If you’ve spent any time in the Rick and Morty fandom, you know the Citadel is a mess. It’s a dense, chaotic hub of infinite Ricks and infinite Mortys, most of whom look exactly like the "C-137" versions we follow. But every now and then, a variant pops up that makes you do a double-take. We’ve seen Lizard Rick, Shrimp Rick, and even a Rick that’s just a sentient vat of pickles. Yet, Rick and Morty Black Rick—a version of the scientist with darker skin and often a different hair texture—stands out for reasons that go beyond just a simple visual palette swap.
It’s about the lore.
Honestly, the show handles these variants with a mix of casual indifference and deep, baked-in logic. When fans first spotted Black Rick in the background of Citadel-centric episodes like "The Rickshank Rickdemption" or "Tales from the Citadel," the internet did what it does best: it started theorizing. Was this a "natural" variant? Was it a commentary on the Infinite Monkey Theorem? Or was Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon’s team just trying to reflect a more diverse reality within an infinite multiverse?
The Reality of Rick and Morty Black Rick in the Citadel
The Citadel of Ricks is a bureaucratic nightmare. It’s a place where "infinite" should mean "everything," but for a long time, the show mostly gave us slight variations of the same white guy with blue hair. When Rick and Morty Black Rick appeared, usually sporting a crisp lab coat and that signature cynical scowl, it signaled a shift in how the writers approached the "Infinite" part of their premise.
He isn't a "character" in the sense that he has a three-season arc. He’s a texture. He’s the evidence that Rick’s DNA isn't a static, unchangeable blueprint across every conceivable dimension. In some universes, the genetic roll of the dice landed differently. Maybe in his home dimension, the Smith family history looks entirely different. It’s a subtle nod to the idea that "Rickness" isn't tied to a specific race, but to a specific brand of nihilistic brilliance and catastrophic ego.
You see him most clearly during the election cycle on the Citadel. While Candidate Morty (who becomes Evil Morty) is giving his speeches, the camera pans across a sea of Ricks. You’ll spot a Black Rick in the crowd, looking just as bored and exhausted as the Rick sitting next to him. That’s the joke. Regardless of the universe, Ricks are universally miserable.
Why fans keep looking for him
People care about this because the Rick and Morty community loves "Easter Egg" hunting. Finding a Rick and Morty Black Rick variant in a blink-and-you-miss-it frame is like finding a shiny Pokemon for some viewers.
There’s also the "Slick Rick" factor. While not the same character, "Slick" was a Morty variant who had a more street-smart, cynical edge. Fans often conflate these unique visual variants because they represent a break from the "Standard Rick" design. It makes the world feel bigger. If every Rick looked 100% identical, the multiverse would feel small. By introducing a Rick with different ethnicities, the show reinforces that the Central Finite Curve—the wall Rick built around the universes where he is the smartest person—isn't just a wall around one specific man, but a wall around a specific concept of a person.
The Science of Multiversal Variance
Let’s get nerdy for a second. In the context of the show’s internal logic, how does Rick and Morty Black Rick even exist?
If Rick C-137 is a white man, wouldn't all Ricks be white? Not necessarily.
If we assume the "Rick" identity is defined by a specific set of brainwaves or a specific intellectual threshold, then the physical vessel might vary based on the environmental factors of that specific dimension. It’s possible that in some universes, the lineage of the Sanchez family adapted differently. It’s also possible—given how much Rick messes with his own biology—that some Ricks just chose to change their appearance.
Think about it.
Rick once turned himself into a turkey just to get a Thanksgiving pardon from the President. Changing his skin tone or hair texture to better suit a specific mission or just because he was bored on a Tuesday is perfectly within his character. However, most fans agree that these are likely "natural" variants born into their respective worlds.
The "Evil Morty" Connection
Interestingly, some of the most prominent appearances of diverse Ricks and Mortys happen during the episodes where Evil Morty is tearing down the status quo. When the Central Finite Curve is finally destroyed at the end of Season 5, the possibilities for what a "Rick" can be expanded even further.
