism with the sole purpose of incapacitating. It was compact, simple and unintrusive, and I imagine firing it against PLoser would not trigger any of Eyepatch Morty's still lurking mental restraints (because it's not "harming" PLoser).
Puppetloser Rick might theoretically choose a similar, discreet design; but given his monstrous nature, I imagine it would be blatantly designed as a weapon meant to harm as much as possible. I doubt it'd be meant to """"nicely"""" attach on the skin to connect to the part of the implant residing behind the forehead (like the fingergun).
Given that Eyepatch Morty supposedly tore the receiver out of his own eye socket, I imagine that PLoser's version would contain:
a new receiver. With the respective blue and red cables to connect to the remains of the implant. With maybe some kind of... alligator clip to forcefully latch directly to the cables themselves, instead of a proper connector that would need to fit at a precise angle to the respective connector still in the eye-socket. (Is a jawed alligator clip also a more violent option? Yes it is.) I imagine crazy science in Rick and Morty universe is advanced enough to make those alligator clips detect and latch on their targets automatically.
a piercing part right in the front of the projectile. He'd aim it at the eyepatched eye.
a (time?) healing part to restore the eye itself after the receiver was re-attached. Not out of any kindness to heal an open gaping wound, of course, but to seal the receiver in, and make removing it again impossible.
And all this in a single projectile, fired by a gun.
I imagine that, at its core concept, it might look a bit like this:
Aaaand it will of course be stopped by Eyepatch Morty's forcefield.
It's cool. No way this is happening to Eyepatch Morty again.
If I'm right, then he managed to get PLoser stuck in the Machine of Unspeakable Doom back when he was operating under an unsurmountable handicap; now that he's free, has stolen Rick intel, has infinite resources, plenty of time to prepare, his own portal fluid, the Omega Device schematics, and Rick C-137 to have his back, PLoser won't stand a snowflake's chance in hell.
...(if he exists) when we finally meet Puppetloser Rick in person:
he will, in fact, be holed up in his lair, cowering behind a million shields, terrified of getting captured again by Ricks, by Rick Prime, and pretty much by anyone
he will only be sending puppets out to do his bidding, and he will be a massive coward
he will be spending so much time in his puppeteering chair (like Prime's) his butt will be fused to it
his muscles will have atrophied from the inordinate amount of time he spent sitting down, living through other people
he will have zero personal hygiene, all his efforts dedicated to the puppets
Assessment of Ugly Rick according to the Puppetloser Rick watchlist
(If you're wondering who "Puppetloser Rick" is, he's the hypothetical Rick responsible for the cables inside Eyepatch Morty's brain; originally nicknamed him "Puppetmaster" Rick before I realized he sucks.)
(I had a mental list of possible behaviors and characteristics he might exhibit if my various assumptions about Eyepatch Morty's backstory are correct. Some of those were simply narrative choices I thought the writers were likely to make, IF I got their intent right, obviously)
(When the trailer for season 8 rolled out this one Rick immediately stood out from the rest because it seemed like he ticked off like three points in a single scene, so I put out the full list; hyperlinked in this post's title)
(And now I have finally the time to do his full assessment according to all the points in the list)
Suffice to say: SPOILERS if I'm right about Eyepatch Morty's backstory; WASTE OF TIME if I'm wrong.
Without further ado, here we go:
Yeah, he sucks. While I cannot say that he ticks all the individual assumptions of mine (insecurity, cowardice, lack of scientific achievements), he definitely ticks the box on the charisma bit and, most importantly, the absolute lack of redeeming qualities. If he had any originally, they're long-irrelevant now. He's not affably evil like Rick Prime. He's just evil.
I consider point 1 as scored.
So much yes. Ugh.
2 points.
Yep.
3 points.
Well, it wasn't discussed. We don't know.
Ummmm well they don't think highly of him...
...but not in the way I had imagined (i.e.: realizing this one Rick was too cruel with their grandsons). Apparently they simply think he's not cool enough lol.
And he doesn't think particularly highly of them either, but it seems to be done in a way that's normal for a Rick; I had imagined a more deeply seated hatred towards Citadel Ricks for them not believing his "my Morty did it" defense and sticking him into the Machine of Unspeakable Doom when Eyepatch Morty framed him.
But then again, these Ricks are clones. They didn't have any power in the original Citadel and weren't responsible for his torture in the Machine of Unspeakable Doom. It's the Council of Ricks he should hate; but they are already dead.
I had also imagined he would look down on Ricks who don't have the guts to... act all the way they want with Mortys, like he did, but he doesn't really seem to go down that road either; Mortys are completely devalued in his eyes, and so instead he apparently hates Ricks who don't devalue Mortys as much as he does:
...and generally all around actively aids other Ricks to treat Mortys like crap.
