Top 20 Times Rick was Actually Nice to Someone
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 20 Times Rick Was Actually Nice to Someone. For this list, we’ll be looking at those rare instances that prove Rick Sanchez has a heart. Since this is Rick we’re talking about, though, these don’t need to be especially mushy. They just need to be the bare minimum of what’s considered nice. Which act of kindness surprised you the most? Let us know in the comment.
#20: Complimenting Beth’s Eggs
“Pilot”
The first episode quickly establishes that Rick isn’t the best grandfather… or father… or father-in-law. As drunk, selfish, and reckless as Rick is, at least he knows when to send compliments to the chef. Leaving the breakfast table, Rick praise’s Beth’s eggs and wishes that his late wife was still around to share in their scrumptiousness. Granted, you could argue that Rick is sucking up to Beth, who’s letting him live with the family and is desperate for her father’s approval. Rick also might’ve seen this as an opportunity to get under Jerry’s skin. Like we said, though, we’ll take what we can get with Rick. At least to some extent, we do think Rick was sincere about Beth’s cooking and her mother.
#19: Helping Summer Get Revenge on The Devil
“Something Ricked This Way Comes”
In the earlier episodes, Rick often brushes Summer aside, not seeing her as sidekick material. As the first season progresses, he develops a bond with his granddaughter, in some regards respecting her more than Morty. Their relationship reaches a turning point when Summer accepts a job with the Devil, attempting to make Rick jealous. After getting cheated out of the company, Summer turns to Rick for comfort. He provides it… in the form of a fist. Getting jacked up together, Rick and Summer set out to teach Lucius Needful a lesson. Between punches, Rick also learns a lesson about valuing and spending time with Summer. Sure, he wasn’t very nice to the Devil, but he had it coming… as did several others they beat up.
#18: Scary Terry Pep Talk
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“Lawnmower Dog”
A not-so-subtle knockoff of Freddy Krueger, you wouldn’t expect Scary Terry to earn any sympathy points, especially as he hunts down Rick and Morty. Turning the tables on Terry, the duo enters his dream to unearth the monster’s deepest fears. To their surprise, it’s not easy being scary and it’s even harder being Terry. In a classic bad dream scenario, Terry shows up to school without pants on and is condemned by his teacher. Rather than kick Terry when he’s down, Rick and Morty give him a confidence boost, as well as a pair of trousers. Hugging it out, Terry awakens with a new lease on scaring and two new friends. Together, they conjure some twisted nightmares for others.
#17: Creating Froopyland for Beth
“The ABC’s of Beth”
Fatherhood didn’t come to him naturally, but Rick’s the only parent we can think of who made their child an artificial fantasy land, complete with a rainbow river! Putting little Beth’s safety first, Rick populated Froopyland with a bouncy terrain, breathable water, and harmless creatures. That said, this dream world eventually evolved into a nightmare world with Beth’s childhood friend Tommy getting trapped inside for years. It’s also revealed that Rick created Froopyland to distance Beth from the neighborhood kids, as she expressed the desire to harm them. While he mainly wanted to spare himself the effort of having to clone anybody who got on Beth’s bad side, Rick still cared enough to keep his daughter out of trouble and other children out of danger.
#16: Taking Morty to Atlantis
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“The Ricklantis Mixup”
Whenever Rick drags Morty on an adventure, it’s almost always guaranteed to be life-threatening and emotionally-scarring. In a refreshing change of pace, Rick takes Morty on a fun-filled adventure to the lost city of Atlantis. Of course, we hilariously never get to see this adventure, as the episode instead focuses on what the various other Ricks and Mortys are up to at the Citadel. Based on a post-credits scene, however, it’s clear that the two had a blast. Upon arriving home, Rick fondly reminisces about the trip he just had with his grandson, most notably their encounter with some alluring mermaids. Moments like this demonstrate that Rick enjoys having Morty along for the ride and is capable of showing him a good time.
#15: Telling Morty to Leave Him Behind
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“Mort Dinner Rick Andre”
Rick usually treats Morty as a means to an end, especially during the first few seasons. By the beginning of Season 5, Rick has become slightly less defensive about revealing his softer side. Commencing in the midst of explosive action, his episode finds Morty carrying a wounded Rick to the Space Cruiser. With the clock ticking, Rick tells Morty to leave him behind and save himself. Although the audience half-expects this noble offer to be followed by something sarcastic, Rick is convinced this might be the end of the line for him. He even reflects on his lifetime of mistakes and how insignificant he feels underneath his massive ego. Morty gets them out in the nick of time, but unfortunately lands on Rick’s nemesis’ turf.
