Not only does Rick and Morty season 6 bring back a former character, episode 8 also proves he could replace Rick Prime as the next major villain.
Warning: Spoilers for Rick and Morty season 6, episode 8.
Not only does Rick and Morty season 6 bring back Mr. Nimbus, episode 8’s post-credits stinger also sets up a perfectly villainous future for the character. Rick has a hard time making friends in Rick and Morty, but very little trouble making enemies. From the dinosaurs of Rick and Morty season 6 to the slew of 1990s-style supervillains he faces throughout Rick and Morty season 6, episode 8, “Analyze Piss,” Rick has no shortage of nemeses across the galaxy. A post-credits scene may add one more name to that list.
One episode after Rick and Morty defeated Previous Leon, the titular pair face off against Mr. Nimbus for the first time since Rick and Morty’s season 5 premiere. A post-credits stinger then shows Nimbus being considered to join a superhero team that hates Rick Sanchez and the Smith family as a result of the episode’s events. It would make sense for Mr. Nimbus to join this outfit due to their connection to (and shared dislike of) Rick and his various family members. Rick and Morty season 6’s new main villains would then have a deeper, more personal connection to Rick and the Smiths.
Why Mr. Nimbus Having A Full Villain Arc Is Perfect For Rick & Morty
Rick Prime already gives Rick and Morty season 6 a major villain who is closely linked to Rick Sanchez’s personal life and backstory, but Rick and Morty dropped this arc with the heavily meta “Full Meta Jackrick.” Season 6 must now find another long-term villain without the same massive stakes Rick Prime brings. Mr. Nimbus knows C-137 Rick’s backstory, and can provide details on the protagonist’s past to aid the narrative as required. Whereas Rick Prime is a malevolent monster, however, Mr. Nimbus is a corny supervillain and an annoyance, bringing variety to Rick and Morty season 6’s palette of evil.
Rick & Morty Needs Another Major Villain (Who Isn’t Rick Prime)
Rick Prime is an effective Rick and Morty villain, but he is also the character who killed C-137 Rick’s wife and caused the downward spiral of depression Rick has been suffering ever since. Every episode Rick Prime appears in is guaranteed to adopt a more self-serious and heavy tone, just like how any episode featuring Story Lord or Jesus Christ puts Rick and Morty in parody mode. Instead of becoming more severe as season 6 winds to a close, Rick & Morty could use Mr. Nimbus and his team of eccentric superhero accomplices as primary antagonists instead of Rick Prime, thereby keeping the show’s tone from growing too grim.
Rick and Morty has proven its ability to effectively execute character drama in years past, but season 6 has reveled in taking itself less seriously and returning to the goofier, madcap style of early seasons. Rick and Morty season 6 could continue this tonal transformation if it keeps Mr. Nimbus and his superhero team as main villains, but risks becoming too serious if Rick Prime returns before the finale. Now that Rick and Morty are aware of their TV show, season 6 should focus on their more lighthearted, off-the-wall antics instead of leaning into character drama. Making Mr. Nimbus and his newfound colleagues Rick and Morty next’s main villains would achieve precisely that.
New episodes of Rick and Morty season 6 air Sundays on Adult Swim.