I'm not sure how I can count this one. +0.25 points, maybe?
So, 3.25 points in total.
Nope, that point has sailed (I thought it would be a good way for the writers to show what a low-life he is by him colluding with a known enemy and betraying other versions of himself in order to further his revenge: no one likes a traitor. On second thought, given that the average Rick hates other Ricks, this would have been a rather meaningless plot point. I liked Homesteader Rick redeeming himself by destroying the Citadel much, much more.)
We don't know yet.
We don't know yet!
They didn't meet, it doesn't appear Ugly Rick knows of Rick C-137, we don't know.
Well, he doesn't have a Morty, but no point has been made on why he doesn't have a Morty (even though it's clear it won't be a nice sentimental reason of the "my Morty was irreplaceable" sort). I think I should count this as +0.25 points.
3.5 points in total.
Oh, yes.
This one is certain.
However, the main point of this part of the checklist was his hypothesized hatred of an old Morty he had once partnered with. This is likely, considering his behavior, but not confirmed, so I can't fully count this. Imma add +0.5 points.
4 points in total.
(a) We don't know if he tried to do it before S08E03 rolled in.
(b) We don't know if he tried to do it before S08E03 rolled in.
(c) I suspect... yes..?
...although he was not the one who even tried to do the actual science work (no surprises there lol)
While it seems he had no personal interest in the gene lock getting cracked (we don't see him pestering the Ricks who tried to crack it), I don't think it is chance that he placed himself close to an operation that cracks the gene lock that allows for Morty cloning. I suspect he might have benefited from the gene lock being unlocked...
...if a sort of brain-wave lock is simultaneously unlocked, that is.
I got to admit, I expected him to:
(d) either use a Morty clone to scan the multiverse for brainwaves, which he DIDN'T try; but maybe he can't if there is, indeed, a sort of "lock" on that...
(e) ...or slice any and all clone Mortys' heads open, to check for cables; but he didn't do that either. This is explained if he already somehow knew that the Morty he is looking for is not among those clones.
(f) He definitely did try to kidnap as many Mortys as possible, but it also seemed he had no personal interest in them before handing them over. It was just a job. I can't count this one.
(g) We don't know if he will go for this in the future.
While he doesn't really tick any of the points in the way I expected, he still dances way too close to them. There were all sorts of jobs he could have done in the new Citadel and he chose to kidnap clone Mortys, treat them as badly as possible, and stick around the place where clone Mortys are analyzed.
I'm going to add only +0.25 points for whole thing until his motives become more clear.
4.25 points out of 12 in total.
That's not a lot.
However, this dude comes suspiciously close to too many of the things in the checklist: he either outright checks, or orbits around SEVEN OUT OF TWELVE POINTS. I can't think this is a coincidence. No other Rick comes so close:
Boss Hog Rick also collects Mortys and treats them like objects, but he also has his own dreams (living like a king). Mortys are a means to an end. He doesn't give a crap about them, while Ugly Rick outright hates them. Boss Hog Rick is affably evil and kinda stupidly fun and also pretty welcoming towards other Clone Ricks.
That Addicted Rick in the Boss Jerry dimension looks uglier than Ugly Rick, is definitely more pathetic, and there is a suspicious lack of Morty at his side... but there is a kind of "innocent victim" aura about him (I can't believe I'm saying this about a Rick). His one real line is "Ow! You're mean now, Jerry! :( You pull me out of my chairs too much!"
Rick Prime, the most evil Rick we have seen until now had better things to do than concern himself with the likes of Mortys lol
Taking the above into consideration, I feel that Ugly Rick is the most likely suspect of being Puppetloser Rick; at least unless a better candidate makes an appearance in future seasons.
Putting this out now before the new season airs, because I will explode if I don't.
It's a culmination of all the possible telltale signs on how to tell Puppetloser Rick apart if he does exist.
It's all speculation, but I'm guessing he will have at least some of the following characteristics:
1. There will be a pathetic and deeply unpleasant quality about his personality.
He will be insecure, petty, cruel, cowardly.
He won't have the redeeming qualities most Ricks have, such as charisma, confidence, being outrageously larger than life, fun, spectacular scientific achievements; the latter will be a sore spot.
2. His appearance will be either:
a) a generic Rick's appearance (i.e. like our Rick) or
b) poorly groomed, unwashed, with something distinctly off about him (think of how our Rick looked around the time he first met Bird Person, and of how the last surviving Rick in the Box looked).
There will be no in-between: he won't have a cool hairstyle or a fancy hat or an aquatic theme.
