RJ Writing Ink

Rick and Morty S8 Ep 7 Review

Sometimes, the stars just seem to align for a TV show, enabling it to be incredibly relevant to current events. South Park is notorious for covering events as recent as the last few days thanks to its six-day turnaround, but they’re not the only ones to do that. With James Gunn’s Superman film set to release later this week (I have my tickets), the world is focused on the return of the Man of Steel. So what does Rick and Morty do? They have a laugh at the expense of the Gunn, AI scripts, and toxic fans all at once.

It’s no secret that Rick Sanchez can be a pretty toxic person, but now we can say that toxicity extends to being a fan of long-running franchises. After hating the latest entry in the fictional Velocitree film franchise, Rick gets so mad he decides to take matters up with the director, James Gunn himself. Then, because he thinks he can do better, he swipes the script for the next film so he can do things his way. That way, of course, involving him building a machine that can help him come up with the perfect film. This inevitably backfires on him when he and Morty get sucked into the film before they come up with an ending, forcing them to take part in the film itself.

AI, TOXIC FANS, and A Gunn, Oh My!

There is a lot about this episode that makes it incredibly relevant to the times that we are living in, and thus making it brilliant. Firstly, there’s how the episode represents the fans of long-running franchises. On the one hand, we have Jerry, the casual fan who will enjoy whatever is put in front of him. On the other hand, we have Rick and Morty representing the long-term fans who have been with a franchise for years, even decades. These days, more and more hardcore fans of franchises like Star Wars and the MCU are growing disillusioned with the way the IPs are being run. They can’t stand to see that which they love be turned into something they hate. This isn’t a recent phenomenon either. When the Star Wars Prequels released, the OG fans hated them, especially for characters such as Jar Jar. In this case, the Velocitree has their own Jar Jar in the form of the comic relief robo-tree Tannebaum, who Rick initially despises.

Secondly, there is the way the episode addresses the toxic fans themselves. Many fans are like Rick: when they see their favorite franchise in the toilet, they think that they can do better. I myself have often wondered if I could’ve done the Star Wars Sequels better than what Abrams and Johnson did. However, the events of the episode force Rick to acknowledge that just because you think you can do better doesn’t mean you can do better. His and Morty’s attempts to get the film back on track only make things worse, and by the time they hit the climax, they’ve got both heroes and villains out to get them. The only reason they manage to make it out at all is because they have to rely on Jerry’s help. Rick had previously disparaged Jerry for not being “a real fan,” and thinking he’d do a terrible job. Yet for all his talk, it’s Jerry’s slapped-together ideas that bring the film to a successful conclusion.

Lastly, there is the fact that this episode makes a jab at the concept of AI-scripts. AI like ChatGPT has gone mainstream lately, and people think that by using it, they can become great writers. As this episode proves, though, AI writing isn’t going to be any better than what humans come up with. If you want my opinion, the best option we’ve got is to find a way to work in tandem with AI rather than let it do everything for us. Otherwise, storytellers like James Gunn will be out of a job.

James Gunn Played Himself!

Speaking of James Gunn, this episode is especially noteworthy for the two guest appearances: James Gunn and Zach Snyder. The staff of Rick and Morty managed to talk both directors into guest-starring as themselves in the episodes. Granted, Snyder’s only in one scene that has him poke fun at the differences between his version of Superman and Gunn’s, but it’s all in good humor. Gunn, on the other hand, winds up serving as the overarching villain of the episode, as he doesn’t want Rick and Morty to succeed, since that will put him out of a job. Yet, in the end, they managed to do just that, though Gunn thinks he got the last laugh by getting the completed script. Unfortunately, it just puts him out of a job…and out of life.

I’ve been a big fan of James Gunn since the original Guardians of the Galaxy, and I think that his decision to reboot the DC films is a good one. So much so that I’ve already bought my tickets to see Superman later this week. Needless to say, I think the timing on this episode couldn’t have been better. Here’s hoping that when I get back, I will have something worthwhile to write about, as well as a cool popcorn bucket to sell.

I Give “Ricker than Fiction” a 4/5

Click here to see my other animation stuff. 

My Hero Academia: Vigilantes Ep 13 Review

Queen Bee has been defeated, and Naruhata is supposed to be safe. Pop is starting to gain traction as an idol. And Koichi is starting to get the hang of being a vigilante, even if he still needs help. It seems like life is going well for everyone in Naruhata! Except Knuckleduster suddenly goes missing. Where did he go?

Life Goes On…

Ever since Narufest, POP☆STEP has been doing better than ever. Her performance has been going viral on social media, and she is loving it! She’s gotten plenty of fan mail (actual mail!) And the festival was so successful that the department store has decided to make it a regular event, with POP☆STEP and the others recurring performers!

As for Koichi, he has been continuing his work as a vigilante. Given how what he’s doing is technically illegal, it can seem weird that he’s now doing it so openly in the public eye. However, it feels like the Pro Heroes give him leeway because he’s proven capable in situations, and they know he means well. It also helps that he knows when to leave things to the professionals. Case in point, when a certain bat-villain returns to get revenge on him, Koichi lets himself be saved by Captain Celebrity. It just so happens that this helps Pop keep a promise to bring a Pro Hero to the next Narufest. Needless to say, this helps the performance remain a success.

At the same time, though, the fact that the bat villian reappeared is a worrying sign. One would think that the fall of Queen Bee would help make Naruhata safer. Instead, things are only getting worse.

But Knuckleduster is Nowhere to Be Found

Despite Queen Bee no longer able to distribute Trigger, the Instant Villains aren’t going away. In fact, they’re only getting stronger. In the aftermath of Pop’s Eel fan, Teruo, going on another rampage, he didn’t turn back to normal. He’s stuck in his more monstrous form, meaning the change is permanent. The authorities are already calling these new Villains “Next-Level Villains,” and they are on a wholly different level from what the Naruhata Vigilantes have been facing. So it would seem that All for One’s experiments with Trigger haven’t been slowed down at all.

Things are going to get more dangerous for Koichi and Pop from here on out, and if they want to continue being vigilantes, then they’ll have to step up their game. However, they’re going to have to do it without relying on their mentor, because Knuckleduster is nowhere to be found.

After saving his daughter’s life, Knuckleduster rushed her to the hospital where his wife was being treated. During his earlier pursuit, he had gotten a call saying that his wife’s condition had gotten worse, but he had managed to keep that out of his mind long enough to save Tamao. Tragically, by the time he makes it to the hospital, his wife is already at death’s door. He only has enough time to let her know that Tamao is safe before she…goes.

This is a genuinely sad moment for the story. Knuckleduster had fought so hard to try and put his family back together, and now he’ll never have the chance. His daughter will never have the chance to say goodbye to her mom. He doesn’t even have the heart to directly tell her that her mom is Dad, yet you can tell that she already knows.

Time to Go it Alone

Not long afterwards, Knuckleduster disappears altogether. He leaves behind his mask and knuckles at Koichi’s place. Presumably, he’s gone off to continue fighting the people behind the Instant and Next-Level Villains on his own. As for Koichi and Pop, they plan on continuing to live their lives.

Thus, the first season of My Hero Academia: Vigilantes comes to an end. I’m sorry that it took so long for me to watch the season, but once I got started, I was reminded why I fell in love with MHA in the first place. No matter how old I get, I love superheroes and what they represent. And while the main series is ending this fall, I can rest easy knowing that Vigilantes will return next year to keep the fire going. Going Beyond, PLUS ULTRA!!!

I Give “What a Man Takes With Him” a 4/5

Click here to see more animanga stuff.