#and only described him “like an evil Morty a clever one” when he tried to speed bond with him

[glitteringcrab]

Evil Morty's name

...I'm under the impression that the show very much does not want us to call him "Evil" Morty.

1. The name was coined by the fans, not the creators (if this article is to be believed, at least):

2. A different name was handed to us, but it didn't catch on:

3. Evil Morty seems to me to be pushing the idea that being "evil" is something that describes every Morty who rebels against his tormentor...

...which in turn, means it's not defining of him. If a thousand angry Mortys lash out and therefore become "Evil Morty", how does this name differentiate him, specifically? How does it function as a name he'd choose for himself?

We can't really say that only a very small number of Mortys turn against Ricks, either, because he says to Morty Prime: "Now you're Evil Morty too. Sooner or later we all are." If he is to be believed, this means that it happens often. A lot.

...So I think it's a bit like calling Slick Morty "drama implant Morty". There are countless Mortys with a drama implant, but only one who also rolls up his sleeves and is called Slick Morty and who gave his life away in a desperate wish.

4. Rick protests against the name.

5. He seems to be bitter about the name:

6. In the show he claims that being sick of Rick is makes him evil, which can be translated either as:

(a) "I'm so desperate I have no choice but to escape at any cost, even if I have to do cruel things" OR

(b) "you can do any cruel act and it can be overlooked as humorous (couch Morty Prime killing people so he can die old with Jessica cough) but if I do cruel acts so I can escape Rick I'm considered evil"

In theory he could mean either of the two, but I think the first one makes more sense considering it was us fans who named him thus, and we did it because of his betrayal towards other Mortys, not because we judged him for wanting to escape.

7. Considering it turned out he really was worried about Morty Prime, this feels like one more moment where he expresses bitterness and sarcasm towards the name that was given to him:

8. I guess the moniker "evil" can be considered empowering, in a fashion, but I mostly feel this is a really sad part of the empowerment. He escaped, yes, and that's admirable (even if it had to be done at any cost) but that name highlights the absolute worst parts of his struggles. And while he may no longer hope for acceptance, friendship or understanding from anyone, this particular name still feels like it's rubbing in his face that he had to dirty his hands, that his peers are repulsed by him and that he will receive no forgiveness from anyone (at least, not anytime soon). It also reminds me of this post. Strength and cruelty are not the same thing. He is strong but we name him after the cruelty? Especially when we know this is likely only a hurt and lonely kid.

9. I understand that the name may have stuck by now, and even though I admit it has a nice ring to it, I actually hate using it anymore. I like to call him by the one thing that actually sets him apart from all the other cocky or evil Mortys, and that's the one object that is so important to him that it honestly feels like he can't wait to put back it on

that he used to turn the tables against Ricks

that he wears even when alone outside the Curve

that he tries to touch as a form of self-soothing

that his hand slips in his pocket for basically before his enemy has finished collapsing on the ground

[glitteringcrab]

Nice to meet you, I guess

I gotta say, this interpretation is turning this whole scene right on its head for me:

Because I originally thought this was Evil Morty coldly and manipulatively overplaying his Mortyness:

And yet I think we can all agree that this is real fear (because there was no one conscious around for Evil Morty to adjust his reactions to):

Same as I think we can all agree that this was a calculated move:

THE TRANSITION BETWEEN THE TWO EMOTIONAL STATES IS NOT READILY APPARENT.

One moment he was scared, then he... put up an even more scared façade? Overplayed his fear?? While at the same time having foreseen the way to bring Rick Prime down and coldly luring him closer with his apparent helplessness?

Well... I think... I get it now... Here's how I think it went:

1. Eyepatch Morty's allies are down, and he does not know what to do. Hence the slow, hesitant reactions:

2: And yet he stands his ground to face Rick Prime (and might I note that Evil Morty could have teleported himself away during that time Rick Prime had not yet regenerated --and hope the Omega Device would not be used on Mortys-- but not only he stayed, it appears he later places himself between Rick Prime and his fallen allies).

3. This is a real flinch:

(and he had flinched again right before that, when he saw Rick Prime first beginning to get up)

4. Although we're never shown him walk (so this could be an animation mistake) as mentioned before, it seems he has placed himself in front of his temporary allies and is standing his ground:

5. And then he flinches again when Rick Prime reaches for his gun (lots of flinching in this episode). As far as I can tell Evil Morty's forcefield had fizzled out, and a painful death is imminent.

6. He automatically, subconsciously tries (what I assume to be and what turned this scene on its head for me) a self-pacifying gesture: touching the eyepatch.

This is important because if the interpretation of this gesture is correct, it would mean that none of Evil Morty's above described reactions had been clever nor calculating. His Mortyness was not deliberately overplayed. This is a raw, genuine moment. He was just scared, and the best he could do in the face of imminent death was to instinctively reach for an object he had equated with freedom and strength, an object that he considers so strongly as a part of his identity that he wears it even when completely alone outside the Curve.

7. Only that this attempt at self-soothing doesn't work; he isn't wearing the eyepatch right now.

He quickly camouflages his attempt by turning the gesture into a scratch.

8. This line? This dumb line that he utters next?

That's not Evil Morty cleverly and deliberately impersonating Morty Prime by making himself sound like an idiot; although he is following along the "I'm Morty Prime" ruse, this is Evil Morty being scared out of his wits and genuinely having no idea what to do or say to save himself, exactly like Morty Prime would be.

9. THIS IS THE MOMENT HE THINKS OF THE FINGER GUNS:

Eyepatch Morty lowers his gaze and raises his left hand slightly. I dunno, but I think this could be read as the face of someone who's thinking, and I feel like the motion of his left hand is rather indicative of what he was thinking.

10. More flinching as Rick Prime approaches. He's going to have only one shot at this.

11. WOOP. There ya go, a-hole:

(note that he's using his left hand, the same one he raised slightly earlier)

And I think Eyepatch Morty's expression in this is interesting. Compare it with another instance when he's firing a weapon that requires a lot of focus:

Doesn't Evil Morty's wide-eyed expression when he fires the finger gun look... almost curious? Uncertain, sorta? Like he's closely observing to see the result?

It feels to me like he made the finger guns with another Rick in mind and wasn't sure if the disruption they would cause would even work on Rick Prime (but I could be reading too much into it).

12. HOORAY:

13. Aaaand he puts the eyepatch back on as soon as possible.

(Whew!)

I dunno, the more I try to read Evil Morty's actions (trying to self-pacify after getting shot, subconsciously choosing a blue color for his forcefield, repeated flinching, avoiding any sort of attachment as too painful, taking kinda poor care of himself outside the Curve, opting to talk to Morty Prime and Rick C-137 instead of attacking them, being too scared to face Puppetmaster Rick alone), the more fragile, scared, tired and lonely he seems to me, despite his constant masks and apparent endless strength, intelligence and determination.

I feel like even the moments when he shows genuine pain or fear we are inclined to disregard his humanity and interpret as cold and calculated acting.

...Although I may be only seeing what I want to see.