3. As for his lifestyle, he will either:
a) live completely cut off from the world in a bubble, hiding as much as possible to the point he won't know the Citadel is gone, or
b) he will live an unstable life. He won't be in a Smith household. This means he might keep jumping dimensions (either by portal travel or Operation Phoenix) a lot more than the average Rick, or he may try to find a way to insert himself in the new Citadel, or he may be constantly holed up in his headquarters working obsessively on something, getting out only to get supplies.
4. If his past is discussed, it might be mentioned that he "did time", for which he might claim either that he was framed or unfairly treated.
As for his relationship with various antagonists:
5. Other Ricks:
Will either fear or mock him, but either way they won't think highly of him.
In turn, he won't think highly of them either. He might accuse them of having let him down in the past.
It's also possible he'll describe them as untruthful, cowards, holier-than-thou and/or encourage them to treat their Mortys more cruelly and discard them more easily.
6. The Galactic Federation:
...I wouldn't be surprised if he turned over the new new Citadel to the Galactic Federation (revealing stuff like its location, details about its defenses, and various other Rick secrets, up and including portal travel...!) in exchange for being allowed into specific parts of its inner workings that the current Rick Leaders won't grant him access to; parts that are of no interest to the Federation but are of interest to him.
7. R i c k P r i m e
He might have some vague connection to Prime; e.g. such as tech. He might be able to impersonate him.
However, he won't seem to actually like Prime and may speak about him with both fear and spite. If he learns that Prime is dead, he will be glad.
8. E y e p a t c h M o r t y
If he finds out that this Morty has threatened to kill all Ricks by using Prime's Omega Device, he will scoff, call him a liar, and dare him to do it.
9. R i c k C - 1 3 7
...I have the feeling he might even feel gratitude for this one Rick and hold him in high regard.
Concerning Mortys:
10. He won't have one, or go through them at a truly unprecedented rate.
He will either say he has no Morty, or that his Morty is dead, or that some Rick is harboring a Morty that is rightfully his.
11. If he doesn't outright hate all Mortys (and spout stuff like "they need to know their place" or "they can't be trusted" or "they're more trouble than they're worth"), he will definitely hate a Morty he had once partnered with, and describe him with demeaning and insulting words, such as ungrateful, backstabbing, copycat, and too stupid to know what's good for him.
12. He will try to do one or more of the following:
a) get access to the Citadel's old records of Mortys, before its destruction
b) get access to any and all Morty corpses that were still there when the Ricks began returning to the Citadel.
c) get access to biological material of Mortys (i.e. whatever stuff is used to clone them)
d) get just ONE newly cloned Morty (i.e. one created after the Citadel's destruction). If he does achieve that, he'll hook him up in a machine to get his brainwaves.
e) get as many "old" (i.e. who survived the Citadel's destruction) Mortys as he can. If he does get his hands on such a Morty, apart from doing brainwave stuff, he'll want to slice said Morty's head open to, uh, take a look at his brain (won't heal said Morty afterwards)
f) try to bargain with Ricks to hand him over their Mortys, or outright kidnap them
g) try to take hold of M o r t y P r i m e.
(also warning: this is my longest post yet, but I couldn't condense it)
If we tie the theory of the existence of Puppetmaster Rick (aka the hypothetical Rick responsible for the cables in Eyepatch Morty's head, supposing he's also the one who taught him the puppeteering technique) to the combo Infinite Rick Theory (i.e. that Rick Prime had been infecting other Ricks like a virus by using mind-control and more specifically puppeteering), then an interesting question suddenly pops up:
Who came up with the mind-control technology first? Rick Prime or Puppetmaster Rick?
(I will preface this by saying I doubt it was a coincidence. I doubt they both independently developed nearly the same tech)
Hypothesis A: Puppetmaster Rick came up with it first
I had initially assumed that there once was a Rick obsessed with controlling others, who followed this obsession to the extreme, developing mind-controlling technology, and practicing it so much that the unlucky Morty who happened to live with him got to watch the surgeries (e.g. done to Beth? Jerry? Rick's enemies? Other Mortys?), while at some point having also a surgery performed to him.
Watching others' surgeries was what allowed Eyepatch Morty to later repeat the process himself, to Evil Rick.
Afterwards, when I read about the Infinite Rick Theory, I assumed that at some point early in the story (when Puppetmaster Rick was just starting his act and when Rick Prime was exploring different universes and meeting other Ricks) Rick Prime met this one creepy dude, got inspired by him, and greatly improved Puppetmaster Rick's tech, so that it permitted him to simultaneously control many other Ricks. This common ancestry between the two puppeteering techs meant that Eyepatch Morty's fingerguns also worked on Rick Prime's version of the implant (transmitter? processor? whatever is in his own head).
