Rick and Morty season 8 perfectly parodies Clint Eastwood’s iconic western after 33 years

Rick and Morty once showed us their take on Clint Eastwood's iconic western. Clint Eastwood’s filmography includes some of the most iconic Westerns in cinematic history, but none are as deeply introspective and brutally deconstructive of the gunslinger myth as his 1992 masterpiece Unforgiven. More than three decades later, though, Rick and Morty has reengaged with that spirit—not through satire, surprisingly, but in a sincere, character-driven tribute.

Season 8, episode 3, “The Rick, The Mort, and The Ugly,” borrows its title from The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly, but it’s the emotional Unforgiven that lends its grit and moral complexity.

As opposed to the usual mix of disorder with Rick C-137 and Morty, this episode focuses on a variant Rick called “Homesteader Rick,” who attempts to escape the chaos of the Citadel’s destruction.

A group of nefarious, villainous Ricks breaks into his community and restores his violent past, forcing him to confront it in the process. This setup immediately draws parallels to Eastwood’s William Munny. The reformed killer who turns back into a monster not for pride, but because he desperately attempts to lead a peaceful life.

What truly differentiates this parody is the sincerity with which it grapples with the themes of the original work. The sitcom Rick and Morty is known for its irreverent attitude, but this episode opts for a more down-to-earth take. It definitely retains its humor; however, it focuses on character development and emotional resonance, once again proving this animated sci-fi series features honest storytelling depth whenever it decides to.

Homesteader Rick echoes Eastwood’s most human role

Homesteader Rick is not merely an embodiment of Eastwood’s role; he is a reimagined version with depth. As with William Munny in Unforgiven, he is a man who is tormented by his past self and seeks desperately to redeem himself in a world that makes this impossible.

After the destruction of The Citadel, he is left with the remnants of his shattered reality and the sole wish to defend the delicate society he has constructed. In the face of impending chaos, he is unmotivated to intervene—but the brutality inflicted by the Ricks makes his hand act.

The episode utilizes this setup not only to spoof a Western but also to convey a small, self-contained tragedy. Homesteader Rick’s return to violence is depicted with slow, deliberate pacing, emphasizing the burdening cost of change on a person who desperately wishes to move towards healing.

He is one of the few Rick variants who seems to possess a moral compass, which shifts his journey into something resembling unwilling surrender instead of sheer devastation. That emotional foundation is why this Rick and Morty episode stands out in the season.

The title may misdirect, but the tribute runs deep for Rick and Morty

Even though “The Rick, the Mort, and the Ugly” is titled after a specific movie, it does not parody the film in question. Rather, it incorporates the vibe, character development, and motifs of Unforgiven, a move that fans of Eastwood’s work will appreciate. This subtle shift actually benefits the series—it prepares the viewer for a standard spoof, only to provide something more profound and unexpected.

Trending

It’s not the first occasion that Rick and Morty has given a shout-out to Unforgiven. A season 7 episode called “Unmortricken” looked at the themes of vengeance and the futility of violence, but this time around, the show avoids interdimensional conflict in favor of a more tender, close-knit narrative.

This speaks to the skill of the writers in intertwining true feeling and genre dismantling—demonstrating that despite the existence of a multiverse packed with insane inventors, there is space for a subdued Western story about redemption.

×

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback