Ever watch a character and think, "Wait, is that Patton Oswalt?" usually, the answer is yes. The guy is basically the dark matter of the voice acting world—he’s everywhere, holding everything together, often invisible until he decides to scream. But nowhere was his specific brand of frantic, high-pitched insecurity better utilized than in the Rick and Morty universe.
We’re talking about Beta 7.
If you don't remember the name, you definitely remember the face. Or faces. Thousands of them. All wearing that weird, glowing monocle and looking like they just got rejected from a Borg cosplay convention. Patton Oswalt Rick and Morty appearances might be limited to a single episode—season 2’s "Auto Erotic Assimilation"—but the impact of his character, Beta 7, remains a high-water mark for the show’s ability to mix high-concept sci-fi with brutally recognizable human pettiness.
Who Exactly is Patton Oswalt in Rick and Morty?
Basically, Oswalt plays the ultimate "nice guy" of the cosmos. Beta 7 is a collective hive mind, much like Rick’s ex-girlfriend, Unity. But while Unity is a planet-swallowing force of nature voiced by Christina Hendricks with a seductive, world-weary gravel, Beta 7 is... well, Beta 7. He’s the guy who hangs out in the friend zone of the multiverse.
🔗 Read more: A Simple Favor Blake Lively: Why Emily Nelson Is Still the Ultimate Screen Mystery
Honestly, the casting here is a stroke of genius. You’ve got Patton Oswalt, an actor who can pivot from "lovable rat chef" in Ratatouille to "unhinged psychopath" in A.P. Bio within a single breath. In the world of Patton Oswalt Rick and Morty lore, he uses that range to voice a creature that is technically a god-like entity but emotionally a teenager who just saw his crush talking to a high school quarterback.
The Borg Parody You Didn't Realize Was Sad
Most people see Beta 7 and think "Star Trek parody." And they’re right! The design is a direct riff on the Borg. The collective "we" pronouns, the technological implants, the cold, calculated efficiency—it’s all there. But the joke isn’t just about the sci-fi tropes. It’s about the fact that even a hive mind with billions of sub-units can still be a massive, insecure dork.
When Rick shows up and starts partying with Unity, Beta 7 doesn't respond with a galactic invasion. He responds with passive-aggressive hovering. He’s "just checking in" on the trade alliance. He’s "concerned" about Unity’s well-being. It’s a hilarious, cringe-inducing performance by Oswalt, who leans into the stammering, high-register defensiveness that makes the character feel so real.
💡 You might also like: The A Wrinkle in Time Cast: Why This Massive Star Power Didn't Save the Movie
Why This Specific Performance Still Hits
There’s a moment in the episode where Rick, in his typical toxic fashion, physically brushes against Beta 7. The reaction is priceless. Oswalt lets out this shrill, piercing screech while his character points at Rick—a direct homage to the 1978 version of Invasion of the Body Snatchers.
It’s a two-second gag, but it encapsulates why Patton Oswalt Rick and Morty fans are still obsessed with this one-off character over a decade later. It’s not just a funny noise; it’s the sound of a being that has transcended individuality but still can’t handle being touched by a "hostile entity" who is clearly better at partying than he is.
- The Contrast: Unity is fluid and chaotic; Beta 7 is rigid and desperate for approval.
- The Ending: By the end of the episode, Beta 7 gets his "win," but it’s the saddest win in history. He’s the one who intercepts Rick’s calls and tells him Unity doesn't want to talk.
- The Voice: Oswalt’s natural timbre has this built-in earnestness that makes Beta 7’s jealousy feel pathetic rather than purely villainous.
Is There More Patton Oswalt in the Works?
Fans have been scouring the credits of every season since 2015 hoping for a return. In the most recent seasons, especially Season 7, the show has returned to characters like Unity and explored Rick’s past more deeply. Unfortunately, Beta 7 has mostly stayed in the comics (published by Oni Press) rather than returning to the screen.
📖 Related: Cuba Gooding Jr OJ: Why the Performance Everyone Hated Was Actually Genius
The Patton Oswalt Rick and Morty connection is one of those "lightning in a bottle" moments. Sometimes, bringing a character back ruins the mystery. Do we really want to see Beta 7 trying to use a galactic version of Tinder? Probably not. The beauty of the character is that he represents a specific phase of Rick’s self-destruction—the part where he realizes that even the people he looks down on (like the "nebbish" Beta 7) can eventually lock him out of the things he loves.
Practical Insights for the Fandom
If you’re looking to dive deeper into this specific corner of the Rick-verse, don't just stop at the episode. The Rick and Morty comics actually expand on Beta 7’s lore quite a bit. There’s a whole subplot about how he manages his collective and his ongoing obsession with "purifying" himself to be worthy of a trade alliance.
- Watch Season 2, Episode 3 again, but pay attention to the background characters in the Beta 7 hive. They are all clones of the same nerdy guy, which suggests Beta 7 might have started as a single scientist who just wanted friends.
- Check out the Oni Press comics, specifically issue #42. It gives Beta 7 more screen time than he ever got on Adult Swim.
- Listen to Patton Oswalt's stand-up regarding his "nerd" status. It becomes very clear why Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland tapped him for this role specifically; he is the authority on being a passionate, slightly defensive fan of things.
The reality is that Patton Oswalt Rick and Morty collaborations are rare because both the actor and the showrunners are perfectionists. Beta 7 wasn't a throwaway cameo; he was a mirror for Rick’s own failings. He’s the guy who does everything "right"—the trade deals, the alliances, the stability—and still loses the girl to the guy who drinks literal floor cleaner.
Next time you’re rewatching the series, look for the guy with the glowing eye and the high-pitched "hostile entity" warning. He’s not just a Borg parody. He’s Patton Oswalt giving us a masterclass in how to be a cosmic-level loser.
To get the full experience, track down the original "Auto Erotic Assimilation" storyboards online. You can see how the animators specifically tailored Beta 7’s expressions to match the frantic energy Oswalt brought to the recording booth. It’s a rare case of a guest star defining the visual language of a character as much as the writers did.