HOWEVER.
This wouldn't explain why there is still code in Eyepatch Morty's implant that forbids him from killing Ricks with a, so-to-speak, admin status...
...Not because Puppetmaster Rick wouldn't have wanted to include such code...
...but because someone like Eyepatch Morty would have been able to eventually alter said code. You'd need to have extra code that forbids you from altering the code itself; but why on earth include a failsafe like that, if your target victims are Jerrys, Beths and Mortys?
ON THE OTHER HAND, if the implant was made for controlling other Ricks, such contingencies are the bare minimum, are they not? A Rick would totally by able to hack the implant and turn off the mental restraints.
In addition, I can't really see Rick Prime copying another Rick, either. At most he may have been mildly inspired by Puppetmaster Rick (who might have developed a lame proto-implant with pretty limited abilities) and took it up to eleven, but even that I feel is a stretch. Rick Prime is the smartest. I do give him full credit for whatever tech he used to control his backups.
Sooo...
Hypothesis B: Rick Prime came up with it first
Suddenly there is a very, very simple explanation as to how Puppetmaster Rick became familiar with the puppeteering tech: he was one of Rick Prime's puppeteered victims.
(I'm going to go on a limb and add that he might have even been the "Weird Rick" that we have seen in Pocket Mortys...!)
(and that people have been pairing him with Eyepatch Morty because they didn't know who he really was and thought they were just pairing up two cool characters)
(bleaaargh)
(I honestly hope not)
Then he was somehow freed by Prime's control.
a) He might have gotten freed by accident, i.e. someone stabbed him in the eye and it destroyed the receiver...
b) Or he might have cut off his own receiver, similar to what Eyepatch Morty did. I feel this is extremely unlikely, given that he'd have to orchestrate an escape plan against Rick Prime; not just some random creepy Rick. Plus I honestly doubt someone as essentially lame as "Puppetmaster" Rick would have the intelligence to come up with a plan... but I DO think it's something that could be possible.
At this point I would like to point out that we have already met a Rick who was obsessed with Rick Prime, who also had... something happen to his eye:
(Coincidence? He even has clothes kinda similar to Rick Prime's and looks like he might be outgrowing a mullet...)
c) When the Central Finite Curve's wall came into force, it might have cut off the signal of Rick Prime's transmitter.
I doubt this was the purpose of the Central Finite Curve wall (because wouldn't Rick C-137 think that, wherever Rick Prime is, he's the smartest man in that universe; and therefore intend for his universe to be included in the Curve?) but given that it turns out Rick Prime really was outside the Curve...
...it's possible the signal got disrupted when the wall first came into effect, either cutting off Rick Prime's influence entirely, or leaving "Puppetmaster" Rick into a glitching, malfunctioning (or maybe merely unfathomably traumatized) mess.
I would also like to point out that we actually have seen evidence of Rick Prime controlling victims of his who were INSIDE the Curve...
...while he was still OUTSIDE, so this theory might be wrong. It is, however, possible that after he was forcefully transported to the Prime Dimension, Rick Prime upgraded his transmitter to be able to bypass the Curve, or that after the Citadel was destroyed and no longer actively supporting the interdimensional wall, Prime's signal was able to pass through, same as everyone suddenly able to portal in and out of the Curve.
In all these options, the scenario plays out identically for Eyepatch Morty as it did in "Hypothesis A: Puppetmaster Rick came up with it first": "Puppetmaster" Rick went on to live in the Citadel, began venting out his frustration by enslaving and puppeteering Jerrys, Beths etc. Eyepatch Morty was unlucky enough to be partnered with him, assist in the surgeries, and eventually have a surgery performed to him.
(The only thing I don't like about this version of the events is that literally every significant character's grievances can be directly traced back to Rick Prime. Like, that seems a bit excessive. People can be evil independently of each other lol. On the other hand, this theory ties with how the cycle of abuse repeats in real life. The abusers were often victims themselves once (edit: I just found out a CSA survivor's interview saying that a study showed that is simply not true. The more you know). It starts with Rick Prime, then continues with "Puppetmaster" Rick, then Eyepatch Morty... then it hopefully stops.)
...Anyway, there is one last option concerning how "Puppetmaster" Rick could have gotten freed:
d) Someone helped him.
A Morty helped him.
Imagine the following scenario. (I know it's basically fanfiction because I have no proof for this narrative, only my intuition, but please humor me. Or else, if you don't feel like reading lengthy baseless hypotheses, feel free to scroll down to the large gap with the red text!!!)
