Rick and Morty’s disturbing moments include some of the most appalling storylines in television animation. Since the adult animation series premiered in December 2013, it has captivated viewers with its dark comedy, psychological drama, unabating farce, and inter-dimensional time-traveling misadventures. Revolving around a mad scientist and his grandson, the show has become a favorite staple of the genre, inspiring other shows like Solar Opposites and Big Mouth, among others.
Having won two Primetime Emmys alongside many other coveted accolades, the sci-fi comedy is poised to solidify its dominance. Season 8 concluded in July 2025, but the series is expected to return for Season 9 sometime in late 2026 or early 2027. Adult Swim renewed the show in 2024 to air until Season 12, ensuring its run through at least 2029. Pending the next installment, here are some hard-to-forget moments of the show.
1. Feeding On The Remains Of Suicide Victims
The grim premise of “That’s Amorte” (Season 7, Episode 4) holds a top spot among Rick and Morty’s disturbing moments. The 2023 episode unravels with Morty’s realization that the delicious spaghetti Rick makes for the family every Thursday is the remains of suicide victims from another planet. Morty objects to eating people, but makes peace with it upon witnessing that the spaghetti is sourced from people who consented to be eaten. However, the pair are soon caught up in a quest to make things right when suicide spaghetti becomes the bedrock of Spaghetti Planet’s economy, radicalizing the government to encourage depression and suicide to sustain production.
2. When Evil Morty Rerouted Operation Phoenix To A Blender
Season 5’s finale, “Rickmurai Jack,” features a cruel scene that ranks among Rick and Morty’s disturbing moments. The episode revolves around Morty’s efforts to reconnect with Rick, who now prefers crows as his sidekicks. Morty consumes an aging serum in a desperate attempt to reunite with Rick, and the two embark on a journey to the Citadel of Ricks to reclaim Morty’s age.
When they encounter President Morty, AKA Evil Morty, the duo finds themselves in desperate need to escape. They resort to Operation Phoenix, unaware that Evil Morty had rerouted it to tubes with blenders. This results in the excruciating deaths of multiple Ricks and Mortys, who are blended into soup to power Evil Morty’s portal machine.
3. When The Smiths Tortured And Ate Mr. Goldenfold Alive
“Edge of Tomorty: Rick Die Rickpeat” (Season 4, Episode 1) delivered one of Rick and Morty’s most disturbing moments, which unfolds in the Wasp Universe. The episode begins with Rick and Morty’s adventure to claim the death crystals at Forbodulon Prime. Rick loses his life over Morty’s dedication to a future with his crush, Jessica, and hops around universes with a cloned body.
He eventually arrives in a universe inhabited by sentient wasps, where he’s invited to join the universe’s version of his family for dinner. Alas, the Smiths were having Mr. Goldenfold, who’s a caterpillar in the universe, for dinner. He begs for death as the Smith feasts on him alive. Amid the torture, he gives birth to three larvae. He urges his babies to run and escape his fate, but Wasp Morty screams “bonus!” and scoops them up with his tongue.
4. When Rick Turned The Entire World Population To Cronenbergs
This Rick and Morty unsettling moment compels viewers to ponder the ethical issues that could arise from forcing unnatural emotional connections. In “Rick Potion #9” (Season 1, Episode 6), Morty convinces Rick to make a love potion that will win him Jessica’s affection. Upon using the serum on his crush, Morty finds everyone around wanting a piece of him.
Attempts to repel the sexual advances on Morty created mantis-humans, who want to mate with him and decapitate him afterwards. Another effort to undo everything turns the entire human population into nightmarish creatures called Cornenbergs. It’s even more troubling to watch the duo bury their remains after escaping to another reality where they died immediately after Rick saved the world from becoming a Cornenbergs population.
5. Tommy In Froopyland
Beth takes after her father in several ways, including his psychotic tendencies. In “The ABCs of Beth” (Season 3, Episode 9), her unhinged behavior drove Rick to create an artificial world called Froopyland, where he abandoned her for most of her childhood. Envious of her friend, Thomas Lipnip’s relationship with his dad, Beth traps him in Froopyland.
Upon her return to the artificial world to rescue Tommy and save his father from execution, Beth and Tommy meet an adult Tommy, who’s now the leader of Froopyland. To survive, he had been mating with the Froopyland creatures to make hybrid kids, whom he also mates with and consumes to survive. His refusal to return to his world and save his father makes the episode one of Rick and Morty’s disturbing moments. Check out lingering threads from The Four Seasons that will spark new drama for Season 2.
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