Rick and Morty Surrender to Their Fate for the End

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A classic paradox asks: could an all-powerful being create something they couldn’t lift? This question is relevant to the show Rick and Morty because Rick is incredibly powerful – if not a god, he’s definitely among the most powerful beings in the universe, as demonstrated by his interactions with groups like the Vindicators.

The Vindicators are a team of superheroes similar to the Avengers, first appearing in the Rick and Morty episode “Vindicators 3: The Return of Worldender.” Rick had worked with them before, and they came to him for assistance when facing a powerful enemy called the Worldender.

Rick swiftly manipulated the heroes, pitting them against each other in a deadly series of traps reminiscent of the movie Saw. As they eliminated each other, it became clear they weren’t the selfless individuals they claimed to be. Beyond that, Rick revealed his previous collaborations with them were just casual amusement – he never actually needed their assistance. He consistently viewed himself as superior, and they were simply a source of entertainment for him.

So, how do you imagine this new Vindicators team, the VinRicktators, would do in a fight against Rick?

So, I just finished reading issue #3 of Rick and Morty: The End, and it’s a wild ride! It’s written by Daniel Kibblesmith, with art by Jarrett Williams, colors by Allessandro Santoro, and lettering by Crank!. Basically, the Vindicators are after Rick – turns out, every universe wants him gone. They forced Morty to hunt him down, threatening to wipe out all the Mortys if he didn’t cooperate. But honestly, it was pretty clear from the start that Morty was always going to pick Rick, no matter what, even if it meant putting himself and every other Morty in danger. Though, I guess part of that is because he always figures Rick’s got some kind of plan up his sleeve!

Okay, so things got crazy! The Vindicators just had to ruin Rick’s perfect little dream world, and now he’s stuck fighting all four of them! It’s a total mismatch, and I’m honestly worried for him, but also super excited to see how he gets out of this one.

Who are the Vindicators, and how well do they fare against Rick?

The Vindicators are a team consisting of Planetina – a female counterpart to Captain Planet who briefly dated Morty before her erratic behavior became apparent – Titanium D, an alien from the Alphabeterian race, a Mister Meeseeks tasked with killing Rick Sanchez (a mission he hasn’t succeeded at, and therefore can’t complete by dying), and Sleepy Gary, who started as a fake character created by a brain parasite in the memorable episode “Total Rickall,” but now seems to be genuinely real.

The central relationship revolves around Planetina’s history with Morty, a connection Rick jokingly emphasizes makes her more aligned with Morty than with Rick himself. He suggests Morty can’t really fault Rick for how things turned out, given their shared past.

The villains are effectively battling Rick, and the situation seems hopeless. This leads to the most surprisingly brilliant part of the issue: we see what happens when Mister Meeseeks actually succeeds in killing Rick, but doesn’t vanish as expected. It raises a fascinating question: what happens when you achieve the one thing you were created to do?

The original idea for “Kraven’s Last Hunt” started as a Batman story pitched by J.M. DeMatteis. It explored what would happen if the Joker believed he’d finally killed Batman and struggled with his purpose afterward – what is the Joker if he’s defeated his greatest enemy? The story suggested the Joker would essentially become rational. “Kraven’s Last Hunt” follows a similar path, but with Kraven taking the role of the hunter instead.

In this episode, we witness Meeseeks experience a full life, complete with love and loss, in a beautifully crafted sequence written by Kibblesmith and Williams.

It turned out to be a simulation, and Rick quickly trapped all the Vindicators inside. He did it in just three minutes during their battle! Interestingly, Sleepy Gary finally got to actually sleep – something he’s always wanted but never been able to do before.

What is the only way to defeat Rick?

Consider this: how can you grant Meeseeks his biggest desire when that desire is simply to complete his task (killing Rick Sanchez) and then cease to exist? Ultimately, Meeseeks escapes the virtual simulation because no reality can fulfill his true wish. He’d been listening to Rick and Morty and discovered they were playing a virtual reality game called Amy – a sequel to Roy, a well-known video game featured a few times throughout the series.

This leads to the central problem of the show: despite the Vindicators’ power, they can’t actually defeat Rick. Honestly, no one can. The only one who can truly stop Rick is himself.

Okay, so Rick just… gave himself up to the Vindicators. Seriously! You’d think with how Rick usually operates, there’d be some crazy scheme going on, but honestly? It feels different this time. Maybe he’s just exhausted. I mean, when the entire universe is after you, it’s tough to even go grab groceries, right? I’m starting to think he was just done running.

It’s more probable he’s intentionally letting himself get caught – that’s a hallmark of Rick and Morty. The show is known for its unpredictable plots with constant surprises, and this series captures that same feeling perfectly.

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2026-02-09 23:08