Imagine "Puppetmaster" Rick really getting stranded inside the Curve when its wall came into effect; his connection to Rick Prime disrupted, but the puppeteering implant (cables, receiver, processor, etc) still remaining inside him. This would probably have some... repercussions.
He might have been compelled to fulfill the last orders he had received (I have the inkling that, unlike Eyepatch Morty, who would turn Evil Rick's puppeteering on and off, Rick Prime would always have it on).
Or his implant might have been forcing him to find a way to restore the connection and return to Rick Prime.
Or maybe he was glitching and twitching, lying in a ditch somewhere like a malfunctioning robot.
Whatever state he was in, I can't imagine it to be a good one.
Now suppose another Rick found him in that sorry state: either a wreck mentally, or being forced to fulfill orders that are no longer applicable, or malfunctioning in some way.
Would said passerby Rick help him?
N O .
He wouldn't care. He wouldn't spare a single thought. He might be able to tell that something is off and he would definitely have the means to help, but he wouldn't lift a finger to do so.
And as for Rick C-137?
Why, he'd want to keep him in his basement, study him, and use him to capture Rick Prime.
Now imagine a Morty came across him instead.
Not a Morty already paired with a Rick, who would dutifully trail after his dismissive grandfather; but a lone, discarded, cloned Morty.
A Morty --as attentive as all Mortys are, as familiar with Ricks as all Mortys are-- noticed that something was wrong.
A Morty --as compassionate as all Mortys are-- approached and offered whatever meager help he could...
...which included paying close attention to Rick's subtle hints (whatever the guy could signal without triggering the "do not reveal you are being puppeteered" order), carefully following his lead and suggestions, and using a lot of intuition (emotional intelligence, out-of-the-box-thinking stuff I think we can agree are the staple for all Mortys).
Under Rick's directions, this Morty did a "mild" operation on Rick's brain (removing some crucial part of the implant or maybe resetting the processor), any mistakes resolved by Prime's healing tech...
...essentially freeing this one Rick and giving him back full control of his life.
After this, "Puppetmaster" Rick of course adopted the Morty who helped him...
The Morty, naturally, probably thought he hit the jackpot with this Rick. There was now an actual connection between him and this one Rick: a stronger one than between any other Rick he ever had or could have in the future. He had saved this one version of his grandfather from a fate worse than death. This Rick should be eternally grateful to him. It would be Rick and Morty, a hundred years, forever, but for real this time. There's no way he'd be unwanted or replaced.
...And he was right.
I bet that things seemed good at the beginning, at least as good as they can get with a Rick. I wouldn't be surprised if "Puppetmaster" Rick actively protected the Morty in ways (seemingly) similar to those we've seen Rick C-137 protecting Morty Prime, if he healed him after he got hurt, if he spoiled him with gifts, if he showed off various cool science stuff (more on this attachment later).
But this Rick wasn't well, mentally.
I'll preface this by saying that, given that he was tricked into getting assimilated by Rick Prime, he mustn't have been the sharpest Rick in the multiverse in the first place. Plus the fact that he abandoned his original family in favor of becoming "the smartest thing in every conceivable universe; the Infinite Rick: a god", points to infinite amounts of arrogance and selfishness, even for Rick standards (only he couldn't even achieve said greatness --or any significant success-- by himself. In other words: he was a loser).
Add to the above the traumatic experience of losing huge chunks of his life, the painful inferiority of mentally comparing his (lack of) achievements to other Ricks', and most importantly: the humiliation and anger someone as arrogant as him must have felt from becoming another man's toy. And he didn't even manage to break free by himself: a kid, a kid "as dumb as he was smart", a Morty, had to help him. He was the smartest man in the universe and yet he had no option but to resort to a Morty's aid.
...all the above point to a boiling pot ready to explode. A normal person would be humbled and re-examine their worldview. A Rick as arrogant, pathetic and self-centered as him, would be desperate to reaffirm that HE was in control, that HE was superior...
...at the expense of the only person who wanted to be around him.
I'd bet that while the relationship started (seemingly) affectionate and sincere on Rick's part, things turned sour fast. I'd bet anything he belittled and insulted the Morty who saved his life like there's no tomorrow. I'd bet the verbal lashings became loads worse, more bitter, more spiteful, more unreasonable, and more unsettling than what the average Morty has to face.
...I'd bet that the Morty chose to endure it even as it got progressively worse, understanding perhaps where it came from, remembering how things used to be good in the beginning, and wanting this family to last with every fiber of his being.
Until, at some point, the Morty showed backbone one time too many, and Rick crossed the line in his effort to assert control over the one person available, in the only surefire way he knew:
The puppeteering implant.
