Rick and Morty is a show that plays with every sci-fi concept it can think of. While many of their parodies only last an episode before disappearing, the most consistent trope in the show has been their usage of parallel dimensions. They don’t shy away from including different versions of the main characters as often as possible, and Rick is no exception.
From the similar to the vastly different versions of Rick, there have been a huge number of Ricks throughout the history of the show already. While some of them aren’t that surprising in nature and come off as fairly “Rickish” there are others that swerve from expectations and produce something entirely new.
7 Doofus Rick
Doofus Rick was one of the earliest examples of a vastly different version of Sanchez. Appearing in Season 1, Episode 10, Doofus Rick was mocked by other Ricks around him while they investigated C-137’s Rick. He made an instant connection with Jerry and revealed that he never had kids of his own, proving him vastly different from almost every other Rick already.
Doofus Rick may have been mocked by other Ricks, but he possessed a level of kindness and emotional intelligence that many of them seem to lack. Justin Roiland revealed in the DVD commentary for the episode that Doofus Rick does not, in fact, eat poop, which means the other Ricks have very little actual reason to make fun of him. Despite their blustering, Doofus Rick is probably no less intelligent than any other Rick.
6 Wasp Rick
C-137 Rick is cruel, callous, and often completely uncaring. His lack of empathy and self-righteousness are traits known as being particularly “Rickish.” The thought that this would only change if Rick’s nature and brain chemistry were changed by being mixed with a wasp is particularly hilarious.
Since wasps are considered dangerous and unfriendly, the Sanchez family has adapted in this universe to be kinder to each other, citing that “we’re wasps, not monsters” before eating a caterpillar version of Mr. Goldenfold. Wasp Rick isn’t the most or least Rick out there in the multiverse, he’s simply trying to keep his family together in a tough time.
5 Tiny Rick
A terrifying version of Rick in one way, and yet a joyfully fun version at the same time, Tiny Rick is just C-137 Rick but turned into a child. However, in this form he acts very different from C-137 and desperately wants to stay, so he can retain the childlike joy and simplicity of life. This unfortunately means that the real C-137 Rick’s body will die in a vat, but he doesn’t seem to realize or care.
From the Tiny Rick dance and song to instantly becoming the coolest kid at school and taking out vampires off-screen, Tiny Rick is nothing like the Rickish Ricks we’ve seen in the Citadel, but he is full of joy and is able to have many friends, which maybe makes him a healthier Rick in some ways.
4 C-1.21 Rick
Possibly the greatest piece of promotional material for a show ever, Adult Swim brought in Christopher Lloyd and Jaeden Martell to do live-action versions of Rick and Morty for an advert promoting the Season 5 finale. While fans thought these were teases of Rick and Morty entering a live-action dimension in the show itself, this hasn’t come to pass thus far.
Christopher Lloyd’s most famous character, Doc Brown from Back to the Future, actually inspired the character of Rick Sanchez. Bringing him to life was both a slightly paradoxical meme and a great moment in the history of the show, even though it never appears in the show itself.
3 Morty Rick
One of the most terrifying Ricks we have seen so far, or maybe it was a Morty, was the amalgamation of the two that drove many fans to ask: are Rick and Morty the same person? This is only a quick shot of a character in the background at the Citadel of Ricks, a Rick with the face of a Morty, and little is known about him.
Whether this is a science experiment gone wrong, a Morty growing up and resembling his grandfather, or a Rick unfortunate enough to have the face of a Morty, the show creators knew what they were doing by including this easter egg, and fans haven’t stopped questioning it since.
2 Farmer Rick
One thing everyone knows about Rick Sanchez is that he loves a bit. And Farmer Rick seems to be one of the most bit-loving Ricks there is because he’s totally committed to one. In the citadel of Ricks, there are thousands of Ricks, all capable of creating machines that will instantly produce as much food as is required for everyone.
However, in spite of all that, and in spite of likely being able to do the same himself, or find a million ways to run a farm without actually having to run the farm, this Rick has committed to being an old-timey farmer down to the robo-dog and sci-fi rifle he uses to chase off pesky local Morty intruders.
1 Pickle Rick
It had to be. Of all the many versions of Rick in the Citadel of Ricks and the beyond multiverse, the greatest version of Rick the show has given fans is the iconic Pickle Rick. Though he is still C-137 just turned into a Pickle, this alternate Rick is the most completely maniacal, off-the-wall Rick, and this was the episode he proved that C-137 truly is the Rickest Rick.
Whether it was teaming up with Jaguar or creating a working set of limbs for himself from dead rats, Pickle Rick is the ultimate example of Rick being able to do anything he needs to survive. Even as a pickle, he is more capable than the most deadly warriors, proving that in any form, C-137 is the ultimate Rick.