"Science makes sense, family doesn't."
Rick and Morty - Movie Quotes
Memorable Quotes
Nobody exists on purpose. Nobody belongs anywhere. Everybody's gonna die. Come watch TV.
— Morty Smith
Context:
Said to Summer in Season 1, Episode 8, "Rixty Minutes," after explaining how he and Rick abandoned their own ruined reality and took the place of their dead counterparts in the current one.
Meaning:
This quote is the perfect encapsulation of the show's absurdist and existentialist philosophy. After a traumatic experience, Morty comforts Summer by articulating the nihilistic realization that life has no inherent meaning. The final line, "Come watch TV," is a crucial addition, suggesting that in the face of this terrifying truth, the best one can do is find small, immediate comforts and connections.
Wubba Lubba Dub Dub!
— Rick Sanchez
Context:
Used frequently by Rick throughout the first season. The true meaning is revealed by Birdperson in the Season 1 finale, "Ricksy Business."
Meaning:
Initially presented as Rick's goofy, meaningless catchphrase, it is later revealed in Birdperson's native language to mean, "I am in great pain, please help me." This revelation reframes Rick's entire character, turning his chaotic antics from pure hedonism into the desperate actions of a man suffering from profound depression and trauma.
To live is to risk it all. Otherwise you're just an inert chunk of randomly assembled molecules drifting wherever the universe blows you.
— Rick Sanchez
Context:
Said to Beth in Season 3, Episode 9, "The ABC's of Beth," when offering her the chance to have a clone take her place so she can be free to explore the universe.
Meaning:
This quote represents Rick's more positive, existentialist counterpoint to his own nihilism. While he believes the universe is random and meaningless, he also believes that the act of choosing to live, to take risks, and to engage with that chaos is what gives life its spark. It's a call to action against passive acceptance of meaninglessness.
What is my purpose?
— Butter Robot
Context:
The robot asks this immediately after Rick creates it for the sole purpose of passing the butter at the breakfast table in Season 1, Episode 9, "Something Ricked This Way Comes."
Meaning:
A simple question from a simple robot that strikes at the very heart of the show's philosophical core. The robot, created for a single, mundane task, has an immediate existential crisis upon activation. Its despair is played for laughs, but it mirrors the central question every character in the series is grappling with.