He could do it, too.
"Puppetmaster" Rick already knew how the mind control implant worked. He was familiar with it, from the time "he was Rick Prime". The code necessary for it to work was available to be copied from by his head. The failsafes preventing the victim from asking for help, from attacking the "admin", from escaping, from committing suicide, from altering the code, were already included in his own copy. He had a set of the implant inside his own head; he could study it and replicate it.
So he repaid the favor to the Morty who saved him by performing the mind control surgery on him.
...with all the implications concerning their interactions from that point on, given Ricks' unhealthy obsession over Mortys. In other words, I do think this is a metaphor for something a lot worse, although I'm sure it will remain vague in the show. Given than I have no actual knowledge on this extremely serious real life subject and I could be wrong in a million different ways, I will shut up about this now.
The potential allegory also makes any speculation about the dynamic between "Puppetmaster" Rick and his victim pretty much impossible: the situation is too messed-up, the similarities to real-life scenarios are too unsettling. Did "Puppetmaster" Rick ever actually "love" his victim, before he snapped? Was it just a matter of possession and he never loved his grandson in any way? Does it matter? Is it really much worse than those other Ricks who may have those same thoughts and intentions, and not act upon them, at least not all the way (yet)? Is the "self-restraint" that other Ricks might be displaying something that happens in real life, or is the outcome always the worst? Does any of that matter?
I don't know. But I DO think that, whatever attachment "Puppetmaster" Rick was feeling in regards to his Morty, it was possessive. It was "his" Morty. In stead of feeling appreciation for the Morty who granted him his freedom, he wanted this Morty to act like his emotional crutch. This one Morty was the only person "Puppetmaster" Rick felt safe around, the only person he felt like he could trust, the only person he wanted around, all the time. The Morty would have (initially) mistaken this obsessive attachment for affection, which meant that having to face the reality that the person he loved more than anything in the world was the one performing the mind control surgery to him must have been absolutely crushing.
Not to mention that if the Morty saw the surgery coming (as opposed to it happening e.g. while he was asleep) the moments leading up to it would be mind-numbingly terrifying: surely he had grasped by then the purpose of the implant he had disabled in "his" Rick's brain. He had seen the cables, the implant itself. He would recognize the receiver if he saw it placed next to an operating table. He knew the fate that awaited him at the end of the scalpel.
Because of the potential allegory, I don't want to make any guesses about what everyday life was like for the Morty after the surgery, either, but the possibilities are unsettling. How did he spend his days? Was he stuck in the house? Did "Puppetmaster" Rick allow him to go to school, or did he isolate him further? Did they keep going on adventures, or did that stop under the pretext of keeping Morty "safe" from dangerous situations? Did he take any resistance of Morty as him "asking for" being puppeteered? Did Morty try to get for help from (this version of) his parents? Did they ignore him? Did they believe him, try to take action, and inevitably fail with catastrophic consequences?
(I originally thought that the reason why Eyepatch Morty never tried to connect with anyone outside the Curve was because he had been brainwashed into thinking everyone is replaceable, or because he'd been through countless families, and none of them managed to tell him apart from their previous -or next- Morty, none of them managed to see him... but what if it was because he knew from experience that people might try to bond with him, but none of them would ever be able to meaningfully support him when he needed it?)
...Did "Puppetmaster" Rick puppeteer Morty into killing the family who tried to help him, and then blamed Morty for forcing his hand?
(...Is this why Eyepatch Morty never tried to connect with anyone outside the Curve?)
I don't know. I've had countless ideas about how the events could have unfolded, but I'm sure nothing I come up with would be able to do the story justice, and I already feel like I've spoken too much about a subject that I'm guaranteed to do disservice of. If the puppeteering implant is, indeed, a metaphor for something much worse, then I want to see how the story plays out. I'm only going to say that I'd bet the Morty's life was living hell, and that his imprisonment lasted far, far too long.
At some point the Morty eventually succeeded in freeing himself and, since he couldn't actually kill "Puppetmaster" Rick because of the implant's failsafes, trapped him... in a fate worse than death (and very rightfully so). He then returned to the Citadel, having to go on living like nothing had happened...
...but something had happened. He had been hurt and betrayed in the worst possible way by the one person he had honestly initially thought would be his family forever; the one Rick he had forged a special bond with, the one Rick for whom he was actually irreplaceable, the one Rick he had originally wanted to be "Rick and Morty, a thousand years, forever".
(...no wonder he never smiled again)
This version of the events also explains something that was bugging me in the initial "Puppetmaster" Rick theory:
Why on earth, despite what "Puppetmaster" Rick did to him, did Eyepatch Morty enlist himself in a Morty Agency to try again with another Rick?
