The beauty of Rick and Morty is that its structure allows specific characters to cycle in and out of the series’ story, while also revealing core truths about the duo and the rest of their friends and family. This has extended to Rick and Morty: The End #2, as Morty’s quest to find Rick has brought him into the path of a new group of Vindicators – the superhero team he once admired, and Rick ended up getting killed.
These “New Vindicators” consist of Planetina, Morty’s ex-girlfriend and nature-powered superhero; Sleepy Gary, who may be a brain parasite from the classic episode “Total Rickall” or from an alternate universe; a version of Mr. Meeseeks who’s been given the task to kill Rick; and Titanium D, a giant metal talking letter. They’ve been tasked with finding and killing Rick, and Morty reluctantly joins them, discovering that Rick has found a unique way to escape the Universe’s wrath.
By introducing the New Vindicators, Daniel Kibblesmith and Jarrett Williams make Rick and Morty: The End #2 both an homage to and a satire of superhero team reboots. From their matching team jackets to their rather cavalier attitude about wanton violence, the New Vindicators have more in common with the original X-Force or Youngblood than any other superhero teams. Planetina gets the most focus, as every bit of her dialogue indicates that she’s less than happy that Morty broke up with her, but it turns out that like Morty, all of the team is dealing with some deep-seated trauma.
Oni Press
This makes for a perfect mirror to Rick’s current situation, where he’s chosen to deal with his trauma by escaping into a world of his own making. Beth and Summer love him. Beth is married to Gerry, a successful pilot. Surprisingly, there’s no trace of Morty, which leads to yet another war of words between Rick and Morty down the line. It’s pretty clear that the duo have a lot to work out following the events of Rick and Morty vs. the Universe, and in true Rick and Morty tradition they’re going to insult and curse at each other before they have an actual breakthrough.
Rick and Morty’s reunion also leads into the comic’s major fight scene, which Williams draws in great, gory detail. Planetina uses her powers to set people on fire, which not only turns them into skeletons but also overwhelms the entire page as Alessandro Santoro fills the corners with burning bright orange and red hues. In contrast, the opening of the issue features the New Vindicators mercilessly murdering the Ball Fondlers, with one panel showcasing Old Man Meeseeks brutally impaling one of his victims. This moment teeters on the edge of hilarious and disturbing, which more than fits these characters.
Rick and Morty: The End #2 brings back fan favorite characters while also hinting that they are working through their trauma in different ways. Some of those ways are less than healthy, and others are extremely destructive – but one way or another, they’ll have to deal with it.
You must be logged in to post a comment.