7 Easter eggs you probably didn’t notice in Rick and Morty

Rick and Morty is an adult animated science fiction sitcom produced by Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon for Cartoon Network's late-night programming block, Adult Swim.

The show follows the adventures of Rick Sanchez, a cynical mad scientist, and his hapless but good-hearted grandson Morty Smith, who spend their time between family life and interdimensional travel that occurs on an infinite number of dimensions, frequently traveling to other worlds and dimensions through portals and on Rick's flying ship.

The overall premise of Rick and Morty is built on two opposing situations: a soap opera domestic family and a misanthropic grandfather taking his grandson on adventures.

Beneath the humor and bizarre plots, the show is packed with clever references and hidden details, like these seven Easter eggs viewers might have missed.

Disclaimer: The following list is ranked in no particular order, and the opinions expressed belong solely to the author.

Cosmic customs with alien cameos, and 6 other Easter eggs one probably didn’t notice in Rick and Morty

1) Jerry’s hidden tribute to Doofus Rick in the garage

A still from the show (Image via Netflix)

Doofus Rick is the only Rick out of all the multitudes of interdimensional Ricks who actually seems to enjoy being around Jerry. Other Ricks comments that he eats his own sh*t too.

Doofus Rick and Jerry really did become friends after all in the episode Close Rick-counters of the Rick Kind, and the other Ricks were not hesitant to shame the two for their newfound relationship.

The other Ricks' mutual alienation and emotional attachments clearly held a special spot in Jerry's heart, as noted by viewers in the season 3 premiere episode, The Rickshank Redemption, if they pay attention.

Jerry secretly retains a framed picture of his favorite Rick, Doofus Rick, stashed away in the garage from prying and taunting eyes.

2) How Rick accidentally let the parasites into the Smith home

A still from Rick and Morty (Image via Netflix)

In season 2, episode 4, Total Rickall, the Smith family battles parasitic space aliens who have totally overrun their home and their minds.

The parasite implants wave after wave of false memories into their heads, confusing the family and leaving them in a mad struggle to separate fact from fantasy recreations of friends and loved ones. But how did the parasites enter the house?

If viewers take a look at the finale of Mortynight Run, they will notice that these parasites were given one entire episode to become settled. When Rick pours those green boulders into his spaceship, some of them even have bright pink parasite eggs stuck on them.

The original parasite in the house also has a bunch of larvae running around its back, meaning other parasites must be running around somewhere.

3) Cosmic customs with sci-fi alien cameos

Rick and Morty pilot features the center of Interdimensional Customs, where a retinue of silhouettes of alien forms of various popular sci-fi franchises are observed.

In a "Where's Waldo"-like painting, pop-culture alien symbols are present throughout the canvas, featuring an amazing tribute to its forebears.

Some of the cameos include a Prawn from District 9, an Alien from Alien, and a Mooninite from Aqua Teen Hunger Force. This clever mix pays tribute to classic sci-fi pop culture.

4) Gravity Falls Easter eggs sneak into the Rick and Morty universe

A still from Rick and Morty (Image via Apple TV+)

In Gravity Falls, the Society of the Blind Eye episode features the character Grunkle Stan losing a couple of very specific things. A notebook, a pen, and a yellow coffee mug with a “?” on it are pulled through a large portal and do not appear again in Gravity Falls.

These three items emerge from a portal Rick creates using his portal gun while fleeing from a group of Ricks. This is one of Justin Roiland's allusions to other peers and co-workers in multimedia, one being Alex Hirsch, the creator of Disney XD's Gravity Falls.

5) Dan Harmon’s post-divorce vanity card change explained

A still from the show (Image via Apple TV+)

In a slightly less hilarious Easter egg, the end shot for Dan Harmon's Harmonious Claptrap is now substituted with a vanity card displaying his life after divorce. Rick and Morty seasons 1 and 2 feature Harmon's own end logo, with a smiling presentation of him and a family – his wife and pets.

Season 3's last episode, even today, presents a picture of Dan's solitary life, still with pets, but with bottles of liquor and garbage surrounding him rather than in a nicely lit, sunny home with his wife.

This new ending shot comes after the recent breakdown in comedian Erin McGathy's marriage to Dan.

6) Rick’s alien version of Community in ‘Auto Erotic Assimilation’

Rick and Morty co-creator Dan Harmon is also the creator and producer of the NBC live-action TV show Community. And Harmon has snuck in an alien take on Community's study group into the Rick and Morty season 2 episode, Auto Erotic Assimilation.

While Rick is indulging in his tryst with the galactic entity, Unity, he instructs her to produce a TV show for him, which he explicitly designs to be Community.

"Now have them all mock the blonde one. Now have them all do it on the table. Now cut that out! Now put it back on!" The TV continues to display an alien parody of the Community cast sitting in a study session, all in the same position as the actual show.

7) The Truth Tortoise hints at Paul McCartney conspiracy theories

During season 3, episode 8, Morty's Mind Blowers, Rick and Morty forget that they are alive and, in a desperate attempt to recall themselves, set out packing their minds with erased memories. All this was caused by Morty's frantic attempt to forget what an omnipotent being revealed to him.

Early in this episode, the two are brought before the Truth Tortoise, which, as best anyone can tell, reveals all things true about the universe to anyone who peers into its peepers, and Morty just so happens to lounge for a long look into the tortoise's peepers.

What the audience actually hears the tortoise voice utter to Morty is, "Paul is dead, I'm a Beatle," spelled backwards with what sounds like Justin Roiland's muffled voice.

The eerie words of the Truth Tortoise hang hauntingly for those who subscribe to the Paul McCartney conspiracy – that Paul had passed away in 1966, and the rest of the Beatles would have secret, reversed messages about it in their music.

Rick and Morty season 8 is currently airing weekly, with new episodes releasing every Sunday on Adult Swim in the US and E4 in the UK, leading up to the season finale on July 27, 2025.

About the author

With a background in Political Science, which may seem unconventional for an entertainment writer, Moakala T Aier’s academic journey was marked by extensive involvement in editorial roles. Beginning as a member of the campus editorial team and later as the editor for the student union led her to pursue a career as a Digital Content Creator.

Currently working as a Listicle writer at Sportskeeda, Moakala has previously contributed to various publications like The Shillong Times and Eastern Mirror, where she covered a diverse range of topics from education and human interest stories to lifestyle pieces, event coverage, and book reviews. With a portfolio that includes interviews with various personalities such as MMA fighters, local musicians, and activists, Moakala’s approach to journalism is rooted in accuracy and reliability. She employs meticulous research and cross-referencing to ensure error-free content.

Beyond writing, Moakala enjoys listening to podcasts every morning, watching indie films, cooking new dishes, taking daily photo dumps, reading books, and journaling her thoughts. While she admires Emma Chamberlain, Sophia Chang, Michelle Choi, and others for their creative attention to detail, Moakala would love to be a part of the classic 1998 film The Parent Trap, longing to live in the same fictional world that feels uncomplicated and meaningful.

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Edited by Moakala T Aier