The answer is: he remembered being cherished. He experienced feeling like he was special and loved and like he found a place where he belonged. He got to experience that rare, one-of-a-kind, magical connection that Mortys experience when Ricks make an effort with them, the same thing we've seen "our" Morty experience with "our" Rick.
Sure, things went to shit afterwards, but he now knew it was possible; if not with this one, then maybe with another, less fucked-up Rick. Maybe if he tried again. Maybe, if the next Rick just saw how useful and devoted he could be, he would want to keep him and care for him. Maybe the next one. Maybe the next one. Maybe the next one. Maybe the next one.
...Until he realized it would never happen. He would always get discarded, and the one Rick who wouldn't discard him was a psycho and a loser, and he didn't actually care either... (and, in hindsight, he must have seemed to Eyepatch Morty like a complete weirdo when compared to all the other cold and distant Ricks.)
Not to mention how this disturbing attachment must have f-ed up Eyepatch Morty's perception of relationships with people: his best and worst memories (actual memories, not fake, implanted, lived by another Morty, the Morty whose copy he was) result from the same person. I can't imagine this not being confusing. Is being treated like a possession prerequisite to being wanted? Is this f-ed obsession what being "loved" is supposed to be like?
...Is it really strange, or un-Morty-like, that Eyepatch Morty gave up on any sort of family or friendship after he escaped the Curve?
I also wondered for a long time what Eyepatch Morty might feel in regards to "Puppetmaster" Rick now.
Has the still-remaining extreme power disadvantage between them (the receiver is gone, but the puppeteering processor with all the failsafes preventing him from defending himself is still there and active) conditioned him to always fear "Puppetmaster" Rick? Or did the fact that Eyepatch Morty defeated him in his own game while at an extreme disadvantage grant him the confidence to not be afraid of him anymore? Does he feel furious anger? Disgust? Unimaginable pain over what was done to him? Disappointment over what it could have been, if only this Rick wasn't such a monster?
I bet that, whatever it is, it's not the cold apathy with which we've seen him dispose of other Ricks before. This is not a random sadistic Rick who plucked him off the streets and tortured him. This is THE Rick he had hoped would be his family forever. I bet that whatever Eyepatch Morty feels, it's a mess of raw, visceral emotions, and I have no idea what would come out on top if he were to meet this guy again. I wouldn't be surprised if part of Eyepatch Morty is still a hurt and shocked child who can't wrap his mind over what happened to him and sees this one Rick as the most unsettling thing possible.
(I would like to point out at this juncture how the expression on Eyepatch Morty's (through Evil Rick's) face changes when it comes to the one I assume is "Puppetmaster" Rick. It seems almost... sorrowful.)
This theory also turns the prospect of any future interactions between them a lot more unsettling:
Eyepatch Morty wasn't just a random victim of "Puppetmaster" Rick's who rightfully trumped the cards against his tormentor by trapping him in a fate worse than death, and now "Puppetmaster" Rick is looking for him out of spite and having nothing better to do.
No, no, no.
This is personal.
He really was "his" Morty, initially. "Puppetmaster" Rick never intended to replace him. When Eyepatch Morty framed him and escaped, "Puppetmaster" Rick saw it as the worst betrayal possible from the one person who was special to him. The underlying obsession suddenly makes any currently unfolding search for "his" Morty a thousand times more terrifying. This is not just about vengeance. "Puppetmaster" Rick may not have cared as much if a random Morty had trapped him in the Machine of Unspeakable Doom; but. Not. This. One. HE. WANTS. THIS. ONE. BACK. Whatever the cost.
(That's it, that the updated "Puppetmaster" Rick theory.)
Technically, the end result is identical whichever of the above scenarios is true: Eyepatch Morty would still get operated on. He would still come out of this knowing how to perform the mind control surgery. He would still be unable to actually kill "Puppetmaster" Rick. "Puppetmaster" Rick would still be alive.
However, I do think it makes for a much more interesting story if Eyepatch Morty and "Puppetmaster" Rick were actually "close" to each other in the beginning, rather than an unlucky Morty who happened to be picked by a sadistic Rick. But I have no concrete evidence and it makes no difference to the events that have unfolded.
HOWEVER.
There is ONE, CRUCIAL repercussion to the plot if "Puppetmaster" Rick was indeed one of Prime's victims, no matter how he got freed from his control:
He would be familiar with most of Prime's tech.
He saw Prime make a lot of stuff through his own hands.
He has whatever equipment was on his person when the connection was severed.
