Honestly, by the time we got to Rick and Morty episode 3 season 7, the "Rick and Morty" fandom was sweating. Big time. There was this weird, lingering tension in the air about the voice changes, the writing direction, and whether the show could actually survive without Justin Roiland’s frantic energy. People were looking for a sign. A spark. "Air Force Wong" wasn't just another thirty minutes of sci-fi chaos; it was the moment the series finally exhaled. It felt like the writers were saying, "Yeah, we’re still here, and we’re still weird as hell."
It’s a bizarre episode.
Unity, The President, and the Therapy Session No One Asked For
Most fans went into Rick and Morty episode 3 season 7 expecting a standard "Rick goes on a bender" plot because, well, Unity was back. For the uninitiated—or those who haven't rewatched the early seasons in a decade—Unity is the hive mind that nearly broke Rick Sanchez’s heart back in season 2. But the episode subverts that immediately. It isn't a romance. It’s a messy, bureaucratic nightmare involving the President of the United States and a literal planet-wide infection of people puking blue goop into each other's mouths.
Keith David returns as the President, and frankly, he steals every single scene he’s in. His obsession with Rick’s approval has evolved from a funny side-bit into a full-blown character study on insecurity. The plot kicks off because Rick is actually—get this—going to therapy. He’s seeing Dr. Wong (voiced by the legendary Susan Sarandon). Rick is actually trying. Then the President intercepts him because he’s jealous of Rick’s "relationship" with a hive mind. It’s petty. It’s loud. It’s peak Rick and Morty.
The Return of Dr. Wong
Dr. Wong is the secret weapon of the modern era of this show. When she first appeared in the "Pickle Rick" episode, she was a foil—a way to ground the insanity in cold, hard psychological reality. In Rick and Morty episode 3 season 7, she’s the anchor. The episode spends a surprising amount of time in her office. While the President is trying to woo a hive mind to boost his approval ratings (or just to feel cool, let’s be real), Rick is actually attempting to set boundaries.
It’s a massive shift. Old Rick would have joined Unity for a galaxy-spanning rager. New Rick? He’s worried about his progress. He’s worried that Unity being on Earth will trigger his worst impulses. This is where the "human-quality" writing of the show really shines. They managed to keep the high-concept sci-fi stakes—like Virginia being taken over by a collective consciousness—while making the emotional stakes about a man who's just tired of being a jerk.
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Why the Hive Mind Plot Actually Works
Unity’s return isn’t just fan service. Sometimes shows bring back old characters because they ran out of ideas, but here, Unity serves a specific purpose: she is a mirror. She sees that Rick is changing. She’s worried about him because of the Rick Prime situation—the overarching "big bad" of the season.
The mechanics of the hive mind in this episode are gross. We see the President get "infected," and then he starts infecting the rest of the world. It’s a classic "Rick and Morty" escalation. One minute you’re talking about feelings, the next minute the Secret Service is puking blue hive-mind juice into the mouths of world leaders.
- The President's motive: Pure ego.
- Unity's motive: Genuine concern (mixed with a bit of toxic ex energy).
- Rick's motive: Protecting his mental health.
It’s a triangle of dysfunction. The humor comes from the President trying to "date" a collective of millions of people. He treats the hive mind like a girl he met at a bar, which is objectively hilarious given Keith David's booming, authoritative delivery. But beneath the jokes about "the stadium," there’s a real conversation happening about consent and the "right" to intervene in someone else's life. Unity thinks she’s helping Rick by containing the "Rick Prime" threat, but she’s actually suffocating him.
Breaking the Roiland Shadow
We have to talk about the voices. By episode 3, Ian Cardoni (Rick) and Harry Belden (Morty) had mostly settled in. But "Air Force Wong" was the first time I stopped listening for the differences. The writing was so sharp, and the interaction between Rick and the President was so fast-paced, that the "newness" of the voices faded into the background.
This episode proved that the show’s soul is in its cynicism-tempered-by-growth, not just the specific vocal tics of one guy.
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The Subplot with Summer and the "Attribute"
While Rick is dealing with his ex and the leader of the free world, Summer is mostly sidelined, but the episode still finds ways to make the family dynamics feel lived-in. There’s a distinct lack of Morty in this one, actually. It’s very much a "Rick and the President" buddy comedy. Some fans hated that. They wanted more of the titular duo.
But honestly? The show needs to breathe. If every episode is just Rick and Morty screaming at each other in a garage, it gets stale. By shifting the focus to Rick’s external social circle—the President, Dr. Wong, Unity—the world feels larger. It feels like Rick has a life outside of dragging his grandson through portals.
The Ending That No One Expected
The way "Air Force Wong" wraps up is surprisingly somber. There’s no big explosion that fixes everything. Instead, Unity leaves. She realizes she can’t be the one to "save" Rick. And Rick, instead of spiraling into a drunken void, goes back to therapy.
It’s a quiet ending.
He sits in that office with Dr. Wong and admits he’s struggling. For a character who spent six seasons insisting that therapy is for "people who aren't smart enough to realize everything is meaningless," this is a tectonic shift. It’s growth. It’s also a bit sad because growth is boring compared to intergalactic war, and Rick knows it.
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Critical Reception and Fan Backlash
Not everyone loved Rick and Morty episode 3 season 7. If you spend any time on Reddit or X (formerly Twitter), you know the "classic fans" were complaining that the episode was "too preachy." They miss the nihilism. They miss the episodes where Rick just kills everyone and moves to a new dimension.
There’s a valid argument there. The show is definitely becoming more of a serialized character drama and less of a chaotic anthology. But you can't do the "Pickle Rick" vibe forever. Characters have to evolve or they become caricatures. "Air Force Wong" is the writers planting a flag and saying that Rick’s recovery is a real plot point, not just a one-off joke.
- Pros: Incredible guest voices, tight pacing, actual character development.
- Cons: Lack of Morty, the "blue puke" gag went on a bit long for some, feels "softer" than early seasons.
Practical Takeaways for Fans Revisiting Season 7
If you’re doing a rewatch or catching up for the first time, don't skip this one. It’s the connective tissue between the "villain of the week" episodes and the heavy Rick Prime lore that comes later in the season.
Watch for these specific details:
The background characters in the Unity-controlled crowds. The animation team snuck in a lot of visual gags about how a hive mind would actually manage a grocery store or a protest. Pay attention to the President’s dialogue—it’s some of the best political satire the show has done in years, mostly because it’s not about "politics" in the Democrat vs. Republican sense, but about the "politics" of a narcissist in power.
Check out the post-credits scene too. It features Mr. Poopybutthole, continuing his own downward spiral subplot. It’s a dark mirror to Rick’s attempt at getting better. While Rick is in therapy, Mr. P is... well, he’s not doing great. It’s a reminder that in this universe, for every person who moves forward, someone else is falling apart.
Next Steps for Your Watchlist
To get the full impact of the narrative arc starting in Rick and Morty episode 3 season 7, you should immediately follow it up with a rewatch of "Auto Erotic Assimilation" (Season 2, Episode 3). Seeing the contrast between Rick’s suicide attempt in that episode and his choice to go to therapy in this one is the only way to truly appreciate how far the character has come. After that, move straight into the mid-season finale of Season 7 to see how Rick's new "healthy" mindset is tested when he finally faces his greatest enemy.
The show isn't just about portals anymore; it's about the messy process of trying to be a person when you've spent your whole life being a god.