#14: Blaming Morty’s Purging on a Candy Bar
“Look Who's Purging Now”
When they land on a purging planet, Morty is reluctant to participate. Morty might be in denial, but he has a lot of repressed anger that he winds up taking out. As they depart from the planet, Morty isn’t sure if he feels comfortable in his own skin anymore. Rick spares Morty’s feelings, telling him that his purging was influenced by a candy bar he ate earlier. However, it turns out that the candy bar is actually “Purgenol-Free,” meaning Morty’s actions were his and his alone. Since we doubt Rick would’ve overlooked this detail on the wrapper, it’s safe to say that he wanted to relieve Morty of his guilt. Sometimes, lying is the nicest thing that a person can do.
#13: His Semi-Nice Wedding Toast
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“The Wedding Squanchers”
Birdperson is among the few individuals in the multiverse who Rick considers a true friend. Although he’s pessimistic about the concept of marriage, Rick shows up to Birdperson’s wedding, albeit reluctantly. At the suggestion of Morty, Rick opens up at the reception where he delivers a mostly ad libbed toast. Despite getting off to a cynical start, the speech builds to a heartfelt climax as Rick calls Birdperson his best friend (sorry, Squanchy). He even accepts Birdperson’s bride Tammy, saying that he loves both of them. Unfortunately, this touching moment is ruined when Tammy exposes herself as a Galactic Federation agent and takes out Birdperson. Rick sees people die virtually every day without batting an eye. So, his emotional reaction to Birdperson’s sudden demise speaks volumes.
#12: His Message For Noob-Noob
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“Vindicators 3: The Return of Worldender”
Rick is at his evilest when he’s blackout drunk, but even Drunk Rick has a warm, fuzzy side. In order to complete his final periculous puzzle, a recording of Drunk Rick instructs the Vindicators to present something that he doesn’t have, but they do. Regular Rick comes to the conclusion that his drunk self was talking about Morty, who steps onto the platform. Morty’s treated to a peaceful ride as Drunk Rick confesses his affection for the viewer. As sincere as Drunk Rick’s words are, they aren’t intended for his grandson. Morty realizes that Drunk Rick made this message for Noob-Noob, a Vindicator intern/janitor who laughed at his joke. Regardless, Drunk Rick obviously thinks highly of Noob-Noob, even if Regular Rick can’t remember him.
#11: Rick & Beth Save Jerry
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“Amortycan Grickfitti”
Rick is far from Jerry’s biggest fan… unless maybe we’re talking about Doofus Rick. Whenever Rick has to get Jerry out of trouble, it’s often out of obligation and under protest. Rescuing Jerry from Hell, Rick makes it clear that he’s doing this for his daughter and not his son-in-law. That seems par for the course, but when personal misery is the only key to their escape, Rick takes one for the team. Rick apologizes to Jerry and, in his own way, expresses affection for him. Upon returning, Rick tries backpedaling, telling Jerry that he’d much sooner replace him than repeat what he said before. However, Jerry knows how Rick feels deep down, which is enough to make his day.
#10: Save Marta
“Rick: A Mort Well Lived”
When an innocent game of “Roy: A Life Well Lived” goes awry, Morty’s consciousness is split among the NPCs. In game time, Rick (as Roy) spends decades trying to get the NPCs to leave, but he struggles to satisfy one named Marta and her followers. Marta eventually has a change of heart, but she chooses to stay behind as others depart. Having caused so much trouble for him, Rick could’ve restarted the game and erased Marta. Instead, he pays to keep the game going so Marta can enjoy the time she has left. This doesn’t just demonstrate Rick’s affection for Marta, but also for Morty. After all, Marta is a part of him, proving that Rick wasn’t lying when he declared his love and respect.
#9: Fighting Voltamatron With Love
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“Morty’s Mind Blowers”
One of the many ordeals that Rick wiped from his memory, Morty learns that his body was once possessed by a parasitical alien known as Voltamatron. Science can’t get Morty out of this pickle, but Rick has an ace up his sleeve: the power of love. Rick tells Morty that he loves him, in spite of his constant ridicule, and that he needs to fight. Beth and Summer follow Rick’s example, giving Morty the encouragement to force the alien out of his mouth slowly. Too slowly actually, resulting in the family making fun of Morty and Voltamatron sliding back up. While Rick does fall back on bad habits, it’s not every day that he expresses love for Morty (or anybody), making this memory almost heartwarming.
#8: Showing Up to Tony’s Funeral
“The Old Man and the Seat”
When an alien named Tony uses his personal toilet, Rick’s first instinct is to destroy him. Affected by the widowed Tony’s words, Rick fart bombs him instead, which we guess is nicer than shooting him. Tony returns for another dump, motivating Rick to ensnare him in a simulation of his idealized heaven. After Tony pieces together what’s happening, he emerges with a new lust for life, which sadly results in a fatal ski accident. He may deny it, but Rick connected with Tony and is upset by this loss. Rick pays his respects at Tony’s funeral, giving his father a cloning kit and cash. Returning to the toilet where he had a crude surprise for Tony, Rick reflects on what could’ve been a beautiful friendship.
