Rick and Morty spin-off introduces dramatic twist that Rick and Morty are the same person

Anime-styled spin-off carries huge implications for the series’ protagonists

A new Rick and Morty spin-off cartoon has spawned a dramatic new theory about the hit adult animation.

The theory posits that lead character Rick Sanchez (Justin Roiland) and his credulous grandson Morty (also Roiland) are in fact the same person.

The hypothesis stems from the recent Rick and Morty vs Genocider, an animated short made by Deen Digital, that many have considered part of the series’ canon.

Genocider sees an anime-styled Rick and Morty face an attack by a race of alien parasites, who bear a resemblence to the popular side character Mr Poopybutthole.

During a grisly battle, Rick gives Morty a special potion which will grant his grandson “Rip Van Winkle” powers – giving him the ability to sleep for an inhumanly long time without dying.

Rick addresses Morty as “Rick Sanchez”, while the pair’s faces overlap in the frame. Rick then proceeds to transform into a superpowered version of himself and dies battling the foes, leaving Morty to grow old.

At the end of the short, “Rick” gets a phone call, letting him know that Morty has been born. He then drinks another potion, giving him all of Rick’s memories, and allowing him to live out the rest of his life as Rick.

Furthermore, this new “Rick” is seen drinking the potion from his familiar hip flask, suggesting that the Rick seen in Rick and Morty has been regularly re-dosing himself to maintain the illusion.

Rick and Morty often features high concept science fiction plotlines. While the Genocider revelation would be in keeping with the series’ willingness to play with its own chronology, it would nonetheless constitute a major overhaul of the series’ fundamental premise.

The theory could possibly be addressed in the upcoming fifth season of Rick and Morty, which is potentially set to air later this year.