Beth and Jerry are finally getting a divorce. It’s messy. It’s loud. And for the kids, it’s a total nightmare. Honestly, most fans were expecting a high-concept sci-fi romp to kick off the third season after the massive prison break in the premiere, but instead, we got Rickmancing the Stone. It’s the second episode of season three, and it’s basically a gritty, grease-stained love letter to Mad Max: Fury Road. But beneath the car chases and the giant mutated arms, there’s a lot of emotional heavy lifting happening that people usually miss because they’re too busy laughing at Summer huffing exhaust fumes.
Rick takes the kids to a post-apocalyptic version of Earth—Dimension C-137, or at least a world very similar to it—to hunt down a powerful green crystal called Isotope 322. He’s doing it to avoid dealing with the emotional fallout at home. That’s the Rick Sanchez special.
The Brutality of Rickmancing the Stone
The episode opens with a direct confrontation. Rick wants the rock. The Death Stalkers—a group of wasteland survivors who look like they stepped right out of a George Miller fever dream—want to keep their rock. Summer, fueled by pure teenage nihilism because her parents are splitting up, decides she fits in better with the scavengers than she does in a suburban living room. She kills their leader, Hemorrhage, and suddenly she’s the queen of the wastes.
Morty isn’t doing much better. While Summer expresses her anger through violence and leather outfits, Morty gets a literal "muscle memory" injection. Rick grafts the arm of a dead giant onto Morty’s body. The arm has a mind of its own. It’s seeking vengeance against the people who slaughtered its original village. This is where Rickmancing the Stone gets surprisingly dark, even for this show. We see Morty—or rather, Morty’s arm—engaging in a bloody, Gladiator-style tournament.
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It’s a visceral metaphor. Morty is being dragged along by an anger he can't control, while Summer is trying to replace her broken family with a makeshift one built on scrap metal and blood.
Why the Mad Max Parody Actually Works
Parody is easy. Anyone can put a guy in a hockey mask and call it a reference. What Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland did here was different. They used the aesthetic of the wasteland to mirror the internal wasteland of the Smith family. When Hemorrhage takes off his bucket helmet and reveals he’s just a normal-looking guy who likes "creamy" textures, it undercuts the toughness of the world. It shows that everyone is just pretending.
Summer marries Hemorrhage. They move into a "house" made of junk. They have domestic arguments about the neighbors. It’s exactly what she was trying to escape, just with more dirt. Rick eventually brings "civilization" to the wasteland by giving them electricity and modern amenities, which ironically ruins their culture. It’s a cynical take on colonialism, but mostly, it’s a jab at how domesticity is an inescapable trap.
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The Emotional Core Nobody Talks About
Most viewers rank this episode lower than "Pickle Rick" or "The Rickshank Rickdemption." That's a mistake. Rickmancing the Stone is the anchor for the entire season's character arcs. Without the kids' breakdown here, their later cynicism doesn't make sense.
- Summer’s nihilism: She isn't just being a "cool" rebel. She’s genuinely hurting. Watching her transition from a scared kid to a wasteland warrior who doesn't care if she lives or dies is heavy.
- Morty’s suppressed rage: Morty is usually the moral compass. In this episode, he lets the arm do the dirty work so he doesn't have to admit he wants to hurt his dad for leaving.
- Rick’s cowardice: Rick claims he’s there for the Isotope 322. He says he’s "doing a job." But he’s really just running away from a sobbing Beth.
The episode ends with the kids finally going home. They realize that the wasteland didn't fix them. Summer leaves Hemorrhage because, turns out, living in a post-apocalyptic desert sucks when you have to actually talk to your spouse. Morty’s giant arm finishes its quest for vengeance and withers away, leaving him feeling empty.
Fact-Checking the Production
There are some interesting tidbits about how this episode came together. It was written by Jane Becker and directed by Dominic Polcino. Interestingly, the title is a play on the 1984 film Romancing the Stone, though the plot has almost nothing to do with that movie. It’s much more focused on the Mad Max trilogy and Beyond Thunderdome.
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The voice acting is particularly sharp here. Joel McHale (of Community fame) voices Hemorrhage. He plays the character with this perfect mix of post-apocalyptic gravel and suburban insecurity. It’s that contrast that makes the comedy land. If Hemorrhage was just a generic tough guy, the joke about him wanting a nice living room wouldn't work.
How to Re-watch Rickmancing the Stone for Maximum Impact
If you’re going back to watch this one, stop looking for the Easter eggs for a second. Look at the background. Look at the way the colors shift from the bright, sterile Smith household to the orange, dusty hues of the wasteland. The animation team at Bardel Entertainment did an incredible job making the world feel lived-in and gross.
Pay attention to the "Stalking" sequence. The music, the pacing, the sheer absurdity of the vehicles. It’s high-octane nonsense that serves to hide the fact that the kids are suffering.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Writers:
- Analyze the Metaphor: If you're a writer, study how this episode uses a physical setting to represent a mental state. The wasteland isn't just a place; it's the kids' grief.
- Character Consistency: Notice how Summer’s behavior here sets up her "don't give a damn" attitude for the rest of the series. It’s a pivot point for her character.
- Context Matters: Watch this episode immediately after the Season 3 premiere and then follow it with "Pickle Rick." You’ll see a clear descent into madness as the family tries to cope with the divorce.
Rickmancing the Stone might not be the flashiest episode in the Rick and Morty catalog, but it’s arguably one of the most honest. It captures that specific feeling of wanting to burn everything down when your life changes in a way you can't control. Sometimes you just need a giant muscle-arm to punch out your frustrations. And honestly? That’s okay.