He knows how Prime acts, how he speaks, how he dresses, what he's like. He could impersonate Prime, if he wanted.
He knows where Prime's various lairs are outside the Curve, at least up until the point he was freed, because he literally saw them with his own eyes.
He knows the locations where a buttload of weapons and raw materials are stored.
Eyepatch Morty would likely not know anything about Prime's various lairs (I'm sure the implant forbid "Puppetmaster" Rick from verbally giving out any info), but he likely would have seen plenty of Prime's superior tech being actively used; at least whatever equipment was on "Puppetmaster" Rick's person when he was freed.
Including...
...Rick Prime's healing tech.
...You know, I was wandering how exactly Eyepatch Morty healed himself after gouging his own eye out. Given that removing the receiver equates with a death sentence, it seems there is a built-in contingency in the implant; something that fires and kills the victim for trying that transgression (along with another contingency that prevents you from killing yourself).
There were a lot of healing gimmick options presented in the story that Eyepatch could have used, but given that it doesn't really take a lot to instantly fry a person's brain, or, if (like Rick C-137's captive Prime clone who vanished into nothingness) the implant completely disintegrates the victim, I was wondering what on earth Eyepatch Morty used that was so potent it could essentially counter instant death.
And the answer is very simple.
Why, he used the best.
(...I can't imagine the process of "simultaneously getting disintegrated to death and getting healed" being pleasant.)
(...I can't imagine him wanting to repeat it to remove other parts of the implant.)
You still with me?
...Just one final thing.
EXHIBIT A:
Why is Eyepatch Morty so chill about Rick C-137 attacking him? Sure, he has the forcefield that protects him from getting shot, but what if Rick escalated things and went up against him like this:
Obviously Eyepatch Morty had plenty of ways to fight back against Rick's weapons (as we saw in the Prime Fight) but he couldn't have been sure he'd be able to counter all of them...
...unless he knew, for a fact, that he'd be able to get up from anything.
EXHIBIT B:
Whichever Morty it was, he got his gunshot wound miraculously healed with no explanation... (there was even a fan who noticed the similarities between Rick Prime's healing ability, and whatever happened to this one Morty, and I think they were wondering if it was some property of Rick Prime's lair... although I can't find that post anymore)
EXHIBIT C:
Why were we never shown Eyepatch Morty disabling Rick Prime's healing tech?
Did it happen off-screen to conserve time from showing us Eyepatch Morty poking and prodding him to find the time crystal or whatever equipment and remove it or find a way to turn it off?
Or did it happen off-screen because he already knew where it was and how to turn it off and it would only take seconds and it would be blatantly obvious to us Eyepatch Morty is familiar with it?
EXHIBIT D:
Why were we never shown Eyepatch Morty downloading the schematics for Rick Prime's healing tech, like he did with the Omega Device?
Did it, once again, happen off screen to conserve time? (But Eyepatch Morty is practical; would he really prioritize stealing any tech before minimizing danger for himself by killing Prime's backups?)
Was Eyepatch Morty simply not interested in having such a potent healing device, because he knew from personal experience that sometimes death is preferable? (But wouldn't he be able to connect the healing tech to his brain implant and turn it on or off at will, allowing him to die if he wished?)
...Or did he not bother stealing it because he already had it?
TLDR of the updated "Puppetmaster" Rick theory:
"Puppetmaster" Rick was one of Rick Prime's puppets
He saw Rick Prime create, use and store all kinds of incredible tech through his own (enslaved) eyes
A Morty helped him break free by performing a "mild" form of brain-surgery on the "Puppetmaster" Rick's brain, under "Puppetmaster" Rick's directions
Said Morty got adopted by the "Puppetmaster" Rick. The kid loved this Rick with all his heart and wanted to be family forever
"Puppetmaster" Rick became disturbingly attached to the one kid who saved his life
"Puppetmaster" Rick didn't have any accomplishments of his own, but he could copy many of Rick Prime's incredible tech, including the healing tech and the puppeteering tech.
Sweet merciful God on what happened next.
The Morty was, among other things, puppeteered into killing his parents when he asked for their help and they tried to help him (maybe. I just think it's likely)
The Morty used Rick Prime's awesome healing tech to heal his eye after removing the receiver.
Plot-relevant conclusions:
We might see in the future Eyepatch Morty insta-healing from an injury, and we would assume he stole the tech from Rick Prime during Unmortricken, but the reality would be he already had it.
"Puppetmaster" Rick would have access to A HUGE BUNCH of Prime's weapons
"Puppetmaster" Rick would be able to impersonate Rick Prime
The name "Puppetmaster Rick" really doesn't fit anymore.