#7: Throwing an Awesome Party & Cleaning Up
“Ricksy Business”
At the very least, Rick is a fun grandparent. While Beth and Jerry are on vacation, Rick throws an epic house party, inviting an assortment of colorful characters who get along surprisingly well with Summer’s classmates. While Morty is stressed throughout most of the rager, Rick does try to teach him a valuable lesson about cutting loose. Of course, they cut a little too loose, as the house is ultimately trashed. Rick freezes time, however, giving him, Morty, and Summer six months to clean up. In the midst of repairing the house, Rick and his grandchildren find the time to make Jack-o’-lanterns, depants frozen people, and go TV shopping. Rick genuinely bonds with the kids, bringing them in for a hug and a new catchphrase.
#6: Erasing Jerry’s Memory of the Cat Incident
“Claw and Hoarder: Special Ricktim's Morty”
Rick has put Jerry through figurative and literal hell, typically telling him to just suck it up. Jerry reaches his limit when he peers inside a talking cat’s mind, traumatized by what he sees. Even Rick, who’s usually so casual in the face of mayhem, is disgusted with the cat. Although Rick is nearly pushed to the edge, he can bring himself to live with what he saw. He knows that Jerry can’t, however. Erasing Jerry’s memory of what the cat did in order to talk, Rick spares him from any further emotional torment. Rick alone is left to remember the cat’s monstrous deeds, whatever they were. Rick regularly messes with Jerry’s head, but in this case, it came from a place of empathy.
#5: Reconnecting with Birdperson
“Rickternal Friendshine of the Spotless Mort”
When Birdperson is brought back as the villainous Phoenixperson, Rick isn’t quick to give up on his bestie. We come to see just how deeply Rick cares for Birdperson when he enters his friend’s mind. We also get inside Rick’s mind as he encounters a younger memory of himself. Birdperson fights the Ricks around every turn, content with staying cooped up in his own mind. It isn’t until Rick reveals that Tammy had a secret child that Birdperson fights for his life. Rick and Birdperson don’t part on the best of terms. Yet, everything Rick does in this episode is driven by friendship and perhaps even love. He also makes another friend in Memory Rick, who has some reservations about one day becoming regular Rick.
#4: Completing Morty’s Adventure
“Meeseeks and Destroy”
To keep Morty as his sidekick, Rick allows him to take the reins on an adventure. Rick bets that their trip to a fantasy world will be a bust, but Morty is eager to prove otherwise. Well, Rick isn’t wrong, as Morty gets into an uncomfortable jam with King Jellybean in the bathroom. Rick deduces what happened, but instead of rubbing failure in the traumatized Morty’s face, he tries to lift his spirits. Putting his own ego aside, Rick helps Morty complete the adventure and congratulates him on a job well done. Rick doesn’t let King Jellybean off the hook either, obliterating him before disappearing through a portal. He might put Morty in constant danger, but that doesn’t mean Rick isn’t protective of him.
#3: Tearing Up Over Morty
“Close Rick-counters of the Rick Kind”
It’s not often that we see Rick’s vulnerable side, but when an evil counterpart imprisons him, he can’t hold back his deep-seated feelings. Planning to expunge him following an experiment, Evil Rick straps Rick C-137 in for a highlight reel of his life. Morty pops up in several clips and upon seeing a memory of his baby grandson, Rick begins to cry. While he doesn’t say it, Rick appears distraught over the idea of leaving Morty behind. Morty is more than just a human cloaking device to him, which separates C-137 from other Ricks. Given the fan theories regarding Evil Morty, this moment might carry even more significance than we initially realized. However you read it, Morty was at the root of Rick’s tears.
#2: Giving Morty His Portal Gun & Connecting with Crows
“Forgetting Sarick Mortshall” & “Rickmurai Jack”
Priding himself on being the smartest being in the multiverse, Rick is reluctant to own up to his mistakes. When Rick replaces Morty with two crows, the results are unexpected in more ways than one. Rick not only finds that the crows make pretty great partners, but he also recognizes just how badly he’s treated Morty over the years. He decides to leave with the crows and learn from them, but not before passing his signature portal gun down to his grandson. It’s a bittersweet farewell and a testament to Rick’s growth. While Rick and Morty do reunite for more adventures, perhaps their partnership won’t be as toxic going forward. Who knew that crows could bring out such empathy?
#1: Sacrificing Himself For Morty
“A Rickle in Time”
As 64 different timelines simultaneously spiral out of control, Rick, Morty, and Summer must use time-stabilizing collars to restore balance. One Morty can’t get his collar to strap on, though, collapsing into the black void. Rick jumps in after him, but Morty loses his collar. Seeing no other alternative, Rick gives Morty his collar and sends him home. Rick doesn’t have a backup plan and prepares to disappear into the abyss of Schrödinger’s cats. It all works out regardless, as Rick finds Morty’s collar and fixes it just in time to escape. In the moment, however, Rick was ready to make the ultimate sacrifice so that Morty could live. When push comes to shove, Morty’s well-being is more important to Rick than his own.