If the Curve was a curated collection of universes, then Rick and Morty Black Rick represents the diversity that managed to stay within the parameters of being the "smartest man in the universe." Now that the wall is down, we might see even wilder versions. But for now, the Black Rick variants remain some of the most grounded and "human" variations we’ve seen.
What Most People Get Wrong About These Variants
A common misconception is that these characters are "errors" or "fill-ins" by the animation team at Bardel Entertainment. That’s rarely how high-budget animation works. Every character model in a show as dense as Rick and Morty goes through an approval process.
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- They aren't mistakes.
- They aren't just "background filler."
- They are intentional choices to show that Rick’s "intelligence" is the only constant.
Another mistake? Thinking there's only one. There are actually several different Rick and Morty Black Rick models used in different scenes. Some have the classic spiky hair, while others have different styles that better reflect their design.
How to Spot Him (and Others) in Future Episodes
If you’re looking to find Rick and Morty Black Rick yourself, you need to stop watching the main characters.
The best place to look is always the Citadel. Even though it was "destroyed" (multiple times), pieces of it and the Ricks who inhabited it keep popping up in flashbacks or multiversal rifts.
- Watch the "Ricktional Heritage" scenes: Any time the show does a deep dive into the history of the Council of Ricks, look at the back rows.
- Check the background of the Jerryboree: While mostly focused on Jerrys, Ricks are always dropping them off.
- Keep an eye on the "Rick and Morty" comics: The Oni Press comic series often takes more risks with character designs than the show does.
Honestly, the existence of Rick and Morty Black Rick is a testament to the show’s staying power. It’s a small detail, but it’s the kind of detail that keeps the wiki pages updated and the Reddit threads buzzing. It proves that the "Rickness" we all love—that mixture of genius, trauma, and a complete lack of a filter—is universal.
The Path Forward for Multiversal Design
As the show moves into its later seasons, the "standard" Rick design is becoming the exception rather than the rule. We are seeing more and more Ricks that challenge our perception of what the character "should" look like. This is good for the show. It keeps the visual language fresh and prevents the "infinite" worlds from feeling like a repetitive loop of the same three character models.
For creators and writers, the lesson here is simple: diversity in background characters isn't just about representation; it’s about world-building. It makes the universe feel lived-in. It makes the audience ask questions. And in a show about a man who knows everything, giving the audience a few questions is the best way to keep them coming back.
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Identify and Track Your Favorite Variants
If you want to dive deeper into the world of Rick and Morty variants, your best bet is to use the official "Pocket Mortys" game or the community-run wikis.
- Document the sightings: Start a rewatch of the "Tales from the Citadel" episode (Season 3, Episode 7) and see how many unique Ricks you can count in the background.
- Analyze the design: Look at the clothing and tech used by Rick and Morty Black Rick compared to C-137. Is his portal gun different? Is his lab coat a different shade?
- Engage with the community: Check out the Rick and Morty subreddits to see if there are new fan-theories regarding the origin of specific variants post-Season 7.
By paying attention to these "minor" characters, you gain a much better appreciation for the scale of the multiverse the writers have built over the last decade. It’s not just a show about one drunk scientist and his grandson; it’s a show about the terrifying, beautiful, and diverse reality of infinite existence.
Practical Next Steps
To truly master the lore of multiversal variants like Rick and Morty Black Rick, start by analyzing the background of Season 3's "The Ricklantis Mixup." Pause during the classroom scenes and the bar scenes. You will find that the animation team has hidden dozens of unique Ricks that never get a line of dialogue but suggest entire lifetimes of off-screen adventures. Use a high-definition stream to catch the subtle differences in character models, as many of these variants appear for less than a second. Once you've spotted them, cross-reference your findings with the Pocket Mortys character list to see if they've been given official names or stats in the game's database. This level of detail-oriented viewing is exactly how the most dedicated members of the fandom uncover secrets before they are ever officially confirmed by the showrunners.